This broad problem can be divided into two parts: 1) Improved and clearer first drafts; 2) efficient revision procedures Both demand significant time and energy commitments; nevertheless, even with limitless time and energy, getting to the "end" can be difficult because the "end" is undefined. It's a "you'll know it when you see it" point that takes a lot of practice to spot. For early-career academics, getting to that endpoint—a clear and concise finished work—can be callous.
The inspiration for this blog post comes from a frequent editorial refrain: "this needs to be tighter." This is advice I've given and received countless times. I can also attest to how nebulous it can feel when receiving it and how helpful concrete methods to correct the problem would be. In the end, your reader is advising you to be more succinct. They want you to say the same thing in fewer words. You will get goodwill from your audience if you take the time to design your manuscript with conciseness in mind. Before we go into the regulations, caution: it's crucial not to go too far in your quest for brevity.
Like any good rule, most of these rules can be disregarded under the right circumstances, so I advise the reader to treat them as guides rather than laws. However, I have included two regulations at the end of the essay that should not be disobeyed. To write succinctly, you must take writing seriously (Rule 1) and welcome comments (Rule 10). Finally, I must admit that the published version of this essay will contain an element of irony. Like every other piece of writing that has been written, this essay might be shorter. This can't be avoided. It is not a binary of success or failure to write concisely. It's more of a matter of degree. You should endeavor to do it properly while acknowledging that you will have to stop at some point.
• Rule 1: Take writing seriously and set a schedule.
Only the people who put in some serious effort will be rewarded. Think of Stephen King and that he writes 2,000 words a day. Think of Nora Roberts, who publishes a new book every 3 months. You don’t have to be as prolific as these two, but if you want to make a difference, get published, get noticed, and get ahead as a writer, you have to take your writing seriously.
1. Are you a serious writer?
It’s entirely possible that you’re not serious about writing right now. Maybe you only write for an hour on the weekends after the chores get done. Perhaps you only manage to note when you have time off. But deep down, you know that you want more. Maybe you just want to publish that one book. Perhaps you want to write a series of books. And perhaps you want to turn writing into a lucrative career that allows you to quit your day job one day. How can you do this?
If you want to be a writer, you have to set a goal. Your goal needs to be measurable. That means it needs specifics as well as a completion date. For example, you can plan to finish your 60,000-word thesis in the next 6 months. That’s a goal, but only if you write it down and hold yourself accountable. What can you do today to work towards that goal? Write 500 words. Do it right now. And then do it again tomorrow. You’ll reach your destination in no time at all. It doesn’t matter if your goal is enormous, as long as you can break it down into daily steps
3. (Grad Students) Setting Deadlines for Your Dissertation Chapters
The planning becomes a little hazier because there are so many variables to consider. Thesis writing is not a straightforward procedure. No rule says you must write Chapter 1 first, then Chapter 2, then Chapter 3, and so on... In fact, I would advise you to avoid writing them in any particular order. Obviously, some chapters must be completed before others; writing your Synthesis Chapters will be challenging if you have not examined and made meaning of your research findings. Plan to create your chapters in whatever order you think would be simplest, considering dependencies. I began with Chapter 4, which detailed my study technique and findings.
- Rule 2: Identify your hypothesis and stick to your thesis.
Knowing the hypothesis or research question and keeping the text constrained to that topic is the most significant piece of advice I have for struggling scientific writers. Don’t add facts, studies, or figures about variables that aren’t in your research. You should only be writing about prior research or methods that answer your research question. Don’t distract the author. Make it easy for the reader to read through your manuscript.
- Rule 3: Get to the point.
The point is that words have a lot of power; therefore, use them. When you're stuck on a sentence, concentrate on the nouns and verbs; you usually don't need anything extra. In 1920, William Strunk Jr. published The Elements of Style. This was a groundbreaking work for writers, as it was the first English style guide—emphasizing, among other things, the importance of concise writing. Since then, Strunk’s style guide has been adapted and edited several times; in 1959, E. B. White doubled the book’s length with his own advice.
The Elements of Style has this to say about concision:
“When you’re struggling with a sentence, focus on the nouns and verbs; often, you need very little else.”
- Rule 4: Avoid ineffective or unneeded "lead-ins" or prepositional phrases
Many sentences that are regularly used may be substituted with a single word. These sentences frequently appear in professional writing, although they subtract from rather than contribute to the message. Because, since, and why can be used instead of "the reason why," "because," "because," "given the fact that," and "because." It can be used in place of "if" and "under the conditions." Must or should be used for "it is required" and "cannot be avoided."
o An infinitive verb (the "to ____" form of the verb) can often be used for "for the purpose of."
- Rule 5: Keep your Introduction, and Literature Review confined.
Keep an eye on the proportions of sections your paper needs/has. Don’t let your article or thesis be too “front-heavy.” This corresponds to Rule 3: Get to the point.
- Rule 6: Do not repeat yourself
A surprising amount of text is redundant. Redundancies are unavoidable in writing, but learning to notice and compress them is an essential part of writing concisely. Redundant language does not deliver new or distinctive information. For example, if I started writing about green grass, it would be redundant because the grass is always green until otherwise stated. If this greenness is uncommon, it could be worth noting, but if it's just a background aspect of the world I'm creating, I don't need to tell you it's green—and you don't need to be informed either. When we rely on colloquial uses of the phrase, we also allow redundancies to creep in. Many of the sentences we use in English, particularly transition statements, are repetitive. Many of the words we use in English, particularly transition statements and verbal Colloquialisms, are redundant. These repetitive colloquialisms are acceptable in the discussion, but they should virtually never be used in poetry or prose storytelling.When we rely on colloquial uses of the phrase, we also allow redundancies to creep in. Many of the sentences we use in English, particularly transition statements, are repetitive. The Elements of Style has this to say:“Redundant language is a language that doesn’t provide new or unique information.”The Elements of Style also has this to say about concision:“The opposite of concise writing is not long writing; it is wasteful writing.”
- Rule 7: Use active voice, aka in the first person.
Using descriptive language is the simplest method to write concisely. If you can compress a notion into a single word, it's usually better to do so than to exaggerate it in ten words. Concision and expressive language go hand in hand.
- Correct: This week, the committee decided to vote on the issue.
- Incorrect: The committee made a decision to vote on the issue this week.
- Rule 8: Remove extraneous words. I say, Adverbs abound on the highway to hell.
The term "concise writing" refers to writing pared down to its essential elements. Writing puts the adage "omit unnecessary words" into effect." Needless words" is the crucial term here. These words muddy your writing by detracting from important concepts, failing to bear their weight in terms of meaning or effect, or clouding the reader's view of the world you're creating. Even if you can't see them, you'll know they're there because they make writing feel loopy, sloppy, and unpolished. The Elements of Style has this to say about concision:“Concision is not about writing in a clipped or spare fashion, but simply means that every word carries its weight—whether you’re writing in simple phrases or long lyrical sweeps.”Standard qualifiers include: actually, really, basically, probably, very, definitely, somewhat, kind of, incredibly, practically.
The Elements of Style has this to say about concision:“Omit needless words. Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the writer make all his sentences short, or that he avoid all detail and treat his subject only in outline, but that every word tell.”
Know when to seek help from an advisor, mentor, or senior co-author.
Yours xx,
JTTT
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