Reading is a superpower.
Learn it, and you will become an unstoppable academic writer.
Use these 9 techniques to master academic writing & reading + stop feeling guilty about it. β
@academicvoices @PhDVoice @PhD_Genie @MasterAcademia_
Learn it, and you will become an unstoppable academic writer.
Use these 9 techniques to master academic writing & reading + stop feeling guilty about it. β
@academicvoices @PhDVoice @PhD_Genie @MasterAcademia_
You may be:
β’ An undergrad writing a term paper?
β’ A graduate student writing a seminar paper?
β’ A PhD candidate writing a conference/journal article?
β’ Any student starting their thesis?
BUT you have no clue how to get started on academic writing?
This 𧡠is for you.
β’ An undergrad writing a term paper?
β’ A graduate student writing a seminar paper?
β’ A PhD candidate writing a conference/journal article?
β’ Any student starting their thesis?
BUT you have no clue how to get started on academic writing?
This 𧡠is for you.
Grad students often prefer the following over reading:
β’ Doing research
β’ Collecting data
β’ Analyzing things
Stop that now if you want to publish!
To situate your work, you must read.
There are no shortcuts.
Start deep reading.
Stop skimming.
Writers read.
But why?
β’ Doing research
β’ Collecting data
β’ Analyzing things
Stop that now if you want to publish!
To situate your work, you must read.
There are no shortcuts.
Start deep reading.
Stop skimming.
Writers read.
But why?
Reading is part of your job as an academic.
It's not something you do on the weekends & in the evenings.
It's how you come up with ideas for research papers.
You have to be intentional about it.
It's okay to bill clients for it.
It's how you think.
It's work.
But how?
It's not something you do on the weekends & in the evenings.
It's how you come up with ideas for research papers.
You have to be intentional about it.
It's okay to bill clients for it.
It's how you think.
It's work.
But how?
1. Set clear goals and intentions for your reading
Before reading, consider what you want to learn.
This helps you focus and maximize your reading time.
Academic reading is not linear but iterative.
You will return to your text many times.
To deeply understand it.
Before reading, consider what you want to learn.
This helps you focus and maximize your reading time.
Academic reading is not linear but iterative.
You will return to your text many times.
To deeply understand it.
2. Engage actively through annotating & summarizing the article
You won't understand some of your text at first.
Underline all phrases that make no sense to you.
Look them up and annotate.
This helps you comprehend & retain info.
Notes and summaries help you actively read.
You won't understand some of your text at first.
Underline all phrases that make no sense to you.
Look them up and annotate.
This helps you comprehend & retain info.
Notes and summaries help you actively read.
3. Identify & critically examine the author's thesis & arguments
Find and assess the text's central claim.
This will help you judge the text's believability.
This is where I put many scribbles on the paper.
Then I discuss the logical structure of the paper.
Find and assess the text's central claim.
This will help you judge the text's believability.
This is where I put many scribbles on the paper.
Then I discuss the logical structure of the paper.
4. Consider the context & background of the article & its author
Understanding the text's historical & cultural context can help you understand its meaning and ramifications.
Here, I try to understand how it connects with other research.
No academic writing exists in a vacuum.
Understanding the text's historical & cultural context can help you understand its meaning and ramifications.
Here, I try to understand how it connects with other research.
No academic writing exists in a vacuum.
5. Recognize & analyze rhetorical devices & literary techniques
Look for the authors' literary tactics.
These make their work more engaging and memorable.
This will show you how the text persuades.
This is also where I get the most takeaways for my own writing.
Look for the authors' literary tactics.
These make their work more engaging and memorable.
This will show you how the text persuades.
This is also where I get the most takeaways for my own writing.
6. Differentiate between fact & opinion in the text
Knowing the difference between facts & views can help you assess the authors' & article's credibility.
With most scientific articles, you want to find them leaning heavily on facts.
Identify the weak spots.
Avoid them later.
Knowing the difference between facts & views can help you assess the authors' & article's credibility.
With most scientific articles, you want to find them leaning heavily on facts.
Identify the weak spots.
Avoid them later.
7. Consider multiple perspectives and viewpoints
Be open to other views to grasp the content better.
Examine counterarguments in reading groups.
This applies more to the humanities.
But you find contentious paradigms in science, too.
Keep an open mind.
Be open to other views to grasp the content better.
Examine counterarguments in reading groups.
This applies more to the humanities.
But you find contentious paradigms in science, too.
Keep an open mind.
8. Reflect on how the article relates to your research or writing
Consider how your reading connects to your current study.
How does it shape your writing approach?
What are you connecting and learning here?
Write this down as a note in your reference management system.
Consider how your reading connects to your current study.
How does it shape your writing approach?
What are you connecting and learning here?
Write this down as a note in your reference management system.
9. Follow up with additional research & reading to deepen understanding
Don't stop at one articleβkeep researching and reading.
Connect each article you read to the next one.
This will help you learn more & remain up to date.
Keep and organize your notes on these for writing.
Don't stop at one articleβkeep researching and reading.
Connect each article you read to the next one.
This will help you learn more & remain up to date.
Keep and organize your notes on these for writing.
1. Define objectives.
2. Actively annotate/summarize.
3. Analyze thesis/arguments
4. Context & backdrop
5. Analyze rhetorical/literary devices
6. Differentiate reality from opinion
7. Consider many views
8. Relate the article to your study or writing.
9. Read more to learn more.
2. Actively annotate/summarize.
3. Analyze thesis/arguments
4. Context & backdrop
5. Analyze rhetorical/literary devices
6. Differentiate reality from opinion
7. Consider many views
8. Relate the article to your study or writing.
9. Read more to learn more.
This method helped me go from not knowing how to start to publishing 10+ articles a year.
It is the best cure for academic writer's block.
All you have to do is read deeply.
And engage with the literature.
It is the best cure for academic writer's block.
All you have to do is read deeply.
And engage with the literature.
If you got some value from this thread, why not RT every single tweet?
Kidding! π
But give the first one a like or RT, please.
Or just try out my free writing newsletter here:
acagamic.com
Kidding! π
But give the first one a like or RT, please.
Or just try out my free writing newsletter here:
acagamic.com
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