Genetics: Academic Writing
Guides to academic writing
A Short Guide to Academic Writing by Publication Date: 2003Available in print at:
Central Library: PE1408 .JN2
Help with writing
- University of Otago Student Learning Development : Writing a Literature Review [pdf]
Excellent, concise guide from the Student Learning Centre. It covers the purpose of reviewing literature, recording searches, taking notes and evaluating the literature, structuring and writing the review, as well as linking it to other parts of your thesis.
- The Literature Review
Step-by-step guide to writing a scientific literature review, from Monash University.
- University of Otago Library Self Help
Online tutorials, videos, and other quick guides on academic skills such as finding scholarly information and writing scientific reports.
- Student Learning Development
Website with information about courses and resources to support academic skill development for students
- Purdue Online Writing Lab This link opens in a new window
The Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University houses writing resources and instructional material as a free service to students, members of the community, and users worldwide.
- Academic Integrity
University of Otago's dishonest practice information webpage
Writing Your Thesis
- Thesis Information Library GuideEssential information and advice for Postgraduates on the many stages of the thesis process, from planning to submitting.
- OUR ArchiveAll Otago theses and dissertations are required to be deposited in the OUR Archive. Depositors have the option to make their dissertation or thesis available in full-text.
- SAGE Research MethodsA research methods tool created to help researchers, faculty and students with their research projects. The database links SAGE’s book, journal and reference content with search and discovery tools. Researchers can explore methods concepts to help them design research projects, understand particular methods or identify a new method, conduct their research, and write up their findings.
- Sage CampusSAGE Campus is a digital library product that supports the teaching and learning of skills and research methods through 280+ hours of structured online learning. Our style is self-paced and instructor-led, comprised of an engaging mix of SAGE-quality content, video, interactives, and formative assessments. Our flexible learning pathways cover tricky skills and research methods that can be applied across all stages of academic study; from undergraduates looking to critically assess information to researchers looking to report and publish their data.
- EQUATOR Network= Enhancing the QUAlity and Transparency Of health Research. The EQUATOR Network has goals of raising awareness of the importance of good reporting of research, assisting in the development, dissemination and implementation of reporting guidelines for different types of study designs, monitoring the status of the quality of reporting of research studies in the health sciences literature, and conducting research relating to issues that impact the quality of reporting of health research studies.
Assess your findings
Evaluating and thinking critically about sources of information are important skills to develop and apply while undertaking research.
Not all information is reliable and appropriate for academic work, and not all information is relevant to your particular topic.
You should challenge and reflect on information that you find; don’t just accept everything you read.
- Rauru Whakarare Evaluation FrameworkBased on:
OROKOHANGA - ‘The Origins’: The source of the information
MANA - ‘The Authority’ of the information
WHAKAPAPA - ‘The Background’ of the information
MĀRAMATANGA - ‘The Content’ and usability of the
information
ARONGA - ‘The Lens’ or objectivity of the information
- How to evaluate websitesUse the acronym BADURL to help you evaluate online sources:
B ... Bias
A ... Authority
D ... Date
U ... URL
R ... Relevance
L ... Links
Work through this tutorial to develop your skills in evaluating information that you find online:
Or apply these terms to assess if the information you have found answers your research question.
Timeliness
Relevance
Authority
Accuracy
Purpose
Work through this tutorial to develop your skills in evaluating information that you find online:
SIFT - Evaluating Information Tutorial
Even though the library databases are good sources of information, we still need to evaluate that information before we decide to use it. You can do this by asking the following questions:
- Is the information relevant to your topic?
- Who are the authors, are they experts in the field? Who do they work for? What else have they written?
- What evidence is given, what references are given, and what methodology is used?
- How is the study funded? Is there a bias?
- When was the information written, is it still relevant? Has it been updated or amended in light of new evidence?
For more information and resources, check out the ‘Evaluating information: additional resources’ box at the bottom of this page.
Here are some resources to help develop your evaluating skills:
- For a simple 'commonsense' approach to evaluating claims made by the news media, read this short article by Doug Specht & Julio Gimenez from the University of Westminster, and pay close attention to the 6 'steps for reading like a scientist'.
- If you need to verify a claim, you can check it on a fact-checking website. Check out this guide to Fact Checkers, curated by the University of California Berkley Library, for ideas on what websites to use if you are not sure.
- Work through this excellent module on 'evaluating information and critical thinking' created by The University of Sheffield Library.