It is a good idea to begin writing as soon as possible, even before you finish all your research.  The very act of writing should keep you focused and aware of what you are still lacking (data, support from existing academic discussions, etc.).  If you find that you have a gap or need more research to finish a point, leave a "flag" of some sort in your text and continue with what you have.  Regardless of how well you write, you will always need to go back and rewrite, filling in points and adding more data.  If you do not edit and rewrite, your writing will appear as a "first draft" and there will always be countless problems with the arguments, language, and formalities (notes, references, etc.).  NEVER wait until the last moment.  You must go over your work several times in order to produce a high-quality paper.

When writing, you should try to avoid very long sentences and awkward construction. A sentence that exceeds more than three typed lines without punctuation usually is difficult to read and understand.  A good idea is to read your work aloud to check for length and ease of comprehension.  It is also helpful to vary the length of your sentences; it makes the text easier and more interesting to read.

Write simply and directly.  Avoid jargon (a professional hazard) whenever possible and avoid always common clichés such as "last but not least" or "in the general scheme of things."  Remember that you are not writing a literary essay and that "flowery" language adds nothing to your argument or to your clarity.  Be careful of which adjectives, qualifiers, and intensifiers you choose and be as precise as possible.  A common mistake made by writers is to employ inappropriate terms because they "sound" right.  Make sure you know the precise meaning of the words you choose.  If you are not sure, use a different word or look it up in a dictionary.  Do not repeat the same word continuously.  A thesaurus can be helpful in this regard and there is one included in word processing programs for your convenience.  At the same time, guard against pretentiousness in your writing by using overly long or obscure words when a shorter and simpler will do.  Straight-forward, direct sentences are always preferable whether writing a research paper or a literary piece.

When you have finished your first draft, read it through and eliminate any unnecessary words or phrases (no paper or manuscript has ever become less readable by being reduced by about 25%). Check for brevity. Check for smooth transitions from one point to another. Rearrange your paragraphs if necessary. Check your spelling and grammar. After you finish editing your work, do it again! Read it aloud. Have a friend edit your work for you. If you do this on a regular basis, both you and your friend will benefit by learning how to pick out flaws before they occur and by becoming better writers (which also translates into better grades).

When you edit your paper, make sure to pay careful attention to the following:

- Clarity and accuracy of your argument. 

- Extraneous comments which do not add to your general line of argument or contribute to a developed conclusion.

- The sources and data you employ should be fully integrated with your argument. 

Your text should not merely be a collection of quotable material.  Your task is always to interpret and synthesize the ideas and information instead of merely reporting what others say.  Focus on your own ideas.  A paper is meant to be original in that you organize new and known knowledge into an original argument.

Check for unsupported or "opinion" statements.  Your task is not to reach a judgment but to perform an academic analysis and build supportive arguments.  You are writing a research paper, not an opinion piece.

If you use maps, statistics, or figures, make sure they serve to substantiate your argument and are not merely "filler" material.  However, be aware that such material often can serve to get your point across much more effectively than several pages of text.  Make sure you cite them properly!

Avoid repetition!  You should say what you want to say once and well.  Restating the same thing or using the same data more than once is most often unnecessary and distracts the reader.

PROOFREAD!  And when you have done that, PROOFREAD AGAIN!  Spelling errors and grammatical problems detract from and make it difficult for the reader to follow your argument.  Most word-processing programs have tools to identify spelling and grammatical errors – use such tools.  As well, make use of the University’s Writing Center (http://www.vcu.edu/uc/writingcenter/) and of teaching assistants in the Anthropology program.

You should keep in mind include the following general writing rules:

- If you have written too much or too little, do not manipulate margins or text size to "cover up." Rewrite instead.

- Margins should be the standard default width of computer word processing programs, i.e., one inch. Left justification of text is preferable.

- Double-space your text.

- Foreign words should be italicized in your text; with the exception of foreign names and titles (el pueblo of Juan Carlos).

- Be consistent!  If there are multiple spellings used in your sources, pick one and maintain it.  If you choose to capitalize certain words ("the Catholic Church" or "Blacks and Whites") always use that form.  Avoid capitalizing one form of a category and not capitalizing another ("the baptist church and the Catholic Church" or "Blacks and whites").

- Avoid leaving one line of text from a paragraph or quotation to dangle alone at the bottom or top of a page (at least two lines together is the rule). Word processing programs will eliminate this problem automatically, if you program them to do so (but double check anyway because there are certain cases, such as headings and indented quotes, that the programs sometimes do not recognize).

- Always include page numbers on your pages.