I'M ON JEOPARDY!
To enter the conversation as an academic writer means that you are adding your two cents in on a topic or issue that has already been discussed. You enter the conversation, say what you have found, and then leave (in this case in the form of the paper). The conversation keeps going after you have finished, but now it includes your research and your contribution.
In order to enter the conversation, writers must effectively synthesize the "They Say" on the subject and then convey the "I Say". You gather evidence from credible sources, presenting both sides of the argument, and then respond using your personal experience and references to the research you've done. The art of summary and then response requires practice, and using some of the templates in "They Say I Say" are a great start.
In academic writing, it is important to keep your audience in mind. First, you need to decide who your audience is going to to be. Are they experts in the field? Or do they only have basic knowledge on the subject and need more guidance? Once you've decided that, you can determine what they need from you. Writing is a conversation, thus, you have to engage readers and them how this said issue/topic affects them. You need the "So what?" of your argument. What are you trying to convey to readers, what is the point of your paper?
Picking a topic to write about can be the most difficult part of writing. Most of the time, the issue is that the topic is just too broad, like you are "trying to change the world with one paper". Finding a research question is a project in itself. You can start by choosing a topic and then asking yourself what you want to find out within that topic, and then following that up with what you want your readers to take away or understand from your paper.
In order to enter the conversation, writers must effectively synthesize the "They Say" on the subject and then convey the "I Say". You gather evidence from credible sources, presenting both sides of the argument, and then respond using your personal experience and references to the research you've done. The art of summary and then response requires practice, and using some of the templates in "They Say I Say" are a great start.
In academic writing, it is important to keep your audience in mind. First, you need to decide who your audience is going to to be. Are they experts in the field? Or do they only have basic knowledge on the subject and need more guidance? Once you've decided that, you can determine what they need from you. Writing is a conversation, thus, you have to engage readers and them how this said issue/topic affects them. You need the "So what?" of your argument. What are you trying to convey to readers, what is the point of your paper?
Picking a topic to write about can be the most difficult part of writing. Most of the time, the issue is that the topic is just too broad, like you are "trying to change the world with one paper". Finding a research question is a project in itself. You can start by choosing a topic and then asking yourself what you want to find out within that topic, and then following that up with what you want your readers to take away or understand from your paper.
Your blog is fun to read, especially with your catching first lines. I agree with your take on the audience. I wrote a paper on the importance of audience to writers and on of the biggest parts of writing is choosing a suitable audience and making sure that your topic has enough information on the topic for the audience.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed how you started your blog post! Instead of the typical title introducing your topic, you had a really good hook to draw your readers in. One interesting point I noticed was when you said that academic writers enter the conversation and then leave it once the writer leaves his/her opinion. I never thought about how writers usually write about a topic, then move on to a different topic, so it makes a lot of sense that writers don't remain in just one academic conversation.
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