Interlude: Influence, Undermining, and Hidden Messages

Have you heard the saying, "You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with”? The idea behind this saying is that the people we spend time with can unconsciously influence who we become.

I think the same concept is true for our writing.

The language we read in other people's writing can unconsciously influence the language we use in our own writing. And if we "spend the most time" with poor writing, habits of poor writing will seep into our own writing, without us even realizing it's happening.

I have a silly example of this concept that I think you might relate to if you've moved to a new state or country.

I grew up in California. And when I moved to New York for graduate school, I heard many people use the word "wicked" to add emphasis, like using the words "really" or "very." I thought this word was so strange, and I told myself that I would never use it.

Years later, I was talking to a friend and the word flew out of my mouth before I realized what I was saying. Totally (there's my California roots) unintentional. And I realized that after being exposed to "wicked" so often, the word slipped into my language by osmosis.

I believe that the same "osmotic learning" can happen as we read the literature. If we expose our minds to poor writing without being aware that the writing is poor, then we will unconsciously fuel poor habits in our own writing.

And I think this possibility is why we need to be mindful and intentional about our writing.

How have other people's writing influenced your writing? Hit reply and let me know.

And now onto the good stuff...

💌 Round-up

💻 From My Desk

How to Avoid Undermining the Conclusions of Your Research Paper
The end of a research paper is a powerful position. Yet, many researchers weaken the power of their study at the end of the paper by undermining their conclusions. Learn how misusing phrases like "More research is needed…" and "…has yet to be assessed" can erode the significance of your study.
 

👓 Reading

Elemental haiku
"A review of the Periodic Table composed of 119 science haiku, one for each element, plus a closing haiku for element 119 (not yet synthesized). The haiku encompass astronomy, biology, chemistry, history, physics, and a bit of whimsical flair."
 

🖥️ Watching

What Academics Say vs What They Mean: The Hidden Messages in Academic Jargon
In this video, YouTuber Andy Stapleton shares his funny takes on common language used among academics. Grab a cup of coffee or tea. This 8-minute video is an entertaining watch.
 

💭 Thoughts

Good writing habits are formed with diligent practice.

The more you practice the principles of good writing, the more those principles will become second nature.
 

📝 Challenge

This week, read your most recent manuscript draft or publication to see if you undermined your conclusions. If you did, think about how you could revise that text in the future.

Thank you so much for reading.

Warmly,

Crystal