The World of Academia
Every now and again I’m contacted by a student who wants help with a paper. If they want me to do all the work, including the research, I turn them down on the theory that research and initial writing is their job.
Several months ago, however, I was contacted by a student who had done the research and had done the drafts. On the whole, his major problem is English is his second language; he needed help making sure his dissertation was in “proper” English. He’s going for a PhD in Business Administration. His topic was one that more or less interested me. The pay was good and since I had some time I said yes.
Now I never finished college. My exposure to academic writing has convinced me it bores me to tears. Maybe I should have said no, but I didn’t and we’re almost done.
Much of this has been for me an exercise in what I consider nit picky details. I mean why, for heaven’s sake, does a dissertation require a string of periods in the table of contents between the entry and the page number? Why do the page numbers go in the upper right instead of centered at the bottom? Why should subheads be underlined in the text but not in the table of contents? And who dreams up these rules?
I suppose the rules for academic writing come out of perceived need for standardization. I suppose it does make the lives of the committee easier to have references all look the same. I can almost see the point.
On the other hand, my client offered to find me more clients… I’m not sure I want them.
Write well and often,
Subscribe to Abundant Writing News
Related Stories
POSTED IN: The Kitchen Sink
6 opinions for The World of Academia
rachel
May 17, 2006 at 10:34 am
Feel free to send that work my way! As a current grad student who plans to go full-time with freelance writing and editing this fall, academic writing is my ideal editing job. I’ve edited humanities, social science, and legal writing. After I get my PhD in a few years, I intend to make a career in academic publishing.
Any ideas on how to market specifically to professors and graduate students throughout the country?
Anne Wayman
May 17, 2006 at 11:49 am
The student I’m working with is attending one of those colleges that isn’t mainstream… apparently lots of foreign students go to these colleges… they’re accredited, but they aren’t typical colleges/universities, but have flexible schedules for working people, that sort of thing.
The students for whom English is a second language particularly need help. In fact, I understand that my student’s lead professor suggested he get some help… help with the English and the form of the paper, so I would guess this is a way to approach both proffessors and students… not sure how to locate them… if you figure it out, I’d love to publish an article about academic writing, and marketing to academics… no pay, some glory.
A
Matt Thornton
Jul 11, 2006 at 4:33 pm
I’ve got to say I’m a little shocked by this! I’m currently in the closing stages of a PhD… i.e., the writing and YES it’s a pain because it’s really hard, BUT it’s such an important part of the whole PhD process. I can understand why the guy contacted you as English is not his first language, but there have been loads of people in my Dept who don’t have English as their first language who successfully completed their thesis. It’s been a long and very rocky road, but I have learnt so much during the writing process.
Anne Wayman
Jul 12, 2006 at 8:43 am
Matt, maybe I didn’t make it clear, but my client did do the writing, tons of it, as well as the research. He turned to me to sort out some of the English and some of the formatting. Like so many writers I’ve also become sort of a power user in word.
Given what I all the nit picky requirements of formatting and such I’m amazed that any one who isn’t a native English speaker can complete a thesis… my hats are off to them.
I make a distinction between the writing – that is, getting the information clearly on the page, and some of the formatting details (leading periods in the table of contents, for instance.) I really doubt much is learned in those details except how to follow directions… a useful skill, for sure and maybe that’s part of the goal.
Whatever we did, it worked. He’s now got his doctorate, the thesis is at the printer and I’ve confirmed I’m not much of a student in a formal setting.
Matt Thornton
Jul 12, 2006 at 12:31 pm
I actually disagree. Following the rules should be simple for anyone, such as formatting… because you simply do what they tell you. Whatever the reasons for the requirements of the formatting, you just comply and get it done.
What I meant was that the way in which you structure a sentence, the words you choose to use, the accuracy of the statements you are using - those are the skills you are learning. I would also be reluctant to trust a non-academic to write my thesis - as there are certain conventions (as you mention) - which you only pick up through repeated contact with the text, the literature and your advisors.
Though I do of course no nothing about the arrangement you had with him, nor the extent to which the writing had been done you just “tidied” it, but it seems to me if he had completed the majority of it, then the final push to get it finished shouldn’t have been too challenging.
On a different note, you say you’re a power user with Word etc… I was just wondering if you’d ever experimented with anything like LaTeX?
Matt Thornton
Jul 12, 2006 at 12:31 pm
I actually disagree. Following the rules should be simple for anyone, such as formatting… because you simply do what they tell you. Whatever the reasons for the requirements of the formatting, you just comply and get it done.
What I meant was that the way in which you structure a sentence, the words you choose to use, the accuracy of the statements you are using - those are the skills you are learning. I would also be reluctant to trust a non-academic to write my thesis - as there are certain conventions (as you mention) - which you only pick up through repeated contact with the text, the literature and your advisors.
Though I do of course know nothing about the arrangement you had with him, nor the extent to which the writing had been done you just “tidied” it, but it seems to me if he had completed the majority of it, then the final push to get it finished shouldn’t have been too challenging.
On a different note, you say you’re a power user with Word etc… I was just wondering if you’d ever experimented with anything like LaTeX?
Have an opinion? Leave a comment: