Tag Archives: introduction

research key words – significance

We all want to do research that matters. Right? Surely no one out there wants to spend a load of time and energy doing research that is of no value, that nobody will take any notice of and that won’t … Continue reading

Posted in conclusion, introduction, keywords, research, research as process, research bid writing, research decisions, significance | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

“showing” and “telling” in the thesis

The thesis must show and tell your examiner that its writer is ready to be called Dr. Yep. Dr (insert your surname here.) What do I mean by show and tell? Well, even if these are not the usual definitions, … Continue reading

Posted in academic writing, audit trail, conclusion, introduction, literature reviews, methods, show and tell, thesis | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

introductions – establishing significance

Introductions have to do a lot of work in a short space of time. The beginning of the conventional journal article, for instance, has to tell the reader what the paper is about and why it is important. And do … Continue reading

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vignette variations

I was recently asked for an example of the use of vignette. Here it is.  There are many ways to write a journal article besides the standard Introduction followed by a Literature Review, Methods, Results and Discussion and Conclusion. While there are … Continue reading

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use a vignette – #wakeupreader

Most readers, even academic ones, like a bit of a story. And a vignette is just a bit of a story, a condensed version. A vignette is brief, evocative and descriptive. It provides information about key points of an event … Continue reading

Posted in #wakeupreader, creative writing, introduction, narrative, Uncategorized, vignette | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

paper not working? try the “what’s the problem?” approach

Ever find yourself with a draft of a journal article that you’re just not happy with? Can’t put your finger on what’s wrong? Well you’re not alone. The being-disgruntled-with-a-paper-but-unsure-of-the-reason syndrome is the most common problem I see in writing workshops. Unhappy … Continue reading

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boostering your introduction and conclusion

Academic writing is known for its use of qualifiers – usually words which tone down the claims that are made. We academics know it is impossible/incredibly difficult to establish a generalisable result though research, and our writing signals this difficulty … Continue reading

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introducing a literatures paper

The Introduction to a literatures paper has a specific job to do – the reader needs to be convinced that the review is needed, that is, the paper has a purpose and it is important for them to read it. The reader also … Continue reading

Posted in academic writing, introduction, literature review, literature themes, literatures paper, warrant | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

writing the introduction to a journal article

So you want to write a journal article but are unsure about how to start it off? Well, here’s a few things to remember. The introduction to your journal article must create a good impression. Readers get a strong view … Continue reading

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defining a contribution – #studythewriting

So you are going to write a paper/book/thesis. You suspect – no, you know – that you’ll need to state your contribution at the outset so that the reader knows what to expect. So it will helpful, as part of … Continue reading

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