I stole the classic title here from the mathematician and philosopher, Bertrand Russell. Similarly, Tiger Woods used "How I play golf" for the manual to his trade, so I also copy him. While clearly I am not as great as either, to date I have about 140 published scientific outputs, written with around 60 different collaborators, and these have been cited in around 15,000 articles. This bruising experience has taught me a lot about how to write, and I will pass on all I can in an hour (but no bruises!). You will get plenty of advice here also from Bertrand Russell, Thomas&Turner, Peter Medawar, Kristin Cashore, Simon Peyton-Jones, George Orwell, Ernest Hemingway, and Stephen King ... and not so much from Tiger Woods.
Ethics - or how to have good manners in your scientific careerJoshua Knowles
Ethics basically means discipline. That is more helpful a thought than to think of it as morals, anyway. What disciplines does a scientist and communicator of science need so as to stay alive, and contribute to the great scientific game? Many of the disciplines needed are the classical social ones of being generous, polite, encouraging, open, honest, modest, and so on. Some others are more specialised, like how NOT to give your best unpublished ideas away at a conference, and how NOT to accidentally copy someone else's great idea they told you in confidence.
Sabbatical (Open Polytechnic) - Faculty as Scholars: Tips for Becoming Effect...Michael Barbour
Barbour, M. K. (2011, April). Faculty as scholars: Tips for becoming effective researchers and writers. An invited presentation to the Open Polytechnic, Lower Hutt, New Zealand.
Ethics - or how to have good manners in your scientific careerJoshua Knowles
Ethics basically means discipline. That is more helpful a thought than to think of it as morals, anyway. What disciplines does a scientist and communicator of science need so as to stay alive, and contribute to the great scientific game? Many of the disciplines needed are the classical social ones of being generous, polite, encouraging, open, honest, modest, and so on. Some others are more specialised, like how NOT to give your best unpublished ideas away at a conference, and how NOT to accidentally copy someone else's great idea they told you in confidence.
Sabbatical (Open Polytechnic) - Faculty as Scholars: Tips for Becoming Effect...Michael Barbour
Barbour, M. K. (2011, April). Faculty as scholars: Tips for becoming effective researchers and writers. An invited presentation to the Open Polytechnic, Lower Hutt, New Zealand.
Brainstorming, Thesis Statement, Outline, First Draft and Final draft. This slide show takes you through the Btoff steps and how to compose a 5 paragraph academic essay.
I teach a weekly online class to virtual students in my school, focusing on 5th grade Writing Strategies. This PowerPoint is one of the lessons that I designed for the class. It is aligned to CA standards for fifth grade, and also aligned to the K12 curriculum so that students can get guided instruction on one of their lessons and be able to mark it off at the end.
Lecture 3 of the Research Methods Lecture series.
See notes for this lecture, also uploaded here : http://www.slideshare.net/lenallis/research-methods-lectures-notes
This lecture series aims to cover the basics of research methods for undergraduate students. By the end of the series students should understand:
-Why research is important
-How to identify good and bad sources of information
-How read critically
-How to write clearly
-Quantitative and Qualitative research
-The basics of experimental method
The overall point should be for students to take the activity of research seriously, but also to be motivated to go and conduct research and engage critically with material.
source: https://letterpile.com/writing/How-to-write-a-Philosophy-Dialogue
How to Write a Philosophy Dialogue
Updated on September 23, 2016
Davids writing more
Contact Author
Writing a dialogue
Writing philosophy essays doesn’t have to be boring. (Perhaps I’m not the best person to talk about this
because I never find philosophy essays boring!) The trick is to make it interesting for you. There are different
ways you can do this. In this hub I will illuminate one way in which you might achieve this. I will describe how
one would go about writing a dialogue between two or more characters. This is a legitimate way to write a
philosophy essay (some very good writing in philosophy is in dialogue form), but you have to ensure that you
cover everything that is asked of you in the essay question. Here is how.
What a Dialogue is About
A dialogue is a discussion between two or more people (or perhaps even one person and their conscience,
or a better self). It is written much like a stage play is written. So when you write a dialogue imagine that you
are writing a stage play. It requires some sort of narrative at the start to introduce the characters (and
perhaps the scenario) and then a discussion between the characters. For example:
Alan and Lady Lovelace are having a cup of tea in Alan’s parlour. As usual, their discussion becomes
somewhat philosophical.
Lady Lovelace: So what is it I hear about you and thinking machines, Alan?
Alan: Well, with the advances in modern technology and our advances in computer science, I think we are in
a good position to say that there is a possibility of a thinking machine.
Lady Lovelace: Are you quite serious, Alan!?
Alan: Certainly I am, my Lady…
This is the basic format of a dialogue. You can include more characters if you need to. Importantly, however,
you need to ensure that you answer the essay question in your discussion. This will include some
preparatory work before you go ahead and write your masterpiece. In particular, this will require analysing
the essay question and some initial planning.
Why Write a Dialogue?
There are plenty of reasons to write your philosophy essay in dialogue form. Here is a list:
• It is fun
• It is a different and creative way to write a philosophy essay
• It allows you to ask questions (by one of the characters) that you think the reader might be thinking
• A conversation between two people naturally brings out the reasons one holds a particular position,
which is very important in any philosophy essay
• Because it is naturally suited for outlying reasons for holding certain positions, it can help you in both
writing a good essay as well as getting further understanding of the topic
• It is a tried and true form of philosophical writing
source: https://letterpile.com/writing/How-to-write-a-Philosophy-Dialogue
Analyzing Stage
In the first stage it is very important to analyse the essay question. I have covered this in .
Brainstorming, Thesis Statement, Outline, First Draft and Final draft. This slide show takes you through the Btoff steps and how to compose a 5 paragraph academic essay.
I teach a weekly online class to virtual students in my school, focusing on 5th grade Writing Strategies. This PowerPoint is one of the lessons that I designed for the class. It is aligned to CA standards for fifth grade, and also aligned to the K12 curriculum so that students can get guided instruction on one of their lessons and be able to mark it off at the end.
Lecture 3 of the Research Methods Lecture series.
See notes for this lecture, also uploaded here : http://www.slideshare.net/lenallis/research-methods-lectures-notes
This lecture series aims to cover the basics of research methods for undergraduate students. By the end of the series students should understand:
-Why research is important
-How to identify good and bad sources of information
-How read critically
-How to write clearly
-Quantitative and Qualitative research
-The basics of experimental method
The overall point should be for students to take the activity of research seriously, but also to be motivated to go and conduct research and engage critically with material.
source: https://letterpile.com/writing/How-to-write-a-Philosophy-Dialogue
How to Write a Philosophy Dialogue
Updated on September 23, 2016
Davids writing more
Contact Author
Writing a dialogue
Writing philosophy essays doesn’t have to be boring. (Perhaps I’m not the best person to talk about this
because I never find philosophy essays boring!) The trick is to make it interesting for you. There are different
ways you can do this. In this hub I will illuminate one way in which you might achieve this. I will describe how
one would go about writing a dialogue between two or more characters. This is a legitimate way to write a
philosophy essay (some very good writing in philosophy is in dialogue form), but you have to ensure that you
cover everything that is asked of you in the essay question. Here is how.
What a Dialogue is About
A dialogue is a discussion between two or more people (or perhaps even one person and their conscience,
or a better self). It is written much like a stage play is written. So when you write a dialogue imagine that you
are writing a stage play. It requires some sort of narrative at the start to introduce the characters (and
perhaps the scenario) and then a discussion between the characters. For example:
Alan and Lady Lovelace are having a cup of tea in Alan’s parlour. As usual, their discussion becomes
somewhat philosophical.
Lady Lovelace: So what is it I hear about you and thinking machines, Alan?
Alan: Well, with the advances in modern technology and our advances in computer science, I think we are in
a good position to say that there is a possibility of a thinking machine.
Lady Lovelace: Are you quite serious, Alan!?
Alan: Certainly I am, my Lady…
This is the basic format of a dialogue. You can include more characters if you need to. Importantly, however,
you need to ensure that you answer the essay question in your discussion. This will include some
preparatory work before you go ahead and write your masterpiece. In particular, this will require analysing
the essay question and some initial planning.
