Writing a good academic paper is hard.
We go through secondary school and uni thinking we can write.
We learn a script to vary words, make it engaging, & a structure that fits coursework.
If you follow the script, you will be able to transition to writing for industry with relative ease.
What they don’t do, is teach us to write for specific academic audiences.
I know many writing professors would disagree.
And I’m not criticizing them, they have the difficult task of teaching a general skill set to people from many fields.
Yet.
I have learned that much of the first two years of a PhD program is re-teaching smart students how to construct a narrative- particularly one specific to my field.
Invariably.
Every PhD student makes the same mistake.
Bc they have been successful as an undergrad and master’s student, they think they can write well-enough at the PhD level.
So they do not ask for help with their writing.
Not early.
Not often.
Not soon enough.
So what happens?
They submit their papers with a jumble of ideas to show they are thorough, a wealth of citations to show they know the literature, and an incomprehensible narrative as a result.
Or.
They submit papers that repeat known concepts, miss important papers, and fail to convince readers they know what they are doing as a result.
Usually.
There is a conversation that occurrs - with the advisor telling a student they need to learn to write.
Sometimes, the student gets better.
Usually, it takes several conversations.
About the third year.
There is a steep ascent in writing quality.
Why?
Having grown tired of a being beaten up, the PhD student learns to ask for advice sooner, starts to synthesize feedback across projects, and learn the love language of their field.
While delighted students improve, even mature as writers, it does not have to take that long to learn to write for your discipline’s audience.
How to do it?
(1) ask your mentor for help learning to craft a narrative - ask this as you start the project - don’t wait to give a full draft - that’s too late - ask early and fine tune as the project unfolds.
(2) read columns on how to write for your audience. Academy of Management journals are rich with advice that cuts across fields. Disciplines like mine, information systems, offer domain specific advice.
(3) practice writing every day - I’ve posted about this a few times - implement the lessons you are learning.
(4) review papers for journals and conferences- that way you learn the audience - you also see what people are doing today - articles can be dated.
(5) go back to your mentor - ask for a cup of coffee - solicit advice on your writing - if you engage, you will get better advice as drafts come together.
If you humble yourself, talk to your advisor, and solicit advice, you can write stronger papers earlier in your career.
Best of luck.
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