Anyone else feel this way?

For the last few days i've only been able to do bits of a chapter am working on. the section was supposed to be 4000 words long, now its 8000 + and am not yet done! i obviously have to cut these words down at some point, but i need to compose and say something about the things i've been describing. is anyone else struggling with saying things using their own words?? how do you refine this? the main aim is that it is convincing. am considering asking a friend to read through this section but at the same time almost afraid that my thoughts are out there. have i got so used to quoting people that am not confident of my own thoughts?

Hi, Jojo, I absolutely agree with you on finding your own voice with your writing - it's one of the hardest things to do. Up until recently, I never actually placed myself in my own work - I was more external to it and just used to hind behind other authors and reference what they say, rather than proffer my own voice. But you're the expert, it's your work and so you have to be authoritative and write confidently. What kind of work are you doing? Qual or quant, or mixed methods? I can send you one of my chapters (or it will be a chapter) that demonstrates exactly how I found my voice as a researcher, the actual process involved, if you think it would be helpful? It's hard to describe otherwise; it's just something you learn to do (sort of like learning to ride a bike, at the risk of oversimplification).


Just remember to click that I've been a helpful user of this forum ;-)

@walminskipeas... thanks for your thoughts. they're really helpful (i'll remember to appraise that :p) and for offering to take me out of my misery. yes ofcourse! i would appreciate an example of how its supposed to be done to compare with what i've been writing. maybe it will help sort things out. my research is more towards qualitative and its business related.

my email address is: [email protected]

will look through it and get back to you.

thanks once again!

hi there

Hmm, interesting. I have the exact opposite situation (i consider it a real problem, my sup and others who read/hear my writing say it's just fine) but i still think I have a prob!

Consider these:

A colleague of mine might write: "Subject X has been researched by many scholars (name, name, name, name) and in 2003, X and R found that "girls and boys were dancing around in the sun" (x and y, 2003). Again, in 2007, Scholar M disagreed by pointing out that "goats eat cheese and then cows dance on the moon2 (M, 2005).

But my writing is like:

For many years now, goats and cows have been researched from multidisciplinary perspectives, cutting across diverse research priorities and ambitions. The motivation to look at the dancing patterns of goats in the 1990s (for e.g. names..) was replaced with a tendency to study cows in the 2000s (names...). Three questions seem significant at this point: A, B and C. All three seem to indicate new ares of research, and all three present complexities. ...

I do not use almost any direct quotes and because I write very fast I write any crap, very soon. IMHO this is a real problem, but others seem to think different...

Your post makes me think how i could use a bit more of direct quotes and use less of my weird opinionated style of writing..

makes sense?

i think you are fine!

hi there

Hmm, interesting. I have the exact opposite situation (i consider it a real problem, my sup and others who read/hear my writing say it's just fine) but i still think I have a prob!

Consider these:

A colleague of mine might write: "Subject X has been researched by many scholars (name, name, name, name) and in 2003, X and R found that "girls and boys were dancing around in the sun" (x and y, 2003). Again, in 2007, Scholar M disagreed by pointing out that "goats eat cheese and then cows dance on the moon2 (M, 2005).

But my writing is like:

For many years now, goats and cows have been researched from multidisciplinary perspectives, cutting across diverse research priorities and ambitions. The motivation to look at the dancing patterns of goats in the 1990s (for e.g. names..) was replaced with a tendency to study cows in the 2000s (names...). Three questions seem significant at this point: A, B and C. All three seem to indicate new ares of research, and all three present complexities. ...

I do not use almost any direct quotes and because I write very fast I write any crap, very soon. IMHO this is a real problem, but others seem to think different...

Your post makes me think how i could use a bit more of direct quotes and use less of my weird opinionated style of writing..

makes sense?

i think you are fine!

this is the exact same problem i am having. I think its because I am doing social science and so far have 'got by' by just saying 'he did this, she did that, but then he said this about it, but that's wrong because of this (mr man 2009)'. So I have completely avoided having an opinion.

I am very gradually starting to get round this, just by pretending I am explaining the theories to undergrads and the problems with them. I then write this down as fast as I can and then expand on it. I have literally started doing this this week - so will let you know how it goes!

The worst part is that I really feel that my opinions are not worth anything - I mean, why would someone want to hear what I think about the theories etc!??

Hi Jojo

Interesting thread. My supervisor has said the same thing to me, and I think I'm just learning how to do this. I'd written 4 case study chapters, then on the fifth went out on a limb and interpreted the cases more, using analysis out of my little brain. And she liked it! I had the evidence in the cases, and my interpretation was fine! I think it's practice and you need to be a bit brave and put your thoughts out there. Am also reading Bolker's book, and she mentions that we need to go from the transition of being a reader, to someone who is being read, which I think sums it up nicely.

Finding our voice is hard, but to me, a bigger difficulty is getting a 'nice flow' (as my sup says) into my writing. Now, of course my writing is fine, have done enough of it (!), but am having trouble getting from my functional writing, to something that's really nicely written. Have also started reading style books, but they're hard going and practicing what they say is going to be time-consuming, and at the moment, I just want to churn out words.

Hi Jojo,

interesting thread.

Perhaps it is a good idea to look at examples where you think that the writing is particilarly good. I think this is often the case in editorials, in which eminent writers manage to provide an opinion on a complex issue. Often these are only one page long and easy to read.

I think the trick may be, before you do any formal writing, to stand back and really think what you want to say or what you feel is important. Like a journalist look at what the key issues are. Then try and think of a structure, then fill in with "cut and paste" from your previous writing. Leave out side themes or refer to them in a condensed way or indicate with a reference for interested readers where more information can be found.

:-)

thanks guys. you're views are all really encouraging. am taking everything on board..

am trying to imagine am giving a lecture 8-),

then also telling myself that am being read :$

and reminding myself that i know a thing or two :-)

and that am not the only one struggling with this :p

thanks so much for the chapter. was really helpful(up)

thanks guys. you're views are all really encouraging. am taking everything on board..

am trying to imagine am giving a lecture 8-),

then also telling myself that am being read :$

and reminding myself that i know a thing or two :-)

and that am not the only one struggling with this :p

thanks so much for the chapter. was really helpful(up)