One of the most challenging aspects of academic writing: getting started.
Here's how to get started on piece of academic writing be it a seminar paper, a journal article, or a dissertation.
Here's how to get started on piece of academic writing be it a seminar paper, a journal article, or a dissertation.
The most important thing about academic (or any) writing is that it's a product of reading, reading, and then reading some more.
But it's not any ordinary kind of reading - it's active reading.
But it's not any ordinary kind of reading - it's active reading.
Often grad students and dissertations writers struggle because they haven't read enough in their field.
On the other end of the spectrum are folks who read to avoid writing - something called productive procrastination.
You want to stay somewhere in the middle.
On the other end of the spectrum are folks who read to avoid writing - something called productive procrastination.
You want to stay somewhere in the middle.
One of the best ways of doing it is to read in a manner that it feeds *directly* into your writing.
How?
How?
Start by reading *widely* in your field/subfield especially when you're starting out in grad school.
Try to find a canonical text that you vibe with.
Try to find a canonical text that you vibe with.
Once you've figured it out, read the text *closely.*
Example: of all the texts I read in grad school, Benedict Anderson's "Imagined Communities" is by far my favorite. Not a day goes by that I don't reread a page or two of this book.
Example: of all the texts I read in grad school, Benedict Anderson's "Imagined Communities" is by far my favorite. Not a day goes by that I don't reread a page or two of this book.
The first few times when you read a canonical text, it may not even make much sense to you.
That's okay.
Keep at it.
That's okay.
Keep at it.
Imagine having a dialogue with the author.
Take a notebook.
On the right-hand page, write down what the author is saying.
On the left-hand page, write down your impressions and questions: what do you mean by X? I don't understand Y.
Take a notebook.
On the right-hand page, write down what the author is saying.
On the left-hand page, write down your impressions and questions: what do you mean by X? I don't understand Y.
Keep reading the same passages over and over.
Keep writing your impressions and questions.
(Try Zettelkasten method of note-taking if you're familiar with it. Don't worry if you aren't.)
Keep writing your impressions and questions.
(Try Zettelkasten method of note-taking if you're familiar with it. Don't worry if you aren't.)
This exercise will do two things - both crucial for any type of academic writing:
1. It will teach how to read and process academic prose patiently.
2. It will also teach you how to give your take on a given work - in writing.
1. It will teach how to read and process academic prose patiently.
2. It will also teach you how to give your take on a given work - in writing.
Repeat the process with another text.
And then another.
And then another.
Do this exercise for a week.
At the end of it, you will have *written* quite a few pages.
Now you may not think of it that way, but you've...already started writing.
And that was the objective of this thread.
At the end of it, you will have *written* quite a few pages.
Now you may not think of it that way, but you've...already started writing.
And that was the objective of this thread.
A final word: this is one of the many, many ways of getting started on a piece of academic writing.
This method helped me write my dissertation in one year. You can read about it here.
This method helped me write my dissertation in one year. You can read about it here.
https://twitter.com/MushtaqBilalPhD/status/1587339090948935680
Don't worry if it doesn't work for you.
Here's a list of folks who are way smarter than I am and have a lot of useful writing strategies and resources:
• @raulpacheco
• @rachaelcayley
• @JoVanEvery
• @ThrivePhD
Here's a list of folks who are way smarter than I am and have a lot of useful writing strategies and resources:
• @raulpacheco
• @rachaelcayley
• @JoVanEvery
• @ThrivePhD
If you found this thread helpful:
1. Scroll to the top and retweet the first tweet to share it with your friends and colleagues.
2. Follow me @MushtaqBilalPhD for regular tips on academic writing.
1. Scroll to the top and retweet the first tweet to share it with your friends and colleagues.
2. Follow me @MushtaqBilalPhD for regular tips on academic writing.
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