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從事學術寫作一段時間後，寫作者難免自問一個基本問題：我是學者嗎？如果性格不適合學術界，卻立志以學術研究為業，終究會徒勞無功。即使是剛踏進這個領域的學生，若能好好檢視自己是否適合走學術路，也不失為明智之舉。假使個性與學術研究並不契合，往後漫長的學術著述工作只會成為惱人的苦差事，讓人不斷感到挫敗沮喪。本文提供幾項檢視方式供您參考。
At some point, an academic writer should ask a fundamental question: Am I a scholar? Pursuit of an academic career will be in vain if a person is ill-suited for academia. Even students who are just passing through the realm are wise to examine if they are a good fit for academic scholarship. If not, the academic writing will forever be fitful and the writer frustrated. Hereafter are ways to examine thyself.

Characteristic # 1: Am I curious?
特質一：我好奇嗎？

An old maxim is, curiosity killed the cat. It is a warning against being too inquisitive, about a person not poking his nose into affairs that don't concern him. It is decidedly the wrong counsel for a scholar and writer of scholarly material. Being curious is where scholarship begins, as a mind considers an unknown and methodically begins to explore it. There would be no scholarly discovery without curiosity, and there would be no scholarly curiosity without the intellectual satisfaction that comes from discovery.
有句老話說：「好奇心會害死貓」，旨在警告大家對於別人的私事不要過份好奇，但對學者與撰寫學術文章的人來說，這個建議恰好適得其反。作研究的首先條件就是旺盛的好奇心，能進而思索未知的範疇，再以條理分明的方法尋找答案。沒有好奇心，就沒有研究成果，而且，如果無法從研究成果中獲得滿足感，也無從激發學術好奇心。

Curiosity is as much a habit as a genetic gift. It is true that some people are born with an innate need to master a subject, to parse a topic till it gives up all its secrets. Yet life can instill in a person a sense of wonder that is as durable as anything rooted in instinct or genetic constitution. Being curious is a mental trait, after all, and good minds can be trained to function according to a person's will. If a person resolves to not stopping asking questions till all possibilities are exhausted, he becomes pragmatically curious.
好奇不僅是一種習慣，也是一種天賦。有些人確實天生就特別渴望精通某個學科，解析問題時非得查個水落石出才善罷干休。但是好奇心也能經由後天培養而成，且完全不亞於與生俱來的稟賦，畢竟，好奇是一種心理特質，而健全的心智若經過訓練，其實也能依照個人意志運作，一個人若能下定決心，抱持上窮碧落下黃泉的態度尋求解答，這便是充分展現好奇精神。

The curious state of mind is easier to develop when a person is interested in a subject. Disinterest in a field of study might lead a young academic to conclude that he suffers from lack of curiosity. In fact, only Renaissance thinkers are truly interested in many areas of study. The rest of us are better off focusing on an area of inquiry that vitally interests us, for that is where the habit of curiosity can most easily be cultivated. Finding our intellectual niche lets us proceed unfettered in our quest for knowledge.
對於有興趣的主題學科，我們比較容易培養好奇心。年輕學者如果對某個學術領域興致索然，可能會誤以為自己缺乏求知欲，其實，只有文藝復興時代的思想家才會對多種不同學科產生廣泛興趣，多數人最好還是專注於某個自己深感興趣的學習領域，因為從興趣中培養好奇的習慣最容易。若能找出自己的才智特長，在求知路上便更能盡情發揮。

從事學術寫作一段時間後，寫作者難免自問一個基本問題：我是學者嗎？如果性格不適合學術界，卻立志以學術研究為業，終究會徒勞無功。

即使是剛踏進這個領域的學生，若能好好檢視自己是否適合走學術路，也不失為明智之舉。

TPS將於7月份揭曉「4 Characteristics of a Scholar 學者的四個特質」，提供幾項檢視方式供您參考。

撰寫學術論文必須遵守某些特定風格和技巧的規範，雖然這些規範不至於讓創作學者寫得縛手縛腳，但某些經濟的寫作方式和表達法的限制向來被視為奉行不悖的圭臬。本專欄為撰寫學術論文的四大要訣，每項要訣都會刊登在TPS 粉絲頁，最後集結於 TPS 學術電子報。
Academic writers must conform to certain expectations about writing style and techniques. The rules are not so tight as to place a creative scholar in a straitjacket. However, certain economies of writing and constraints on expression are generally considered de rigueur. Following are four of the principal guidelines for writers of academic papers. Each part in the series will be presented on the TPS Fan page before being compiled.

