FIRST THINGS FIRST
Research Highlights on Writing �and Decoding Introductions
TODAY
WRITING AS AN ITERATIVE PROCESS
ROBERT BOICE ON ACADEMICS’ WRITING PROCESS
BEST BOICE BOOKS
How Writers Journey to Comfort and Fluency (Praeger, 1994)
��Professors as Writers (New Forums, 1990)
HOW SUCCESSFUL ACADEMICS WRITE �(HELEN SWORD, HARVARD UP, 2017)
Boice’s rules (and most professional writing advice) too prescriptive
Surveyed over 1,000 academics and interviewed 100
found great variety in ways of approaching writing among productive authors
TAKE-AWAYS FROM SWORD’S WORK
establish routine but experiment to find what work for you
Own your identity as a writer: Focus on the craft and skills
be social around your writing: talk about it
FINDING FOCUS, RESEARCH ON ATTENTION
Gloria Mark’s synthesis of her career of psychological research:
Attention Span (Hanover Square press, 2023�
Hear her interview on Ezra Klein’s podcast: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/05/opinion/ezra-klein-podcast-gloria-mark.html
MY TIPS FOR FINDING FOCUS
No email or social media just before starting writing session�
Stop after 30 minutes to 90 minutes for a brain break (when you feel tired but not exhausted�
Replenish your Attention: Alternate intellectual work with moving the body, doing rote tasks (like household chores) and sensory engagement (music, visual art)
FINDING A RHYTHM THAT WORKS FOR YOU
Brief but frequent Writing sessions�(Example) Tues, Thurs, Fri mornings�7:30 to 8:30 every week
Or Write All Day, two days a month�(Example) maybe every other Saturday
DAY-LONG PRODUCTIVE WRITING RHYTHM
��article work 9:00—10:30 (Then an Hour Break to shower and do some light activities around the house)��Article work 11:30 to 12:30 (Then an Hour and a half Break for Lunch and email or other communications)�
Article work 2:00—3:00 (Then an hour and a half break to walk, cycle, shop, or garden -Notice, not screen activities)�
Article work 4:30—6:00 (Then break for the evening)�
Total: 5 hours that produces more progress than 8 hours tied to A Computer
.
TIPS TO SUCCEED, WHATEVER YOUR RHYTHM
Put work sessions on your calendar
Let your people (Family, colleagues, friends) know when your writing work time is
Set goals and Reward yourself when you meet one
Questions, so far? �
EFFICIENT APPROACH TO DRAFTING
Do initial lit review to make sure your article is needed:
If so, its time to start drafting
IMRAD SECTIONS OF ARTICLES: THINK OF 3 PARTS
Framing the Study The Study itself Interpreting the Study
Introduction How: Methods. Discussion�Literature Review What: Findings Conclusion�
CONSIDER DRAFTING IN THIS ORDER�
First, The Study itself Second, Framing It Third, Interpreting It ��How: Methods Introduction Discussion�What: Findings Literature Review Conclusion
RESOURCES TO GET YOU STARTED
��FIU Medical Library https://medicine.fiu.edu/resources/medical-library/
Lit Review Request https://medlib-fiu.libwizard.com/id/6bb52f8e728eda7d2ad92804900ad5b8
write out 2 or 3 sentences describing your project, giving some context, to help � the conduct the most useful lit review for you��
For A Case Study: See this Check list to help you test viability �https://www.care-statement.org/checklist
TO RECAP: FIRST STEPS
Do initial lit review to test viability of your topic and approach�
draft the Middle sections first �(method /result / findings/ or case description)�
Then think about the Framing: how do you want to set that middle up?
Questions?
FINALLY, TODAY: �RHETORICAL ANALYSIS OF AN INTRODUCTION
How are Introductions Built?
How do the Literature Review references work together to set up the article?
This is what you really need to understand to write a good Introduction
THREE PARTS OR “JOBS” OF INTRODUCTIONS�
1. Describes the topic to show the problem with it / why it matters.� 2. Provides relevant context for the topic.� 3. Describes the study and states its purpose or aim.�
When well written, the first and second parts “create a warrant” � for the third part.
“WARRANT” AS METAPHOR
If you’re a prosecutor issuing an arrest Warrant, you want to make sure you get the right guy!
Name, Description, Location, and Charges against the suspect
Just as a warrant exactly and precisely matches the suspect, �the Rationale should exactly match your study.
���RESIDENT AND FELLOW PERSPECTIVES ON FAMILY PLANNING AND BUILDING DURING TRAINING (E. SHIRIN DASON, ET AL, JAMA 2024: 7 (8).� �
Paragraph 1
Physicians often delay childbearing until the completion of postgraduate training. (1) Resident physicians are less likely than nonphysicians to have a child during their peak reproductive years (late 20s to early 30s). (1) Delaying childbearing can have significant consequences, including higher rates of infertility and age-related pregnancy complications. (2, 3).�
PARAGRAPH 2
The literature exploring the decision to delay childbearing during a medical career is limited. Difficulties associated with pregnancy and childbearing during training include intense workload, staffing shortages, time commitment, health concerns, high stress levels, poor lactation support, limited mentorship, and limited financial compensation. (4.5). One contributory aspect is the change in modern family structure and matriculation of females into medical training: traditional work hours (60—90 hours) and sacrifice expected within a medical career may no longer be compatible with the current workforce and personal values (6,7). This had led to increasing tension for those wishing to family build and parent during training.
