Academic writers typically orient their writing to readers like themselves: other academics used to the jargon associated with any particular discipline. Yet some scholars manage to traverse the divide between the ivory tower and the general public and produce readable, enjoyable, and educational explanations of their topics of interest in the form of trade books. … Continue reading Translating academic writing into trade books
Category: Writing up qualitative research
A writer’s guide to getting trim
Helen Sword’s (2007) book The writer’s diet: A guide to fit prose was published for an international audience in 2016. Sword (2016) uses healthy nutrition and fitness as a metaphor to help academic writers improve their prose. Rather than produce heart attack-inducing writing, Sword surveys academics’ language use with the aim of encouraging “fit prose.” … Continue reading A writer’s guide to getting trim
Writing up qualitative research in ways that readers want to read
What keeps readers of academic writing engaged? We have all likely yawned our way through research reports, or worse — stopped reading altogether. Since time is limited and attention spans are getting shorter, academic writers must be able to attract and retain a hold on their readers’ attention if their work has to have any … Continue reading Writing up qualitative research in ways that readers want to read
On developing stylish academic writing
Every now and again, you come across a book that you wish you had read years ago. Stylish academic writing by a literary scholar and poet, Helen Sword (2012), is one of these. I really wish I had read this when I first went to college. This book would have saved me much heartache, although … Continue reading On developing stylish academic writing
Finishing off the dissertation
All over the world, doctoral students are working to complete their doctoral research before presenting their thesis or dissertation (depending on what part of the world you reside in) to examiners. In the final throes of developing one’s writing, sometimes it is easy to lose sight of things. One issue that I have noted in … Continue reading Finishing off the dissertation
Tools for writing up qualitative research
There are numerous guides on writing, as well as resources to assist with the task of writing up qualitative research studies. Both writers and qualitative researchers have lots to say about getting started with writing, keeping writing, and representing the findings of qualitative research. Some time ago, I listened to a webinar entitled “Lose the … Continue reading Tools for writing up qualitative research
Academic Writing Month: AcWriMo 2018
In case you missed it, November is Academic Writing month! Even though this starts at the beginning of the month, there’s still time to get started and keep going. And if you don't have others in your locale to support your writing, there are plenty of resources to be found. Here are a few... Emerald … Continue reading Academic Writing Month: AcWriMo 2018
Responding to peer review
Every now and again, I receive a peer review from an anonymous reviewer that makes me want to give up writing. Fortunately, this does not happen too often, otherwise I may have given up writing a long time ago (some reviewers are tough!). In the most recent instance in which this occurred, I printed out … Continue reading Responding to peer review
Finishing touches for the academic writer
A while back I was consulting a book called Finishing touches for the Handweaver by Virginia M. West. This book provides instructions for how to finish handwoven fabrics using various hemstitching and fringes. I consulted the section on ladder hemstitching in order to complete the stitching needed for the hems of the towels I was … Continue reading Finishing touches for the academic writer
Influential qualitative researchers: Laurel Richardson
Sociologist Laurel Richardson is well-known for her writing about writing. In numerous texts, she provides plenty for students of qualitative research to think about (Richardson, 1990; Richardson, 1994b; Richardson & St. Pierre, 2005), along with practical suggestions for how writing is a “method of inquiry.” Richardson also proposes the use of “creative analytic practices” or … Continue reading Influential qualitative researchers: Laurel Richardson
