Writing for Writing for Publication: Publication: OT6026 Occupational OT6026 Occupational Therapy Project 4 Therapy Project 4 Íde O’Sullivan, Lawrence Íde O’Sullivan, Lawrence Cleary Cleary Regional Writing Centre Regional Writing Centre
Dec 20, 2015
Writing for Writing for Publication:Publication:
OT6026 Occupational OT6026 Occupational Therapy Project 4Therapy Project 4
Writing for Writing for Publication:Publication:
OT6026 Occupational OT6026 Occupational Therapy Project 4Therapy Project 4
Íde O’Sullivan, Lawrence ClearyÍde O’Sullivan, Lawrence Cleary
Regional Writing CentreRegional Writing Centre
Regional Writing Centre 2
Workshop outline• Writing for publication• Getting started: Motivation and time
management• Key consideration:
– The writing process– The rhetorical situation – Academic writing style
• Structuring your paper• Strategies to develop writing: Peer
review
Regional Writing Centre 3
Reflection• Why write for publication?• Implications of publishing/not
publishing?• Misconceptions about writing and
publication• Common problems among new
writers• New writers’ worries/fears• Difficulties associated with writing
Regional Writing Centre 4
New writers’ errors(Murray 2005:4)
• “Writing too much about ‘the problem’”
• “Overstating the problem and claiming too much for their solution”
• “Overstating the critique of others’ work”
• “Not saying what they mean, losing focus through indirect writing”
• “Putting too many ideas in one paper”
Regional Writing Centre 5
Difficulties associated with writing
• Anxiety and fear of writing• Lack of confidence and motivation• Cracking the codes of academic writing• Getting started• Lack of guidance, practice and feedback• Misconceptions of writing
– Good writing skills are innate X– Think first, then write X
• The writing process is recursive
Regional Writing Centre 6
The process• Decide on the writing project• Choose a target journal• Get information about the journal
– Mission/vision of the journal– Identify categories of submission– Identify key subject areas
• Analyse the journal• Select a sample paper from the target
journal• Follow the guidelines for authors
Regional Writing Centre 7
The journal• “The British Journal of Occupational Therapy
(BJOT) is the official journal of the College of Occupational Therapists. Its purpose is to publish contributions of papers relevant to theory, practice, research, education and management in occupational therapy.”
• “Vision: A monthly journal presenting high quality international research and practice related papers that informs the knowledge and evidence base of occupational therapy and is easily accessible through online searches.”
British Journal of Occupational TherapyFebruary 2008, 71(2): 77
Regional Writing Centre 8
Types of publications• Scholarly Papers• Short Reports• Research Articles/Papers• Practice Analysis/Evaluations • Critical Reviews • Case Histories/Reviews• Opinion Pieces• Editorials • Letters to Editor• Book Reviews• Guest Editorials
Regional Writing Centre 9
Analysing the journal• Cracking the codes• Analysing the genre/text and modelling• Identify important criteria that will
make your writing more effective• Ask yourself the following questions:
– How is the paper structured?– How is the contribution articulated?– What level of context is provided?– What level of detail is used? – How long are the different sections?
Regional Writing Centre 10
Analysing the journal• What organisational features/patterns are
in evidence? • How are arguments and counterarguments
presented and structured?• What types of evidence are important?• What stylistic features are prominent?• Is the text cohesive? How does the author
achieve such cohesion?• What kind(s) of persuasive devises does
the author employ?• Voice?
Regional Writing Centre 11
Guidelines for authors• Categories of submission• Preparation of the manuscript
– Copyright– Ethics– Layout– Presentation
• Submission of the manuscript • The review process
– Editorial process– Editorial decisions
Getting Started Getting Started Writing and Keeping Writing and Keeping
GoingGoing
Getting Started Getting Started Writing and Keeping Writing and Keeping
GoingGoing
Regional Writing Centre 13
It is not too late• Take stock of where you are now• Outline your research project • Make plans based on the time that is
left• Organise your time accordingly• Get writing• Keep writing• Get a writing buddy• Allow time for revision and to put it all
together• Let family and friends know• Be selfish with your time
Regional Writing Centre 14
Where am I?
• What writing have you done and what writing do you need to do in order to complete your paper on time?
• 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.
Regional Writing Centre 15
Getting started• Where and when do you write?• Why are you not writing?
– “I don’t feel ready to write.”– Writers’ block
• 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
Regional Writing Centre 16
Outlining (Murray 2006)
• Title and draft introduction• Level 1 outlining
– Main headings
• Level 2 outlining– Sub-headings
• Level 3 outlining– Decide on content
Regional Writing Centre 17
‘Writing in layers’ (Murray 2006:125-27)
• Outline the structure: write your section heading for the research paper.
• Write a sentence or two on the contents of each section.
• List out sub-headings for each section.• Write an introductory paragraph for
each section.• At the top of each section, write the
word count requirement, draft number and date.
