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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 hate deadlines for papers, but, of course, I can’t get away from them. Is there any secret to learning to live happily with deadlines?
寫論文最討厭截稿期限，但我當然也沒辦法擺脫截止期限。有沒有甚麼秘訣，可以讓我學會輕鬆應付截稿期限？
You bring a realistic, if dispirited, attitude to the whole subject. Yes, deadlines are a fact of life, certainly of academic life. If there is a secret, it is this: Rather than pine to “get away from them,” embrace deadlines and use them to your advantage. That always is the choice when rules are imposed. One can either consider a rule a restraint and try to get out of it, or look upon it as structure upon which you can order your life. In the case of a deadline for submitting a paper, view it as a target, a goal, as something you want to reach, rather than as something to overcome.
你對這件事的態度儘管有點消極，不過倒很實際。的確，截稿期限無可避免，在學術生活中更司空見慣。真要說有什麼秘訣，大概就是－與其想要「擺脫期限」，不如好好利用期限，從中得益。凡有規則時，都能選擇用這種態度面對。你可以把規則看成限制，想辦法擺脫規則，或者把規則看成一種結構，幫助你安排生活。論文的截稿期限可以當成一種目標、目的，看成追求的目標，而不是要克服的事物。
Deadlines serve two functions, three if you count the cutoff date a professor gives himself to have in hand assigned papers. For a writer, the first function of a deadline is as planning tool. The day a piece of academic writing is assigned is the starting point, the day it is due is the ending point. Between the two points is an amorphous period of time waiting to be shaped and utilized. A wise writer will look at the writing project and methodically divide the allotted time into planning, researching and writing blocks—interim deadlines!—and adhere to them.
截止期限有兩種功能，如果教授定的論文作業繳交期限也算在內，那就有三種功能。對作者來說，首先截止期限有助規劃工作。教授指派論文的那天是起點，繳交期限那天是終點，兩點間的時間就由作者規劃、利用。聰明的作者會思考作業內容，井然有序地分配自己的時間，區分成計畫、研究與寫作等區塊，每個區塊各有自己的截止時間，然後按照計畫執行。
The other primary function of a deadline is to motivate a writer. The end date can be viewed as a negative motivator—“I dread thinking about it!”—or as a positive one. A sensible writer will recognize his personal work habits and adjust them to accommodate a deadline. The fact is, some people are methodical and systematic in their pacing and routinely finish their work early without a deadline even being imposed; others have work habits characterized by spells of drifting interspersed with spurts of efficient labor. To the latter, a deadline is a best friend.
截止期限的另一項主要功能，就是激勵作者，可能是負面的動力（「我想到都會怕！」），或是正面動力。明智的作者能掌握自己的工作習慣，並根據截止期限調整習慣。實際上，有些人會有條不紊、有計畫地調整步調，即使沒有截止期限，也會提早完成工作；而有些人寫作時，多半的時間進度起伏不定，偶爾工作效率才會突然提升，這種人就很需要截止期限了。
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: I hate deadlines for papers, but, of course, I can’t get away from them. Is there any secret to learning to live happily with deadlines?
寫論文最討厭截稿期限，但我當然也沒辦法擺脫截止期限。有沒有甚麼秘訣，可以讓我學會輕鬆應付截稿期限？
You bring a realistic, if dispirited, attitude to the whole subject. Yes, deadlines are a fact of life, certainly of academic life. If there is a secret, it is this: Rather than pine to “get away from them,” embrace deadlines and use them to your advantage. That always is the choice when rules are imposed. One can either consider a rule a restraint and try to get out of it, or look upon it as structure upon which you can order your life. In the case of a deadline for submitting a paper, view it as a target, a goal, as something you want to reach, rather than as something to overcome.
你對這件事的態度儘管有點消極，不過倒很實際。的確，截稿期限無可避免，在學術生活中更司空見慣。真要說有什麼秘訣，大概就是－與其想要「擺脫期限」，不如好好利用期限，從中得益。凡有規則時，都能選擇用這種態度面對。你可以把規則看成限制，想辦法擺脫規則，或者把規則看成一種結構，幫助你安排生活。論文的截稿期限可以當成一種目標、目的，看成追求的目標，而不是要克服的事物。
Deadlines serve two functions, three if you count the cutoff date a professor gives himself to have in hand assigned papers. For a writer, the first function of a deadline is as planning tool. The day a piece of academic writing is assigned is the starting point, the day it is due is the ending point. Between the two points is an amorphous period of time waiting to be shaped and utilized. A wise writer will look at the writing project and methodically divide the allotted time into planning, researching and writing blocks—interim deadlines!—and adhere to them.
截止期限有兩種功能，如果教授定的論文作業繳交期限也算在內，那就有三種功能。對作者來說，首先截止期限有助規劃工作。教授指派論文的那天是起點，繳交期限那天是終點，兩點間的時間就由作者規劃、利用。聰明的作者會思考作業內容，井然有序地分配自己的時間，區分成計畫、研究與寫作等區塊，每個區塊各有自己的截止時間，然後按照計畫執行。
The other primary function of a deadline is to motivate a writer. The end date can be viewed as a negative motivator—“I dread thinking about it!”—or as a positive one. A sensible writer will recognize his personal work habits and adjust them to accommodate a deadline. The fact is, some people are methodical and systematic in their pacing and routinely finish their work early without a deadline even being imposed; others have work habits characterized by spells of drifting interspersed with spurts of efficient labor. To the latter, a deadline is a best friend.
截止期限的另一項主要功能，就是激勵作者，可能是負面的動力（「我想到都會怕！」），或是正面動力。明智的作者能掌握自己的工作習慣，並根據截止期限調整習慣。實際上，有些人會有條不紊、有計畫地調整步調，即使沒有截止期限，也會提早完成工作；而有些人寫作時，多半的時間進度起伏不定，偶爾工作效率才會突然提升，這種人就很需要截止期限了。
