There are some hard and fast rules that apply to writing non-fiction. These are relevant to most forums whether they are aimed for scholarly publications, newspapers, magazines, or even a book.

Facts, Facts, Facts

Get your facts right. Do not presume, guess or surmise. A factual article should be conclusive of its information. There will always be someone out there that will know. If you are writing for magazines or newspapers, you will not only bring yourself into disrepute, but your publishers as well. That means you may not be published next time you submit your work.

Give Credit Where Credit Is Due

Scholarly, science, or medical articles or books require in text citations and references. It wouldn’t hurt to have professionals in the same field approve your piece.

Thankfully, a newspaper article has neither the room nor the interest level to include all of this. This does not mean the homework should not still be carried out. As stated previously, your information still needs to have been researched thoroughly.

Quotes

Including quotations serves to break up lengthy paragraphs, thereby assisting the reader to continue, while substantiating your article. A quote directly by a professional serves to strengthen a non-fictional piece of work. Factual articles without direct quotes or reinforcement of factual information may be viewed disparagingly. Ensure you state clearly their full title and their representation.

Examples:

• Dr Michael Hammond of Monash University stated that ...
• Dr Michael Hammond, a Biologist, who has been studying this field for twenty years has documented similar experiences ...
• Dr Michael Hammond of Monash University said, ‘ ...’

Note: In Australia, we do not put a full stop when shortening a word like doctor if the last letter in the word matches the last letter in the shorten form.

Direct quotes must contain quotation marks. While double quotes (“ ”) are still acceptable, the single quotes (‘ ’) are the Australian preferred quotation mark.

Personal Opinions

One of the biggest mistakes authors can make is including personal opinion as the right one. Your opinion may be clouded by experience, which can sometimes be unique and not shared by others. Stick to the facts and what esteemed professionals have proved rather than your take on a subject.