Important tips for the writers

This page lists out some important tips for freelance academic writers
1.
Referencing: Referencing is the most important requirement for any academic
assignment. Inadequate referencing is counted as plagiarism and will be treated as per our
plagiarism policy.
1. Referencing is required when you use ideas, arguments, figures, illustrations etc.
published elsewhere without acknowledgment.
2. No referencing is required if you use your own experiences or something which is
common knowledge.
3. There should be both in-text citations and end-of-text reference list with every
assignment.
4. Direct quotes (even with references) should be avoided at all costs and they should be
paraphrased instead.
5. When referencing, stick to academic sources such as books, journal articles and
reputed websites only. Wikipedia and blog entries are not academic sources.
6. A rule of thumb is to use at least 1 reference per paragraph unless otherwise mentioned.
7. We recommend that you use the References feature available in Microsoft Word
(available in 2007 and later editions) to format your references.
8. Some popular referencing styles are APA, Harvard and MLA. A good starting point will
be to visit Online Writing Lab by Purdue University (https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/).
2.
Structure of the assignment: Almost every assignment will have an introduction, a
main body and a conclusion.
a.
Introduction
1. The introduction provides a background to the topic and introduces the main purpose of
the writing.
2. It may include a definition of the terms used in the assignment.
3. Keep introduction limited to 10% of the total word count.
A sample introduction looks like the following
With the rise in global warming and increasing pollution levels, it is becoming essential to find a
viable alternative to the internal combustion engine petrol powered car. The aim of this project
was to create two designs for a fuel cell powered car, the main criteria being environmental
friendliness in terms of both emissions and materials. This report presents the designs for two
such cars, each of which includes the following components: engine, fuel, wheels, accessories,
safety features and materials. Car A is aimed at the upper end of the market, while Car B is a
mid-range vehicle suitable for family use. A description of the design and an analysis of
operational efficiency for each car are followed by a comparison of the two designs. Finally, the
most cost efficient design is recommended.
b.

Main body

1. The main body contains the ideas and arguments to support your thesis statement.
2. These ideas and arguments should flow logically and be linked to the main purpose of
the assignment.
3. Cover only one idea per paragraph
4. It is recommended to use concise headings and sub-headings to guide the reader about
flow of the assignment
5. Feel free to provide examples or illustrations to support your arguments, however, keep
them concise.
c.
1.
2.
3.
4.

Conclusion
Recall the purpose of the essay and summarise your findings
Draw inferences of the findings in the context of your assignment
Do not introduce any new information or references in this section
Keep conclusion limited to 10% of the total word count

A sample conclusion looks like the following

Two alternative designs for an emission-free fuel cell powered car have been presented: Car A,
a luxury sedan which runs on hydrogen, and Car B, a medium-sized family hatch which uses
hydrogen and oxygen. Each car features recyclable materials and conforms to Australian design
standards in terms of performance and safety features. However, Car B is recommended as it
was found to be more economical in terms of both manufacturing and running costs.
3.
Formatting of the assignment: While quality of content usually has the highest
weightage, the importance of formatting cannot be ignored.
1. Proofread your assignment for spelling, grammar and punctuation errors before
submission
2. Format the headings and sub-headings so that the Table of Contents can be
automatically generated in Microsoft Word.
3. Unless mentioned otherwise, use Times New Roman, 12pt, double spacing for main text.
Also stick to A4 size page layout with 1 inch margin on each side.
4. Do not write too short or too long paragraphs. The ideal length of a paragraph is 5-8
sentences.
5. Leave an empty line between paragraphs
6. The reference list should be properly formatted.
4.
1.
2.
3.
4.

Other tips:
Prepare a draft containing the main points and arguments before you start writing the
final assignment.
Keep the word count to within 10% of the suggested word limit. Word count does not
include the Abstract, Table of Contents, Reference List and Appendices.
The marking guide is a useful indicator on how to divide the word count into different
parts of the assignment. If no marking guide is available, use your own judgement.
Answer what is being asked, not what you know. If the assignment requires you to reflect

5.
6.
7.
8.

upon an event and you focus on describing the event, you will be asked for a complete
revision. So understand the requirements thoroughly before starting your research.
The use of first person (I or we) should be avoided in an academic assignment unless it
is a reflective essay. Use third person (the author) instead.
Plan the writing well in advance so that you meet the deadline without compromising the
quality of the assignment.
If there is a conflict between the specific assignment requirements and the above
mentioned guidelines, the former takes precedence.
The above guidelines are not exhaustive by any means. Refer to a standard academic
writing website for further guidance. We recommend the Online Writing Lab by Purdue
University (https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/).