NIH Writing Power

Discuss these writing strategies with a partner. Check the ones you use a lot. If you rarely or never use certain ones, discuss why you don't.
Name: 


  1. Writing Strategies I use a lot
    Translating
    Spending a lot of time gathering information or doing research and then quickly writing the paper from my notes, data sources, or outlines.
    Referring to one or more "model" papers in my discipline, noticing in particular such matters as how the papers are organized, how phrases are used, and where and why examples or illustrations are provided.
    Relying on a mentor (native or non-native) who "knows the ropes" and can anticipate how something should be written and also offer advice on which journal or conference a piece might be submitted to and why.
    Relying on friends who are not in my field to help with phraseology
    Developing a sense of the anticipated audience, particularly with regard to what needs to be said and what does not
    Recognizing the need for some stylistic variation and acquiring the linguistic resources to achieve this
    Finding useful phraseology from other, possibly published papers and using it to string my ideas together
    Constructing an appropriate author "persona," so that I come across as a member of the disciplinary community
    Concentrating on making sure my sentence-level grammar is accurate because that is the most important aspect of getting my ideas across.





Cara Fulton
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MAESTRO
Washington, DC