4th Writing Guideline – Use Hedging Language
寫作要訣第四條：抽離

Hedging is a term that describes a writer distancing himself from what he writes. Wait a minute! That sounds a lot like imprecision! How can a writer concisely assert that a source or conclusion is valid and then vacillate about it? Strange as it sounds, this apparent dichotomy actually is quite complementary. A writer can, and should, make important points in a paper with both firmness and caution. After all, test results, experts and historical records often can be shown to produce opposite results, depending upon interpretation and circumstance. Writers need some cover.
抽離這個詞意指作者讓自己與所寫的文字保持距離。等等！這聽起來不就是不精確了嗎！作者怎麼可以簡要地主張一段出處或結論是站得住腳的，然後又自打嘴巴？聽起來很怪沒錯，但看似壁壘分明的作法其實非常相輔相成。作者可以、也應該在論文裡堅定且謹慎地闡述論點，但畢竟實驗結果、專家、過往紀錄往往都可能產生相反的結果，完全取決於不同的詮釋和情境，因此作者需要些防護措施。

Scholars produce papers for peer review and dialogue, so it is not necessary that a writer have the final word on a subject, in disciplines where finality on a subject actually is achievable. Rather, the purpose of writing an academic paper is to contribute to the body of knowledge. Therefore, a writer can assert a truth and base it on best available evidence, leaving the door open for other research on the subject. Hedging essentially invites observations on a topic and encourages additional research. Peers are not alienated by hedging, often joining in the discussion.
學者創作論文是為了接受學術圈同儕的檢視，引發討論，因此就算某些領域的某個主題最終真的可以達到共識，作者也不需要自己下最後結論。寫作學術論文的目的其實是為知識做出貢獻，因此作者可基於現有最好的證據主張某個真理，同時開放其他人針對同一主題做研究。自我抽離才能廣納更多的觀察，鼓勵後續研究。學術同儕也不會因為抽離而彼此疏遠，反而往往會一起參與討論。

Such dialogue is accomplished through phrasing. A writer displays professional humility in these phrases: “It may be possible to…” and “Such results suggest…” and “The probability is high that…” Compare those assertions to these more rigid declarations: “It proves that…” and “The results show…” and “There is little question that…” The standing of a scholar is not undermined when he uses more conciliatory language in a paper. The opposite is true. By hedging, a scholar demonstrates confidence in research and methodology—and conclusions speak for themselves.
這樣的溝通對話可以透過寫作的文字來傳達。例如作者在專業上想表達謙遜時，可以說：「或許…」、「這樣的結果意味著…」、「極有可能的是…」，相較這樣的語調與較強硬的宣稱「這證明了…」、「結果顯示…」、「幾乎可以肯定的是…」，在論文裡使用較低姿態的語氣絲毫不減損學者的身分地位，結果正好相反。藉由抽離自己，學者展現出對研究和方法論的信心，結論也就不言自明了。

精確的學術寫作可以有好幾種形式，但每一種形式的共通點就是「是什麼就說什麼」。

精確表示準確，這是任何好論文的基本要件。不準確就導致謬論、資訊不實、誤差、謊言。精確還有一個好處，就是引導讀者的思緒。當讀者對於一系列事件或思緒感到混亂時，表示作者使用的語言不夠明確，沒起到引導讀者的作用。

TPS 本月份專欄「4 Key Features of Academic Writing # 3– Use Precise Language 學術寫作四大要訣之三：精確」已刊登於官網，教您如何寫出一篇成功的學術論文。

撰寫學術論文必須遵守某些特定風格和技巧的規範，雖然這些規範不至於讓創作學者寫得縛手縛腳，但某些經濟的寫作方式和表達法的限制向來被視為奉行不悖的圭臬。本專欄為撰寫學術論文的四大要訣，每項要訣都會刊登在TPS 粉絲頁，最後集結於 TPS 學術電子報。
Academic writers must conform to certain expectations about writing style and techniques. The rules are not so tight as to place a creative scholar in a straitjacket. However, certain economies of writing and constraints on expression are generally considered de rigueur. Following are four of the principal guidelines for writers of academic papers. Each part in the series will be presented on the TPS Fan page before being compiled.

3rd Writing Guideline – Use Precise Language
寫作要訣第三條：精確

Precision in academic writing can take several forms, but each formulation contains this characteristic: exactness. For instance, an academic writer should be precise in describing research materials and methods. Doing so accomplishes more than one task. Here is an example: Saying that a chemist identified 14 compounds gives concrete evidence of his laboratory skills, whereas saying that a chemist’s work resulted in more than a dozen compounds leaves a reader guessing. Furthermore, “14” is shorter than “more than a dozen” and wordiness is not a virtue.
精確的學術寫作可以有好幾種形式，但每一種形式的共通點就是「是什麼就說什麼」。例如寫學術論文時，一定要精確描述研究材料和方法，這麼做的好處不只一個。舉個例子：一位化學家辨別出14種化合物，無疑證明了他高超的實驗技巧。但若寫成一位化學家的研究成果是找出了一打以上的化合物，讀者就得自己猜。況且「14」寫起來又比「一打以上」精簡，囉嗦在學術寫作裡絕不是美德。

Precision also refers to accuracy, which is a fundamental requisite of any celebrated academic paper. Inaccuracy leads to fallacy, misinformation, error and falsity. Can anything be more damaging to a paper and its author than to be described as wrong in its facts? In terms of language, inaccuracy misleads and confuses. For example, if a gathering of poets is called an “assembly,” one connotation is that formal rulemaking will occur. Calling it a “conference” suggests discussion. The words are not exactly interchangeable, and exactness matters.
精確也表示準確，這是任何好論文的基本要件。不準確就導致謬論、資訊不實、誤差、謊言，還有哪件事比起被指出事實有誤，更有損論文和作者的聲譽呢？而且不準確的用字還會誤導讀者、讓人困惑。舉個例子：如果一群詩人聚集的場合被稱為「集會(assembly)」，隱含的意思就是會有正式的決策，若稱為「會議(conference)」則表示歡迎大家討論。這兩個詞不見得可以互相替換，是什麼就說什麼相當重要。

Precision also is a virtue in terms of keeping a reader on track. When a reader experiences some confusion about a sequence of events or the thread of thought, a writer has failed to lead by not being explicit in his language. Such transition words and phrases as “consequently” and “in this way” help a reader stay on course. Similarly, clearly identifying a source rather than attributing it vaguely helps a reader weigh and sort complex information. Readers need help and precise verbal guideposts are helpful. A writer cannot be successful in an academic paper when readers get lost.
精確還有一個好處，就是引導讀者的思緒。當讀者對於一系列事件或思緒感到混亂時，表示作者使用的語言不夠明確，沒起到引導讀者的作用。「結果」、「如此一來」這些連接詞能幫助讀者順利地往下讀，同樣地，清楚指出出處而非模糊地指稱資料來源，也能幫助讀者判斷輕重，整理複雜的資訊。讀者需要幫助，精確的文字就像指路牌，非常有用。如果讀者在閱讀時迷失了，表示作者沒有寫出一篇成功的學術論文。

用字客觀能強調出論文的主旨，用字主觀則減損了論文主旨的力道，反而凸顯作者本身。

用字客觀能將論述提升到更高的層次，讓事實與觀察報導般的論述來主導，依賴的是有條理的思路和情感中立不偏私的解釋。人稱代名詞、個人意見、其他人的引述會破壞這樣的行文，偏離了焦點。

TPS 本月份專欄「4 Key Features of Academic Writing # 2– Use Objective Language 學術寫作四大要訣之二：客觀」已刊登於官網，教您如何從前言到結論正確地引導讀者，把論文從裡到外清楚地表達出來。

更多內容，請參閱TPS電子報、Facebook與 Blog的最新資訊。


TPS Team

撰寫學術論文必須遵守某些特定風格和技巧的規範，雖然這些規範不至於讓創作學者寫得縛手縛腳，但某些經濟的寫作方式和表達法的限制向來被視為奉行不悖的圭臬。本專欄為撰寫學術論文的四大要訣，每項要訣都會刊登在TPS 粉絲頁，最後集結於 TPS 學術電子報。
Academic writers must conform to certain expectations about writing style and techniques. The rules are not so tight as to place a creative scholar in a straitjacket. However, certain economies of writing and constraints on expression are generally considered de rigueur. Following are four of the principal guidelines for writers of academic papers. Each part in the series will be presented on the TPS Fan page before being compiled.

2nd Writing Guideline – Use Objective Language
寫作要訣第二條：客觀

The opposite of objective language is subjective language. The first places emphasis on the topic of a paper. The second steals some of the emphasis and places it on the writer. An example of subjective writing is the following: “I closed the cage door and accidentally bumped the water dish, spilling the metered water.” The incident is expressed better without a writer reference: “The closing door bumped the water dish, spilling some water and spoiling the record.” Nothing is lost in the second telling. The water was spilled and the reader knows exactly who spilled it.
用字客觀的相反就是用字主觀。用字客觀就能強調出論文的主旨，用字主觀則減損了論文主旨的力道，反而凸顯作者本身。先舉個用字主觀的例子：「我正把籠子的門關上時，不小心碰倒了水盤，水濺了出來。」這樣的事件若不提及作者可以表達得更清楚：「正關上的門碰倒了水盤，濺出的水弄髒了紀錄。」第二種寫法保留了所有訊息，水濺了出來，而且讀者清楚知道是誰造成的。

So one reason to use objective language is to remove the writer from a reader’s train of thought. A reader can see on a title page the name of the person who authored a paper, and that’s sufficient credit. Objective language moves the narrative to a generally higher plain, where facts and clinical reportage reign. It is a level of discourse ruled by ordered thoughts and dispassionate explanation. Personal pronouns, opinions and other personal references spoil such prose and deflect the focus. Readers simply do not want to be interrupted by jarring allusions to self.
使用客觀文字的原因之一是將作者從讀者的思緒抽離。讀者可從論文標題頁知道作者的名字，這樣的信譽就足夠了。用字客觀能將論述提升到更高的層次，讓事實與觀察報導般的論述來主導，依賴的是有條理的思路和情感中立不偏私的解釋。人稱代名詞、個人意見、其他人的引述會破壞這樣的行文，偏離了焦點，讀者就是不想被東一句、西一句出自個人的典故震得頭昏腦脹。

Therefore, impersonal pronouns like “this” and “that” and “it” steadily carry a reader to a conclusion. Overall project references are impersonal as well—“the research,” for example, instead of “my research.” This writing style produces clean content that leads a reader unerringly from introduction to conclusion. This does not suggest that identifying characteristics of a writer be totally absent from a paper. But be careful. The word choices an author makes must, above all else, reflect the persona of a serious researcher whose sole intent is to nail his thesis to the wall.
所以「這」、「那」、「它」一類的不定代名詞能平穩地引導讀者讀至結論。整個研究的指稱也是不定的，例如要寫成「本研究」而非「我的研究」。這樣的寫作風格能創造出乾淨的內容，從前言到結論正確地引導讀者。但這並不表示論文中完全不能出現指涉作者特質的文字，只是要小心，作者選擇的字務必要能反映出認真做學的個性，唯一的意圖就是要把這篇論文從裡到外清楚地表達出來。

撰寫學術論文必須遵守某些特定風格和技巧的規範，雖然這些規範不至於讓創作學者寫得縛手縛腳，但某些經濟的寫作方式和表達法的限制向來被視為奉行不悖的圭臬。

TPS 本月份專欄「4 Key Features of Academic Writing # 1– Use Formal Language 學術寫作四大要訣之一：正式」已刊登於官網，教您如何在寫學術論文時，擁有絕佳的選字判斷力，取得必備的學術技能。 

撰寫學術論文必須遵守某些特定風格和技巧的規範，雖然這些規範不至於讓創作學者寫得縛手縛腳，但某些經濟的寫作方式和表達法的限制向來被視為奉行不悖的圭臬。本專欄為撰寫學術論文的四大要訣，每項要訣都會刊登在TPS 粉絲頁，最後集結於 TPS 學術電子報。
Academic writers must conform to certain expectations about writing style and techniques. The rules are not so tight as to place a creative scholar in a straitjacket. However, certain economies of writing and constraints on expression are generally considered de rigueur. Following are four of the principal guidelines for writers of academic papers. Each part in the series will be presented on the TPS Fan page before being compiled.

1st Writing Guideline – Use Formal Language
寫作要訣第一條：正式

This is perhaps the most recognized guideline. Young scholars with any experience at all in crafting papers know about couching language formally. Unfortunately, some of their role models in the academic community only think they know about it: Their writing is more futile than formal and is an example of how not to write formally. Such academicians believe a long word in English always is better than a short one and that multiple syllables somehow give a word greater standing in academic circles. This is not formal writing, it is pretentious writing. Avoid it.
這大概是最廣受認同的要訣了。年輕學者不論寫論文的經驗多寡，都知道要字斟句酌地以正式的文字撰寫。不過有些學術圈前輩自認寫得很正式，但其實寫出來的文字與其說正式，不如說是無用，成為後生晚輩的負面教材。這些學者認為用冗長的英文字一定比短字好，有多音節的字在學術圈裡顯得更有份量。但這樣根本不是用語正式，而是自以為是，一定要避免。

In English, longer words tend to have roots in Latin or French, rather than Anglo-Saxon, so there is something of a haute couture factor in play: It is fashionable to dress up a paper in long words. Beware of such trends. What always is in fashion in English academic writing is clear language that communicates by melding long Latinate words and stubby Anglo expressions into a document of durable weight and significance. Hard and fast rules about word choices are not needed to accomplish this. Rather, a writer must develop good judgment about choosing words.
英文裡較長的字通常源自拉丁文或法文，而非源於盎格魯撒克遜文，用這些字就像自詡為學術圈的訂製高級時裝一樣，好似用長字替論文盛裝打扮是種時尚。務必小心這種潮流。在英文學術寫作裡永遠不退流行的，是混合長拉丁字和短小的盎格魯表達方式，寫成容易溝通的清楚文字，這樣的文章才有份量，經得起考驗。要做到這點，並不需硬性規定得選哪些字，但寫學術論文的人在選字時，一定要有好的判斷力。

Some choices are easy: Abbreviations should be avoided, for example; they are almost by definition informal. And colloquial words and phrases like “things” and “pretty much” have no place in formal writing. The same generally is true of combination phrases such as “lived-in” and “put off.” The tougher choices are between legitimate words such as “commence” and “begin,” “demonstrate” and “show,” or “reside” and “live.” Such words can add to the understanding of a paper in one usage, but detract in another. Judgment. Choosing words is an academic skill.
有時候選字很簡單，例如縮寫一定要避免，本質上縮寫就是不正式。另外，口語用的字詞或片語，像是「東西(things)」和「差不多(pretty much)」，是絕對不可出現在正式寫作裡的，「不錯(lived-in)」、「等一下(put off)」等組合型片語也都不適當。較難選擇的是一些正統用法，例如「開始」要用commence或是begin、「顯示」要用demonstrate或是show、「居住」要用reside或是live，這些字在某個用法下能讓論文變得更易懂，但用另一種用法可能反而有反效果。關鍵就在判斷力。選字是一項必備的學術技能。

尋找自己的表達方式不只是發展個人寫作特色，而是在寫學術文章時，用你自然想到的詞句，讓表達更簡潔有力。

無論你發現自己屬於哪一種表達方式，記得在學術生涯中不斷精進表達。

TPS 本月份專欄「3 Tips to Finding an Authentic Voice # 3– Putting it to Work 找出獨創表達方式的三大訣竅之三：實踐精進」已刊登於官網，點出一篇論文如果結構嚴謹、研究透澈、引用清楚，再運用個人獨特的表達方式，就能畫龍點睛。