Writing for Publication Health Sciences Íde OSullivan Regional Writing Centre at UL .

Writing for Publication

Health Sciences

Íde O’SullivanRegional Writing Centre at UL

www.ul.ie/rwc

http://www.ul.ie/rwc

Regional Writing Centre 2

Outline Developing an academic writing and

research output plan Developing an effective research and

writing strategy Establishing peer relationships to support

scholarship


Reflection: Understanding academic writing Writers’ relationships with academic

writing Writing likes and dislikes Positive/creative aspects of academic writing Struggles and fears Paradoxes and contradictions

Barriers to effective and pleasurable writing

The meaning and purpose of academic writing and research


The paradoxes of academic writing (Murray and Moore 2006:7) The starting versus finishing paradox

The originality versus convention paradox

The logic versus emotion paradox

The easy versus difficult paradox

The public versus private paradox

Developing an academic writing

and research output plan


Freewriting/Writing to prompts What writing for publication have you

done, and what would you like to do in the short, medium and long term?

Keep writing non-stop for 5 minutes. Write in sentences. Do not edit or censor your writing. Private writing -- no one will read it. Discuss what you have written in pairs.

The Writing Consultation (Murray, Thow, Moore, and Murphy 2008)Potential Prioritise academic writing Stimulate writing practices Stimulate motivation Create time for writing Reconceptualise writing practices Foster change in writing practices Encourage peer support and collegiality Enhance writers’ motivation

Developing an effective research

and writing strategy


My process: Strategies

Assessing my research/writing

process

Cognitive Strategies

MetacognitiveStrategies

AffectiveStrategies

SocialStrategies


Effective research and writing Writing would be so much better for me if

…


Writing strategies Where and when do you write? How long does it take you to get started? What kind of avoidance tactics go on? Why are you not writing? Write about why you are having difficulty

making advances in your paper “I don’t feel ready to write.” Writers’ block …

Why write about why you are having difficulty?


Writing strategies Getting unstuck

Writing to prompts/freewriting (write anything) Set writing goals Write regularly Integrate writing into your thinking Break it down into a manageable process

Don’t allow yourself to freeze up. When you are feeling overwhelmed… Satisfy yourself with small advances until you

feel more confident and unstuck. Seek help. Talk to friends. Talk about how you

feel, but talk about your ideas as well. Eat lots of chocolate.


Sharing strategies


Getting started Choose one of your short-term writing

plans Lay an egg… (Phil Race)


Writing an abstract Brown’s 8 questions (Murray 2005:108-

114) Framework to help you draft an abstract Allows you to see the paper as a whole

and focus on the main points of the argument

Written at an early stage in the writing process, it helps you maintain the main focus as you write the paper.

Revise it as you go.


Brown’s 8 questions1. Who are the intended readers? (3-5 names)2. What did you do? (50 words)3. Why did you do it? (50 words)4. What happened? (50 words)5. What do the results mean in theory? (50

words)6. What do the results mean in practice? (50

words)7. What is the key benefit for readers (25

words)8. What remains unresolved? (no word limit)


Writing a ‘page 98 paper’ Early: to establish direction/focus Associate your project with the literature Distinguish your project from the literature Build on research question/hypothesis Focus reading/thinking Manageable writing task: 325 words To develop thinking about your thesis ? Late: to focus thinking as you draft

conclusion and revise your introduction(Murray 2006: 105)


Writing a ‘page 98 paper’ My research question is … (50 words) Researchers who have looked at this

subject are … (50 words) They argue that … (25 words) Debate centres on the issue of … (25

words) There is work to be done on … (25 words) My research is closest to that of X in that

… (50 words) My contribution will be … (50 words)

(Murray 2006: 104)

Establishing peer relationships to

support scholarship


Academic Literacy“ […] literacy is seen as a social

practice rather than a set of cognitive skills to be learnt and assimilated. This approach takes account of the cultural and contextual components of writing and research practices” (Lea and Street 1996:2).


Peer review Dialogue about writing Getting feedback on writing

The “writing sandwich” (Murray 2005:85): writing, talking, writing

Writing “buddies” (Murray and Moore 2006:102)

“The Writing Consultation” (Murray, Thow, Moore and Murphy 2008)

Writers’ groupsWriters’ retreats

Avenues to explore A writing for publication programme

(Murray and Moore 2006 96-101)?


Resources Moore, S. (ed.) (2009) Supporting Academic Writing Among Students and

Academics, SEDA Special (24). London: SEDA. Brown, R. (1994/1995) ‘Write Right First Time’, Literati Club, Articles on Writing

and Publishing, Special Issue for Authors and Editors. Elbow, P. (1973) Writing without Teachers. New York: Oxford University Press. Lea, M. and Street, B. (1996) ‘Academic literacies, Learning Matters, 3: 2-4. Leedy, P.D. and Ormond, J.E. (2005) Practical Research: Planning and Design, 8th

edition. New Jersey: Pearson Education. Ballenger, B. (2006) The Curious Researcher: A Guide to Writing Research

Papers, 5th edition. New York: Pearson Longman. Ebest, S.B., Alred, G., Brusaw, C.T. and Oliu, W.E. (2005) Writing from A to Z: The

Easy-to-use Reference Handbook, 5th edition. New York: McGraw-Hill. Moore, S. (ed.) (2008) Supporting Academic Writing Among Students and

Academics, SEDA Special (24). Moore, S. and Murphy, M. (2005) How to be a Student: 100 Great Ideas and

Practical Hints for Students Everywhere. UK: Open University Press. Murray, R. (2005) Writing for Academic Journals. UK: Open University Press. Murray, R. (2006) How to Write a Thesis, 2nd edition. UK: Open University Press. Murray, R. and Moore, S. (2006) The Handbook of Academic Writing: A Fresh

Approach. UK: Open University Press. Murray, R., Thow, M., Moore, S. and Murphy, M. (2008) ‘The writing consultation:

developing academic writing practices‘, Journal of Further and Higher Education, vol. 32(2): 119-128.

Writing for Publication Health Sciences Íde OSullivan Regional Writing Centre at UL .

Documents

academic writing writing

unstuck writing

private writing

pleasurable writing

writing goals

regional writing centre15

regional writing centre4

regional writing centre17