By Charles Halton on Friday, 1 June 2007 at 2:28 pm
Are you tired of jumbled, pompuous, rambling, and just plain crummy academic writing. I sure am. That’s why I’m trying to improve my own writing this Summer. In the spirit of top ten lists, here are my top ten impediments to beautiful academic writing. Some of you may be limbering up you fingers right now to fire off a comment that exposes the fact that beautiful academic writing is an oxymoron. Just to head you off–I don’t think it is. You may not have seen much academic writing that is beautiful–it is scarce–but I promise it’s out there. How about you and I commit to being the group of scholars that do produce beautiful writing. So, as we work at this, here is my list of the top ten things that will assure your writing is fit for the recycling bin:
- Quoting a foreign language and not providing a translation. If you quote a source in a language that is different than the language of the body of your writing provide a translation–at least as a footnote. Hopefully your writing is valuable enough that a wide group of people will read it. So, help them out. Not all of them will know well the languages that you do. Furthermore, it’s pompous to not translate your citations and while you think you are showing off–you just look full of yourself. One of the minium requirements of an accredited, North American PhD program is that you have to pass competency tests in at least two modern scholarly languages other than your native tongue. Therefore, you’re not impressing me by showing off that you’ve met the minimum requirements. Translate your German, French, Akkadian and whatever else as a matter of courtesy.
- Jargon. If you can say something in normal language–do it. Thorkild Jacobsen wrote a really great essay: “About the Sumerian Verb” Assyriological Studies 16 (1965): 71-101, but it was so full of jargon and unclear that the ideas that he presented have not circulated very well. Even Benno Landsberger said, “It is too high for me.” If Jacobsen had been more clear, his ideas would have gained more traction.
- Endless, rambling writing. Less is more. If you can say it with fewer words, do it. If you have to write, “In other words…” it means that the first time you tried to say it you were unclear.
- Being boring. You don’t have to put people to sleep to be an “academic.” Spice it up a bit.
- Not using section headings. It helps the reader follow your writing if you have relevant subject headings.
- A crappy index. Want people to cite your stuff? Make it easy for people to locate your ideas.
- Don’t think outside the box. It takes courage to buck the status quo. People will mock you, scorn you, ridicule you, and snicker at the mention of your name. Do it anyway.
- Think too far outside the box. Some ideas don’t need to be published, spoken, or even thought. Filter your ideas. Correlate them with data. Save some trees and reserve only your good ideas for the printing press.
- Don’t write regularly. Good writing takes practice.
- Don’t try to improve your writing. I’m not a born Hemingway and chances are neither are you. It takes conscious work to become a better writer.
Comments (7)
Category: All,Engaging Academic Writing
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Comment by Mike
Made Friday, 1 of June , 2007 at 3:17 pm
good pointers…
Comment by jake mccarty
Made Friday, 1 of June , 2007 at 5:11 pm
Beyond what you’re saying, I think we would do well to heed one of the most basic principles of writing. Let your verbs do the talking. Anytime I start to see ridiculous amounts of “is, was, were, are, has, etc…” I think: “Somebody needs to repeat the 8th grade!”
Another point: read good literature. Learn the craft from the true masters.
My minor caveat with your points. You’re advocating a Hemmingwayesque approach to writing–I still think there’s room for Hardy. If you’ve read both writers you’ll know precisely what I mean.
Also, when articles are written in the passive, it is boring! 
Now, onto a point that you mentioned in passing. You are correct that most programs require some compentancy is two modern languages. But, I daresay that the requirements at most schools are so abysmally low that they are practically irrelevant. My language exams were tough, tough, tough–too tough (60 grammar questions, 5 reading passages, no dictionary. 3 years of college-level German and 5 months at the Goethe Institute and I barely passed!).
I would say that “competancy” is a relative term and frankly I’m suspicious about many of the dissertations I see. They look like as if they cite German to look smart when I know it would take them hours to read through the dang article. That’s point #11. It bugs me.
Comment by Kevin P. Edgecomb
Made Friday, 1 of June , 2007 at 6:29 pm
Another thing that is not just a pet peeve but which really has an effect on whether I consider someone a truly literate is: Spelling. Slow down and spell correctly. A little effort is all it takes to avoid mistakes. And if you’re not sure about a word’s spelling, check. Like, ahem, with “compentency.”
Seriously, though, the best way for people to become better writers is to actually READ good writers. Read widely, in fiction, non-fiction, and most definitely absolutely outside of your field, whatever it may be. Read alot, practice writing in a daily journal, and eventually you’ll certainly discover a level of comfort with your own writing, and perhaps even develop a recognizable style of your own. It certainly won’t be time ill-spent. Wide reading is good for vocabulary, too. But it’s especially important to not spend all reading time within one field.
Comment by Charles Halton
Made Friday, 1 of June , 2007 at 10:36 pm
Kevin, I must be on your bad side, I am a terrible speller and for some reason my spell-checking doesn’t work when I make lists on the blog. I agree with you that reading good writers is a huge help.
Jake, you bring up a very good point that there are different styles of writing and different forums can have different expectations. However, no matter their style, scholars should still be clear enough so that they communicate efficiently. And yes, there are vastly different levels of competency–happy Kevin
Comment by G.M. Grena
Made Saturday, 2 of June , 2007 at 11:33 am
Kevin, do you know of any competent dictionary that lists “alot” as an actual word?
Comment by Tami Cowden
Made Monday, 18 of June , 2007 at 11:41 pm
A good list, but it need not be limited to academic writing. While the tips about language and the index are perhaps less general, the list otherwise applies to writing of all kinds.
Comment by Yehuda
Made Wednesday, 27 of June , 2007 at 10:55 am
Great post. I agree that it need not be limited to academic writing. Anyone who wants to inform his readers should pay heed. I would suggest a top ten list of things that aid writing.