Why Write a Dialogue?
There are plenty of reasons to write your philosophy essay in dialogue form. Here is a list:
• It is fun
• It is a different and creative way to write a philosophy essay
• It allows you to ask questions (by one of the characters) that you think the reader might be thinking
• A conversation between two people naturally brings out the reasons one holds a particular position,
which is very important in any philosophy essay
• Because it is naturally suited for outlying reasons for holding certain positions, it can help you in both
writing a good essay as well as getting further understanding of the topic
• It is a tried and true form of philosophical writing
source: https://letterpile.com/writing/How-to-write-a-Philosophy-Dialogue
Analyzing Stage
In the first stage it is very important to analyse the essay question. I have covered this in .
Critical Thinking Fall 2016 Essay AssignmentArgue one of t.docxannettsparrow
Critical Thinking
Fall 2016
Essay Assignment
Argue one of the following:
1. Drug legalization is morally acceptable.
2. Drug legalization is not morally acceptable.
3. Prostitution is morally acceptable.
4. Prostitution is not morally acceptable.
5. Abortion is morally acceptable.
6. Abortion is not morally acceptable.
7. Euthanasia is morally acceptable.
8. Euthanasia is not morally acceptable.
9. Capital punishment is morally acceptable.
10. Capital punishment is not morally acceptable.
11. Corporate social responsibility is a moral obligation.
12. Corporate social responsibility is not a moral obligation.
13. We are obligated to protect animal welfare.
14. We are not obligated to protect animal welfare.
15. Affirmative action is a moral obligation.
16. Affirmative action is not a moral obligation.
In making your argument, you are required to:
A. Include the following:
I. An introduction that includes your thesis statement
a. for example, say I’m writing an essay on the value of reading books and my thesis statement is about the value of reading books over watching movies. My introduction could simply be “In this essay, I argue that it is better to read a book than to watch a movie.”
II. Reason(s) that support your thesis statement (In other words, what are the reasons why should we agree with your thesis statement?)
a. for example: “Reading books gives the reader an advantage of having more detail in exposition that simply watching a movie cannot. For example, a five-second pan of the camera in a movie scene loses all of the important detail—even occasionally the narrator’s inner monologue—that can be expounded on for several pages in a novel. All of this information can make a difference in both one’s understanding and one’s appreciation of the story being told. Movies all too often are incapable of capturing fully that information the way the artfully-crafted written word can.”
NOTE: The above is simply a brief example of what supporting reasons for a thesis might look like. This is not, however, an example of an appropriate or recommended length for this particular section of your essay. You want your essay to be as strong as possible—after all, you are trying to convince us of your position, right? Therefore, you should spend an ample amount of room explaining exactly why it is we should agree with you.
III. A strong objection to your thesis
a. for example: “Some may argue that watching a movie is better than reading a book because movies can present a story in around two hours, while reading a book usually takes much more time.”
IV. A response to that objection
a. For example: “Especially when so many of us have busy lives and are pressed for time, the idea of watching a two-hour movie may seem more appealing than taking the time to read a 450-page book. However, I will argue that the benefits of taking the time to read a book far outweigh any benefit gained from lazily watching a two-hour flick. For example, .
Honest Reviews of Tim Han LMA Course Program.pptxtimhan337
Personal development courses are widely available today, with each one promising life-changing outcomes. Tim Han’s Life Mastery Achievers (LMA) Course has drawn a lot of interest. In addition to offering my frank assessment of Success Insider’s LMA Course, this piece examines the course’s effects via a variety of Tim Han LMA course reviews and Success Insider comments.
Instructions for Submissions thorugh G- Classroom.pptxJheel Barad
This presentation provides a briefing on how to upload submissions and documents in Google Classroom. It was prepared as part of an orientation for new Sainik School in-service teacher trainees. As a training officer, my goal is to ensure that you are comfortable and proficient with this essential tool for managing assignments and fostering student engagement.
Francesca Gottschalk - How can education support child empowerment.pptxEduSkills OECD
Francesca Gottschalk from the OECD’s Centre for Educational Research and Innovation presents at the Ask an Expert Webinar: How can education support child empowerment?
A Strategic Approach: GenAI in EducationPeter Windle
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies such as Generative AI, Image Generators and Large Language Models have had a dramatic impact on teaching, learning and assessment over the past 18 months. The most immediate threat AI posed was to Academic Integrity with Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) focusing their efforts on combating the use of GenAI in assessment. Guidelines were developed for staff and students, policies put in place too. Innovative educators have forged paths in the use of Generative AI for teaching, learning and assessments leading to pockets of transformation springing up across HEIs, often with little or no top-down guidance, support or direction.
This Gasta posits a strategic approach to integrating AI into HEIs to prepare staff, students and the curriculum for an evolving world and workplace. We will highlight the advantages of working with these technologies beyond the realm of teaching, learning and assessment by considering prompt engineering skills, industry impact, curriculum changes, and the need for staff upskilling. In contrast, not engaging strategically with Generative AI poses risks, including falling behind peers, missed opportunities and failing to ensure our graduates remain employable. The rapid evolution of AI technologies necessitates a proactive and strategic approach if we are to remain relevant.
How to Make a Field invisible in Odoo 17Celine George
It is possible to hide or invisible some fields in odoo. Commonly using “invisible” attribute in the field definition to invisible the fields. This slide will show how to make a field invisible in odoo 17.
The French Revolution, which began in 1789, was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France. It marked the decline of absolute monarchies, the rise of secular and democratic republics, and the eventual rise of Napoleon Bonaparte. This revolutionary period is crucial in understanding the transition from feudalism to modernity in Europe.
For more information, visit-www.vavaclasses.com
Welcome to TechSoup New Member Orientation and Q&A (May 2024).pdfTechSoup
In this webinar you will learn how your organization can access TechSoup's wide variety of product discount and donation programs. From hardware to software, we'll give you a tour of the tools available to help your nonprofit with productivity, collaboration, financial management, donor tracking, security, and more.
3. I’m ok, you’re ok
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man;
true nobility is being superior to your former self.
- Ernest Hemingway
4. Contact me
You may have comments and questions by the end
Drop by my office, 1.38 in the CS building, for a chat
(especially in weeks 2-5)
Office hours: Tuesdays 9.30-10.30 am; Wed 9.30-10.30 am
J.knowles@bham.ac.uk to arrange a chat any other time.
5. Contents
Audience thoughts
Writing the Introduction, and rules concerning prose style
Interlude on the Fear of Writing & overcoming it
Writing the Abstract – a formula from Simon Peyton-Jones
Rhetorical devices
Other advice on Method, Results, Conclusion, and other writing
hints all a bit crammed in!
6. Audience thoughts
The purpose of writing is to communicate
your ideas to the largest possible audience
Comments:
• Write for you mum or a friend who is not a CS person
• Use few acronyms, avoid jargon
• Start with as general a beginning as you can muster!
8. Audience thoughts
You might worry whether you will forget all the audience
who are CS experts, or patronise them.
But don’t patronise anyone, including your Mum! Just write in
Classic Style[1], which means that you assume the reader is
intelligent and interested, that the language is sufficient to
communicate, that clarity of thought is the main authority you
need, and that you should use words sparingly and in proportion
to the importance of the ideas you want to convey.
Don’t write “filler” or tell all your background reading, thoughts,
and plans! Add an example or figure if you must fill space.
References are at the end
*Sorry for the Don’ts. There are a lot of Don’ts in writing well
9. Writing the Introduction
Let’s have a go:
I. Introduction
Search is about searching for something.
Hmmm: General, but feels a bit tautological and trivial,
doesn’t it?
11. Writing the Introduction
Let’s have a go:
I. Introduction
Search is about finding something efficiently from within some
well-defined set.
Now we are cooking: It looks like we have found a very
general statement, and uncontroversial, but with just a
smidgeon of detail to show we are rigorous, concerned with
efficiency, and sane!
12. Writing the Introduction
Let’s have a go:
I. Introduction
Search is about finding something efficiently from within some
well-defined set, for example a house for sale within 3 miles
of the University of Birmingham.
Now we are cooking: Cooking even better, as we have now
given an example to further add sophistication, but also
clarify and make our uncontroversial idea concrete. eral
state
13. Writing the Introduction
Let’s have a go:
I. Introduction
Search is about finding something efficiently from within some well-
defined set, for example a house for sale within 3 miles of the
University of Birmingham. No one in search can explain how some
humans are so apparently efficient at it, however, for example how
Mozart could just sit down and rattle off an opera of sublime
quality.
Turning up the gas: Now we’ve added a controversial statement
and one with some serious “balls”. Sentence two is all we’ve done,
but we’ve already grabbed the attention of the reader, I reckon.
Perhaps we should worry about what comes next, but let’s not
today....
14. The Fear of Writing
On the next slide, I am going to show you the scariest
thing some of you have ever seen. Are you ready?
Jonathan L. Shapiro
(Manchester)
Credit* for this slide idea goes to:
*Always give credit where credit is due
15.
16. Overcoming the fear
1. Start
2. Then Push Through to the other side
3. Then plan, get organized, get comfortable, etc
4. Then improve your writing and keep improving it until
you can improve it no more.
Let’s look at steps 1 and 2 from a professional ...
17. Overcoming the fear
Kristin Cashore, bravely showing us her “process” of getting a first draft going!
This was from her novel, Bitterblue.
19. Overcoming the fear (next steps)
3. Plan, get organized, get comfortable, etc.
My comments:
Find out when you write best (what time of day)
Find out where you write best – be comfortable
What do you need on your writing desk?
Five minutes a day for a year = your first novel*
*And you don’t need to write a novel, just an 8-page paper!
20. Overcoming the fear (next steps)
4. Then improve your writing and keep improving it until you
can improve it no more.
21. Writing the Abstract
More people will read the Abstract than any other part of
your paper*, therefore it is the most important part
Simon Peyton-Jones (Microsoft Research) gives a formula for
writing it, which I always follow....
* Okay, arguably the Title might win, but then write a catchy title (of course).
22. Writing the Abstract
Use four sentences (although you can double them up)
§1: State the problem
§2: State the context, or why the problem is important and
unsolved
§3: State your solution
§4: State the conclusion of your work, i.e. how the world beyond
your paper has changed as a result of your work, or at least how
it might change.
::The Simon Peyton-Jones method::
23. Writing the Abstract
(an outstanding example)
Extraneous factors in judicial decisions
Abstract: Are judicial rulings based solely on laws and facts? Legal
formalism holds that judges apply legal reasons to the facts of a case
in a rational, mechanical, and deliberative manner. In contrast, legal
realists argue that the rational application of legal reasons does not
sufficiently explain the decisions of judges and that psychological,
political, and social factors influence judicial rulings. We test the
common caricature of realism that justice is what the judge ate for
breakfast in sequential parole decisions made by experienced
judges. We record the judges two daily food breaks, which result in
segmenting the deliberations of the day into three distinct decision
sessions. We find that the percentage of favorable rulings drops
gradually from ∼65% to nearly zero within each decision session and
returns abruptly to ∼65% after a break. Our findings suggest that
judicial rulings can be swayed by extraneous variables that should
have no bearing on legal decisions.
24. Rhetorical devices
Rhetoric is concerned with the art of persuasion in writing or
speech.
Classically, it is split into three main appeals (Aristotle):
Ethos: the authority of the writer
Logos: sound (logical) argument and evidence
Pathos: emotional content
There is debate whether scientists use rhetoric. Do they try to persuade, or do they
write only to inform and present objective evidence?
Kuhn, Feyerabend and other philosophers have argued that science is social
and subjective to at least some degree.
25. Rhetorical devices
Ethos: The authority of the writer is best established
immediately by writing high-quality sentences in the Abstract
and Introduction, as well as having famous co-authors!
Logos: Sound (logical) argument, and/or evidence is essential.
Keep asking yourself whether your argument is sound ALL
THE WAY THROUGH, or does it have some Swiss cheese
moments?!
Pathos: Emotional content should be kept minimal, or kept well
hidden. But little jokes, examples that the reader can relate to,
or stuff about judges whose decisions are more lenient after
lunch ALL help the reader enjoy your paper ;-)
26. Further advice: the Method
section
Just don’t labour it.
