Research writing: breaking the barriers is a book for those who regularly write documents based on research. If you find your writing is stale and you are unable to improve it, or you are trying to understand why you cannot finish a paper, or perhaps you are feeling jaded and disillusioned with the environment of "publish or perish" and would like to gain a sense of control, enjoyment and inspiration from doing research and publishing, then this book is for you. While it is conceptualised around qualitative research writing in an academic context, the book focuses on generating quality ideas, demystifying the writing process and breaking the barriers of real and imagined writing restrictions. Any researcher can benefit from this creative adventure.
The book links theory and practice through sets of practical activities. Each of these is designed to take you through the entire process of writing a research paper. Activities for postgraduate dissertation writers are also included. Topics covered include writing in an academic discourse, developing a writer's identity, finding time to write, conceptualising research, creativity and research, and writing with energy and style.
The author, Cecile Badenhorst (PhD), is a sessional lecturer and research fellow at the Graduate School of Public and Development Management at the University of the Witwatersrand. She teaches on the PhD programme and supports students in completing their research dissertations.
PART I: COMPOSING
1. A writing identity
2. The cyborg writer
3. The academic way
4. Academic discourse
5. Research and “truth”
6. The nature of the academy
7. The academic hierarchy
8. Research paper specifics
9. Conceptualising research
10. The problem statement
11. Conceptual framework
12. The purpose statement
13. Research questions
14. Relating the problem/purpose statements to the research paper
15. Beginning a research article
16. Academic writing
17. Genre
18. The genre of a research article
19. The genre of argument
20. The genre of literature reviews
21. Referencing
22. Why is writing difficult?
23. Making writing easier
24. Writing and creativity
25. Thinking about creativity
26. “Eyes” of creativity
27. Understanding creativity
28. Theories about writing
29. Stages of writing
30. The creative brain
31. Left-brain dominance
32. Vertical vs lateral thinking
33. Pulling this all together
34. Creative techniques
35. Organic mapping and brainstorming
36. Free-writing
37. Chaos/order
38. Linking writing to theories of creativity
39. The researcher’s journal
40. Writing demons
41. Writing strategies
42. Writing to inquire
43. “Voice”
44. Writing groups
45. Research narrative
46. Sequencing
47. “Bare bones”
48. Key message
49. Pushing the boundaries 1
50. Pushing the boundaries 2
51. Pushing the boundaries 3
52. Pushing the boundaries 4
53. Pushing the boundaries: summing up
54. The importance of drafts
55. What’s in draft 1?
PART II: REVISING
56. Where you are now
57. Revision: getting started!
58. Writing as thinking
59. Building blocks
60. Thinking about structure
61. A basic structure
62. Different types of structures
63. Using organic maps to develop structure
64. The complexities of structure
65. Is your argument clear?
66. Coherence
67. Representation
68. Audience vs reader
69. Time
70. How do we manage time to write research?
71. Revision 1 – re-vision
72. Revision 2 – an eye for crafting
73. Feedback
74. Peer review feedback
75. Beginnings and endings
76. Revision 3 – scrutiny
77. Transitions and coherence
78. Signposts
79. Writing with energy and style
80. Active vs passive verbs
81. Strong verbs
82. Words
83. Dense writing
84. Reviewing a research paper
85. Publishing from a dissertation
86. Revision 4 – a critical eye
87. Productive writers
