Writing and editing
are essential skills for any researcher, as they are fundamental to
communicating your research findings effectively. The article offers guidance
on writing research papers efficiently and effectively for doctoral students
and researchers.
Completing a research
paper in two weekends might sound like a Herculean task, especially to doctoral
students and researchers who are just starting their academic writing journeys.
However, with the right strategy and a bit of discipline, it is feasible to
produce a first draft of your research paper in a short time. Then comes the
phase as particularly critical for a paper’s acceptance: editing. Yes, editing
is the secret!
This article will
provide a roadmap on how to navigate this process, drawing on insights from a
seasoned academic who has authored over 400 papers. But let’s start with
discussing the stages of the writing process.
The stages of the
writing process
Writing and editing
are essential skills for any researcher, as they are fundamental to
communicating your research findings effectively. The writing process consists
of several phases:
- Pre-writing
- Drafting
- Editing: reviewing, revising, rewriting
- Proofreading
Let’s take a look at
each of these phases, including ways to improve your skills.
1. Pre-writing
Pre-writing is the
process of organizing your thoughts, brainstorming ideas, and planning your
paper. During this phase, you should identify your main argument, construct an
outline of your paper, and gather relevant sources.
To improve pre-writing
skills, one method is to practice brainstorming techniques like
mind mapping or freewriting. Reading widely in your field can also help you
identify common structures and arguments used in academic writing.
2. Drafting
Drafting is the
process of writing your initial version of your paper. During this phase, you
should focus on getting your ideas down on paper, following your outline and
not worrying too much about perfecting your language or style.
To improve drafting
skills, try setting aside dedicated time at least a few hours each week for
writing, and focus on expressing your ideas clearly and
succinctly. Don’t be afraid to write a “bad” first draft – the important thing
is to get your ideas down on paper.
3. Editing
Editing involves
reviewing your draft, revising your arguments, and rewriting sections for
clarity and coherence. During this phase, you should focus on improving
your paper at the sentence and paragraph level, making sure that your
arguments are logical and well-supported.
If we were to
highlight one phase as particularly critical for a paper’s acceptance, it would
likely be the editing stage.
To improve your
editing skills, try to improve the text in iterations and focus
on one paragraph at a time. Iterative writing is a modern way to
write quality content faster. InstaText can help you immensely to make your
text more readable and understandable – but let’s discuss AI tools later.
4. Proofreading
Proofreading is the
final stage of the writing process, where you check for minor errors in
spelling, punctuation, and formatting.
To improve
proofreading skills, try reading your paper backward, starting from
the last sentence. This can help you focus on the individual words and
punctuation, rather than getting caught up in the flow of your argument.
Preliminary steps
Before we delve into
the writing process, let’s address some important preliminaries. Remember,
these steps should be completed before the weekend you’ve dedicated to writing
your paper.
1. Review Your Notes
Go through your notes
on relevant papers that you’ve read. This helps refresh your understanding of
the work you’re about to write up.
2. Review and renew
your literature search
Start by reviewing
your notes from relevant papers you’ve read in preparation for your research.
This will help you refresh your knowledge and prepare you to write your paper
effectively.
Make sure your
understanding of the existing literature is up to date. This ensures your paper
is situated within the current research landscape.
3. Determine Your
Audience
Understand who you’re
writing for. What is the purpose of your paper? Which journal is it intended
for? Are the primary readers undergraduates or fellow researchers? Remember,
the real primary reader is the reviewer, the gatekeeper to publication.
Addressing their concerns in your first draft can streamline the publication
process.
The writing process
(Weekend #1)
Creating your first
draft is the creative part of the job. Here, the goal is to resist the
temptation to correct mistakes as you go along. Your primary objective is to
produce a complete first draft, not a perfect one. Editing comes later and is
the stage where you’ll apply critical thinking and analytical skills.
