Category Archives: revision strategy

getting to grips with ‘the paragraph’

Posted on November 5, 2018 by pat thomson

I was recently asked how I felt about paragraphs. “Well you know, all the feels” I might have replied. But I didn’t, largely because I don’t usually think about the paragraph. The question made me wonder whether I take the … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, argument, drafting, outline, outline by sentences, Outline move, paragraph, revision, revision strategy, topic sentence | Tagged argument, draft, outlne, paragraph, Pat Thomson, revision, topic sentence | 1 Comment

revising with a reader in mind – ten questions

Posted on October 29, 2018 by pat thomson

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 audience, Pat Thomson, reader, revising for your reader, revision | 3 Comments

from description to analysis – a revision strategy

Posted on October 22, 2018 by pat thomson

PhDers are often told by their supervisors that their work needs to move from description to analysis. But what does this mean? Have you just wasted your time doing all that describing? Well, in short, no. The good news is … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, analysis, crappy first draft, data analysis, description, empirical analysis, revision, revision strategy | Tagged analysis, description, first draft, from description to analysis, Pat Thomson, revision | 5 Comments

revising a thesis chapter

Posted on October 15, 2018 by pat thomson

You’ve written a first draft of your chapter. Hooray! That’s an achievement. You can’t get anywhere without a first draft. Pat yourself on the back. And then… Step away from the desk. Take a break. Leave your draft and do … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, chapter, crappy first draft, revision, revision strategy, thesis, thesis revision | Tagged academic writing, first draft, Pat Thomson, thesis, thesis chapter, thesis revision | 3 Comments

check for ‘code words’ – revising your writing

Posted on October 8, 2018 by pat thomson

It is not uncommon for doctoral writers to get supervisor feedback saying they need to unpack an idea. But what does this unpack really mean – and how does a writer get in a situation where they have something that … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, code words, revision, revision strategy, unpacking | Tagged academic writing, code words, Flowers and Hayes, Pat Thomson, revision | 3 Comments

the challenges of revision

Posted on September 17, 2018 by pat thomson

Maybe you have decided that the text you are writing doesn’t work. Or perhaps you have had feedback saying that you need to make some substantial changes to something that you thought was OK. Oh oh. It’s revision time. Revision … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, editing, revision, revision strategy | Tagged Pat Thomson, re-vision, revision | 5 Comments

introducing dr deluded

Posted on July 16, 2018 by pat thomson

Meet Dr Deluded. Dr Deluded is angry. Very angry. Dr Deluded just can’t get published. It’s not that he doesn’t try. Dr Deluded writes a lot and submits to journals. In fact, he is so keen to get his work out … Continue reading →