Conquering the Challenge of Academic Writing: 7 Pro Tips
For many, writing (academically) is challenging - especially as you just venture into it.
Here are some seven pro tips:
1 - Read related papers and pay attention to how published scholars write. It is not like a text message to Uncle Charlie. The word choice is much different - it is technical. But it is also clear and concise. The more you read and pay attention to how it sounds, the better writer you will become.
2 - Tell a story. Each sentence needs to build upon one another to get your key points out. Specifically for the Introduction - start broad and then narrow the focus until you reach the purpose of your study.
3 - The first draft does not need to be perfect! Just get it on paper first -- then go back and "academize" it. Sometimes I just write sentence fragments or bullet points etc. just to get my thoughts on paper - then I go back and clean it up. And again, as you are writing or finish the first draft, go back and read a published paper similar to your topic - pay attention and listen to how they write. Now, compare it to your draft. Revise.
4 - Find a space and time to write. For me, I am not a morning thinker ..... and I have a few favorite spots in my home that I think and write well, and also a local coffee shop.
5 - If you get stuck or are just writing too long, get up and go for a walk, do the dishes, etc. Sometimes a good walk helps me crystalize my thinking ... so bring your phone so you can go voice to text (see below how this can help as well).
6 - I also find that if I get stuck that thinking of your paper as a presentation can help. What do you put on each slide? Of course, the worst slides are text heavy - so what are your bullet points or key points etc. Then, how do you clearly and concisely articulate each slide. Clear thinking and speaking leads naturally to clear writing.
7 - The first (or second or third ....) draft likely still needs revision. After finishing a draft, set it aside for some time, maybe an evening or day, and then come back and read it as if you were the editor of a journal. Be critical of your writing - does it make sense, does it flow, etc.
P.S....and I haven't even mentioned nor do I know where to begin suggesting the use of AI tools given the pros/cons, uses/abuses and ethical matters of using them.
Happy writing....