Regional Writing Centre 18
Writing a ‘page 98 paper’
• My research question is … • Researchers who have looked at this
subject are … • They argue that … • Debate centres on the issue of … • There is work to be done on … • My research is closest to that of X in that
… • My contribution will be …
(Murray 2006:104)
Key ConsiderationsKey ConsiderationsKey ConsiderationsKey Considerations
Regional Writing Centre 20
Key stages in the process
• Pre-writing
• Drafting
• Revision
• Editing and Proofreading
Regional Writing Centre 21
The rhetorical situation
• Occasion
• Topic
• Audience
• Purpose
• Writer
NB: Joining the conversation
Regional Writing Centre 22
Organising principles
• Research question
• Thesis
• Hypothesis
Regional Writing Centre 23
Stylistic differences that mark academic writing
• Complexity• Formality• Objectivity• Accuracy
• Precision• Explicitness• Hedging• Responsibility
(Gillet 2008)
Structuring your Structuring your paperpaper
Structuring your Structuring your paperpaper
Regional Writing Centre 25
Structure
Preliminaries
Main Text
End Matter
Regional Writing Centre 26
The manuscript• Introduction• Literature review• Method• Results/Findings• Analysis/Discussion• Conclusions
Regional Writing Centre 27
The introduction• In academic writing, an introduction, or
opening, has four purposes: To introduce the topic of the essayTo indicate the context of the conversation
through background informationTo give some indication of the overall plan
of the paperTo catch the reader’s attention, usually by
convincing the reader of its relevance.
Regional Writing Centre 28
In brief….• The introduction should be funnel shaped
• Begin with broad statements.• Make these statements more and more specific
as the writer narrows the scope of the topic and comes to the problem.
• Be sure that the question, hypothesis or claim is one that can be handled in a report of the length specified.
• This question, hypothesis or claim is your thesis statement.
Regional Writing Centre 29
Methodology and research design
• In the methodology section, two main issues are addressed: – The methods used to gather data– The methods used to analyse the
data• How were your results obtained and
how did you came to the conclusions put forth?
Regional Writing Centre 30
Methodology and research design
Justification• Why and how did you choose the
targeted population/sample?• Why did you choose the particular
method?• Is the methodology appropriate to
your field of study?• Is the methodology appropriate to
the objectives of the study?
Regional Writing Centre 31
Results and discussion• The results section must not only
present the results; it must make the results meaningful for the reader.
• The discussion should not simply provide more detail about the results; it should interpret and explain the results.
• Methods of organising the results and discussion.
Regional Writing Centre 32
Results• Organising the results• Readability• Accessibility (graphs, tables)• Use of appendices for raw data• Making the results meaningful
– Explanation– Simplification– Trends– Significant results– Relationships/correlations
Regional Writing Centre 33
Discussion• Organising the discussion• Summarise the main results in order to
remind the reader of your key findings.• Put the results of the research into
context.• Support the validity of the results by
referring to similar results.• Explain the differences between your
findings and that of previous researchers. • Can you explain the unexpected results?
Regional Writing Centre 34
Conclusion• To what extend have the aims of the
study been achieved?• How has your primary and secondary
research helped answer the research question posed?
• Have your hypotheses been proved/disproved/partially proved?
• Did the study raise any further questions?
• Any recommendations for future research?
Regional Writing Centre 35
Elements of a good conclusion
A conclusion should:Remind the reader of the main points of
your argumentBring ‘closure to the interpretation of the
data’ (Leedy 2001:291)Be clearBe logicalBe credible
Regional Writing Centre 36
Academic principles• Maintaining academic principles
– Ethics– Referencing– Honesty– Objectivity
• Hedge. Distinguish between absolutes and probabilities. Absolutes are 100% certain. Probabilities are less than 100% certain.
• Be responsible. Provide traceable evidence and justifications for any claims you make or any opinions you have formed as a result of your research.
Regional Writing Centre 37
Flow• Logical method of development• Effective transition signals• Good signposting• Consistent point of view• Conciseness (careful word choice)• Clarity of expression• Paragraph structure
– Unity– Coherence
Regional Writing Centre 38
Paragraph structure• What is a paragraph?
– Series of sentences– Coherent (introduction, middle, end)– Common theme
• Every sentence in a paragraph develops one topic or idea.
• Paragraphs signal the logically organised progression of ideas.
• The flow of information should be organised around themes and comments.
• The main idea in one paragraph should flow logically into the next.
• Shifts in the argument or changes in direction should be accurately signalled using appropriate adverbials, conjunctions, and prepositions.
Microsoft Word Document
Regional Writing Centre 39
Paragraph structure
• Just as an essay is guided by a thesis statement, a paragraph is organised around its topic sentence.
• A topic sentence informs the reader of the topic to be discussed.
• A topic sentence contains controlling ideas which limit the scope of the discussion to ideas that are manageable in a paragraph.
