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: When I research a subject, I find many ancillary facts that seem pertinent. However, usually I leave them out of a paper because they don’t seem pertinent enough. How much material of that nature should I try to incorporate into a paper?
在研究某項主題時，我發現似乎有許多次要事實資料和主題有關。不過，由於這些資料不夠貼近主題，因此寫作時通常會將這些部份刪去。在報告中應該包含多少這類次要性質的材料呢？
This is an excellent question because it addresses the processes of elimination and inclusion. The line between relevant and irrelevant material is not as bright as it might seem. A sculptor was asked to explain his skill at carving a horse and replied that he simply chiseled away everything that didn’t look like a horse. Just so does a skilled writer include in a paper every researched fact that belongs there and eliminates the rest. What skilled sculptors and academic writers confidently understand is that their “horse” will be wholly of their creation and can look like none before it.
這的確是個好問題，因為涉及了寫作的取捨過程。其實相關與非相關材料的界線並不若我們想像的那麼明顯。曾有個故事：有人請雕塑家解釋他雕刻馬時使用的技巧，雕塑家回答他不過是把所有看起來不像馬的部份鑿掉罷了。同樣地，一個經驗豐富的作者也會在文章中涵蓋所有仔細研究且切合主題的資料，並將多餘部份捨棄。經驗豐富的雕塑家和學術作者充分瞭解，他們的「馬」完全是自己的創作，並非承襲古人。
Three kinds of information come to light in researching a paper. Some kinds of information will be totally irrelevant and of no value. Some will be totally relevant and key to giving the paper substance and weight. The third kind of information is relevant, but not directly so. It is this source material that gives writers pause. It perhaps gives credence to an argument, but only indirectly or by inference. It is outdated, yet contains elements of truth and perspective. Toss it or include it? If it helps advance a postulate, include it. The question is, how can it be incorporated?
在研究一篇報告時，會遇見三類資訊。某些資訊和研究主題毫不相關，甚至是對研究毫無價值。有些資訊則是和主題絕對相關，並且對論文的實質內容與價值扮演關鍵角色。第三類資訊則是和主題有關，不過並非直接產生關聯。第三類的引用文獻就是讓作者停下寫作腳步的原因。或許這類資訊能強化論點，不過僅能間接或透過推論來產生影響。雖這類資訊過時，但仍具備真實性（truth）和觀點（perspective）的元素。然而問題是，要如何在文章中納入這些資訊呢？
The answer is to synthesize the material. That is, to connect the more peripheral material to the main body of content and thereby enhance the whole body of work. This is not a padding process. You are not trying to bulk up the paper. Rather, synthesizing outlying material can give a paper context, perspective, and depth. The challenge is to find natural connecting points along which a reader can move smoothly without feeling he is on a tangent. When this is accomplished, a writer has expanded his academic writing skills and produced a paper of enriched content and appeal.
問題的解決是，將寫作材料綜合，亦即連結次要資訊與主體內容，從而強化整體論文架構。這可不是胡亂填塞，也不是寫得越多越好。相反地，綜合次要資訊能豐富論文內容、強化觀點以及加強深度。真正的挑戰在於發現合理的關聯處，讓讀者在閱讀時覺得行文平順，不會感到文章離題。只要做到這點，作者就能擴充學術寫作技巧，並發表一篇內容豐富有趣的論文了。
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: When I research a subject, I find many ancillary facts that seem pertinent. However, usually I leave them out of a paper because they don’t seem pertinent enough. How much material of that nature should I try to incorporate into a paper?
在研究某項主題時，我發現似乎有許多次要事實資料和主題有關。不過，由於這些資料不夠貼近主題，因此寫作時通常會將這些部份刪去。在報告中應該包含多少這類次要性質的材料呢？
This is an excellent question because it addresses the processes of elimination and inclusion. The line between relevant and irrelevant material is not as bright as it might seem. A sculptor was asked to explain his skill at carving a horse and replied that he simply chiseled away everything that didn’t look like a horse. Just so does a skilled writer include in a paper every researched fact that belongs there and eliminates the rest. What skilled sculptors and academic writers confidently understand is that their “horse” will be wholly of their creation and can look like none before it.
這的確是個好問題，因為涉及了寫作的取捨過程。其實相關與非相關材料的界線並不若我們想像的那麼明顯。曾有個故事：有人請雕塑家解釋他雕刻馬時使用的技巧，雕塑家回答他不過是把所有看起來不像馬的部份鑿掉罷了。同樣地，一個經驗豐富的作者也會在文章中涵蓋所有仔細研究且切合主題的資料，並將多餘部份捨棄。經驗豐富的雕塑家和學術作者充分瞭解，他們的「馬」完全是自己的創作，並非承襲古人。
Three kinds of information come to light in researching a paper. Some kinds of information will be totally irrelevant and of no value. Some will be totally relevant and key to giving the paper substance and weight. The third kind of information is relevant, but not directly so. It is this source material that gives writers pause. It perhaps gives credence to an argument, but only indirectly or by inference. It is outdated, yet contains elements of truth and perspective. Toss it or include it? If it helps advance a postulate, include it. The question is, how can it be incorporated?
在研究一篇報告時，會遇見三類資訊。某些資訊和研究主題毫不相關，甚至是對研究毫無價值。有些資訊則是和主題絕對相關，並且對論文的實質內容與價值扮演關鍵角色。第三類資訊則是和主題有關，不過並非直接產生關聯。第三類的引用文獻就是讓作者停下寫作腳步的原因。或許這類資訊能強化論點，不過僅能間接或透過推論來產生影響。雖這類資訊過時，但仍具備真實性（truth）和觀點（perspective）的元素。然而問題是，要如何在文章中納入這些資訊呢？
The answer is to synthesize the material. That is, to connect the more peripheral material to the main body of content and thereby enhance the whole body of work. This is not a padding process. You are not trying to bulk up the paper. Rather, synthesizing outlying material can give a paper context, perspective, and depth. The challenge is to find natural connecting points along which a reader can move smoothly without feeling he is on a tangent. When this is accomplished, a writer has expanded his academic writing skills and produced a paper of enriched content and appeal.
問題的解決是，將寫作材料綜合，亦即連結次要資訊與主體內容，從而強化整體論文架構。這可不是胡亂填塞，也不是寫得越多越好。相反地，綜合次要資訊能豐富論文內容、強化觀點以及加強深度。真正的挑戰在於發現合理的關聯處，讓讀者在閱讀時覺得行文平順，不會感到文章離題。只要做到這點，作者就能擴充學術寫作技巧，並發表一篇內容豐富有趣的論文了。
Posted at 2013-01-11 14:12:55
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