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 cannot seem to choose words and terms that are correct for academic papers, though they work OK in other writing assignments. I guess I need help in identifying how academic writing differs from other communication. Can you help?
雖然寫其他類的作業都沒問題，但在撰寫學術文章時，我似乎沒辦法選用正確的文字或術語。我需要指導，瞭解學術文章和其他類文體有何不同。能幫幫我嗎？
First of all, the quality of ideas is paramount in any academic paper. If your thinking is clear and of sufficient weight—maybe even profound—the quality of your writing does not matter as much. Good writing can enhance your thinking, but it cannot substitute for weakness of thought. Even so, the basic tenor of your writing is important. If it is perceived as shallow or glib, as tossed off rather than carefully composed, its reception by your professor will not be pleasant. The correct tone of an academic paper is established through a certain style of writing. Call it… formal.
首先，撰寫學術文章最重要的就是想法的品質。如果你的概念夠清楚、夠穩固，甚至是頗具深度，那麼文筆的好壞反而沒那麼重要。好的文筆能替想法加分，但卻無法取代想法的弱點。即便如此，文章的基本意涵仍相當重要。假如教授認為你的文章內容淺薄、不經大腦，是隨隨便便交出而不是認真書寫的，那麼收到論文的他可不會太高興。學術文章的正確語調應遵循特定的寫作風格，也就是 —「正式」（formal）。
What is “formal” writing? It is formally structured writing. That is, academic writing has rules. They are not inflexible, but they are rigorously applied and serious scholars are expected to follow them. The rules can be found in any internet search of academic writing, though faculty in an institution might emphasize some rules more than others. Therefore, knowing what your professor expects in a paper is vital knowledge. Essentially, formal writing eschews informal phrasing, contractions, 2nd person pronouns (“you”), and anything else considered casual.
何謂「正式」的寫作呢？正式的寫作應當是正式架構的寫作手法，亦是撰寫學術文章必須遵守的規則。這些規則並非僵化不變，但也須嚴格遵守，而嚴謹的學者也應該遵循。在網路上搜尋就能找到這些規則的範例，而不同學術機構的教授著重的重點也有所差異。因此，你得知道教授對學生報告的期望。最重要的是，正式的寫作應當避開不正式的措辭、縮寫、第二人稱代名詞、還有其他過於輕鬆的用詞。
Having a structure actually is an advantage, because it lets a reader concentrate on the ideas being communicated rather than the style of writing employed to communicate them. Working within a “formal” framework also encourages serious, as opposed to flippant, writing. This is not to say that stilted or pompous language is the goal. Serious words and terms can also be lively. Example: “The subject manifested symptoms of throat spasm,” versus “The subject gagged.” Choosing words and terms for academic papers is writing formally, intelligently, clearly, and by the rules.
遵循一個寫作架構是有好處的，能讓讀者專注於作者傳達的想法，而不受寫作風格的影響。採用「正式」的架構能幫助維持寫作的嚴謹，避免出現草率的文章。這不代表寫作的目標就是採用誇張華麗的辭藻。嚴謹的用字遣詞也可以是活潑生動地。譬如：「這個主題呈現出喉痙攣的徵狀」與「主題哽到了」就不同。總之，學術文章的用字遣詞應當正式、清楚、聰明、並且遵循規則。
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 cannot seem to choose words and terms that are correct for academic papers, though they work OK in other writing assignments. I guess I need help in identifying how academic writing differs from other communication. Can you help?
雖然寫其他類的作業都沒問題，但在撰寫學術文章時，我似乎沒辦法選用正確的文字或術語。我需要指導，瞭解學術文章和其他類文體有何不同。能幫幫我嗎？
First of all, the quality of ideas is paramount in any academic paper. If your thinking is clear and of sufficient weight—maybe even profound—the quality of your writing does not matter as much. Good writing can enhance your thinking, but it cannot substitute for weakness of thought. Even so, the basic tenor of your writing is important. If it is perceived as shallow or glib, as tossed off rather than carefully composed, its reception by your professor will not be pleasant. The correct tone of an academic paper is established through a certain style of writing. Call it… formal.
首先，撰寫學術文章最重要的就是想法的品質。如果你的概念夠清楚、夠穩固，甚至是頗具深度，那麼文筆的好壞反而沒那麼重要。好的文筆能替想法加分，但卻無法取代想法的弱點。即便如此，文章的基本意涵仍相當重要。假如教授認為你的文章內容淺薄、不經大腦，是隨隨便便交出而不是認真書寫的，那麼收到論文的他可不會太高興。學術文章的正確語調應遵循特定的寫作風格，也就是 —「正式」（formal）。
What is “formal” writing? It is formally structured writing. That is, academic writing has rules. They are not inflexible, but they are rigorously applied and serious scholars are expected to follow them. The rules can be found in any internet search of academic writing, though faculty in an institution might emphasize some rules more than others. Therefore, knowing what your professor expects in a paper is vital knowledge. Essentially, formal writing eschews informal phrasing, contractions, 2nd person pronouns (“you”), and anything else considered casual.
何謂「正式」的寫作呢？正式的寫作應當是正式架構的寫作手法，亦是撰寫學術文章必須遵守的規則。這些規則並非僵化不變，但也須嚴格遵守，而嚴謹的學者也應該遵循。在網路上搜尋就能找到這些規則的範例，而不同學術機構的教授著重的重點也有所差異。因此，你得知道教授對學生報告的期望。最重要的是，正式的寫作應當避開不正式的措辭、縮寫、第二人稱代名詞、還有其他過於輕鬆的用詞。
Having a structure actually is an advantage, because it lets a reader concentrate on the ideas being communicated rather than the style of writing employed to communicate them. Working within a “formal” framework also encourages serious, as opposed to flippant, writing. This is not to say that stilted or pompous language is the goal. Serious words and terms can also be lively. Example: “The subject manifested symptoms of throat spasm,” versus “The subject gagged.” Choosing words and terms for academic papers is writing formally, intelligently, clearly, and by the rules.
遵循一個寫作架構是有好處的，能讓讀者專注於作者傳達的想法，而不受寫作風格的影響。採用「正式」的架構能幫助維持寫作的嚴謹，避免出現草率的文章。這不代表寫作的目標就是採用誇張華麗的辭藻。嚴謹的用字遣詞也可以是活潑生動地。譬如：「這個主題呈現出喉痙攣的徵狀」與「主題哽到了」就不同。總之，學術文章的用字遣詞應當正式、清楚、聰明、並且遵循規則。
Posted at 2012-12-14 14:28:45
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