Professor Pedantic 教授的考究學問
2011-06-01
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: My classroom instructor tells me that my papers are disjointed and disconnected. I read them and I think my ideas are sound and my writing clear. I don’t understand what more he wants from me. Can you help?
教授告訴我，我的論文支離破碎、沒有系統。我重讀了論文一遍，還是覺得文章想法沒什麼問題，文字也相當清楚。我搞不懂教授到底要求的是什麼，你能告訴我嗎？
Well, I don’t know if I can help you or not. Perhaps the problem is merely one of communication. Do you understand anything your instructor tells you? If not, you might think seriously about switching to a discipline you more easily grasp and your instructor more effectively teaches. However, before you consider giving up, let me suggest that the problem might be that you are talking about apples while your instructor is talking about oranges.
我不確定我能不能幫上忙，也許問題只是簡單的溝通不良。你真的理解教授所說的每句話嗎？如果答案為否，或許你該慎重考慮，是不是該轉到你更能理解的科目，或是對你來說更有效果的教學方式。不過在真的放棄之前，我認為問題也許出在你和教授各彈各調—你說的是一回事，他心裡想的又是另一回事。
It well may be that your ideas are perfectly sound—perhaps even sagacious—and your writing as clear as glass. That is not what your instructor finds objectionable. Rather, the instructor’s apparent complaint is that regardless of your writing’s clarity and your thinking’s sagacity, they do not come together into a holistic document. Your papers apparently are collections of thoughts and words that wander to and fro inconclusively. Academic papers are not intended to be pointless.
你的文章概念很可能完全沒問題—搞不好還相當出色—甚至你的內容就像玻璃般表達的一清二楚。教授有意見的部分應該是，儘管你的寫作文句流暢，想法表達聰敏，卻未能完善地將所有概念組織成有意義、有目標的一篇文章。很顯然地，你的論文只是湊齊了許多想法與文字，卻讓它們在文章中游走沒有定位，也沒有結論。漫無目的，肯定無法造就一篇好的學術論文。
What your instructor is looking for in your papers, and not finding, are transitional phrases and paragraphs that connect your ideas into a theme that progressively builds toward a conclusion. Unless your individual thoughts are linked to one another in this way, they are orphans. They may be handsome thoughts, but, unlinked, they have no relation to the other thoughts in your paper. Consequently, they indeed are… disconnected and disjointed. Talk to your instructor.
你的教授在文章裡想要找尋卻大無展獲的是，用來連結你的論點與主題，並逐漸推展至結論的轉折用語與文章段落。自成一局的個別想法，若不能善用轉折語串連起來，就會像孤兒一樣飄搖、沒有歸屬；缺乏連結的段落單看是沒什麼問題，卻跟文章裡的其他想法沒有關連，導致的結果就像你的教授所說的—支離破碎，沒有系統。再去跟教授談談吧!
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: My classroom instructor tells me that my papers are disjointed and disconnected. I read them and I think my ideas are sound and my writing clear. I don’t understand what more he wants from me. Can you help?
教授告訴我，我的論文支離破碎、沒有系統。我重讀了論文一遍，還是覺得文章想法沒什麼問題，文字也相當清楚。我搞不懂教授到底要求的是什麼，你能告訴我嗎？
Well, I don’t know if I can help you or not. Perhaps the problem is merely one of communication. Do you understand anything your instructor tells you? If not, you might think seriously about switching to a discipline you more easily grasp and your instructor more effectively teaches. However, before you consider giving up, let me suggest that the problem might be that you are talking about apples while your instructor is talking about oranges.
我不確定我能不能幫上忙，也許問題只是簡單的溝通不良。你真的理解教授所說的每句話嗎？如果答案為否，或許你該慎重考慮，是不是該轉到你更能理解的科目，或是對你來說更有效果的教學方式。不過在真的放棄之前，我認為問題也許出在你和教授各彈各調—你說的是一回事，他心裡想的又是另一回事。
It well may be that your ideas are perfectly sound—perhaps even sagacious—and your writing as clear as glass. That is not what your instructor finds objectionable. Rather, the instructor’s apparent complaint is that regardless of your writing’s clarity and your thinking’s sagacity, they do not come together into a holistic document. Your papers apparently are collections of thoughts and words that wander to and fro inconclusively. Academic papers are not intended to be pointless.
你的文章概念很可能完全沒問題—搞不好還相當出色—甚至你的內容就像玻璃般表達的一清二楚。教授有意見的部分應該是，儘管你的寫作文句流暢，想法表達聰敏，卻未能完善地將所有概念組織成有意義、有目標的一篇文章。很顯然地，你的論文只是湊齊了許多想法與文字，卻讓它們在文章中游走沒有定位，也沒有結論。漫無目的，肯定無法造就一篇好的學術論文。
What your instructor is looking for in your papers, and not finding, are transitional phrases and paragraphs that connect your ideas into a theme that progressively builds toward a conclusion. Unless your individual thoughts are linked to one another in this way, they are orphans. They may be handsome thoughts, but, unlinked, they have no relation to the other thoughts in your paper. Consequently, they indeed are… disconnected and disjointed. Talk to your instructor.
你的教授在文章裡想要找尋卻大無展獲的是，用來連結你的論點與主題，並逐漸推展至結論的轉折用語與文章段落。自成一局的個別想法，若不能善用轉折語串連起來，就會像孤兒一樣飄搖、沒有歸屬；缺乏連結的段落單看是沒什麼問題，卻跟文章裡的其他想法沒有關連，導致的結果就像你的教授所說的—支離破碎，沒有系統。再去跟教授談談吧!
Last Update at 2011-06-01 PM 5:12 | 0 Comments
This is not academic writing 學術文章不是這麼寫的
2011-05-26
並非所有與學術議題相關的文章，就能稱之為「學術文章」。本篇專欄將節錄不同學術議題的內容，分析常見的寫作錯誤，並分享潤修與寫作的技巧。
Not all articles written on academic topics are written in proper academic English. In this "This is not academic writing" column we examine short excerpts from academic texts to illustrate common writing errors and explain how to correct them.
