Begin the essay process by brainstorming the sociolinguistics topic. For assigned topics, begin brainstorming and researching according to the topic directions. For self-assigned topics, you have greater freedom and can begin researching according to your interests. Develop a system to record the interaction of your ideas and the research and practices in this broad topic. Use notebooks or electronic means to keep track of the various sociolinguistic theories, researchers, studies and applications. Many researchers meticulously record web page addresses and locations for books and journals. Return to the brainstorming when you need additional ideas and add to the information, if necessary.
Set up the framework of your essay. Use the required referencing format, such as the Harvard Style of Referencing, including formats from the Modern Language Association (MLA) or American Psychological Association (APA). Outline the sociolinguistics essay. Give your essay a framework and plan by drafting the outline in a notebook or on word processing software. Set up your document according to the referencing guidelines. Ensure that the essay title page, page numbers, page headers or footers, reference page, footnotes and citations match the essay requirements, as well as data and data analysis presentations.
Discuss the progress of your essay. Seek out peers who can serve as sounding boards, advice dispensers and critics. Colleges and universities may offer sociolinguistic forums, discussion groups, brown bag lunches and lecture series. Seek experts in the field for additional professional input. Share your essay topic with interested friends and family members, who may provide a fresh view of sociolinguistics. Examining both non-academic and academic views is an example of the inclusive characteristics of the sociolinguistics blend of language and society.
Write the essay on your sociolinguistics topic. If you know what you are going to write, then the writing process can be direct, from the first page to the last. If you are still adjusting the essay content and focus, then take the essay in sections. First write the sections you are finished with. Then turn your attention to the sections that require more thought and research. This process can follow a circular, recursive pattern of writing drafts of your ideas, reading your prose, editing, then returning to research for additional ideas or peer discussion.
Review the finished product for one more editing check before submitting the sociolinguistics essay. Clear your mind of the essay, take a break and then return to the essay editing task with fresh eyes. Are the page numbers correct? Did you run the spell check? Is the writing clear and easy to read? Enlist the help of a peer to double check that each in-text citation matches the list of references at the end of the essay. Make sure that researcher names and titles of research are correct. Double-check data and data analysis.