Some proof reading tips
Proof reading your own writing is a pain – even though it is something people like me have to do on a daily basis.
So what are my tips. My first tip would be to pay a professional if you can, but even that does not eliminate the need for you to do some proofing yourself. A nice article from AICPA gives some good tips, and it is worth a read. One tip given is to read out loud. This would actually be my second tip and something I practice a lot. If you read out loud and the sentence sounds wrong, then it probably is wrong. Also, if you run out of breath, the sentence is too long.
A third tip, is an obvious one, run a spell check. It’s amazing how many people do not.
And finally, try to put yourself in the mind of the reader. Would your writing make sense to them? I often ask students to consider would their grandparents understand what they write. This helps to keep it simple and to the point.
Now, here is hoping there are no typos in this 🙂
The use of the word ‘fair’; some thoughts for accountants
In accounting we use the word ‘fair’ a bit. ‘Fair value’ and ‘true and fair view’ are two key concepts that come to mind. But what is fair, and what is unfair. What might be fair to you, is unfair to me and so on. And then, what if we try to translate ‘fair’ into other languages. Does it retain it’s meaning. I don’t know to be honest as I’m not a linguist. But as an accountant, I’m sort of programmed to think logically and look for a definite answer. But maybe there isn’t one. Â To get you thinking, have a read of this piece from economist.com. It’s a bit a bit of fun on the use of the word ‘fair’ around the recent emergency budget in the UK.
Due Diligence? A play with words..
A somewhat amusing post I found on a blog on the words ‘due diligence’ -words accounta
nts use a lot. Enjoy
How to critique qualitative academic research
This  post will be more of interest to those of you doing some research for a dissertation or thesis.  Whether you are reading an article in an academic journal for use in a literature review chapter of your thesis or you have been asked to critique an academic article, there are some key questions you need to ask.  I summarise these questions below, with focus on qualitative research.  The questions are presented in a way which mimics headings you might find in a typical article.
Introduction
Is the purpose of the study set out clearly?
Will a theoretical or practical contribution be made?
Literature reviewed
Is the literature reviewed up-to-date and comprehensive?
Are some pieces of literature emphasised more than others?
Are the findings evaluated critically?
Is the literature related to the current study?
Does the review help establish the relevance of the current study?
Research problem/question
Is the problem stately clearly?
What type of research is being carried out?
Methodology/Methods
How was the research subject(s) selected?
Could the selection method effect the results?
Are biased responses possible?
Is data validated?
Are the methods adopted described in detail?
Are there any weaknesses in the methods used?
Is the researcher biased?
Results
Are findings presented clearly?
Are findings supported by adequate narrative and argument?
Are findings supported by quotes/examples from data?
Discussion/Conclusion
Are conclusions clearly related to the research problem?
Are findings interpreted?
Are findings related to previous studies/literature?
Are limitations of findings mentioned?
Are conclusions clearly related to findings and discussion?
Are the findings generalisable?
This is by no means an exhaustive list of questions to ask yourself, but it’ll help you on your way. Good luck with your research.
Some tips on writing your dissertation
Writing a dissertation or thesis is no mean feat. Come to think of, writing a decent business report is no easy task either. We all have different writing styles, so no matter what we write it will to an extent be reflective of our own style of writing. Your style may have influences from what you’ve read in the past, so be sure to read some good stuff.
No matter the style, there a few key things any dissertation or thesis must have. The most obvious is some clear structure. Next is clear language. Both quite obvious you might say, but sometime we get carried away and forget about the simple stuff. Now, to some tips and guidelines for writing a goods thesis/dissertation. We’ll I’m not going to note them all here – you do the work – remember a thesis/dissertation is about doing research after all.
Here are some useful links:
Newcastle University tips and guide
A guide by Levine, Michigan State University
Writing an abstract – a guide from Leeds University
A nice dissertation guide from Purdue University
Happy writing (and reading!)
Tips for writing – some guidance from Tim Harford
Just a quick post for anyone in the throes of writing a dissertation or thesis for college- although some of you writing a large business report may also find this useful.
The biggest problem a writer often faces is to actually write. There are so many other things you can do during your day – your (real) job, family, socialising etc. Â Of course, there are a few things you can do. My biggest tip is to follow some advice given to me 20 years ago now while in secondary school ” a little and often”. Â Have a look at what Tim Harford – author of the Undercover Economist – says on a recent blog post. It’s pretty sound guidance.
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