Writing Practice
The following notes are taken from “Der Weg zum Doktortitel”, a book I wouldn’t have read. But, it was handed to me by a friend, who in turn got it from somebody else. And so we pass it on and take from it, what we deem of value.
- Cognitive model of writing
- How to proceed when writing
- Notes on Editing
- Creative scientific writing exercises
- Emotional writing exercises
- Tips for establishing a writing practice
- Even more tips, by Murray
- What makes a text a scientific text
- See also
Cognitive model of writing
- plan and prepare
- translate (thought to written language)
- edit
- and accompanying, monitoring
… or in more details:
- generate
- organize
- set goals
- translate
- evaluate
- revise
- and accompanying, stearing
How to proceed when writing
- Collect and arrange material.
- Establish logical order.
- Prioritize clarity and comprehensibility.
- Simplify language.
- Emphasize clarity and comprehensibility in evaluation.
- Delay revising until later.
… or in more details:
- structure and organise
- write the first rough draft in one go
- What is your aim for the chapter?
- What questions do you want to address?
- which central statements do you want to make?
- What material do you want to draw on?
- which examples do you want to use?
- is there anything else to consider?
- prepare a rough draft
- summarise at the end of the chapter
- put the rough draft of your chapters into a correct and appealing form
- revise the rough draft
- Review goals and clarity of presentation.
- Verify factual accuracy and logical consistency.
- Assess alignment of structure with content.
- Examine scientific language, precision, and argumentation.
- Evaluate persuasiveness, emphasis, and rhetoric.
- Consider style for subject matter and readability.
- Conduct a final check for grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
Notes on Editing
-
Proofreading mainly focuses about punctuation, grammar, spelling
-
Editing cares about
- patterns of error
- logic and coherence
- accuracy and completeness
- sentence and paragraph structures
- style and word choice
-
When editing:
- externalize the text, eg read aloud or let it be read to you; do smaller changes right away, mark larger one for later
- set a goal for the editing session, concentrate on one aspect; repeat
Creative scientific writing exercises
- Free writing: just write without any goals in mind
- Free association: same, but start with a keyword
- Rapid writing: write as quick as possible
- Clustering: start with a keyword, circle, then add associations, circle them, and make connections between what’s emerging on your canvas
Emotional writing exercises
The following exercises can help with writing and emotions.
- Write different versions of a text
- Try to explain it to a small child
- Write for different publics
- Find arguments pro and contra
- Take your own stand
- Write from first person
- Write starting from different emotional states
- Write feelings off your chest
- Speculative writing
- Allow yourself to write a bad text
- Try to get in touch with your emotions
Tips for establishing a writing practice
- Write regularly and daily.
- Use writing for research and learning.
- Record even vague ideas.
- Write during reading, focusing on your thoughts.
- Gain understanding through writing.
- Explore emotions and clarify your position.
- Carry a notebook for ideas.
- Keep writing enjoyable.
- Use creative writing techniques.
- Start with chapters you enjoy.
- Progress from inner language to technical language.
- Build a scientific text in layers.
- Develop your own language and style.
- Seek positive role models in your field.
Even more tips, by Murray
- Change your workplace regularly.
- Work at different times of the day.
- Create a personal starting ritual.
- Experiment with unconventional writing habits.
- Imagine writing to a friend.
- Stimulate your brain with exercise.
- Start by talking and transcribe later.
- Address an interested reader directly.
- Use your spoken words as a starting point.
- Treat your draft as an experiment.
- Write under a pseudonym if needed.
- Note when writing flows easily.
- Stop in the middle of a sentence to ease restart.
- Delegate writing challenges to your subconscious.
- Embrace moments of silence and emptiness while staying focused on your goal.
What makes a text a scientific text
- Precision with defined terms.
- Systematic, logical procedure.
- Evidence-based with existing knowledge.
- Justify assertions and methods.
- Logical, contradiction-free statements.
- Explicit, transparent values.