Category Archives: reader

a note on acronyms

So have you seen that paper they mentioned in the meeting today? TL;dr TL? More like TMA;dr Eh? Exactly LOL. So there you have the issue with acronyms in a nutshell. As long as both parties understand the acronym and … Continue reading

Posted in acronym, reader, readers | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

using jargon

Technical terminology is often called jargon. The dictionary definition of jargon is “special words or expressions used by a profession or group that are difficult for others to understand”. Sounds OK eh. Nothing to worry about. But the word jargon … Continue reading

Posted in audience, communication, jargon, reader, readership | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

is academic writing changing?

Just the other day. Just the other day someone asked me if I thought that academic writing was becoming more ‘authentic’. I didn’t really understand what this meant. But then I got it – ‘authentic’ writing was when academic writers … Continue reading

Posted in good academic writing, Helen Sword, reader, style, style and structure | Tagged , , , , | 18 Comments

how to talk about writing…

Everyone who talks about writing has to use language that people can relate to and understand. Of course. Duh. Sometimes this means using terms that are already in circulation – like pomodoro and shut up and write. while these terms … Continue reading

Posted in academic writing, Larry McEnerney, reader, talking writing, value | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

meeting your readers’ expectations – a revision strategy

There are multiple ways to revise a paper. If you’re revising, you’ll find a load of strategies on this blog, just search using the key word revision. While none of these is The One Way to sort out your writing, … Continue reading

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revising like a reader

Academic writing is generally intended to be persuasive. The writer – let’s say that’s us – wants to put a proposition to the reader, and convince them that what we have presented is credible. Our writing is worth taking seriously … Continue reading

Posted in reader, revision, revision strategy | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

eight ways to write theory very badly

If you want to be the person who makes their reader sigh and eventually give up when they get to your theoretical ‘bit’, here’s some non-fail writing strategies. Do these and I guarantee your reader will be enervated and/or exasperated: … Continue reading

Posted in academic writing, nominalisation, primary source, reader, secondary source, syntax, theory | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

revising with a reader in mind – ten questions

Academics write for different kinds of readers. We are often accused of writing only for each other, but this is no longer true. Many of us now write for many different kinds of readers – or audiences, as they are … Continue reading

Posted in academic writing, audience, reader, readership, revision, revision strategy, thesis revision | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

writing a bio-note

Most of us have to produce bio-notes. The bio-note is a little verbal selfie that goes with a book chapter, a journal article, or sometimes a conference presentation. Book authors also have to provide brief bio-notes which might go in … Continue reading

Posted in academic selfie, academic writing, bio-note, chapter, journal article, paratext, reader | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

writing a paper? what’s the angle?

Researchers are often heavily entangled in their research.  They’ve lived with it for a long time. And they can do that because the research is interesting to them. Really interesting. It’s not really surprising that a long-term-involved researcher might forget that other … Continue reading

Posted in academic writing, journal article, reader, the angle, the pitch, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments