Writing with impact (November 16, 2022)

The objective of this workshop was for participants to explore the principles contributing to an engaging research publication and test them against their own writing. Dr. Sword illuminated the fact that in most cases, readers are drawn to and value the craft and passion that a writer puts into their work. Specifically, when a writer is able to take complex ideas and make them clear and comprehensible suitable for all levels of expertise comprising their audience.

The specific techniques for the most impactful writing were outlined as follows:

1. Determine your audience
   • Consider whom you are trying to persuade and what you are aiming to persuade them of?
2. Choose your voice – finding the voice for a piece of writing that you will use consistently
   • First or third person?
   • Personal (most used in the Sciences; i.e. first-person, yet professional and distanced) or impersonal (i.e. no use of pronouns)?
   • Colloquial or academic?
   • Conversational or authoritative?
3. Find your (core) story
   • What is a story? An account of people and events told for the purpose of gaining an understanding
4. Develop an argument
   • What is an argument? A reason or set of reasons given in support of an idea, action, or theory.
     • A story argument combines the ‘what-so’ and the ‘so-what’
   • Structure your argument – think through the ‘so-what’
     • Contrive a thesis/hook that grabs the readers’ interest and is an arguable point
     • Include evidence/examples which positively influence the reader’s opinion
     • Conclude your piece in a way that transforms/challenges the reader’s previous understanding

Additionally, the importance of verb choice were emphasized and defined in the following categories:

• A static verb (i.e. ‘is about’)
• Verbs of exploration: explore, analyze, examines, study, look at
• Verbs of transformation: transform, change, advance, determine, reveal

To write with impact and draw the audience in, Dr. Sword recommends explaining what your research is intending to do by communicating through verbs of transformation.

Other elements of persuasion she recommends to keep in mind while writing include:

• Knowing your audience
• Caring about your audience
• Respecting your audience
• Giving your audience reasons to trust you by writing conversationally while maintaining an authoritative voice
• Conveying passion and pleasure in your work

Date modified:

2023-02-07