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Professor Pedantic 教授的考究學問
【學術專欄】
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 have a problem moving smoothly between paragraphs, and sometimes between sections of my papers. My friend calls it herky-jerky. My professor describes it as “uneven pacing.” How can I smooth out my papers so they flow?
寫論文時，我的段落銜接不太通順，有時章節連接也不流暢，朋友說文章讀起來「卡卡的」，教授則說我「節奏起伏不定」。我該怎麼讓文章更流暢呢？
An academic paper indeed should “flow,” as you say, though there are times when the flow should be interrupted, too. Formal papers aren’t casual conversations in tone or content, but they do share with chit-chat the goal of communication. I imagine your everyday conversation is not herky-jerky. When you pause in conversation, you do so because you have completed a thought. When you are in mid-thought, you link your sentences in ways that signal to your listener that you are not done talking, you are only taking a breath. Write in the same fluid way you talk.
如你所說，學術論文確實應該「流暢」，不過有時候也該適時停頓。正式的文章無論語氣與內容都和日常對話不同，但目的卻相同，都是要溝通。我想你平常說話應該不會「卡卡的」吧？談話中停頓下來，是因為你已經把事情說完了。如果一件事還沒說完，你連結句子的方式會讓聽的人感覺到你還沒說完，只是先喘口氣。寫作時，也應該像說話一樣流暢。
Words and phrases, as well as punctuation, can function as transitional tools. Their purpose is to smoothly connect sentences, paragraphs, and sections. Probably the most common transitional word is “and.” A common transitional punctuation mark is the comma. Without these two aids, lists become choppy, and sequential explanations stop and start. Some transitional words—such as “although”—redirect the flow, but all transitional tools share a common goal: They introduce continuity to written thought, thereby helping a writer hold reader interest clear to the end.
字句和標點符號一樣，都有銜接的功能，能夠順暢連接句子、段落與章節。最常用的銜接詞是「和」(and)，最常用的銜接符號則是逗號 (comma)，沒有這些銜接方法，列舉不同事物時會支離破碎，有先後順序的說明則會顯得斷斷續續。「雖然」(although) 一類的銜接詞會轉折語氣，不過所有銜接方法都有同樣的作用，就是讓寫出的事情前後連貫，讓作者抓住讀者的興趣，直到文末。
The key in mastering transitions goes back to the overall injunction to think well before trying to write well. If you tend to prattle on in conversation, it is a reflection of your thinking. In the same way, if your thoughts are jumbled and disconnected, your writing will truly reflect it. So, first organize your thoughts, then tie the end of one sentence to the beginning of the next one using a phrase, a word, a variation in sentence structure. Incrementally build to a conclusion rather than trying to leap to one. Your readers will follow you without break if given these helpful bridges.
想要掌握銜接用法，必須回歸總體原則，那就是寫作要清晰，首先思考要清晰。如果你講話常喋喋不休，那表示你的思考方式也是如此。同樣地，如果思路糾纏不清，文章必然也是如此。所以，首先想法要條理分明，然後利用詞句或不同的句子結構，使前後句子首尾相連；要逐步歸納出結論，不要驟然拋出結論。有了這些技巧幫助，讀者就能一路順暢地讀下去。
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 have a problem moving smoothly between paragraphs, and sometimes between sections of my papers. My friend calls it herky-jerky. My professor describes it as “uneven pacing.” How can I smooth out my papers so they flow?
寫論文時，我的段落銜接不太通順，有時章節連接也不流暢，朋友說文章讀起來「卡卡的」，教授則說我「節奏起伏不定」。我該怎麼讓文章更流暢呢？
An academic paper indeed should “flow,” as you say, though there are times when the flow should be interrupted, too. Formal papers aren’t casual conversations in tone or content, but they do share with chit-chat the goal of communication. I imagine your everyday conversation is not herky-jerky. When you pause in conversation, you do so because you have completed a thought. When you are in mid-thought, you link your sentences in ways that signal to your listener that you are not done talking, you are only taking a breath. Write in the same fluid way you talk.
如你所說，學術論文確實應該「流暢」，不過有時候也該適時停頓。正式的文章無論語氣與內容都和日常對話不同，但目的卻相同，都是要溝通。我想你平常說話應該不會「卡卡的」吧？談話中停頓下來，是因為你已經把事情說完了。如果一件事還沒說完，你連結句子的方式會讓聽的人感覺到你還沒說完，只是先喘口氣。寫作時，也應該像說話一樣流暢。
Words and phrases, as well as punctuation, can function as transitional tools. Their purpose is to smoothly connect sentences, paragraphs, and sections. Probably the most common transitional word is “and.” A common transitional punctuation mark is the comma. Without these two aids, lists become choppy, and sequential explanations stop and start. Some transitional words—such as “although”—redirect the flow, but all transitional tools share a common goal: They introduce continuity to written thought, thereby helping a writer hold reader interest clear to the end.
字句和標點符號一樣，都有銜接的功能，能夠順暢連接句子、段落與章節。最常用的銜接詞是「和」(and)，最常用的銜接符號則是逗號 (comma)，沒有這些銜接方法，列舉不同事物時會支離破碎，有先後順序的說明則會顯得斷斷續續。「雖然」(although) 一類的銜接詞會轉折語氣，不過所有銜接方法都有同樣的作用，就是讓寫出的事情前後連貫，讓作者抓住讀者的興趣，直到文末。
The key in mastering transitions goes back to the overall injunction to think well before trying to write well. If you tend to prattle on in conversation, it is a reflection of your thinking. In the same way, if your thoughts are jumbled and disconnected, your writing will truly reflect it. So, first organize your thoughts, then tie the end of one sentence to the beginning of the next one using a phrase, a word, a variation in sentence structure. Incrementally build to a conclusion rather than trying to leap to one. Your readers will follow you without break if given these helpful bridges.
想要掌握銜接用法，必須回歸總體原則，那就是寫作要清晰，首先思考要清晰。如果你講話常喋喋不休，那表示你的思考方式也是如此。同樣地，如果思路糾纏不清，文章必然也是如此。所以，首先想法要條理分明，然後利用詞句或不同的句子結構，使前後句子首尾相連；要逐步歸納出結論，不要驟然拋出結論。有了這些技巧幫助，讀者就能一路順暢地讀下去。
