Background

The seminar is to support your development as writer in writing for publication in professional journals. As a first step, we need to understand what journal editors and reviewers are looking for--we need to understand the publication process and its criteria. We do this with the in-class discussions and guest speakers.

The second step is to work work on writing via the writing project. The writing project is the place to find out what works for you. Writing involves trial and error. It involves rewriting and rewriting. It also involves self- and research discovery. You don't really know what you have, in terms of research findings, until you write them up.

The project is a place where you can experiment to find workable strategies. Some specific goals for your writing project might include experimenting with ways to (a) describe the research gap, (2) link the gap to a research approach, and (2) make the manuscript more interesting and informative, especially to journal editors and reviewers.

Project Selection

The definition and completion of the writing project is up to you. You are free to develop a project that fits your needs as a research writer. . Since time is very limited in a 1 semester, 1 credit course, define specific goals for your project that fit your time constraints. If you have an existing draft manuscript, identify its critical weaknesses and work on one of those. If you have a thesis chapter that you want to convert to a manuscript, cut and paste it into an outline; then work on the introductory material. Develop a revised manuscript that really wakes the reviewers up with the clarity of the contribution.

Some alternatives for a writing project include:

1. Write a detailed outline for a research manuscript. Develop a title, abstract, and introduction for the article that are ready for submission to a specific profession journal. Through the semester, work revising the introduction so that gap is solid and the research finding fits the gap.
2. Write a wordprocessed research diary over the course of the semester. Write up 1 page per week. Reflect thoughtfully on the content of the course meetings and material. Keep detailed notes and reflections on the insights gained from presentations.
3. Revise and rewrite a draft manuscript you have already started. Set goals for improving the manuscript over the 14 weeks of a semester. Work on strengthening the introduction by strengthening the gap and the fit between the gap and the research finding.
4. Any writing project that fits your needs and the course.

The point of this assignment is to propose a specific project. You can change or shift your project at any time during the course. Just submit a revised project proposal. But it is important to start a project and start working on it now. The project is the real work of the course. Don't put off doing by the project by thinking you'll get serious later. Procrastination is the enemy of good "re-writing".

Submission of Initial Project Proposal (Due: 9/23/02)

Please submit the written description of your writing project by September 13, 2002. Again, this is a first shot at a project. It's to provide you and I something to work with and think about as a starting point. I really am interested in reading about your specific writing project. Give your project a title. Put your name and date on it. Write up the proposal using the outline below:

You can submit your project by e-mail for comment or turn it in in class on 9/13/02.

Let me know if you have questions or comments at hoehn@msu.edu.

Return home