Category Archives: revision

the revision cave

Posted on October 28, 2019 by pat thomson

Well, my current book is nearly done. But I was wondering, the other day, why writing a book never gets any easier. I’ve written quite a lot of books. This one is actually the twenty fourth, although about eight of … Continue reading →

Posted in academic book, academic writing, book writing, revision, thesis revision | Tagged academic writing, book, book revision, emotional labour, revision, thesis revision | 7 Comments

revise and resubmit

Posted on March 25, 2019 by pat thomson

Yep. Those dreaded words when you get the email back from the journal. R and R. Anything but Rest and Relaxation. Groan. In essence, the message says We have considered your paper and we have decided that – well it’s … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, journal article, reviewer speak, revise and resubmit, revision | Tagged journal, Pat Thomson, reviews, revise and resubmit | 4 Comments

starting the PhD – learning new vocabulary

Posted on January 28, 2019 by pat thomson

Scholarly work often involves learning new words. You know this right? Sometimes it even seems that in order to be considered a scholar you have to speak in words no one else can understand. Well that’s the stereotype. But let’s … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, English language, language, starting the PhD, syntax, vocabulary, word bank | Tagged lexicon, Pat Thomson, research, syntax, terminology, vocabulary | 5 Comments

eight ways to write theory very badly

Posted on December 10, 2018 by pat thomson

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 complex writing, nominalisation, Pat Thomson, syntax, writing theory | 1 Comment

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 →