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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 am a logical person and my papers are logical. Yet I have been told my logic sometimes is faulty and my conclusions wrongly drawn. Is there a fail-safe way to check logic?
我做事合乎邏輯，文章也符合邏輯，但有人說我的邏輯有時候有錯，推導出有問題的結論。有什麼辦法可以檢查邏輯，保證不會發生錯誤？

Is any system “fail-safe?” Man has found imaginative ways to override safeguards of all kinds and done himself injury. Logic has its own internal mechanisms that guard against failure, but they are only as good as the person employing them. So if you are indeed a logical person, yet you are submitting academic papers that contain illogical formulations and conclusions, one of three factors is happening: A) You are wrong about being logical; B) your professors are wrong in attributing illogical behavior to you; or C) you think logically, but write illogically.
有什麼方法「保證不會發生錯誤」？人以各種想得到的方法違反邏輯規則，結果害了自己。邏輯自有內在機制避免錯誤，但這些機制必須加以運用才能發揮成效。如果你確實是合乎邏輯的人，但寫出的學術文章還是有不合邏輯的式子或結論，原因可能是：A) 你其實缺乏邏輯，B) 說你缺乏邏輯的教授錯了，或 C) 你的想法符合邏輯，但寫作卻不然。

I will assume “C” is the answer and will suggest ways to bring your writing into conformity with your thinking. First of all, understand this: Being essentially logical in your conduct is not a high enough standard for academic writing. Powerful papers are not middlingly logical. They are studiously logical with reasoning so tightly woven into the organization and text of a paper that it takes on a life of its own. This is accomplished by carefully planning the flow of material so it unfailingly carries a reader to a conclusion. Weak assertions and logical eddies are not allowed.
假設答案是「C」，那麼我建議以下方法，讓你的寫作與思考一樣符合邏輯。首先要知道，學術寫作不能只是文字符合邏輯，這樣的標準還不夠。文章要有力，邏輯不能只有半吊子，論證必須緊扣文章組織與內容，邏輯非常嚴謹，才能發揮。同時寫作也要精心規劃，使文章通順，才能正確無誤的引出結論，不能有薄弱的主張或邏輯混亂。

Deductive reasoning is the preferred logic sequence because it is the surest. It employs known truths or facts to reach a verifiable or indisputable conclusion. Inductive reasoning also can be used. However, it is more dangerous because inadvertent faulty reasoning can more easily slip into it. In short, if you use straightforward logic grounded in deduction and communicate it clearly, your papers will not be deemed illogical. This assumes, of course, that you strictly adhere to rules of logic. A system of thinking is only as effective as the person using it.
另外，演繹式推理從已知的真相或事實，推導出可驗證或無法質疑的結論，最為可靠，是較佳的邏輯推論法。歸納式推理較容易在無意中產生錯誤推論，因此雖然可行卻比較危險。簡單來說，如果文章能用直接易懂的邏輯進行演繹式推理，並清楚說明，就不會缺乏邏輯。當然，你必須嚴格遵守邏輯規則。邏輯思考方式唯有確實運用，才能發揮成效。