Regional Writing Centre 40
Paragraph structure: Supporting sentences
• The sentences that follow expand upon the topic, using controlling ideas to limit the discussion. The main idea is supported by– Evidence in the form of facts, statistics,
theoretical probabilities, reputable, educated opinions,
– Illustrations in the form of examples and extended examples, and
– Argumentation based on the evidence presented.
– Qualifying statements indicate the limitations of the support or argument.
Regional Writing Centre 41
Paragraph structure: Concluding sentences
• Not every paragraph needs a concluding sentence.
• Concluding sentences can either comment on the information in the text, or
• They can paraphrase the topic sentence.
Regional Writing Centre 42
Paragraph structure: Unity
• Paragraphs should be unified.• ‘Unity means that only one main idea
is discussed in a paragraph. The main idea is stated in the topic sentence, and then each and every supporting sentence develops that idea’ (Oshima and Hogue 1999:18).
Regional Writing Centre 43
Paragraph structure: Coherence
• Coherence means that your paragraph is easy to read and understand because – your supporting sentences are in some
kind of logical order– your ideas are connected by the use of
appropriate transition signals– your pronoun references clearly point
to the intended antecedent and is consistent
– you have repeated or substituted key nouns. (Oshima and Hogue 2006:22)
Regional Writing Centre 44
Example: (Meei-Fang et al.
2007:471) People with dementia are particularly vulnerable to malnutrition: they have a decreased ability to understand directions and to express their needs verbally, are easily distracted from eating, prone to become agitated, and may use utensils incorrectly. Inability to feed oneself (eating dependency) is a major risk factor for malnutrition among older people living in long-term care settings (Abbasi & Rudman 1994, Durnbaugh et al. 1996). When people with dementia can no longer take food voluntarily, assistance is required although, as the disease progresses, even taking food with assistance can become difficult and, in some instances, tube-feeding may be required to supply nutrition. This form of feeding can, however, cause distress and anxiety, not only for the person being fed, but also for caregivers (Akerlund & Norberg 1985, Burgener & Shimer 1993).
Regional Writing Centre 45
Reasons for rejecting manuscripts: Brown, Rodger
and Brown (2005:88)• Methodology or research design
problems• Poorly developed idea• Poorly written• Data interpretation problems• Literature review not
relevant/comprehensive/up to date• Content undocumented • Statistical problems• Term-paper type article• Issues of validity, reliability and
trustworthiness not addressed
Regional Writing Centre 46
Reasons for rejecting manuscripts: Brown, Rodger
and Brown (2005:88)• Poorly referenced• Content not important/significant • Discussion not based on results/findings• Content inaccurate• Content not consistent with journal
purpose• Implications of findings and results on
practice not included • Submission format guidelines not followed• Manuscript too lengthy• Key terms and concepts not clearly
defined
Regional Writing Centre 47
Reasons for rejecting manuscripts: Brown, Rodger
and Brown (2005:88)
• Aim/purpose of paper not clearly stated • Limitations of research study not
included/acknowledged • Content not current or timely• Clinically not applicable • Too technical • Manuscript submitted concurrently to
another journal• Subject/topic covered recently • Content already scheduled for future
Regional Writing Centre 48
Overview: Reasons for rejecting
• Poor writing skills• Poor research skills• Failure to consider the journal’s audience• Failure to follow the journal’s guidelines • Before you start establish familiarity with
– The journal– The audience– The submission guidelines
Strategies to Strategies to Develop Writing: Develop Writing:
Peer Review Peer Review
Strategies to Strategies to Develop Writing: Develop Writing:
Peer Review Peer Review
Regional Writing Centre 50
Dialogue about writing• Peer-review• Generative writing• The “writing sandwich” (Murray
2005:85): writing, talking, writing• Writing “buddies” (Murray and Moore
2006:102)• Writers’ groups• Engaging in critiques of one another’s
work allows you to become effective critics of your own work.
Regional Writing Centre 51
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.
Regional Writing Centre 52
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)
Regional Writing Centre 53
Resources•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.
•Shannon Consortium Regional Writing Centre, UL http://www.ul.ie/rwc/
•Strunk, W. and White, E.B. (2000) The Elements of Style, 4th ed. New York: Longman.
•Using English for Academic Purposes http://www.uefap.com/index.htm
•The Writer’s Garden http://www. cyberlyber.com/writermain.htm
•The OWL at Purdue http://owl.english.purdue.edu/•The Writing Center at the University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill http://www.unc.edu/depts /wcweb/handouts/index.html
Regional Writing Centre 54
Works cited• Brown, T.G., Rodger, S. and Brown, A. (2005) ‘Publication
Practices of English Language Occupational Therapy Journals’, British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 68(2): 85-92.
• Elbow, P. (1998) Writing without Teachers (2nd edition). New York: Oxford University Press.
• Elbow, P. and Belanoff, P. (2003) Being a Writer: A Community of Writers Revisited. New York: McGraw-Hill.
• 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.