Once you’ve completed
the preliminaries, it’s time to start writing. Here’s how to proceed:
1. Get started and
avoid procrastination
Suppress the urge to
procrastinate. Your first step is to get something down on paper.
2. Work from an
outline
An outline helps you
maintain continuity if you’re unable to finish the paper in one sitting. It’s
fun and easy to create. Take your data and figures and arrange them in a logical
sequence. This arrangement is your outline.
3. Write the
experimental section first
Contrary to common
practice, don’t start by writing the introduction. The experimental section is
the easiest part to write because you’re most familiar with it. Starting here
reduces the chances of procrastination setting in again.
4. Write the
Results and Discussion
Following the
experimental section, focus on the results and discussion, adhering to the
outline you created. This part might be slightly more challenging than the
experimental section, but at this point, you’re already gaining momentum.
5. Critical editing
Once you have a draft
consisting of the experimental section and the results and discussion, it’s
time for the hard part – critical editing. Ensure that the science you’ve
written is correct.
Don’t focus yet on
transforming your draft into clear, concise, and coherent English – this will
be the focus of the editing process in the second stage (we’ll call it “Weekend
#2”).
6. Write the
conclusions
The next step is to
write the conclusions. Consider presenting your conclusions in a numbered
format, making it easy for readers to see the contributions of your work.
7. Write the
Introduction
The introduction is
often the hardest part of a paper to write. This should be the last section you
tackle. It should answer two questions: Why was the study done? What is its
purpose? It should also provide sufficient background for readers to understand
what you did.
8. Add references
As you go through the
first draft, make notes about what references might be needed. However, don’t
stop to collect the references then as it interrupts the flow of your work.
Once the manuscript is nearly finished, get the exact references. Reviewers and
readers find it extremely annoying when references are not done properly.
The editing process
(Weekend #2)
All stages of the
writing process – pre-writing, drafting, editing, and proofreading – are
integral to producing a high-quality research paper. However, if we were to
highlight one phase as particularly critical for a paper’s acceptance, it would
likely be the editing stage.
You have now finished
your draft and have already gone through it a few times. Perhaps you have
gained ideas in the process that will serve you well in reviewing, rewising,
and rewriting your paper.
The editing phase is
where the paper’s structure, arguments, and clarity are
rigorously reviewed and improved. This is the phase where researchers ensure
that their ideas are coherently presented, their arguments
are well-supported, and their conclusions are logically derived.
It’s also where any gaps in reasoning, inconsistencies, or areas of potential
confusion are identified and rectified.
Moreover, editing is
the stage where researchers confirm that their paper effectively
communicates its contributions to the field. Given that reviewers
assess a paper’s novelty, significance, and impact on the field, it’s crucial
that these aspects are clearly articulated.
How to use
InstaText in the editing process
The editing phase is
where InstaText is especially useful. It helps you to improve your text and
make it more readable and understandable. Persuasive papers are easy to
read and easy to understand. Persuasive papers must be
concise and clear.
InstaText produces
more ideas and deeper suggestions for improving your writing than any other
language-related tool. It can be of great help in the editing phase, when there
is usually no one around to make useful suggestions.
InstaText was
developed by academics for academics. Your great ideas in research get trapped
when you don’t communicate effectively.
So let’s take a look
at the new and improved InstaText
editor and how to use it to streamline your editing process. In fact,
InstaText will help you in both editing and proofreading phase. The second
weekend will be more than enough to finish and submit your paper.
The right canvas shows
suggestions for improving your text. The revised text may include improved
vocabulary and word usage. Sometimes whole sentences are rewritten to improve
the readability of the text.
You can accept or
reject suggestions in several ways:
1. Revise with
buttons
The first option is
clicking the Accept and next (✓) or Reject and next (×)
button above the right canvas.
2. Revise with
mouse
The second option to
accept or reject suggestions is by mouse clicking on specific word or phrase
and choosing to accept or reject it.