It isn’t that important, as long as it is honest, replicable,
and is basically logical and internally well-justified.
27. Further advice: the Results
section
Just don’t labour it.
It isn’t that important, as long as it is honest, replicable,
and is basically logical and internally well-justified.
You might need statistics! (see final lecture in this series)
Don’t put every result of every experiment there, for
goodness sake. Be selective.
28. Further advice: the Conclusion
section
Very important section
It is NOT only a summary
It is NOT only future work
It IS the place where you explain the consequences of your
work (and the limits or weaknesses of it)
29. Further advice: writing rules
Write like Hemingway. This means use few adjectives, fewer adverbs, and with carefully chosen verbs.
Poor example:
The man ran quickly down the street and was very frightened at what he saw when he finally got there.
Good example:
The man ran down the street. Gasping, he could see the body as he approached. What he found would
stay with him for the rest of his days.
Note: The latter is certainly rubbish compared to Hemingway but it is my simulation, and it is better than the first
attempt, isn’t it?
30. Further advice: Great verbs for
science writing
Suggest
Propose
Indicate
Test (e.g., a hypothesis)
Refute
Provide
See
Simplify
Clarify
Bolster (an argument or pos’n)
Survey
Consider
Investigate
Meet (an argument)
Firm up
Underpin
Describe
Rehearse (an argument)
31. Further advice: Great verbs for
science writing
Underline
Emphasise
Reorganize
Speculate
Review
Satisfy
Conclude
Put forward
33. Further advice: from
Bertrand Russell
Bertrand Russell's example of editing to achieve brevity and force:
“ “Human beings are completely exempt from undesirable behaviour-patterns only
when certain prerequisites, not satisfied except in a small percentage of actual
cases, have, through some fortuitous concourse of favourable circumstances,
whether congenital or environmental, chanced to combine in producing an
individual in whom many factors deviate from the norm in a socially advantageous
manner''.
Let us see if we can translate this sentence into English. I suggest the following:
“All men are scoundrels, or at any rate almost all. The men who are not must have had
unusual luck, both in their birth and in their upbringing."
This is shorter and more intelligible, and says just the same thing.”
(from How I Write, B. Russell)
34. Further advice: from
Russell and Hemingway
Start sentences, and paragraphs even, with “And” and “But”.
Ignore stupid rules that say you can’t.
Never write a sentence where the beginning of the sentence
leads the reader into an expectation that is contradicted by
the end of the sentence. You are leading the reader on a
path (don’t ambush them!).
Hemingway famously uses sentences with lots of “and”
connecting words, not “however” or “nevertheless” or other
horrible words!
35. Final Further Advice
Sleep
Walk
Let your thoughts have space; go outside
Breathe properly, eat properly
Be patient with yourself
Enjoy your reading, and all your leisure time
Wear comfortable shoes
Don’t do boring “pastime” time-wasting activities like surfing the internet
or reading too much news half-interestedly
36. Good Luck!
Contact me for questions
If you liked this, you may also like
www.cs.bham.ac.uk/~jdk/aphorisms.html
37. References (to be completed)
[1] Francis-Noël Thomas & Mark Turner, “Clear and Simple as
the Truth: Writing Classic Prose”...
[2] Ernest Hemingway, “The sun also rises”...
[3] William Shakespeare, “Henry V”...
[4] Simon Peyton-Jones, “How to write a great research
paper”...
[5] Bertrand Russell, “How I write”.
Editor's Notes
Who is rubbish at writing? I am (when compared with Ernest Hemingway, Will Shakespeare, or even Ernst Mayr). Who is ok with being rubbish? I am because ...
Nigella was accused in interview once of being coquettish (flirtatious) in her cookery programmes, but she claims she goes for friendly and fun, and imagines she is presenting to her sister. When I wrote my PhD introduction, I imagined writing to my parents; they never read it, but some unexpected others did, and commented they enjoyed how I made it fun and accessible.
Recognise this? Orwell nearly killed himself writing “1984”. Try not to kill yourself, but do look at how much work greatness needs!