Academic Writing Consultant
Hello, early career researchers in social science disciplines! If you have written a course paper you’d like to publish, or if you’ve figured out a way to slice and dice your dissertation into some article length pieces, this post walks you through an easy way to find a home for your article. Start with yourContinue reading “Finding a home for your article”
Getting feedback on your writing is tough for a lot of people for a lot of reasons. In this post, I walk you through some basic tools for working with that feedback, so you can move your project forward. My post on Feedback: Friend or Foe asked you to reflect on your relationship with feedback.Continue reading “Working with Feedback”
This weekend I took part in a yoga retreat in northern Minnesota. While yoga was certainly a focus, the retreat was just as much about slowing down, being in nature, and noticing the changing of the seasons. The north woods setting offered up the autumn transitional contrasts with crimson and gold leaves set against deepContinue reading “Transitions and Opening Up to Wisdom”
Let’s talk about friendly feedback, which means feedback on your academic writing from someone whose goal is to help you develop your document (peer, colleague, friend, mentor, writing coach, editor) before you send it to someone who is a gatekeeper for your writing (journal editor, publisher, thesis/dissertation advisor or committee). Now, don’t get me wrong–thoseContinue reading “Friendly Feedback: How to ask”
Welcome to the second post in my series on working with feedback as an academic writer. If you haven’t already, head to my first post to reflect on your relationship with feedback. This post is about finding helpful people to give you feedback throughout the writing process. If you are a graduate student, you knowContinue reading “Friendly Feedback: Who to ask”
Let’s be honest here. When you envision getting feedback on your writing, are you eager to see where your reader’s comments will lead your draft next, or are you terrified by the thought of even opening the email? Every professional writer gets feedback as part of the publishing process. And guess what? As an academic,Continue reading “Feedback: Friend or Foe?”
Researchers Ann N. Amiccuci and Sarah E. DeCapua describe the accountability email practice they developed after taking part in a workshop with me. They discovered many benefits in addition to moving their research projects forward: https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2021/12/07/consider-accountability-emails-place-writing-group-opinion
The passage above is from a chapter in a 2008 book called Infectious Disease Ecology: Effects of Ecosystems on Disease and of Disease on Ecosystems. This chapter was written by University of Alaska Biology and Wildlife professor, Terry Chapin, and colleagues. I sought out this book because I’ve been thinking about the COVID 19 pandemicContinue reading “COVID 19 and Graduate School: Disruptions and Contributions”
Trying to complete a dissertation or thesis alongside all of our other responsibilities is incredibly hard. Many graduate students are also parents, full-time employees or business owners, or involved in teaching or clinical training. All students have lives beyond the dissertation. All have a need for social connection. All have bodies that need care andContinue reading “Seeking Balance”
Kathleen Vacek, PhD 