11Discipline-Specific Assignments
  
   
A Comparison of Disciplinary Writing Features
 
   Method of Organization Approach Preferred Documentation Voice Preferred
Sciences and Technology headings objective: 3rd person pronouns CBE (biological)  CHE (chemical) passive
Social Sciences headings objective: 3rd person pronouns APA; Chicago (preferred by some history, religion depts.) active or passive (depends on purpose)
Humanities and the Arts transitions subjective at times; 1st person for opinions MLA active


  Tense Preferred Tone Style
Sciences
and Technology		 past tense for experiments; present tense for results formal factual; may use specialized vocabulary
Social
Sciences		 past tense for literature reviews; present tense for recommendations formal factual; may use specialized vocabulary
Humanities and the Arts historical present tense for references to literature formal or informal, depending on audience and purpose may use figurative language, humor, anecdotes, dialogue

 
 

 
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The Writing Center: Past and Present The Student/Tutor Relationship The Clueless Student The Unfocused Student The Disorganized Student The Underdeveloped Student The Unrevised Student The Unpolished Student ESL Strategies Research Strategies Discipline-Specific Assignments Documentation Styles Writing Center Ethics Writing Center Publicity

 
© 1999, 2000, 2002 Virginia Bower (Mars Hill College), Charlene Kiser (Milligan College), Kim McMurtry (Montreat College), Ellen Millsaps (Carson-Newman College), Katherine Vande Brake (King College). All rights reserved. This manual was made possible by a Culpeper grant from the Appalachian College Association; click here for information. If you encounter difficulties with these web pages, please notify kmcmurtry@montreat.edu.