Unacceptable 不被認可的文章
“Sima Qian's grand work, Records of the Grand Historian, brought together approximately 2,000 years of Chinese history. He did it so well that Sima continues to earn plaudits as a historian, and modern scholars generally substantiate his accounts. He traveled widely on behalf of the emperor, verifying ancient records and compiling current information for historians of today. Sima’s writing and powers of description were powerful, so his legacy is both in how well he wrote and how many records he preserved.”
The principal weakness of the paragraph above is imprecise or inappropriate word choices. For example, “approximately 2,000 years…” is vague. Authority is given an inexact span of years by describing it as “more than...” or “nearly,” as the case may be. To write that the ancient historian still earns “plaudits” (applause) is to compare him to a stand-up comic. Furthermore, Sima Qian didn’t compile “current” data for “historians of today.” The latest information he could get in 100 BC was “contemporary.” And to say he was a “powerful” writer is, well, weak. What other vague writing do you see?
這段文章的主要癥結在於，使用不精確與不適當的用詞。舉例而言，“approximately 2,000 years…” 過於模糊，其它像是 “more than...” 或 “nearly”這類語詞修飾時間，將影響句子的堅定與權威。聲稱這位古代史學家仍然贏得plaudits（掌聲）亦不妥，似乎拿他當成脫口秀演員看待。除此之外，司馬遷並未替“今天的史學家”收集“current（當今）”的資料。他在紀元前一百年收集的資料應該以“contemporary（當時）”一詞修飾才對。另外，只以powerful來形容這位作家的寫作實力，只能說真不夠力。你是否還發現了其他用詞不當的地方呢？
Acceptable 認可的文章
“Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian catalogued more than 2,000 years of Chinese history in a manner that continues to earn him respect as a historian. Modern scholars generally corroborate his accounts. As a functionary of the Han emperor, Sima traveled the nation, verifying records and compiling contemporary information for future historians. His prose and powers of description are vivid, his legacy both literary and historiographic.”
Not all articles written on academic topics are written in proper academic English. In this "This is not academic writing" column we examine short excerpts from academic texts to illustrate common writing errors and explain how to correct them.
Unacceptable 不被認可的文章
“Sima Qian's grand work, Records of the Grand Historian, brought together approximately 2,000 years of Chinese history. He did it so well that Sima continues to earn plaudits as a historian, and modern scholars generally substantiate his accounts. He traveled widely on behalf of the emperor, verifying ancient records and compiling current information for historians of today. Sima’s writing and powers of description were powerful, so his legacy is both in how well he wrote and how many records he preserved.”
The principal weakness of the paragraph above is imprecise or inappropriate word choices. For example, “approximately 2,000 years…” is vague. Authority is given an inexact span of years by describing it as “more than...” or “nearly,” as the case may be. To write that the ancient historian still earns “plaudits” (applause) is to compare him to a stand-up comic. Furthermore, Sima Qian didn’t compile “current” data for “historians of today.” The latest information he could get in 100 BC was “contemporary.” And to say he was a “powerful” writer is, well, weak. What other vague writing do you see?
這段文章的主要癥結在於，使用不精確與不適當的用詞。舉例而言，“approximately 2,000 years…” 過於模糊，其它像是 “more than...” 或 “nearly”這類語詞修飾時間，將影響句子的堅定與權威。聲稱這位古代史學家仍然贏得plaudits（掌聲）亦不妥，似乎拿他當成脫口秀演員看待。除此之外，司馬遷並未替“今天的史學家”收集“current（當今）”的資料。他在紀元前一百年收集的資料應該以“contemporary（當時）”一詞修飾才對。另外，只以powerful來形容這位作家的寫作實力，只能說真不夠力。你是否還發現了其他用詞不當的地方呢？
Acceptable 認可的文章
“Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian catalogued more than 2,000 years of Chinese history in a manner that continues to earn him respect as a historian. Modern scholars generally corroborate his accounts. As a functionary of the Han emperor, Sima traveled the nation, verifying records and compiling contemporary information for future historians. His prose and powers of description are vivid, his legacy both literary and historiographic.”
Last Update at 2011-05-26 PM 12:28 | 0 Comments
12 Recommendations to Help you Submit a Conventional and Acceptable Paper Tip 11: Carefully proofread a completed paper 12個獲得學術認可的論文撰寫技巧之十一：仔細校訂已完成的論文
2011-05-25
教授學者們通常會規範寫作標準，制定如何撰寫碩博士論文與學術文章以及格式要求。學術界所評定的標準植基於以何種撰寫方式會被認可，何種撰寫方式則會被拒絕。本專欄提出「12個獲得學術認可的論文撰寫技巧」，幫助你寫出符合規範與認可標準的文章。
The community of scholars has rules that govern how dissertations, theses and other academic papers are composed and formatted. Academic convention has established what is acceptable and what is not. Following is one of 12 recommendations to help you submit a conventional and acceptable paper.
Tip 11–Carefully proofread a completed paper
技巧十一：仔細校訂已完成的論文
At this point, all the hardest work of a paper is behind a writer. The research. The writing. The thorough and formal citation. All the stylistic questions have been answered, all the technical concerns addressed. The paper as an academic product is virtually complete. Yet what remains to be done can mean the difference between the paper being admired, and the paper being scorned.
在此刻，論文作者已經完成了所有最困難的步驟。研究已完成、論文已寫好、引用資料也按照規定格式加註。寫作風格的問題都已解決，技術的問題也已處理，學術論文此時基本上已算完成，但剩下的工夫將可決定這篇論文究竟會贏得讚賞，或是遭人蔑視。
Before taking this next step, however, a writer should shelve the paper for an hour, or a day, or a week, depending upon how much time has been allowed. Writers who are wise stewards of their resources, including time, give themselves this walk-away period to rest their brains and eyes. When they return, they will come nearer reading the paper as a stranger—or a professor—might.
在進行下一個步驟前，作者應將論文收到抽屜裡，一小時、一天、或是一整個星期都好，時間長度視作者有多少餘裕而定。只要懂得聰明分配現有資源與時間，一定能安排一段時間空檔抽離論文寫作的環境，好讓腦子與眼睛休息一下。當重新取出論文時，就能以陌生讀者—或是教授—的眼光重新審視文章。
This next step is called proofreading. The printing term refers to when an early version of printed matter is printed and closely examined to prove to a printer’s satisfaction that no errors exist. If errors are found, they are corrected and another “proof” printed. Similarly, an academic writer should examine a paper closely and correct it as necesary before printing out a final copy.
接下來的步驟稱為校訂。這個用詞原本使用於印刷業，主要是將欲大量印刷的內容先印出初稿，仔細校對，直到印刷內容確定沒有錯誤為止。期間一旦找出錯誤，進行更正後另外印出一份文稿再行校對。同理，學術論文的作者也應仔細校對論文，若發現錯誤，趕緊予以更正，最後再印出完稿。
What errors are sought? Misspellings, such as the intentional one in the previous paragraph! (Did you spot it? “Necessary” needs a second “s.”) Repeated words (“the the”). Errant capitalization. Faulty punctuation. Irregular spacing. Mislabeled lists or misnumbered pages. These are all mechanical mistakes discoverable by anyone willing to patiently, methodically review the text.
我們所討論的是哪些潛在的錯誤呢？例如，拼字錯誤，像是上一段刻意打錯的錯字（你發現了嗎？Necessary應該有兩個s）、重複的字眼（如連續打了兩個the）、不當的字首大寫、錯誤的標點、不規則的空白、目錄或列表標示錯誤、頁碼錯誤等。這些都是技術上的小失誤，只要願意耐心訂正文章，任何人都可以將它們找出來。
The next level of scrutiny required for clean copy centers on flawed or weak grammar. The more grammatical knowledge a writer has, the greater the chance of discovering an incorrectly used word, a poorly composed phrase, or an awkwardly structured sentence. In respect to the latter, here is a tip: If a sentence cannot be read smoothly, without stumbling, it should be rewritten.
欲達到論文的完稿狀態，下一個步驟是找出文法的錯誤及表達不周全的地方。作者的文法知識越豐富，就越能找出誤用的字詞、累贅的片語或是結構失當的句子。這裡有個找出不當句型的小技巧：如果某個句子讓你舌頭打結，沒辦法流暢地唸出來，這個句子就應該重寫。
The last proofing step is conceptual in scope. Does it hang together? Is there unity in its writing? Does it progress from introduction to conclusion, with the latter affirming the former? These questions should have been answered earlier, but the final proof of a paper’s conceptual integrity is in the finished product. Is the paper coherent, structurally sound and error-free? If not, re-do it.
校訂的最後步驟與論文本身的立論概念有關。文章的內容是否緊密關連？寫作風格是否統一？能否流暢地從前言推展到結論，並且以結論呼應前言的論點？這些問題或許在更早的撰寫階段就應處理，但只有到全文修訂完畢後，我們才能真正判斷文章是否有效整合所有的論點與資訊。總之，我們必須捫心自問，論文是否前後語法與想法統一，結構完整沒有錯誤。如果答案為否，沒有二話，再把文章重新校訂一遍。
The community of scholars has rules that govern how dissertations, theses and other academic papers are composed and formatted. Academic convention has established what is acceptable and what is not. Following is one of 12 recommendations to help you submit a conventional and acceptable paper.
Tip 11–Carefully proofread a completed paper
技巧十一：仔細校訂已完成的論文
At this point, all the hardest work of a paper is behind a writer. The research. The writing. The thorough and formal citation. All the stylistic questions have been answered, all the technical concerns addressed. The paper as an academic product is virtually complete. Yet what remains to be done can mean the difference between the paper being admired, and the paper being scorned.
在此刻，論文作者已經完成了所有最困難的步驟。研究已完成、論文已寫好、引用資料也按照規定格式加註。寫作風格的問題都已解決，技術的問題也已處理，學術論文此時基本上已算完成，但剩下的工夫將可決定這篇論文究竟會贏得讚賞，或是遭人蔑視。
Before taking this next step, however, a writer should shelve the paper for an hour, or a day, or a week, depending upon how much time has been allowed. Writers who are wise stewards of their resources, including time, give themselves this walk-away period to rest their brains and eyes. When they return, they will come nearer reading the paper as a stranger—or a professor—might.
在進行下一個步驟前，作者應將論文收到抽屜裡，一小時、一天、或是一整個星期都好，時間長度視作者有多少餘裕而定。只要懂得聰明分配現有資源與時間，一定能安排一段時間空檔抽離論文寫作的環境，好讓腦子與眼睛休息一下。當重新取出論文時，就能以陌生讀者—或是教授—的眼光重新審視文章。
This next step is called proofreading. The printing term refers to when an early version of printed matter is printed and closely examined to prove to a printer’s satisfaction that no errors exist. If errors are found, they are corrected and another “proof” printed. Similarly, an academic writer should examine a paper closely and correct it as necesary before printing out a final copy.
接下來的步驟稱為校訂。這個用詞原本使用於印刷業，主要是將欲大量印刷的內容先印出初稿，仔細校對，直到印刷內容確定沒有錯誤為止。期間一旦找出錯誤，進行更正後另外印出一份文稿再行校對。同理，學術論文的作者也應仔細校對論文，若發現錯誤，趕緊予以更正，最後再印出完稿。
What errors are sought? Misspellings, such as the intentional one in the previous paragraph! (Did you spot it? “Necessary” needs a second “s.”) Repeated words (“the the”). Errant capitalization. Faulty punctuation. Irregular spacing. Mislabeled lists or misnumbered pages. These are all mechanical mistakes discoverable by anyone willing to patiently, methodically review the text.
我們所討論的是哪些潛在的錯誤呢？例如，拼字錯誤，像是上一段刻意打錯的錯字（你發現了嗎？Necessary應該有兩個s）、重複的字眼（如連續打了兩個the）、不當的字首大寫、錯誤的標點、不規則的空白、目錄或列表標示錯誤、頁碼錯誤等。這些都是技術上的小失誤，只要願意耐心訂正文章，任何人都可以將它們找出來。
The next level of scrutiny required for clean copy centers on flawed or weak grammar. The more grammatical knowledge a writer has, the greater the chance of discovering an incorrectly used word, a poorly composed phrase, or an awkwardly structured sentence. In respect to the latter, here is a tip: If a sentence cannot be read smoothly, without stumbling, it should be rewritten.
欲達到論文的完稿狀態，下一個步驟是找出文法的錯誤及表達不周全的地方。作者的文法知識越豐富，就越能找出誤用的字詞、累贅的片語或是結構失當的句子。這裡有個找出不當句型的小技巧：如果某個句子讓你舌頭打結，沒辦法流暢地唸出來，這個句子就應該重寫。
The last proofing step is conceptual in scope. Does it hang together? Is there unity in its writing? Does it progress from introduction to conclusion, with the latter affirming the former? These questions should have been answered earlier, but the final proof of a paper’s conceptual integrity is in the finished product. Is the paper coherent, structurally sound and error-free? If not, re-do it.
校訂的最後步驟與論文本身的立論概念有關。文章的內容是否緊密關連？寫作風格是否統一？能否流暢地從前言推展到結論，並且以結論呼應前言的論點？這些問題或許在更早的撰寫階段就應處理，但只有到全文修訂完畢後，我們才能真正判斷文章是否有效整合所有的論點與資訊。總之，我們必須捫心自問，論文是否前後語法與想法統一，結構完整沒有錯誤。如果答案為否，沒有二話，再把文章重新校訂一遍。
Last Update at 2011-05-25 PM 5:25 | 0 Comments
0524 Brevity: Valuing Each Word－Answer and Explanation 簡潔準則：惜字如金 正確解答
2011-05-24
Answer: Clearly, silencing the clamoring crowd’s most vocal spokesman would enhance the meeting’s effectiveness.
We believe the best revision is… “Clearly, silencing the clamoring crowd’s most vocal spokesman would enhance the meeting’s effectiveness.” This word choice and structure improves the sentence in several ways. First, it reduces the word count to 13 from 21 without diminishing the impact of the sentence or changing its meaning or tone. The statement remains impersonal—which usually is preferred in academic writing—but is invigorated through use of a gerund (“silencing”) instead of a full infinitive (“to rid”).
我們相信最佳寫法應為 “Clearly, silencing the clamoring crowd’s most vocal spokesman would enhance the meeting’s effectiveness.” 改寫後的句子在用字與句型上有幾個好處，包括字數從21個字縮減為13個字，而不影響句子意義與語氣；句子仍然保持客觀—這是學術寫作中較適當的語氣；而動名詞silencing取代了不定詞to rid，使句子更具活力。
Use of a full infinitive is appropriate in some instances—for example, to convey an abstract thought (“To be or not to be…”). However, as part of an impersonal sentence beginning with “It,” such infinitive usage nearly always produces a statement long on words and short on vigor. Just as enervating are sentences beginning with the impersonal “there,” as in “There is justification for testing it again.” Academic writers wanting to avoid either construction can follow this general guideline: The most active, direct, and compelling language is the surest way to connect writer and reader.
在某些情形下，使用不定詞並無不當—例如表達抽象想法時 (“To be or not to be…”)。但句子既無人稱，開頭又用了It，那麼不定詞會驅使句子呈現冗長，了無生意。there開頭的句型同樣有弱化句子語氣的影響，例如 “There is justification for testing it again.”。學術論文的作者若是想避免寫出這類句子，可以遵循下列準則：主動、直接、具說服力的用詞與用字，最能成為連結作者與讀者意見溝通的橋樑。
Some writers might wonder about using “silencing the clamoring crowd’s…” instead of the more derivative “ridding the clamoring crowd of its…” However, besides being more succinct, “silencing” refers directly to the issue of speech. While ridding an audience of a verbal person and silencing the verbal person produce the same result, “ridding” usually means removal from an audience. On the other hand, “silencing” mostly suggests a cessation of talk, which is the central issue. After all, a vocal person can be silenced through persuasion, shaming, or removal from the scene.
有些作者可能會疑惑，為什麼要用silencing the clamoring crowd’s取代較常見的“ridding the clamoring crowd of its…”。這樣的寫法除了較簡潔外，silencing與演講這項主題也較有關係。從聽眾當中除去一名發言者，以及，讓這名發言者無法出聲，儘管這兩種寫法目的都相同，但前者ridding通常意味著要這個人離開聽眾群。另一方面而言，silencing基本上意指停止說話，正是原句要表達的意思。畢竟要讓一個人靜下來有許多方法，例如說服、使其感到羞愧、或是請其直接離席都是可考慮的方法。
謝謝所有粉絲們參與本周的「簡潔準則：惜字如金」活動，將實用、有意義的知識和大家交流與分享。
TPS Editorial Team
We believe the best revision is… “Clearly, silencing the clamoring crowd’s most vocal spokesman would enhance the meeting’s effectiveness.” This word choice and structure improves the sentence in several ways. First, it reduces the word count to 13 from 21 without diminishing the impact of the sentence or changing its meaning or tone. The statement remains impersonal—which usually is preferred in academic writing—but is invigorated through use of a gerund (“silencing”) instead of a full infinitive (“to rid”).
我們相信最佳寫法應為 “Clearly, silencing the clamoring crowd’s most vocal spokesman would enhance the meeting’s effectiveness.” 改寫後的句子在用字與句型上有幾個好處，包括字數從21個字縮減為13個字，而不影響句子意義與語氣；句子仍然保持客觀—這是學術寫作中較適當的語氣；而動名詞silencing取代了不定詞to rid，使句子更具活力。
Use of a full infinitive is appropriate in some instances—for example, to convey an abstract thought (“To be or not to be…”). However, as part of an impersonal sentence beginning with “It,” such infinitive usage nearly always produces a statement long on words and short on vigor. Just as enervating are sentences beginning with the impersonal “there,” as in “There is justification for testing it again.” Academic writers wanting to avoid either construction can follow this general guideline: The most active, direct, and compelling language is the surest way to connect writer and reader.
在某些情形下，使用不定詞並無不當—例如表達抽象想法時 (“To be or not to be…”)。但句子既無人稱，開頭又用了It，那麼不定詞會驅使句子呈現冗長，了無生意。there開頭的句型同樣有弱化句子語氣的影響，例如 “There is justification for testing it again.”。學術論文的作者若是想避免寫出這類句子，可以遵循下列準則：主動、直接、具說服力的用詞與用字，最能成為連結作者與讀者意見溝通的橋樑。
Some writers might wonder about using “silencing the clamoring crowd’s…” instead of the more derivative “ridding the clamoring crowd of its…” However, besides being more succinct, “silencing” refers directly to the issue of speech. While ridding an audience of a verbal person and silencing the verbal person produce the same result, “ridding” usually means removal from an audience. On the other hand, “silencing” mostly suggests a cessation of talk, which is the central issue. After all, a vocal person can be silenced through persuasion, shaming, or removal from the scene.
有些作者可能會疑惑，為什麼要用silencing the clamoring crowd’s取代較常見的“ridding the clamoring crowd of its…”。這樣的寫法除了較簡潔外，silencing與演講這項主題也較有關係。從聽眾當中除去一名發言者，以及，讓這名發言者無法出聲，儘管這兩種寫法目的都相同，但前者ridding通常意味著要這個人離開聽眾群。另一方面而言，silencing基本上意指停止說話，正是原句要表達的意思。畢竟要讓一個人靜下來有許多方法，例如說服、使其感到羞愧、或是請其直接離席都是可考慮的方法。
謝謝所有粉絲們參與本周的「簡潔準則：惜字如金」活動，將實用、有意義的知識和大家交流與分享。
TPS Editorial Team
Last Update at 2011-05-24 PM 11:56 | 0 Comments
0523 Brevity: Valuing Each Word－Win Your NTD200 7-11/Starbucks Prize! 簡潔準則：惜字如金 有機會獲得價值200元統一超商/星巴克咖啡禮券!
2011-05-23
The best writing doesn’t waste words. It employs words efficiently. The first TPS Fan to complete the sentence below as we believe it should be completed will win a NTD200 7-11 / Starbucks Gift Certificate. Another Starbucks certificate will be awarded to the first Fan to complete it in an alternate way that, in our estimation, also is effective. The explanation and the names of the winners will be published tomorrow on this TPS Fans page. Each brevity rule is contained in 10 Ways to Shorten & Strengthen Your Academic Paper and will be posted on the TPS Fan page as introduced.
最佳的寫作，必須有效選用字句、惜字如金。TPS推出新專欄，請你寫出簡潔、流暢的詞彙/句子。題目刊登於下方，經TPS編輯教授評選為第1位最適解答的粉絲，可獲得統一超商/星巴克咖啡NTD200元的購物禮券；增設特別獎1名，獎項給予提出符合句意又別具創意之解答的粉絲。解答與獲獎的粉絲姓名，將於明天公佈於本TPS專頁。每一項簡潔準則，皆收錄於TPS新推出之「十大簡潔英文準則」，將定期刊登本專欄，敬請密切鎖定、先睹為快。
Rule # 2: Avoid “It” Sentences … A trained academic writer succeeds by communicating thoughts succinctly, and sentence construction is another key to success. In the sentence below, the writer elected to begin with the word “it” as the subject of an impersonal verb. How can the sentence best be written shorter and stronger while retaining the meaning?
十大簡潔英文準則二：避免 It 作為句首
訓練有素的學術文章作者，能簡明扼要表達句意，成功的另一關鍵是適切的句構。下列句子中，作者以it為句首，卻使用無人稱動詞。要如何修改才能有效地縮短句子，加強語氣，並且維持原本句意呢？
題目Contest Sentence:
“It became clear that to rid the clamoring crowd of its most vocal spokesman would be to enhance the meeting’s effectiveness.”
最佳的寫作，必須有效選用字句、惜字如金。TPS推出新專欄，請你寫出簡潔、流暢的詞彙/句子。題目刊登於下方，經TPS編輯教授評選為第1位最適解答的粉絲，可獲得統一超商/星巴克咖啡NTD200元的購物禮券；增設特別獎1名，獎項給予提出符合句意又別具創意之解答的粉絲。解答與獲獎的粉絲姓名，將於明天公佈於本TPS專頁。每一項簡潔準則，皆收錄於TPS新推出之「十大簡潔英文準則」，將定期刊登本專欄，敬請密切鎖定、先睹為快。
Rule # 2: Avoid “It” Sentences … A trained academic writer succeeds by communicating thoughts succinctly, and sentence construction is another key to success. In the sentence below, the writer elected to begin with the word “it” as the subject of an impersonal verb. How can the sentence best be written shorter and stronger while retaining the meaning?
十大簡潔英文準則二：避免 It 作為句首
訓練有素的學術文章作者，能簡明扼要表達句意，成功的另一關鍵是適切的句構。下列句子中，作者以it為句首，卻使用無人稱動詞。要如何修改才能有效地縮短句子，加強語氣，並且維持原本句意呢？
題目Contest Sentence:
“It became clear that to rid the clamoring crowd of its most vocal spokesman would be to enhance the meeting’s effectiveness.”
Last Update at 2011-05-23 PM 1:09 | 0 Comments
Professor Pedantic 教授的考究學問
2011-05-18
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: My literature instructor has assigned a paper on a literary period I have tried to avoid at all costs. I just can’t relate to it. What mind games do you play to get yourself into a subject you would just as soon skip?
我的教授要我寫關於某個時期的文學報告，然而，那卻是我極力避免碰觸的一個主題，因為我對相關內容毫無興趣與共鳴。有什麼辦法可以讓人改變心態，投入避之唯恐不及的領域呢？
It always is satisfying to come across someone who appreciates the rigorous sport of thinking. Not everyone understands that the intellectual life is a series of tough mind games. If one is disciplined in training for these games—staying mentally fit and constantly practicing fundamentals—a rise in the ranks of thinkers can happen quickly, from amateur to semi-professional to tenured superstar. Give me five!
思考訓練，是嚴格考驗自己的腦部運動，能遇到瞭解箇中美妙之人真是令人開懷。不是每個人都能體會，學術生活就是一連串艱辛的思考訓練活動。只要能有紀律地訓練自己—保持心智靈敏，不斷練習基本功—你便能快速地於眾多思想者中崛起，從初學者進階為半專業人士，最後成為擁有終身教職的學術權威。我們互相勉勵吧！
The particular mind game a scholar employs in the situation you describe is called curiosity. It is a mindset marked by inquisitiveness. Curious people tend to want to learn what they don’t know about a subject. They do not idly inquire after knowledge; rather, they are driven to know, and are willing to work to master a subject. Only then do they feel they can relax, having vanquished an unknown and been declared a victor over ignorance. Curiosity obviously isn’t for a lazy thinker; it requires constant whetting.
遇到這類的情況，學者們會運用一種心智遊戲，就是「好奇心」，特色就是激發自我求知慾。好奇的人通常會對不熟悉的主題希望知道更多，他們對待未探索知識的態度不是懶散的隨意對待，而是受到好奇心驅使，投注全身精力鑽研主題，直到征服未知領域後才願意收手。很顯然地，好奇心不適合懶散的思考者，因為好奇心需要不斷的磨鍊。
In really borrrring situations, such as when, say, a professor assigns an unpopular topic, perhaps a classical literary period, curiosity dramatically separates ordinary thinkers from A-teamers. The amateur thinker groans and wants to throw in the towel. The fit and agile thinker welcomes the challenge and starts stretching his mind in a new direction. Every writer of academic papers must decide where he fits on the spectrum of thinkers. If thinking and communicating your thoughts isn’t your game, pick another sport.
即便遇上自覺實在無聊至極的題目，例如古典文學之類並不熱門的主題時，好奇心可以明顯區隔出平凡的思考者與真正一流的思考家。不成熟的思考者會叫苦連天，立即放棄；靈活機敏的思考者則樂於接受挑戰，立即將心智往新的方向延伸與研究。所有學術論文的作者都應自我審視，自己是否屬於後者。如果樂在思考與傳達想法不是你的專長，那麼你應該選擇別的道路。
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: My literature instructor has assigned a paper on a literary period I have tried to avoid at all costs. I just can’t relate to it. What mind games do you play to get yourself into a subject you would just as soon skip?
我的教授要我寫關於某個時期的文學報告，然而，那卻是我極力避免碰觸的一個主題，因為我對相關內容毫無興趣與共鳴。有什麼辦法可以讓人改變心態，投入避之唯恐不及的領域呢？
It always is satisfying to come across someone who appreciates the rigorous sport of thinking. Not everyone understands that the intellectual life is a series of tough mind games. If one is disciplined in training for these games—staying mentally fit and constantly practicing fundamentals—a rise in the ranks of thinkers can happen quickly, from amateur to semi-professional to tenured superstar. Give me five!
思考訓練，是嚴格考驗自己的腦部運動，能遇到瞭解箇中美妙之人真是令人開懷。不是每個人都能體會，學術生活就是一連串艱辛的思考訓練活動。只要能有紀律地訓練自己—保持心智靈敏，不斷練習基本功—你便能快速地於眾多思想者中崛起，從初學者進階為半專業人士，最後成為擁有終身教職的學術權威。我們互相勉勵吧！
The particular mind game a scholar employs in the situation you describe is called curiosity. It is a mindset marked by inquisitiveness. Curious people tend to want to learn what they don’t know about a subject. They do not idly inquire after knowledge; rather, they are driven to know, and are willing to work to master a subject. Only then do they feel they can relax, having vanquished an unknown and been declared a victor over ignorance. Curiosity obviously isn’t for a lazy thinker; it requires constant whetting.
遇到這類的情況，學者們會運用一種心智遊戲，就是「好奇心」，特色就是激發自我求知慾。好奇的人通常會對不熟悉的主題希望知道更多，他們對待未探索知識的態度不是懶散的隨意對待，而是受到好奇心驅使，投注全身精力鑽研主題，直到征服未知領域後才願意收手。很顯然地，好奇心不適合懶散的思考者，因為好奇心需要不斷的磨鍊。
In really borrrring situations, such as when, say, a professor assigns an unpopular topic, perhaps a classical literary period, curiosity dramatically separates ordinary thinkers from A-teamers. The amateur thinker groans and wants to throw in the towel. The fit and agile thinker welcomes the challenge and starts stretching his mind in a new direction. Every writer of academic papers must decide where he fits on the spectrum of thinkers. If thinking and communicating your thoughts isn’t your game, pick another sport.
即便遇上自覺實在無聊至極的題目，例如古典文學之類並不熱門的主題時，好奇心可以明顯區隔出平凡的思考者與真正一流的思考家。不成熟的思考者會叫苦連天，立即放棄；靈活機敏的思考者則樂於接受挑戰，立即將心智往新的方向延伸與研究。所有學術論文的作者都應自我審視，自己是否屬於後者。如果樂在思考與傳達想法不是你的專長，那麼你應該選擇別的道路。
Last Update at 2011-05-18 PM 4:45 | 0 Comments
0516 TPS Spot the Error Contest－Answer and Explanation 你是挑錯的高手嗎? 正確解答
2011-05-17Answer: “ ; ” should be “ : ”
“Legions of officials, unsmiling and somberly arrayed, filed into the room and arranged themselves on the presidium: chairman, vice-chairmen, representatives, and legates.”
Error: In this example, the writer quite effectively describes the people who filled the public space, giving readers a sense of the expressions on their faces, how they dressed, how they moved, how numerous they were, and the titles they carried into the room. However, all of this able description is wasted when the writer inserts a semicolon after “presidium,” causing readers to stumble. Semicolons separate complete sentences that are closely related; in the example, the five words following the semicolon constitute a sentence fragment. Instead of a semicolon, a colon should have been used to separate the introductory sentence from the list it introduces.
在句子中，作者傳神地描繪在公眾面前出現的人物，讓讀者掌握他們的表情、穿著、動作、人數，還有出席者的身分。然而，這些敘述頓時失去目的與用途，因為作者在presidium之後加了分號，打斷了讀者閱讀邏輯與流暢。分號的作用是分隔緊密相關的完整句子，在此句中，分號後的五個字並不是完整句子結構，所以作者不應使用分號(；)，應該使用的是冒號(：)，用以分隔前面的背景說明，與後面帶出的人物介紹清單。
Last Update at 2011-05-17 PM 1:06 | 0 Comments
0516 TPS Spot the Error Contest－Win Your NTD200 7-11/Starbucks Prize! 你是挑錯的高手嗎? 有機會獲得200元統一超商/星巴克咖啡禮券!
2011-05-16下列的句子中，包含了一個錯誤，可能是文法、拼法或是標點符號的錯誤。我們將提供統一超商/星巴克咖啡NTD200元的購物禮券，給予今天前三名挑出正確錯誤、寫出正確答案的粉絲。正確的解答與獲獎的粉絲姓名，將於明天公佈於本TPS的專頁。請將你的答案寫在下方，獲得免費購物禮券的幸運兒可能就是你哦!
The sentence below contains 1 grammatical, spelling and/or punctuation error. The first three (3) TPS Fans to respond with the corrected sentence will win a NTD200 7-11/Starbucks Gift Certificate. The corrected sentence and the names of the winners will be published tomorrow on this TPS Fans page. Please post your answers below. Good luck!
題目Contest Sentence:
“Legions of officials, unsmiling and somberly arrayed, filed into the room and arranged themselves on the presidium; chairman, vice-chairmen, representatives, and legates.”
Last Update at 2011-05-16 AM 10:17 | 0 Comments
This is not academic writing 學術文章不是這麼寫的
2011-05-12並非所有與學術議題相關的文章，就能稱之為「學術文章」。本篇專欄將節錄不同學術議題的內容，分析常見的寫作錯誤，並分享潤修與寫作的技巧。
Not all articles written on academic topics are written in proper academic English. In this "This is not academic writing" column we examine short excerpts from academic texts to illustrate common writing errors and explain how to correct them.
Unacceptable 不被認可的文章
“Chief astrologer Zhang Heng’s wonderful seismograph measured earthquakes and also gave scores on how well a government was working. Why was that? A common belief held that an earthquake was punishment of the gods for bad governing. Consequently, Zhang’s great job gave him lots of influence. His stock rose in the year 138 when he was the only one in the capital to discern a quake a long ways away. Days later, reports of a big earthquake were received.”
One of the weaknesses of the paragraph above is the use of vague adjectives, including “wonderful” and “great” and “big.” While the seismograph probably did elicit wonder in observers, that’s not the usual definition applied to “wonderful.” To say a job is “great” is mostly to exclaim about it without describing it. And is a “big” earthquake calibrated horizontally or vertically? That is, was it a mile-wide ripple or a narrow upheaval? Also, rhetorical questions can be effective; the one in this example is just wordy. The paragraph below is a better rendition.
本篇文章的缺點是使用空泛不明的形容詞，如wonderful、great、big等。測震儀的確能讓觀察員大為驚嘆，但wonderful通常不是用於形容這樣的情境。Great主要是用來抒發說話者心中的感嘆，也非具體明確的形容詞。用big形容地震，究竟是指水平影響範圍大還是垂直影響深度深？從文章中無法推斷這場地震究竟是震波長達一哩，或僅是小幅震盪。此外，使用疑問句法有時的確有助於行文流暢，但本文中的提問卻略顯多此一舉。這段文章改寫如下：
Acceptable 認可的文章
“Chief astrologer Zhang Heng’s seismograph measured earthquakes—and graded the quality of governance. This was possible because a quake was believed to be divine punishment for poor governing. The commingling of science, politics and religion gave Zhang outsized influence in public life. His standing increased in the year 138 when he reported a quake not felt in the capital. Reports filtered in days later confirming the magnitude and location of the tremor.”
Last Update at 2011-05-12 PM 2:59 | 0 Comments
12 Recommendations to Help you Submit a Conventional and Acceptable Paper Tip 10: Give full credit to sources and avoid plagiarism 12個獲得學術認可的論文撰寫技巧之十：正確引用出處，避免抄襲之嫌
2011-05-11
教授學者們通常會規範寫作標準，制定如何撰寫碩博士論文與學術文章以及格式要求。學術界所評定的標準植基於以何種撰寫方式會被認可，何種撰寫方式則會被拒絕。本專欄提出「12個獲得學術認可的論文撰寫技巧」，幫助你寫出符合規範與認可標準的文章。
The community of scholars has rules that govern how dissertations, theses and other academic papers are composed and formatted. Academic convention has established what is acceptable and what is not. Following is one of 12 recommendations to help you submit a conventional and acceptable paper.
Tip 10–Give full credit to sources and avoid plagiarism
技巧十：正確引用出處，避免抄襲之嫌
When a writer submits an academic paper, there should be no question about the submitter being the author of it. Even if the paper is, say, uncharacteristically refined in its approach, or astonishingly thorough in its research, the writer’s integrity should not be doubted. Yet only one person can ensure that such suspicions do not develop: the person whose name is on the paper.
學術論文的作者發表文章後，絕不容許被人質疑投稿者是否為原作者。即便這篇文章文筆非常成熟精鍊、研究成果極其深入完整，作者本人的誠信都不應遭受懷疑。不過，能夠完全避免這種質疑的人只有一個：作者本人。
We are talking here about the “P” word—plagiarism. A person who plagiarizes commits literary theft. The Council of Writing Administrators—an American association of university faculty—says plagiarism occurs when, “in instructional settings… a writer deliberately uses someone else’s language, ideas, or other original… material without acknowledg¬ing its source.”
在此說明 plagiarism 抄襲。抄襲他人的作品就是盜竊。寫作協會—由美國大學教授組成—的抄襲定義為：在教學環境中，抄襲就是蓄意使用他人的語言、想法、或其他原創思想等等，卻未註明出處。
Stolen in this way are ideas still in the abstract, or words concretely arranged in a uniquely identifiable way and particular context. When they are lifted without credit being given, they no longer qualify as fruits of original scholarship. Rather, they are the detritus of an intellectual crime. Their cribbed presence in a paper is unforgivable evidence that corners were cut.
被盜用的舉凡非具體的想法，或是以各種獨特、可辨識的方式所具體陳述的內容等等。如果使用這些資料時不註明出處，你的論文作品就稱不上原創，只是智慧犯罪後的殘跡。在文章裡夾帶這些資訊，便是作者投機取巧下不可抹滅的證據。
How can a writer avoid becoming a plagiarist? Resolve not to steal. Yes, it is that elementary. Deliberate theft is a conscious act. There is no mistake involved. Therefore, thievery is not a problem if it is eschewed as a matter of individual character. Academic pressure is no excuse for submitting another person’s work as one’s own. When that happens, it is a failure of character.
作者如何才能避免抄襲？只要下定決心不偷竊即可。沒錯，就是這麼簡單。蓄意偷竊是有意識的行為，沒有辯解的機會。只要體認到偷竊攸關個人品德，應能制止抄襲發生。學術壓力不能作為剽竊他人作品的辯解，會發生這種事就是代表個人操守有問題。
A less insidious but still serious indictment of a writer is commission of inadvertent plagiarism. This happens when the language of a source is submerged in a writer’s mind and transferred accidentally to a paper. Or when an idea becomes buried in research and its source forgotten when it is unearthed in the course of writing. Or it can be as simple as overlooking a citation.
另外一個狀況不那麼罪不可赦，不過仍是相當嚴重的指控，那就是無意間的抄襲。會發生這種情形可能是某些觀念已深植作者心中，使他一時不慎寫進自己的文章；或者該想法原是眾多研究之一，只是作者在寫作過程中忘了它的出處；又或許，作者純粹只是漏了註明出處。
In other words, careless work also can bring charges of plagiarism. While less incriminating than outright theft, academic sloppiness is not a shiny credential. A serious academic writer will strictly avoid willful and accidental plagiarism by painstakingly attributing the work of others, personally committing to original research and non-adaptive thinking—and refusing to steal.
換句話說，寫作時漫不經心也會招致抄襲的指控。儘管不像直接剽竊一樣嚴重，行文馬虎的研究內容，對學術作者的聲譽依然沒有好處。嚴謹的學術論文作者會嚴以律己，引用他人作品時一絲不苟地註明清楚，致力於原創性的研究與嚴謹的思考方式，並拒絕剽竊—完全杜絕刻意或無意間的抄襲。
The community of scholars has rules that govern how dissertations, theses and other academic papers are composed and formatted. Academic convention has established what is acceptable and what is not. Following is one of 12 recommendations to help you submit a conventional and acceptable paper.
Tip 10–Give full credit to sources and avoid plagiarism
技巧十：正確引用出處，避免抄襲之嫌
When a writer submits an academic paper, there should be no question about the submitter being the author of it. Even if the paper is, say, uncharacteristically refined in its approach, or astonishingly thorough in its research, the writer’s integrity should not be doubted. Yet only one person can ensure that such suspicions do not develop: the person whose name is on the paper.
學術論文的作者發表文章後，絕不容許被人質疑投稿者是否為原作者。即便這篇文章文筆非常成熟精鍊、研究成果極其深入完整，作者本人的誠信都不應遭受懷疑。不過，能夠完全避免這種質疑的人只有一個：作者本人。
We are talking here about the “P” word—plagiarism. A person who plagiarizes commits literary theft. The Council of Writing Administrators—an American association of university faculty—says plagiarism occurs when, “in instructional settings… a writer deliberately uses someone else’s language, ideas, or other original… material without acknowledg¬ing its source.”
在此說明 plagiarism 抄襲。抄襲他人的作品就是盜竊。寫作協會—由美國大學教授組成—的抄襲定義為：在教學環境中，抄襲就是蓄意使用他人的語言、想法、或其他原創思想等等，卻未註明出處。
Stolen in this way are ideas still in the abstract, or words concretely arranged in a uniquely identifiable way and particular context. When they are lifted without credit being given, they no longer qualify as fruits of original scholarship. Rather, they are the detritus of an intellectual crime. Their cribbed presence in a paper is unforgivable evidence that corners were cut.
被盜用的舉凡非具體的想法，或是以各種獨特、可辨識的方式所具體陳述的內容等等。如果使用這些資料時不註明出處，你的論文作品就稱不上原創，只是智慧犯罪後的殘跡。在文章裡夾帶這些資訊，便是作者投機取巧下不可抹滅的證據。
How can a writer avoid becoming a plagiarist? Resolve not to steal. Yes, it is that elementary. Deliberate theft is a conscious act. There is no mistake involved. Therefore, thievery is not a problem if it is eschewed as a matter of individual character. Academic pressure is no excuse for submitting another person’s work as one’s own. When that happens, it is a failure of character.
作者如何才能避免抄襲？只要下定決心不偷竊即可。沒錯，就是這麼簡單。蓄意偷竊是有意識的行為，沒有辯解的機會。只要體認到偷竊攸關個人品德，應能制止抄襲發生。學術壓力不能作為剽竊他人作品的辯解，會發生這種事就是代表個人操守有問題。
A less insidious but still serious indictment of a writer is commission of inadvertent plagiarism. This happens when the language of a source is submerged in a writer’s mind and transferred accidentally to a paper. Or when an idea becomes buried in research and its source forgotten when it is unearthed in the course of writing. Or it can be as simple as overlooking a citation.
另外一個狀況不那麼罪不可赦，不過仍是相當嚴重的指控，那就是無意間的抄襲。會發生這種情形可能是某些觀念已深植作者心中，使他一時不慎寫進自己的文章；或者該想法原是眾多研究之一，只是作者在寫作過程中忘了它的出處；又或許，作者純粹只是漏了註明出處。
In other words, careless work also can bring charges of plagiarism. While less incriminating than outright theft, academic sloppiness is not a shiny credential. A serious academic writer will strictly avoid willful and accidental plagiarism by painstakingly attributing the work of others, personally committing to original research and non-adaptive thinking—and refusing to steal.
換句話說，寫作時漫不經心也會招致抄襲的指控。儘管不像直接剽竊一樣嚴重，行文馬虎的研究內容，對學術作者的聲譽依然沒有好處。嚴謹的學術論文作者會嚴以律己，引用他人作品時一絲不苟地註明清楚，致力於原創性的研究與嚴謹的思考方式，並拒絕剽竊—完全杜絕刻意或無意間的抄襲。
Last Update at 2011-05-11 PM 4:39 | 0 Comments
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