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每個寫作學術文章的人都是獨特的，他們研究的學科或許相同，但生活經歷、學術背景、個人目標都不一樣，這些獨特之處都應該在文章中表達出來。本專欄探討學者何以該找出個人的表達方式，又該如何進行。每項訣竅都會刊登在 TPS 粉絲頁，最後集結於 TPS 學術電子報。
Academic writers are individuals. Though they may pursue a common curricular discipline, they are different from one another in life experience, academic background, and personal goals. All of this should come through in their writing. This series explores why and how scholars can identify individual voices. The series will be presented on the TPS Fan page before being compiled.

Tip # 1 – The Importance of You
訣竅一：知道自己的重要

Academia celebrates the great body of knowledge that has been accumulated through the centuries. A scholar’s twin mission is to recognize and access all of that knowledge—and to add to it. This is a grand work that can overwhelm a new scholar, who quite naturally is awed by the work of the many great academicians who preceded him. Consequently, some academic writers try to imitate the best of the writing styles they discover in their research. While emulating greatness is good, subverting one’s own identity in the process is not. You should write as you.
學術界龐大的整體知識，是基於數百年來的累積。每位學者都有兩項使命，一項是了解、運用學術知識，另一項是繼續累積新的知識。新手學者對第二項使命可能力有未逮，因為學術前輩留下的許多鉅作自然令人感到仰之彌高。因此，寫作學術文章時，有些人會模仿研究中發現最出色的寫作風格。仿效傑作固然不錯，寫作時卻不該放棄個人獨到之處。你應該用自己的表達方式寫作。

Why is this desirable? For one thing, you may be the next great academic writer, but the world will never know it if you don’t write as yourself! Recognizing greatness that emerged in the past does not preclude introducing greatness in the present. Nothing in the academic tradition requires today’s thinkers and writers to be obeisant to yesterday’s. Quite the opposite. Today’s scholars are expected to be stimulated by scholars of the past. As one of today’s scholars, you should use all of your faculties—including your writing intelligence—and become a bridge to the future.
為什麼要用自己的表達方式寫作？首先，你可能是學術寫作的下一個新星，但如果你不表現自我，沒有人會發現你的出色之處。了解過去的成就，不代表現在不能創造成就。學術傳統並未要求思想家或作者對前人恭順服從；剛好相反，如今的學者應該受到過去前輩鼓舞驅策。如今你身為學者，應該竭力發揮所能，運用自己的寫作技巧，成為通往未來的橋樑。

The fact is, if you imitate a favorite scholar-writer of yesteryear, you cannot do your best work. It is impossible to maximize your talent if a portion of it is left undeveloped. After all, it is your interests that lead you to an academic topic. Research progresses according to the values you place on the key elements of a paper. If you subsequently write in the style or voice of another person, the result will be an academic mish-mash because the writing is not congruent with the thinking behind it. A muddle results. You cannot effectively divorce yourself from your writing.
實際上，如果你一味模仿喜歡的學術前輩，就無法寫出最好的作品。如果有些才華受到壓抑，你就無法盡情發揮。畢竟，你是基於自己的興趣鑽研某個學術主題，並根據你自己重視的部分推動研究發展。如果你之後卻用另一個人的風格或表達方式寫文章，結果可能只得到一篇學術雜燴。如果文章無法貼合背後的思想，結果就是一團混亂。人的思考想法很難與文字脫節。