Taking Down Words
Writing, editing, reading and public argument, taken one sentence at a time.
-
How to Start Writing Move from Purpose and Reader to a Provisional Claim
-
How to Outline an Article Using Question Evidence and Sequence
-
What Makes a Strong Paragraph Claim Evidence Development and Transition
-
How to Write a Clear Introduction That Matches Reader Need and Argument
-
How to Finish a First Draft by Separating Drafting from Editing Decisions
Guides by category
-
Drafting
A process hub for drafting nonfiction prose that separates generative writing from evaluative editing, routing you to the specific guide that answers your immediate drafting question.
-
Editing and style
A hub for ordering editorial passes on nonfiction prose, routing you to the specific guide that answers your editing question and distinguishing style preference from grammar or factual error.
-
Publishing and public argument
The hub for publishing and public argument: route to guides on pitching, publishing paths, political writing, overclaiming, and corrections.
-
Reading
The reading practice hub routes you to methods for critical analysis, retention, selection, and close attention without moralizing about speed or volume.
-
Research and evidence
The Research and Evidence hub routes you by task: prefer primary evidence, show verification steps, and separate source claims from writer conclusions.
Latest articles
-
What Is a Primary Source Depends on Your Research Question
A primary source is the thing your research question is about. The same document can be primary for one question and secondary for another.
-
How to Take Useful Research Notes for Evidence-Based Writing
How to take research notes that keep quotations, paraphrases, and your own ideas separate so every claim stays traceable to its source.
-
How to Quote a Source Fairly in Nonfiction Writing
How to quote a source fairly by preserving context, accuracy, selection, and attribution so the quoted claim matches the original meaning.
-
Research and Evidence Hub Prefer Primary Sources and Verification
The Research and Evidence hub routes you by task: prefer primary evidence, show verification steps, and separate source claims from writer conclusions.
-
Reading Practice Hub for Critical Nonfiction Readers
The reading practice hub routes you to methods for critical analysis, retention, selection, and close attention without moralizing about speed or volume.
-
How to Evaluate a Source With Authority Evidence Date and Purpose
Evaluate a source by testing its authority, evidence, date, purpose, and corroboration against the specific claim it must support.
-
How to Fact-Check an Article with a Claim Inventory
How to fact-check an article by building a claim inventory and verifying each assertion against the strongest available primary evidence.
-
How to Read More Critically by Tracking Claims and Evidence
How to read critically by tracking claims, evidence, assumptions, and omissions so you can see what a text actually requires you to accept.
-
How to Remember What You Read with Retrieval and Notes
How to remember what you read using retrieval practice, structured notes, and purposeful review instead of passive re-reading.
-
How to Choose What to Read Next with a Question Led Process
How to choose what to read next by building a question-led selection process that matches texts to the questions you actually want answered.