|
 |
tel: 1.413.577.2129 fax: 1.413.545.1249 skype: dpgumass dpg [at] cs.umass.edu |
Self-Help
|
||
|
Page Disclaimer Below are some self-help references and tips, interspersed with my tangential thoughts. I do not claim to have mastered nor even excel at any of the skills mentioned below. The self-help content below is just as much for me as it is for you: it allows me to organize my thoughts by writing and is a half-decent summary of approaches others have recommended. Writing Ayn Rand's "The Art of Nonfiction." This book makes some interesting points about the writing process. In scientific writing (and other forms as well), we are in the unique position of being both the writer and editor. Rand recommends cleanly separating these two concerns. For example, she mentions that when she writes she does not let herself write and edit in the same day. This is a bit of an extreme but the point is made. Rand also points out that during the writing phase one should write with supreme confidence, as if everything you write is the absolute Truth. Not until the editing phase do you question your writing. In fact, when editing you must question everything! This advice has helped me avoid the all too frequent occurrence of freezing up because I am trying to be too perfect (besides we all know that I am perfect anyways). Indeed, there are many other tips and best practices in the book but all these have escaped me. If you want the full story, read the book instead of my poorly organized summary. My writing here is of course a testament to how these tips can make you a great writer :) Study good writing. My advisor, Jim Kurose, and other scientists (that are far better writes than I), recommend studying the writing of other good writers. This does not necessarily have to be science writing but studying science writing does make it is easier to map their style to the type of writing you will be doing (assuming you are a researcher). Some of my favorites include Scott Shenker, Bertrand Russell, Ayn Rand, Ernest Hemingway, and Norman Mailer. As a side comment, learning from your colleagues is such an easy way to improve your writing (and other research skills) but for some reason most researchers do not do this (from what I have observed). Maybe it is our ego getting in the way and/or because many scientists lack common sense. For instance, as I get more deeply involved in science, I more frequently forget to do obvious things. I sympathize with my family and friends who have bared the brunt of my dwindling common sense. But I digress. The important point is to learn from each other. In this case, learn from those that are better writers than you (which in my case there are many such people). Practice writing. You can read all you want about how to write well but ultimately you need to actually practice the techniques you studied. There are many readily available forums in which to practice writing: email, blogs, classes, papers, personal website, etc. Hopefully, the informal setting will reduce the pressure of feeling you must produce great prose and instead facilitate feeling comfortable to experiment with your writing. When writing, be conscious of your strengths and weaknesses as a writer. In order to really improve, you have to be honest with yourself. Otherwise, you are bound to repeat the same mistakes. If you get in the habit of writing well, it will be easier to do so when it really matters (e.g., when you have to write a conference paper, grant, or thesis - (insert joke here about how no one will read your thesis)). This gets to Aristotle's quote "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit." Of course, you do not want to get carried away with your efforts to improve your writing. For example, do not spend countless hours perfecting emails written to people that will at best glance at your email text. You need to strike a balance between habitual good writing and getting things done. Time Management + Planning Alan Lakein's "How to Get Control of Your Time and Your Life." This is an excellent book on time management. There are many other books of its kind, but none as good as this one. Most of the points Lakein makes are intuitive and almost obvious but I still find it useful to periodically remind myself of Lakein's suggestions. Here are some of the more interesting points and quotes:
|
||
|
|
tel: 1.413.577.2129 fax: 1.413.545.1249 skype: dpgumass dpg [at] cs.umass.edu |
