Many textbook and academic authors are recognized as the experts in their field – and for good reason. They have not only taken the time to learn the content in the discipline, but they have added to the knowledge base and published work to help others develop their own level of expertise. But when have we learned enough?

Hopefully our collection of article from around the web this week can help you learn something new to increase your mastery as an author. We begin with a reminder of the importance of accountability and continue with processes for writing a literature review, making a poster, and giving a final thesis presentation. Next we consider paying for peer review, researcher involvement, and rights management. Finally, we explore what not to post on social media and how to be a great podcast guest.

Og Mandino once advised, “Take the attitude of a student, never be too big to ask questions, never know too much to learn something new.” I challenge you to ask new questions this week and learn something new. Happy writing!

Building Your Writing Support Triangle, Part 3: Accountability

In the past two posts we’ve covered where to turn when you want to improve the quality of your writing with the help of Critique Support, and how to find motivation and inspiration by finding Mentors. It’s time for us to shore up that final leg of your Writing Support Triangle. The part that helps us get in the day’s words, or edits, or marketing. If balancing all of the responsibilities of life, plus our ambitions as a writer, feels impossible and you find yourself doing everything but writing, it’s time to reach out to your Accountability Support.

A sequential strategy for teaching how to write a literature review

My sequential strategy can be summarized as follows: I teach my students how to quickly read and absorb material using the AIC method and my template, then how to systematize their readings’ notes using the Conceptual Synthesis Excel Dump (CSED) method, and then how to build a scholarly output. I teach how to produce three levels of scholarly products (classified by degree of complexity): banks of synthetic notes, rhetorical precis and memorandums, annotated bibliographies and literature reviews, as I’ve previously outlined.

Make a poster – it may also help you write a paper

The poster is shorter than a paper, can economically provide an argument and key supporting evidence, and often makes its point in a well-worded informative heading. Academic posters can do several communication tasks at once – attract viewers/readers, inform them, and persuade them of the trustworthiness and significance of the work. Posters also support networking and can help to build the researcher’s profile.

What A Student Should Do To Be Successful With The Final Thesis Presentation?

To accomplish one of the most important student’s assignments with an “excellent” is an achievable goal, and it is not necessary to blush and wait for the promised moment of shame. A responsible approach to writing a thesis, a well-composed speech, presentation, and a little confidence in yourself and your knowledge are the key components for successful presentation.

What’s Wrong with Paying for Peer Review?

Journals report that it is becoming harder and harder to find willing reviewers, so the idea of paying them to review is getting a new airing. The Researcher to Reader conference this year held a debate (Part 1 & Part 2 viewable online) on the motion “Resolved: Publishers Should Pay Academics for Peer Review” and both of us (Tim Vines and Alison Mudditt) were asked to speak against the motion. Since our opening and rebuttal statements were only read aloud at the debate, we present an adapted version of our case here.

In Praise of Involvement

I recently came across “In Praise of Involvement” in the SAGE journal, Business & Society. The article is part of an excellent open-access collection of commentaries about impact that offers relevant insights to researchers beyond the field of business studies. Clearly, whether researchers are conducting studies online, face-to-face, or in some combination, involvement is essential. To learn more, I posed a few questions to the co-authors, Laura Spence and Paul du Gay.

Rights Management & ROI

In a new report prepared for the Book Industry Study Group, industry analyst and digital transformation expert Bill Rosenblatt has now gathered unprecedented quantitative evidence showing just how rights management is remaking the publishing value chain.

What wouldn’t you post on social media?

When I’m talking with researchers about developing their social media presence and the kinds of things they might post, I emphasise the fabulous, useful, engaging things that can be done in the space. I do provide some cautions around using social media and things to consider but, most of the time, I try to minimise the negativity around its usage. For this post, I thought that talking a bit more about what I wouldn’t post on public social media (and why) might be helpful to folks who are reflecting on their professional/personal identities and how these may be represented online.

How to Be a Great Podcast Guest: A Guide for Authors

Being on a podcast can be a great way to promote your book, but if it’s your first time on a show, you might not have a clue how to proceed. Even frequent guests may not realize how they can improve their appearances with straightforward preparation and a little bit of strategy.