< back
to full article list
< back
to academic authors article list
< back
to textbook authors article list
How
to write readable academic prose
By Andrew Johnson
The purpose of
writing is to transmit ideas, says Andrew Johnson, professor of Holistic
Education at Minnesota State University, Mankato, not to show the
reader how much you know about a particular subject. "I approach articles
and books as if the reader knows nothing," he said. "I enter a teaching
mode, trying to make things as simple as possible. I have to bring
my ideas to the reader. I'm not famous enough for the reader to come
to me."
Johnson shares
some tips for making your writing more readable:
-
Write everything down first, and then edit. "You have to explode
onto the page and get those ideas out," he said. "Write garbage
first -- only then can you begin pulling things away and shaping
your ideas. Go back sentence by sentence, and then paragraph by
paragraph, asking yourself, 'Does this need to be there?' Knowing
what does not need to be there is just as important as knowing what
does need to be there."
-
Remember the purpose of writing is to transmit ideas from Point
A (your head) to Points B and beyond (your readers' heads). It is
not to show how much you know. Use concise sentences and simple
terms whenever possible."
-
Provide
structure for the reader (e.g. headings and subheadings; boxes;
etc.).
-
Research
your subject thoroughly. "Reading is the gasoline that helps power
the writing engine," he said. "If I know too little about a subject,
I let the literature guide me. I do an extensive literature review
first, and let my structure arise from the notes. If I know a great
deal about a subject, I'm in charge. I write first and do a literature
review later to shape my writing."
-
Read
your writing out loud into a tape recorder and then listen to it
to develop a writer's ear.
-
Learn
your craft by writing journal articles and listening to reviewers'
comments. "I often have to put a review away for a few days and
step back from it emotionally," he said. "I've learned to listen
to reviews. It has made me a better writer."
|
