Benefits and drawbacks of remote faculty writing groups

Four faculty members at Sam Houston State University – Elizabeth Lee, Kristina Vargo, Rebecca Wentworth, and William Blackwell – shared the results of their study on the utility of writing groups. The study included a qualitative analysis of faculty members’ participation and perceptions of faculty writing groups and assessed the potential impact of working virtually.

Participants in the study expected a combination of professional and non-professional outcomes from faculty writing groups.

3 Support strategies for your writing journey

When you think about your emotions as they relate to your writing, what is your first thought? Does your response gravitate to positive emotions of joy or happiness? Or does it immediately lean toward negative ones like stress and frustration?

Erin McTigue shares from her coaching perspective that “emotions are very important in the work we do because it can help gain awareness about why certain projects are being avoided – why certain things are so hard.”

Most useful textbook and academic posts of the week: October 22, 2021

Stephen Mitchell once said, “Education is no longer thought of as a preparation for adult life, but as a continuing process of growth and development from birth until death.” In this week’s collection of articles from around the web, we see insight into that continuous process from the writing and research perspective.

We begin with an understanding of academic writing, look at challenges with research funding, explore proper citation to avoid plagiarism, and examine ways to increase productivity by using our analyzer switch.

Member Spotlight: Judi L Nath

TAA Member Judi L Nath is a Professor Emerita, Biology & Health Sciences and a textbook author writing in the disciplines of biology, anatomy & physiology, medical terminology, pathophysiology. Her most recent publications are Fundamentals of Anatomy & Physiology, 11e (textbook); Digesting Foods and Fads; and Sins Against Science: How Misinformation Affects Our Lives and Laws.

What are you currently working on?

I just had 2 new “academic trade books” publish: Digesting Foods and Fads and Sins Against Science: How Misinformation Affects Our Lives and Laws.

Finding your sweet spot

Where is the best place to write? In some people’s mind, they will find an idyllic location. Quiet. All your resources and materials at your fingertips. Maybe a good view. Or a great one; a mountain view or the ocean. No phones. No email. No meetings or interruptions. No needy kids or pets. This place likely exists, but only in the movies.

Back in the real world, mere mortals must wrestle with the reality of the day-to-day challenges.