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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
【學術專欄】
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
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. Each tip in the series will appear on the TPS Fans page.
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。
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
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. Each tip in the series will appear on the TPS Fans page.
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。
