How does Becker’s book match
up to your expectations for a book claiming to teach you how to: “start and
finish your thesis, book, or article?” Keep in mind that in spite of this
negative-seeming prompt that I find the book to be worthwhile enough to assign
it!
It's Jodi...I feel as though Becker's book has mostly lived up to my expectations of writing suggestions. There are some great tips and tricks in the book that can be helpful depending on your style of going through the writing process. Some people can be more methodical about their writing their writing process while others get right down to it without outlining or making file cards.
ReplyDeleteI have mentioned before that I had the common idea that many people do of writing in academia which is to be "scholarly" and "classy" in my writing. I am finding this does not have to be the case. After reading an article yesterday I found that in educational research writing it is best to be practical and easily understood in your writing especially when it comes to advocating for change. Many people reading these articles are not used to the jargon we tend to use in our field and can be easily put off and will not be able to make good decisions about policy and other matters if they do not fully understand what is being presented.
I like that Becker and Stemhagen have both said that there is not a "right way" to write and you just need to write something to get started even if you later take out a lot of it. We all have the feeling of being judged and not liking criticism of our writing and I have realized in the past few years that it is extremely helpful to have others review your writing to help you grow and become more reflective about your writing and style. There is always risk involved when writing for others but we need to take that chance.
I must say I wasn't excited about this book at first but I am finding it to be quite helpful!
I agree with Jodi that I enjoyed this book! I think that many academics could read this to get rid of their "wordiness!"
ReplyDeleteMy favorite books and articles to read are ones in which you feel like the author(s) is talking to you, and I think Becker would agree with that. I will be interested in how the editing process of our paper goes after reading this, because I know I have some areas I need to cut out, but I am a BIG proponent of having everything I write edited. It was very refreshing to hear Becker's tips on writing, so this makes me excited to start my dissertation and not feel like I have to reach a certain page limit! I want to stick to my writing style while still getting my points across :)
This is Carolyn~
ReplyDeleteThe Becker book reads like a pep talk, with reassurance and helpful hints for getting writing done. Modeling the straightforward prose he advocates, he crafts discipline-appropriate advice using anecdotes from years of writing and mentoring academic writers. I appreciate the tips and encouragement.
This is Weade...Carolyn, I echo your statements about the Becker text. Admittedly, I felt a bit guilty while reading the text when he talked about writing rituals and fears of writing. I could relate to some of what was expressed. Overall, I appreciated the practical approach of the book. It helped me to be more thoughtful and intentional about my writing process. I especially appreciated the tips on rewriting. That's something that we forget as students, especially students who're also practitioners working in the field with little time to re-write a paper four to six times before submitting it.
DeleteHey, it’s Laurie.
ReplyDeleteWell, I didn’t know such books existed and had never given any thought to what they might include, so there was definitely no mismatch of expectations. I like Becker’s book. It has been a nice, easy break from Pring, whose writing challenges me and forces me to reread and, frequently, to re-reread. A lot of Becker’s advice reminds me of Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird, a short excerpt of which I popped into the grab bag for you.
I love Anne Lamott. That is all. - Holly
DeleteMy first impression of the Becker's book prior to reading was that is was going to be an instructional guide to writing a paper. I was pleasantly surprised and have enjoyed his writing. I identify with many of the scenarios in the book. I, like Carolyn, find him to be very reassuring.
ReplyDeleteI took part in a writing workshop last summer for teachers and the one big take away for me (there were many) was my self-consciousness with my writing. My fear of having other read my thoughts and to have those judged was huge. Just being made aware of my own fears made me a better English teacher to my students.
I really liked Becker's take on writing. One of my favorite tips was when he suggested listing out 100 ideas for your dissertation (and then saying that it's hard to come up with more than 25, and that out of that 25, you'll probably have 3 or 4 recurring ideas). I think that's brilliant. I also appreciated how he linked sociological theory to why we do the things we do when we write. It helped me to think about the larger societal and cultural forces at work in the academic writing process and thus alleviated my fears about what I thought was just my own weirdness when it comes to writing.
ReplyDeleteMore importantly than just liking the book though is that I find myself using his ideas and strategies. As I've been working on the discipline paper for this class, I hear Becker's voice in my head. I'm thinking a lot more about using an active voice, saying what I mean without extra fluff or wordiness, searching for clarity in my writing, and not shying away from or overly qualifying my arguments.
Sorry ... this was Holly.
DeleteI’ve really enjoyed Becker. I think this text has made me more of an introspective writer. In my graduate program, one of my professors encouraged us to write with a “deviant signature”, in this he was asking us to create and cultivate our own style of writing, one that would be unique to ourselves. I think that Becker is asking us to do the same thing. Personally, this is something that I struggle with. I’d like to think of my writing as an art form, but in its current state, I think it ends up looking like a cheap knock-off of a more popular artist. I guess what I am trying to say is that when I write, it’s like I’m someone else, like it’s not my words, rather it’s the words that I think others want to hear. Julia Kristeva and Hélène Cixous have both wrote about the current structure of language and writing, and how both are inherently masculine. Both Kristeva and Cixous discuss the need for more acceptance of feminine writing/scholarship in academia, reasoning that the meaning of feminist writing/scholarship becomes lost when it is translated into a masculine—a more acceptable—style of writing. I think this is a similar message to what Becker posits, in order to clearly express yourself through writing, you have to become familiar with your writing and yourself.
ReplyDeleteVivian here...
ReplyDeleteI was pleasantly surprised by the book. I really liked the fact that Becker was direct and explicit about the challenges writers face. I also found that I could relate to the issues he identified and found that his suggestions are practical.
Like Holly, I too hear Becker's "voice" in the process of writing my discipline paper. I also find myself thinking back to my previous experiences and critiquing my approach. In comparing Becker’s tips to guidance I received in previous writing courses (many, many years ago as an undergrad!), I find Becker’s much more useful and less intimidating.
This is Mo.. Becker’s book presents an interesting perspective on academic writing. He argues that “ if writing about society will improve only when sociologists study grammar and syntax seriously, it never will”. Unlike the classic works in English composition which focus on grammar, syntax and organization of academic witting, Becker’s book explains how social institutions create classic problems of scholarly writing.
ReplyDeleteBecker is not concerned with the process of writing, but with the mystery that surrounds it. He is interested in on how social scientists write and learn to write. Becker gives a good account of his method in thinking about academic writing and how it is being done. Having personal stories in the book gives a feel of what it is like to write in scholarly genres. What I found useful in the book is the demystification of academic life and the world of scholarship. Becker seems to believe that by explaining wrong assumptions about writing and saying such things out loud will make everyone think about them seriously when writing a thesis, a book or an article.
Tonya here:
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed Becker, his effervescent, uplifting prose, and his sociological perspectives on writing. I have never once reflected as to why or how I write the way I do or the underlying reasons to explain it. As I worked on my paper, I really did follow his advice and started by simply writing to write…just to get something down on paper. It was a huge step for me as I tend to edit as I go…trying be classy and perfect the first time. For me there has always been “one right way”. It was quite liberating to just write! I also completely relate to the risk we assume with our writing. I found this to be especially true after turning over my draft to my writing partner. Somehow, it made me feel like a contestant on the reality show Naked and Afraid. After reading Becker, now I know why. I may be naked, but at least now, I am not afraid!