A Checklist for Self-Editing

“It is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles; if you do not know your enemies but do know yourself, you will win one and lose one; if you do not know your enemies nor yourself, you will be imperiled in every single battle.” –Sun Tzu

Sun was known more for his prowess in guiding troops rather than putting pen to paper. However, was no slouch when it came to documenting strategies for the benefit of others who chase success, whether on the battlefield or in the boardroom, as evidenced by his literary classic “The Art of War.” Knowing ourselves, along with all our shortcomings and weaknesses, can be a key component of clear and competent writing.

Few writers enjoy the process of editing their own work. They would much rather pass that task on to someone else. However, this option is not always available and so the scribe must do double duty as writer and editor. This is a process fraught with pitfalls. Thankfully, Dan Shewan at Business2Community.com came up with some helpful pointers for those times when we have to edit our own work. First among his suggestions: “Identify and avoid your crutches.”

Today's writing tip: What is Effective Academic Writing?

Today's writing tip comes from the James Cook University Graduate Research School. 

Differences in speaking and writing

Effective communication on paper is not the same as communicating through speech. Written communication follows different rules of logic, layout, conciseness and clarity which is not expected in speech. Learn these structures and format, and anyone can write clearly and effectively.

 Good writing and critical thinking work together

Writing is not separate from thinking: we cannot think through really complex problems and solve them mentally. We certainly cannot communicate to others our mental understandings of solutions unless we use sequential words. If you want a critically sophisticated argument/thesis, then you need to learn how to draft and edit your work.

 A thesis is not your results; it is a whole story

We need to think about what the reader needs to know, not just think about describing the results. Good writers learn to stand back from their work and see it as others need to see it. They tell the whole story and not just one aspect...

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