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 generally communicate well in other areas of writing and speaking, but I am having trouble correctly employing academic terminology and structure. How do I adapt my writing skills to the academic model?
我在一般寫作和說話上，溝通都沒什麼問題，唯獨在學術上使用術語和結構不太正確。我要怎麼在學術領域發揮自己的寫作技巧呢？
Academic writing and informal or popular writing indeed are different styles of communication. The good news is that if you are proficient in one area, you can learn to be proficient in the other. The skills are the same. Only their application differs. When you say you struggle with the “terminology and structure” of academic communication, do you mean the jargon specific to an academic discipline and the format for expressing it? Or are you having difficulty with the overall guiding principles of academic expression? Perhaps it is both. I will try to address them.
學術寫作的風格確實和日常或大眾寫作不同，不過如果你精通其中一種，嫻熟另一種寫作也不難，兩者所需技巧相同，只是應用方法有別。你提到使用學術上的「術語和結構」有困難，是指不熟悉某個學門的行話或表達形式嗎？還是對學術寫作的整體原則不熟悉？或許兩者兼有之？以下我會盡量討論這些問題。
Jargon—or specialized language—can add to a paper’s precision at the same time it reduces word count. But if jargon hinders communication of an idea or deadens expression, it should be replaced by more commonplace terminology. Some preening authors forget this and seemingly are proud of the density and unreadability of their academic papers. Don’t follow their example. In respect to structure, remember one word: flow. A focused start should flow, paragraph by paragraph, into an enlightening body, and then a refocused ending. Flow. It’s really that simple.
行話，也就是專門用語，可以讓文章表達更精簡，但如果妨礙表達或使語言無味，就應該改成較常見的用語。有些自戀的作者忘了這點，似乎以自己的學術文章晦澀難讀為傲。這不是好榜樣。關於結構，要切記一點：流暢。開頭要重點清晰，接著每段要流暢銜接，構成發人省思的主文，最後重申重點，流暢引出結尾。流暢很重要，就是這麼簡單。
To summarize the principles behind effective scholarly writing, a listing of words and phrases might help. Strive for the following elements: A core thesis. A logical flow of ideas. Intellectual vigor. Neutral, authoritative language. Concise and clear expression. Informed opinion. Thorough citation. In short, a scholarly writer employs critical thinking and precise expression. Non-academic writing, by comparison, is imprecise and spontaneous. While spontaneity is liberating, knowing the logic behind structured writing can free up a good academic writer.
有幾段話可以歸納出良好學術寫作背後的準則，那就是努力做到：要有核心論點、概念邏輯流暢、思考有活力、遣詞中立而可信、表達簡潔清晰、論證根據充分、標註引用詳實。簡言之，寫作學術文章必須運用批判思考與精確表達，相較之下，非學術文章就比較鬆散而隨興。隨興寫作儘管可以自由發揮，但若能了解條理清晰文章的背後邏輯，就能放手寫出更好的學術文章。
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 generally communicate well in other areas of writing and speaking, but I am having trouble correctly employing academic terminology and structure. How do I adapt my writing skills to the academic model?
我在一般寫作和說話上，溝通都沒什麼問題，唯獨在學術上使用術語和結構不太正確。我要怎麼在學術領域發揮自己的寫作技巧呢？
Academic writing and informal or popular writing indeed are different styles of communication. The good news is that if you are proficient in one area, you can learn to be proficient in the other. The skills are the same. Only their application differs. When you say you struggle with the “terminology and structure” of academic communication, do you mean the jargon specific to an academic discipline and the format for expressing it? Or are you having difficulty with the overall guiding principles of academic expression? Perhaps it is both. I will try to address them.
學術寫作的風格確實和日常或大眾寫作不同，不過如果你精通其中一種，嫻熟另一種寫作也不難，兩者所需技巧相同，只是應用方法有別。你提到使用學術上的「術語和結構」有困難，是指不熟悉某個學門的行話或表達形式嗎？還是對學術寫作的整體原則不熟悉？或許兩者兼有之？以下我會盡量討論這些問題。
Jargon—or specialized language—can add to a paper’s precision at the same time it reduces word count. But if jargon hinders communication of an idea or deadens expression, it should be replaced by more commonplace terminology. Some preening authors forget this and seemingly are proud of the density and unreadability of their academic papers. Don’t follow their example. In respect to structure, remember one word: flow. A focused start should flow, paragraph by paragraph, into an enlightening body, and then a refocused ending. Flow. It’s really that simple.
行話，也就是專門用語，可以讓文章表達更精簡，但如果妨礙表達或使語言無味，就應該改成較常見的用語。有些自戀的作者忘了這點，似乎以自己的學術文章晦澀難讀為傲。這不是好榜樣。關於結構，要切記一點：流暢。開頭要重點清晰，接著每段要流暢銜接，構成發人省思的主文，最後重申重點，流暢引出結尾。流暢很重要，就是這麼簡單。
To summarize the principles behind effective scholarly writing, a listing of words and phrases might help. Strive for the following elements: A core thesis. A logical flow of ideas. Intellectual vigor. Neutral, authoritative language. Concise and clear expression. Informed opinion. Thorough citation. In short, a scholarly writer employs critical thinking and precise expression. Non-academic writing, by comparison, is imprecise and spontaneous. While spontaneity is liberating, knowing the logic behind structured writing can free up a good academic writer.
有幾段話可以歸納出良好學術寫作背後的準則，那就是努力做到：要有核心論點、概念邏輯流暢、思考有活力、遣詞中立而可信、表達簡潔清晰、論證根據充分、標註引用詳實。簡言之，寫作學術文章必須運用批判思考與精確表達，相較之下，非學術文章就比較鬆散而隨興。隨興寫作儘管可以自由發揮，但若能了解條理清晰文章的背後邏輯，就能放手寫出更好的學術文章。
Posted at 2012-11-16 12:50:57
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