When drafting academic work, it\u2019s not uncommon to feel a bit unsure about or frustrated with what you have in front of you. There can be plenty of reasons for this. It can feel like the writing has too many things going on at once, or like it doesn\u2019t really answer the question. Often, for example, I feel that I know what I want to say, but I\u2019m not really sure how what I have written actually helps me get there. Perhaps you have lots of points that are good on their own terms, but the essay or report as a whole doesn\u2019t really add up to much; perhaps you have made a lot of points and you aren\u2019t quite sure which ones are the best. This post is about a useful and simple strategy that I find helpful when trying to resolve problems like this.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s often quite hard to see an entire piece of writing at once, so I like to break it down and look at it on the level of the paragraph. I try to answer a few simple questions about each point in a piece of writing.<\/p>\n
Put simply, the question is: So what?<\/em><\/p>\n It is standard (and good) advice that academic writers should include topic sentences at the beginning of paragraphs in order to make it clear to the reader what each paragraph is about, and that each paragraph should end with a bridge or signpost to the next. This helps to structure and frame the material into a paragraph. Answering that fundamental So What<\/em> about each paragraph of your writing can also make for much more readable and accessible work, because it helps improve the overall clarity of your answer to the question. Whereas topic sentences and bridging language help give shape to your writing, the answer to your So What<\/em> question helps you define what it is about that material that is really interesting. This can help you identify and strengthen the really good bits of your work, and streamline away the parts that aren\u2019t so good or important after all.<\/p>\n Perhaps you\u2019ve had this experience: when reading a confusing or dreary academic text, a beautifully comprehensible sentence suddenly shines through and explains both why the author is making the point they are making and how it is connected to the broader aims of the piece.<\/p>\n This is signposting, and it has two helpful functions.<\/p>\n Signposting like this can form the architecture of your writing, the scaffolding or skeleton that helps keep everything clear for both you and your reader.<\/p>\n So if the piece of writing you\u2019re working on feels a bit muddled, this one question can help clarify it a little. If you\u2019ve got a rationale for the inclusion of each piece of information \u2013 if you can give a definite answer to that So What?<\/em> \u2013 then you may be more able to give your tutor something focused, interesting, and readable to read. Try it with your next assignment, and see whether it helps you. If you want to see an example of how it works, I’m preparing a post with an illustration from my own writing to demonstrate how I’ve used it – watch this space!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Posted by Alex<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When drafting academic work, it\u2019s not uncommon to feel a bit unsure about or frustrated with what you have in front of you. There can be plenty of reasons for this. It can feel like the writing has too many … Continue reading \n