Style Guide Home -Introduction

The information that follows will give you guidance in the editorial style and style of presentation required by the School of Humanities at Flinders in essays and academic work generally (you should also consult individual department guidelines). Conventions of editorial style and expression may sometimes seem arbitrary; they are not. Aimed at economy, consistency, and attractiveness, they attend to the reader’s convenience and facilitate the swift, accurate exchange of ideas. There is no incompatibility between a creative, inventive argument and clear presentation and expression. Bear in mind that your tutors and lecturers read several hundred essays each year. Papers that are hard to read for whatever reason — for example, poor presentation or confused grammatical structure — will receive lower grades than they would otherwise deserve.

This guide is presented in the order of tasks undertaken in the preparation of an essay.

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