Writing Skills for

#AcWriteFest15

Image CC BY 2.0 © Sean MacEntee http://bit.ly/1N3ymqR

Andy Tattersalla.tattersall@sheffield.ac.uk@andy_tattersallOrchid: 0000-0002-2842-9576

Objectives of the workshop

• Practical tips on how to get more from your writing

• How to manage your writing and research (reference management)

• Tools to help you take better notes• Tools to help you manage your tasks• Tools to help with digital distraction

*Not every solution will work for everyone

60 second challenge

Think about something you have got to write

What are the barriers to writing?

Image CC BY-NC 2.0 © hjl http://bit.ly/1Lvlzwi

Writing barriers

General procrastinationWriting environmentOther demands on your timeOther’s demands on your timeLack of confidence on the topic you are writing about

Image CC BY 2.0 © cheetah100 http://bit.ly/1h5JZ4w

“Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.”

Mark Twain

Writing Bootcamp(How to write 10,000 words in one day)

1) Know what you are going to write before you write it

2) Set aside a protected time to write3) Feel enthusiastic about what you are writing

Thesis Bootcamp formula was developed by Liam Connell and Peta Freestone of the University of Melbourne.

Know what you are going to write before you write it

Make a map of what you are going to write - have all your subheadings ready

Make a mess - then clean it up

Use a matrix

Inger Mewburn http://bit.ly/1Xm17oG [Last Accessed 18/11/2015]

Set aside a protected time to write

Block out time in your diary - and stick to itFind colleagues or fellow students who struggle to write and form a peer writing groupFind a location where you will not be disturbed and where temptation to slack is minimal

Image CC BY 2.0 © Arjan Richter http://bit.ly/1XlXLSv

60 Second Challenge

Image CC BY 2.0 © Jussi Linkola http://bit.ly/1LZzFYt

The Pomodoro Technique

1. Decide on the task to be done2. Set the pomodoro (timer) to 25 minutes3. Work on the task until the timer rings4. Take a short break (5 minutes) then do

another burst5. Every four “pomodori” take a longer break

(15–20 minutes)

30:30 App

http://3030.binaryhammer.com/

Find a quiet focused place

Great places to go and write

Western Bank LibraryThe ICThe DiamondCafesThe garden (weather permitting)Public libraries

Give yourself permission to write away from your desk

Reward yourself

http://bit.ly/1Ypzs8A

The rules of Write ClubTurn up with a piece of work (does not have to be writing)

Set your goalsWork in silenceNo email/distraction Take a breakAssess your performanceRepeat as often as necessaryAnyone can attend

Image CC BY 2.0 © Veronica Aguilar http://bit.ly/1PcDCz8

Image CC BY 2.0 © All West http://bit.ly/1QE0g3s

Declutter

Mind Maps

Spend 10 Minutes creating a mind map for a piece of writing you need to do

Image CC BY 2.0 © Eelke http://bit.ly/1XlZ0kI

Tools to manage your writing

21 January22 January25 February1 March4 March7 March11-14 March18 March20 March

24/06/2013 © The University of Sheffield

31

Mendeley

Image copyright – Mendeley.com

Mendeley is a free reference manager and academic social network that can help you organize your research, collaborate with others online, and discover the latest research.Automatically generate bibliographiesCollaborate easily with other researchers onlineEasily import papers from other research softwareFind relevant papers based on what you’re readingAccess your papers from anywhere onlineRead papers on the go, with their iPhone app or the unofficial Android apps

•A web-based reference management system•Allows you to store references to books, book chapters, journal articles, websites, etc•Importing a reference can be as simple as a single click of your mouse•You can ‘tag’ references with keywords that will help you to retrieve them later•Allows you to both import to, and export from, traditional electronic reference management systems including Reference Manager and EndNote•Allows you to generate bibliographies in formats such as Harvard, Chicago, MLA and Vancouver

•Better still, Mendeley is a discovery tool and allows you to locate references that other users have found•You can keep your own references private or make them public for other users to access•Can be helpful in drawing attention to your own publications and any that are generated by your research project

What are the benefits?Primarily, Mendeley is a SHARED resource - all members of a research team can access it

Secondly, it is COLLABORATIVE - all the members of the research team can contribute their own knowledge and be involved in the information-gathering process

Thirdly, it is MOBILE - you can access your references from any place that has a computer and internet connection

Mendeley comes in three flavoursOff-line – downloadable software version

On-line Web based, social network, searchable database version

Mobile via Kindle, Android and IOS version

It is free…but you can pay for more38

39

Creating your Mendeley profile should NOT be a distraction from writing

43

24/06/2013 © The University of Sheffield

44

RememberDownload the Mendeley Guidehttp://www.mendeley.com/downloads/Getting_Started_Guide.pdfDownload Mendeley onto your PCInstall the Web ImporterAdd the Citation button to WordTo sync your library!!!!!

Also.Try looking for peers/contacts/potential collaborators and them and their references!

49

50

http://www.staffs.ac.uk/ask/ [Last Accessed 28/1/0/2015]

Stay FocusdAvailable on Chrome Web Store

Image CC BY 2.0 © Artondra Hall http://bit.ly/20cAhna

http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-20609-7_68 [Last Accessed 28/10/2015]

Relax! You’ll Be More Productivehttp://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/10/opinion/sunday/relax-youll-be-more-productive.html?smid=tw-share&_r=1&

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/10/opinion/sunday/relax-youll-be-more-productive.html?_r=0 [Last Accessed 26/10/2015]

Useful meditation/mindfulness resources

• Headspace - Website. IOS, Android, Kindle App. iTunes. Book. Podcast free/subscription

• Take a Break (Guided meditations for stress relief) - IOS, Android App

• Calm - Website. IOS, Android App. Book• Buddhify - IOS, Android App

If you use them right

Other useful productivity tools

https://en.todoist.com/ Windows, Mac, IOS, Android, Web

https://www.wunderlist.com/ Windows, Mac, IOS, Android, Web

https://www.rememberthemilk.com/ Windows, Mac, IOS, Android, Blackberry

• The effect of music listening on work performancehttp://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/business/LESIUKarticle2005.pdf• The Effect of Student Music Choice on Writing Productivity.http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED448472Music to work to – ScoopIt! Pagehttp://www.scoop.it/t/background-music