PARAGRAPH 3, END OF THE INTRO
Despite adequate financial parental leave support for residents in Ontario, Canda (which is a major barrier described in other countries), a large population-based study demonstrated that physicians in Ontario delay reproduction during training (1). The aim of this study was to understand what factors play a role in the decision on when or whether to family build (i.e, family planning) among residents or fellows. With a broad goal of understanding how to guide further advocacy and systemic change, we qualitatively characterized the experiences of trainees across various specialties and explored their thoughts regarding family building, access to family planning supports, workplace culture, and attitudes toward family planning.
�1ST PARAGRAPH’S RHETORICAL FUNCTION:��DESCRIBES THE TOPIC IN A WAY THAT SHOWS THE PROBLEM WITH IT�
Physicians often delay childbearing until the completion of postgraduate training. (1) Resident physicians are less likely than nonphysicians to have a child during their peak reproductive years (late 20s to early 30s). (1) Delaying childbearing can have significant consequences, including higher rates of infertility and age-related pregnancy complications. (2, 3).
THE SECOND PARA’S RHETORICAL FUNCTION:��PROVIDES RELEVANT CONTEXT
What makes information relevant To use for Context?�� Shows the scope and significance of the problem� Points to possible reasons it exists now� Mentions other ways people have tried to address the problem.�� *Sometimes it takes more that 1 para to provide this context
RELEVANT CONTEXT, LOOKING BACK AT PARA 2�� SHOWS THE SCOPE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROBLEM� POINTS TO POSSIBLE REASONS IT EXISTS NOW� MENTIONS OTHER WAYS PEOPLE HAVE TRIED TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM
2nd paragraph: The literature exploring the decision to delay childbearing during a medical career is limited. Difficulties associated with pregnancy and childbearing during training include intense workload, staffing shortages, time commitment, health concerns, high stress levels, poor lactation support, limited mentorship, and limited financial compensation. (4.5). One contributory aspect is the change in modern family structure and matriculation of females into medical training: traditional work hours (60—90 hours) and sacrifice expected within a medical career may no longer be compatible with the current workforce and personal values (6,7). This had led to increasing tension for those wishing to family build and parent during training.
FINAL PARA OF THE INTRODUCTION’S RHETORICAL FUNCTION:�� DESCRIBES THE STUDY AND STATES ITS PURPOSE OR AIM.�
Looking Back at 3rd paragraph (or end of the Introduction): ��Despite adequate financial parental leave support for residents in Ontario, Canda (which is a major barrier described in other countries), a large population-based study demonstrated that physicians in Ontario delay reproduction during training (1). The aim of this study was to understand what factors play a role in the decision on when or whether to family build (i.e, family planning) among residents or fellows. With a broad goal of understanding how to guide further advocacy and systemic change, we qualitatively characterized the experiences of trainees across various specialties and explored their thoughts regarding family building, access to family planning supports, workplace culture, and attitudes toward family planning.
TO RECAP: THE 3 “JOBS” OF INTROS
1. Describes the topic to show the problem with it / why it matters� 2. Provides relevant context for the topic� 3. Describes the study and states its purpose or aim�
When well written, the first and second parts “create a warrant” for the third part.
NEED A DIFFERENT METAPHOR?
Try the Keyhole metaphor for the Introduction
The literature review is shaping a space (the keyhole) �that perfectly fits the study (the key)
THE FIRST SENTENCES CARVE OUT A ROUGH SPACE �(THE TOPIC AND PROBLEM WITH IT)�
Physicians often delay childbearing until the completion of postgraduate training. (1) Resident physicians are less likely than nonphysicians to have a child during their peak reproductive years (late 20s to early 30s). (1) Delaying childbearing can have significant consequences, including higher rates of infertility and age-related pregnancy complications. (2, 3).
FACTS ABOUT CONTEXT THEN CHISEL THE EDGES OF THAT SPACE ��SO IT FITS ONLY ONE THING: THE KEY
para 3 is the Key that Fits the Keyhole of paras 1 and 2.
Despite adequate financial parental leave support for residents in Ontario, Canda (which is a major barrier described in other countries), a large population-based study demonstrated that physicians in Ontario delay reproduction during training (1). The aim of this study was to understand what factors play a role in the decision on when or whether to family build (i.e, family planning) among residents or fellows. With a broad goal of understanding how to guide further advocacy and systemic change, we qualitatively characterized the experiences of trainees across various specialties and explored their thoughts regarding family building, access to family planning supports, workplace culture, and attitudes toward family planning
FINAL THOUGHTS FOR TODAY
The actual Introduction we should dissected was very polished
Don’t worry if your first draft doesn’t read like that!
It’s OK to Let the draft Be Baggy and Loose, initially: just get words on the page
Then, in later rounds, tighten and trim (and I’m happy to help with that)