3. Revise with
keyboard shortcuts
Expand the menu on the
right to see the keyboard hotkeys. They can help you maximise your efficiency
when revising the suggested improvements.
The new features are
designed to give you more control, provide quicker access to tools, and
overall, enhance your productivity.
Here are some recently
added features you might want to explore:
Flexible editing
space: Adjust the size of the
editor’s canvas by dragging the line in the middle left and right.
Keyboard shortcuts: Navigate through the editor swiftly and
smoothly, saving time and making your writing experience even more efficient.
Select and revise
with one click: Select text
with your mouse, then accept or reject all suggestions by clicking the
accept/reject button above the editor.
Easy access to
Language settings: Quickly
change the tone of your text (formal/informal) or choose between UK/US English.
Personal dictionary
at your fingertips: Keep your
professional language or personal style by easily adding words and word
combinations.
A note on AI tools in
academic writing
The rise of digital
tools in research, particularly in the writing and editing process,
necessitates a new set of skills and understanding.
The role of critical
thinking is more important than ever. No matter how advanced AI tools
become, they are unlikely to fully replace the critical thinking skills
required in research. Researchers will still need to generate original research
questions, design studies or experiments, interpret data, and draw conclusions.
It is especially
important that you write and edit the paper yourself. Do not let
anyone write or edit the work for you – neither a human nor a language model.
You must keep your academic integrity in mind. Yes, you can use ChatGPT for
brainstorming ideas, explaining concepts and even research strategies. But
don’t use generative AI tools to write or edit your paper. It is important that
you develop and maintain your own writing style and voice.
Even more
importantly, you should be proud of your paper when it is
published. You need to feel that it’s yours. An editing tool like InstaText
helps you edit your work in an iterative and interactive way. It doesn’t rob
you of the joy of the editing process. You remain the rightful author of your
text and ideas.
Why is mastering of
the writing and editing process important?
Mastering the writing
process, and particularly the editing phase, is crucial for several reasons:
1. Clear
Communication: Editing
ensures your work is coherent, clear, and concise. This is essential for
effectively communicating your research findings or ideas. Without proper
editing, your arguments can become muddled, and your message may not come
across as intended.
2. Credibility and
Professionalism: Careful
editing and proofreading demonstrate attention to detail and a commitment to
producing high-quality work. A paper riddled with errors, inconsistencies, or
unclear writing can undermine your credibility as a researcher.
3. Logical Flow and
Argumentation: The
editing process involves more than just fixing grammar or spelling errors. It’s
also about checking the logic and flow of your arguments, ensuring that your
ideas connect smoothly, and your conclusions follow logically from your data or
analysis.
4. Critical
Thinking Skills: Editing
your own work forces you to critically evaluate your arguments, evidence, and
overall structure. It encourages you to reflect on your ideas, understand
potential weaknesses in your argument, and address them.
5. Reader
Understanding: Editing
helps ensure that your work is accessible and understandable to your intended
audience. This includes other researchers, policymakers, or the public,
depending on your field and the purpose of your writing.
Other related topics
1. Experimental Design- are you asking the right questions
2. Common Mistakes Non-Native English Speakers Make – Part 1: Spelling and punctuation
3. The 7 common mistakes first time publishers make
5. What would a PhD graduate advise a new PhD student?
6. How to structure a dissertation?
7. Guide on Checking and Correcting Academic References Effectively and Efficiently
8. What Editors Look For In a Good Manuscript?
9. Difference between proofreading and editing
10. Difference between Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis
11. What is literature review in research methodology
12. How to write an introduction for your dissertation
13. How to write dissertation research questions?
15. Importance of research methodology in a PhD
16. Number of Pages Vs Research in PhD
19. Proof Reading & Content Editing
20. Example of how to write Chapters 1-3
Follow Us on: Website Facebook Page Instagram YouTube Channel
Contact Us: Skype call or Chat WhatsApp BisApt
No comments:
Post a Comment