CHAPTER 6: WRITING IT UP

You don’t know how to choose the right words, construct sentences, create a written product that reflects your intention.

There are many different ways to proceed…

Feeling out of control

Gain control…“Writing is a series of discrete decisions rather than one enormous undertaking that must be accomplished all at once.” (Bogdan, 185)

It’s reassuring that…“Writing from qualitative data is somewhat easier than writing, say, a conceptual piece. The fieldwork, analysis, and preliminary interpretation produce files of coded description that provide a starting point- some words on the screen.” (Bogdon, 185)

Beginning Basics:o Dissertation = conventional

writingo All writing must have a:

- Beginning: What you will do in the paper.

- Middle: Development of an

argument, presentation of findings.

- End: Summarize what you have said, bring disparate points together (tidy up).

Writing Choices: “You gain more control when you consider the different possibilities you have and consciously choose the option that looks like it will work for you.” (Bogdan, 186)

Decisions about…. o Your Argumento Your Presence in the Texto Your Audienceo Disciplineso The Introductiono Core of the Papero Conclusion

Decisions about Your Argument: o Clear focus: decide what you want to

tell the reader (1-2 sentences). That is your argument.

o Have a point (don’t change perspectives).

o Different types of arguments:- Thesis- proposition you put forth

then argue.- Theme- concept or theory that

emerges from data. - Topic- unit of a particular aspect

of what you are studying.* Arguments are typically hybrids which have elements of all three.

Decisions about Your Presence in the Text:

o Professional movement to a more personal pronoun- “I” instead of “the researcher”.

o “I”- does not mislead the reader, awareness of own subjectivity.

o Most importantly- write in a voice you feel most comfortable with.

o “In some qualitative circles, the confession is the new device to gain authority with the reader.” (Bogdan,189)

o Confessional/ Personal Bias- should not immobilize you or get in the way of your point (can be boring and self-centered).

Decisions about Your Audience: o What would the reviewers of the

dissertation want to know?o What questions do they have that

are left unanswered?o Have specific understanding of who

you are writing for (Miles & Huberman, 1994)

o Be politically correct when describing subjects.

o Do not demean or romanticize the subject (be sensitive and honest).

-”subject” sounds respectable- MAY NOT BE

Decisions about Disciplines: o “If you are doing work within a

particular discipline, you often use vocabulary and concepts common to your peers without being aware of how influential they are.” (Bogdan, 190)

o Common words of a discipline may not allow you to get deeply into an issue.

Decisions about Introduction: o Write introduction last. It’s only then that

you know what you are introducing. o For dissertation, paper should be in the

context of the research or current debate. o On first page- write directly and succinctly

(Don’t lose the reader with too many details too early).

o “A good way to start the paper is to tell a brief story from your research that captures the essence of what the paper is about or something central to what you are studying.” (Bogdan, 191)

o Stories as part of the introduction are becoming more accepted (can involve readers early, ground them in a concrete way in the subject matter…)

Decisions about the Core of the Paper and Strategies for Communicating

Evidence: o Core is the bulk of the paper and

gets direction from the argument. o “Proceed to do what you proposed

to do in the introduction: advance your thesis, present your theme, illuminate your topic.” (Bogdan, 192)

o Coded Data- “After you have singled out a few coding categories, you should begin working with them, reading them over, and looking for patterns, parts, elements…sort the data in small enough files so that you can physically manage them.”

Decisions about the Core of the Paper and Strategies for Communicating

Evidence:

o Write in the MIDDLE- If you don’t have sufficient data, you

may need to change focus. - If you have too much data, focus may

need to be narrowed. o Each section in the middle should have

beginning, middle, end: - Beginning- Tell you what the section

contains and links to focus. - Middle- Provides what the intro.

promised. - Conclusion- Summarizes what was in

the section.

Decisions about the Core of the Paper and Strategies for Communicating

Evidence(continued):

o “There are several ways of considering what qualitative researchers do when they write up a study. Spradley (1979) calls it a translation. This way of understanding suggests that what researchers do is to take what they have seen and heard and write it down on paper so that it makes as much sense to the reader as it did to the researcher.” (Bogdan, 193)

o A good qualitative paper is well documented with description taken from data to illustrate and substantiate the assertions made.

o Empty vessel metaphor vs. language of the writer

Decisions about the Conclusion:

o Argument is incisively restated and reviewed.

o Implications are elaborated. o Call for further research is almost

always true. So if you write it ….cliché

- it’s also a tell that you’ve run out of steam.

More Writing Tips…

o Call it a draft, it relieves tension.o Then…

1. develop a focus2. outline the core3. try writing a section- force

yourself to start. Put your thoughts on paper.

Styles of Presentation

o “Particular schools of qualitative research produce manuscripts with a distinct style.; you can identify them by the particular phrases they employ. Diversity, however, reigns. You might want to choose a particular school to associate with, like groups who do ‘ethnographies’, ‘constitutive ethnographies’, or ‘micro-ethnographies’, to refer to a few types.” (VanMaanen, 1988; Richardson, 1990b)

Styles of Presentation (continued)

o Formats:o Micro-ethnography- intimate

behaviors in a single setting.o Macro-ethnography- lay out the

whole realm of a complex situation.

o Can be visualized on a continuum o Two extremes:

o FORMAL/TRADITIONAL (didactic)o INFORMAL/NON-TRADITIONAL (tell a

story)

Overwriting o First drafts suffer from being

overwritten. o Too wordy, contain more than the

reader could be interested in knowing. Yes. But…?

o It is important to raise the questions the reader might have.

o Present alternative points of view and discuss why you chose one more consistent with the data.

Keep it Simple Up Front o Don’t give a reader too much

complex and/or detailed information too soon.

o Be simple and direct early.o Complex and sophisticated later.

Whose Perspective Are You Writing From

o Don’t over rely on quotes.o Say it in your own words clearly- so

reader gets understanding and you are sure you know what you mean.

On Giving Voice o It is crucial when you are writing to make

clear whose perspective you are writing from.

o If you are writing from your subjects perspective, you need to clarify which subjects.

o “While qualitative research provides readers access to the world of people they would not otherwise know and to some extent allows these people’s stories to be told, the subject never really tells his her own story. Although you might attempt to, and some degree succeed at, conveying to a reader what it is like to be the person you are studying, you are always the one doing the telling.” (Bogdan, 201)

Jargon and CodeTerm Definition Cliché Words that denote ideas that have lost their

originality and force through overuse.Jargon Highly specialized or technical language Platitudes Hackneyed statements- overused or

unimpressiveTruisms Words that are so self-evident, they need not be

stated

Know your audience!!!

General Advice o Write in an active rather than

passive voice.o Dictionary and Thesaurus are

important. o Try to get into writing groups….with

honest people. o Read well-written qualitative

research articles and books.

Criteria for Evaluating Writing

o Is it convincing? - Specifics on the research and data collected.o Is the author in control of writing? - Not pushed in all directions- clear logic.o Does it make a contribution?- Does it pass the “so what” test?

A Final Point About Getting Startedo Don’t Procrastinate- You are never

going to be ready to write. o Be disciplined….People only write

well because they have developed good work patterns, confidence, and skills.

o KEEP REMINDING YOURSELF THAT YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY!