On this page, I have singled out a few main points to bear in mind while writing.  However I urge all students to take the time to consult these helpful pages from the Dartmouth Writing Center:
                    Writing the Academic Paper            Writing the Religion Paper

For detailed advice on particular points, read the handouts on the Harvard Writing Center page.

Brief Guidelines for Effective Writing

Elegant writing is not a merely cosmetic matter. Good style helps to communicate ideas effectively and to persuade the reader of your thesis. Awkward phrasing, unidiomatic use of words, misspellings, and poor punctuation create ambiguity and confusion.  So does a lack of structure or logic in your argument. Remember that an academic paper is not the place for casual or impressionistic reflections.

1. Do not simply describe or narrate; present an analytical or interpretive argument about the sources you use.  The thesis paragraph(s) should present the key issues or question and, without much delay, propose a thesis, suggesting what is to be gained by investigating them, and specifying what sources and/or methods will be employed.  (N.B.: A truism such as “We can learn about Daoism by reading its texts” does not count as a thesis.)

2. Each subsequent paragraph should treat a particular topic relevant to that thesis (you should be able to sum up the point of each paragraph individually, and to avoid unnecessary repetition).  Support your argument with specific evidence; illustrate your points with concrete examples.  The conclusion should summarize the results of your argument, and not simply restate the thesis. Do not introduce new subjects in the conclusion.

3. Express yourself simply and directly, and choose your words carefully, so that you express your ideas directly and precisely. Do not try to sound “academic.” Academic writing can seem tortured because it often requires technical vocabulary and complex reasoning. But academics are often unstylish writers, and their foibles should not be imitated. The best academic writers are a pleasure to read.  On the other hand, avoid vague or slangy language, very broad generalizations, cliché phrases (“delve deeply into”), imprecision (“blatant” ≠ “obvious”!), and repetitive use of the same words or phrases.  Prefer active verbs (e.g., “demonstrates”) to passive ones (“is demonstrated by”) and abstract noun phrases (“is a demonstration of”). Do not overuse words like “utilize” (instead of “use”) or “effectuate” (instead of “cause, bring about”). Underline or italicize non-English terms (but not names).

4. Do not include lengthy or unnecessary quotation. Quote from primary sources only when you need to have the passage before the reader's eye to discuss it, or to call attention to the wording.  Otherwise, simply identify the page, section, or verse: you may assume that the reader will be able to consult the original.  In general, quote no more than a few lines from secondary sources, and only when the original writer's phrasing is particularly vivid.  Otherwise, it is more economical to paraphrase or summarize, to bring those ideas more easily into relation with your own.  Always footnote (or otherwise attribute) both quotations and paraphrased ideas taken from other writers.  Parenthetical references go inside the sentence’s punctuation: e.g., Smith called it “strangely ordinary” (1987, p. 11).  Including even short passages taken verbatim from any source without using quotation marks and referencing is PLAGIARISM.  Very close paraphrasing (just altering the order of the words, or changing a word here and there) is also plagiarism, especially if the paraphrase constitutes a large part of the paper or the source is not identified.  

5. Edit your finished paper to improve the flow of the argument.  This may very well require moving whole paragraphs around.  Look for opportunities to cut and condense the text, to remove needless repetition or tedious overemphasis.  If you do not at first see any, pretend you have to reduce the paper's length by half.  The reward will be a tight paper.

6. Read the entire paper aloud to yourself at least once.  This is by far the best way to root out redundancies, gaps in logic or progression, and run-on sentences that looked all right on paper.  If it sounds good it is more likely to read well.

7. Print out a draft on scrap paper and proofread it carefully.  Check the meanings (and spellings) of uncommon words and technical terms to make sure they say what you intend, and that you are using them precisely.