© Steven E. Ball, All Rights Reserved Thoughts on Writing in Psychology Not Just an APA Manual Primer (in fact, not that at all!) Thanks to Dick Fulkerson,

© Steven E. Ball, All Rights Reserved

Thoughts on Writing in Psychology

Not Just an APA Manual Primer (in fact, not that at all!)

Thanks to Dick Fulkerson, George Orwell, and Jim Reynolds.


The Rhetorical Universe

Rhetoric is the art of (persuasive, clear) communication (to some end, to be realized in the reader or listener).

The rhetorical universe is the stuff we can communicate about. The shared rhetorical universe is the stuff two or more specific

people can communicate about.

Writer ReaderMessage

Boundary of the Shared Rhetorical Universe



The message can be clear and direct.





Or the message can fail to reach the reader by escaping the shared rhetorical universe.

Writer Reader

Message




Or the message can be so obscure or convoluted that the reader does not get it.

Writer Reader

Message




Or the message may be designed not to communicate with the reader at all, but rather with the writer (“auto-communication”).

Writer Reader ?Message



From Orwell

“The great enemy of clear writing is insincerity.”



And sometimes the real message is obscured – deliberately.



The Lie


Orwell Again

“…the slovenliness of our language makes it easier for us to have foolish thoughts.”


And…

“But if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought.”


Orwell’s “Rules”

(i) Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.

(ii) Never use a long word where a short one will do. (iii) If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out. (iv) Never use the passive where you can use the

active. (v) Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a

jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.

(vi) Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.


Jargon and Our Discipline

Jargon is the language developed to communicate efficiently within a discipline. Einstein noted that, while he could have

articulated the general theory of relativity in ordinary language, he did not have the time.

Ordinary language is both incomplete – and too complete.

Hence, we need jargon, but…


Jargon and Our Discipline

Jargon has at least two functional characteristics Lexical jargon is a kind of disciplinary shorthand used

to point to sets of observations and ideas (summing up the observations). It is necessary to know in order to be a functioning member of the discipline.

Cosmetic jargon is language used to prop up weak ideas with pretentious diction and other gimmicks.

• Cosmetic jargon may entail the same words and phrases as lexical jargon – what matters is what it points to and its intention, how the speaker/writer is using it.


In General, Good Contemporary Writing Is…

Purposeful Craft no phrase, sentence, paragraph, or paper without a

clear statement of your rhetorical intent hanging near you. Review (in your writing) no piece of a piece of literature that

doesn’t serve your purpose. Coherent

Make clear how component pieces flow and connect to serve your purpose.

Do outlines, once you discover your purpose. Economic

“Omit excess words.” Avoid pretentious diction, cosmetic jargon.


Avoid Pretentious Diction

“Eschew obfuscation!” [Avoid being unclear or confusing!]

Some stuff to watch out for: Using big words because they sound

good; the case of Amy’s use of “utilize.” Avoid passive voice constructions

wherever possible – they hide the subject of the action.

Using words from psychology cosmetically.

Using more words than you need.


Some Guy Tracy Knows Has Said

“There are no good writers, but a few good re-writers.”

‘Nuff said.

© Steven E. Ball, All Rights Reserved Thoughts on Writing in Psychology Not Just an APA Manual Primer (in fact, not that at all!) Thanks to Dick Fulkerson,

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