Professor Pedantic 教授的考究學問
TPS的編輯教授在此歡迎關於學術文章的所有詢問，當然，其實他並沒有足夠的時間給你。他擁有終身教職的教授身份，也是著名的學術巨作作者。即便如此，他仍大方地接受你們的詢問。將關於學術方面的詢問寫在下方，你將獲得教授的親自指導，陶冶對學術的探索與啟發。
The professor awaits your query on academic writing, though in all honesty, he doesn’t have a lot of time for you. He is a tenured full professor and working on yet another magnificent academic tome. Even so, he has graciously consented to entertain your question. Submit it and prepare to be edified.
QUESTION: I love poetry and wrote a paper on a favorite sonnet, but it was not well-received by the instructor. “Too much feeling, not enough analysis,” he said. On writing about subjects I love, what is the best way to downplay my feelings?
我迷戀詩歌，我以最喜歡的十四行詩為題寫了一篇論文，但是指導教授不怎麼欣賞，他說：「太多感覺，太少分析」。以我最喜歡的題材寫論文時，如何盡量淡化我的感覺？
You seem to be a passionate person, not only liking subjects or finding them interesting, but loving them. This is admirable and shows a verve for life and, perhaps, for academic writing, which bodes well for a career as a scholar. However, there is a distinction between aggressively and enthusiastically researching a topic and imbuing the subsequent paper with great emotion. The academic realm is built upon analytical and grounded thinking and composition; feelings are suspect because they can betray logic and deduction. Such betrayal is not rewarded in academia.
你似乎充滿熱情，對寫作主題不僅是喜歡或有興趣，而是迷戀。這種精神令人欽佩，展現對生活的熱情，或許也展現了對學術寫作的熱情，能助學術生涯一臂之力。不過，積極熱情地研究一個主題，然後在論文中注入強烈的感情，或許又另當別論。學術研究奠基於有條理、有基礎的思考與寫作，感覺並不可靠，因為感覺可能違背邏輯與推論，因此缺乏學術價值。
You don’t want to train yourself to “feel” less strongly in subsequent assignments—passion is not a weakness—but you would be wise to channel your feelings into substantive, factual analysis and conclusions. There is great power in strong writing that is not diffident about making a point, especially if it challenges conventional wisdom. But the strength of the writing should be in its intellectual vigor rather than its emotive underpinning. Choose words that characterize subjects in concrete terms rather than in illusory, heart-felt, disputable terms.
你不必在之後的作業裡，練習不去「感覺」，熱情並非弱點。但是你可以引導自己的感受，轉化為實在的、實事求是的分析與結論。如果你的文章不怯於提出自己的論點，特別是挑戰傳統觀念的論點，便能展現強大的力量。論文的優勢應該展現在活躍的知識分析，而非感情基礎。闡述主題時，遣詞用字應該具體，而非虛幻、強調感受、有所爭議。
Poetry, as an example, is full of imagery, structure, meter, and rhyme. The language of an academic paper also can effectively contain images and effortlessly flow to a conclusion like any other masterly writing. But the content is prose, and should be a work of hard analysis, discerning examination, deep understanding, and critical thinking. If you can work in flattering comment about a poet or poem without compromising your standing as a scholar, fine. Otherwise, let the love be felt in the intensity of the research and utter honesty of the writing.
以詩歌為例，詩自有其意象、結構、格律與韻腳。論文也能像其他精湛的文章一樣，包含有力的意象，並流暢自然地引出結論。但論文並非韻文，應該以確實的分析、敏銳的檢驗、深刻的理解，以及批判性的思考為重。如果你褒獎一首詩或詩人，但又不損及學術立場，那就無所謂。否則，你對主題的熱情應該展現在縝密的研究與勤懇的寫作上。
The professor awaits your query on academic writing, though in all honesty, he doesn’t have a lot of time for you. He is a tenured full professor and working on yet another magnificent academic tome. Even so, he has graciously consented to entertain your question. Submit it and prepare to be edified.
QUESTION: I love poetry and wrote a paper on a favorite sonnet, but it was not well-received by the instructor. “Too much feeling, not enough analysis,” he said. On writing about subjects I love, what is the best way to downplay my feelings?
我迷戀詩歌，我以最喜歡的十四行詩為題寫了一篇論文，但是指導教授不怎麼欣賞，他說：「太多感覺，太少分析」。以我最喜歡的題材寫論文時，如何盡量淡化我的感覺？
You seem to be a passionate person, not only liking subjects or finding them interesting, but loving them. This is admirable and shows a verve for life and, perhaps, for academic writing, which bodes well for a career as a scholar. However, there is a distinction between aggressively and enthusiastically researching a topic and imbuing the subsequent paper with great emotion. The academic realm is built upon analytical and grounded thinking and composition; feelings are suspect because they can betray logic and deduction. Such betrayal is not rewarded in academia.
你似乎充滿熱情，對寫作主題不僅是喜歡或有興趣，而是迷戀。這種精神令人欽佩，展現對生活的熱情，或許也展現了對學術寫作的熱情，能助學術生涯一臂之力。不過，積極熱情地研究一個主題，然後在論文中注入強烈的感情，或許又另當別論。學術研究奠基於有條理、有基礎的思考與寫作，感覺並不可靠，因為感覺可能違背邏輯與推論，因此缺乏學術價值。
You don’t want to train yourself to “feel” less strongly in subsequent assignments—passion is not a weakness—but you would be wise to channel your feelings into substantive, factual analysis and conclusions. There is great power in strong writing that is not diffident about making a point, especially if it challenges conventional wisdom. But the strength of the writing should be in its intellectual vigor rather than its emotive underpinning. Choose words that characterize subjects in concrete terms rather than in illusory, heart-felt, disputable terms.
你不必在之後的作業裡，練習不去「感覺」，熱情並非弱點。但是你可以引導自己的感受，轉化為實在的、實事求是的分析與結論。如果你的文章不怯於提出自己的論點，特別是挑戰傳統觀念的論點，便能展現強大的力量。論文的優勢應該展現在活躍的知識分析，而非感情基礎。闡述主題時，遣詞用字應該具體，而非虛幻、強調感受、有所爭議。
Poetry, as an example, is full of imagery, structure, meter, and rhyme. The language of an academic paper also can effectively contain images and effortlessly flow to a conclusion like any other masterly writing. But the content is prose, and should be a work of hard analysis, discerning examination, deep understanding, and critical thinking. If you can work in flattering comment about a poet or poem without compromising your standing as a scholar, fine. Otherwise, let the love be felt in the intensity of the research and utter honesty of the writing.
以詩歌為例，詩自有其意象、結構、格律與韻腳。論文也能像其他精湛的文章一樣，包含有力的意象，並流暢自然地引出結論。但論文並非韻文，應該以確實的分析、敏銳的檢驗、深刻的理解，以及批判性的思考為重。如果你褒獎一首詩或詩人，但又不損及學術立場，那就無所謂。否則，你對主題的熱情應該展現在縝密的研究與勤懇的寫作上。
Posted at 2012-08-17 12:37:25
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