Writing for Publication: Transitions and Tools that Support Scholars’ Success - Mary Renck Jalongo, Olivia N. Saracho 2016
Use Higher-Order Thinking
From Aspiring Author to Published Scholar
Professional Roles and Publishable Writing
In all of the conversations about writing for publication, the types of thinking that are required are sometimes eclipsed by the worries about the little things, such as spelling, punctuation, grammar, and proofreading. Table 1.4 highlights the reasoning processes that undergird successful academic authorship and make a contribution.
Table 1.4
Thinking processes used to present a logical argument
Identify an issue and explore it; explain why it matters to answer the “so what” question |
Summarize to arrive at a “state of the art”—what we know thus far, how we know it, and the evidence that supports it |
Synthesize and critique the research evidence to suggest new directions |
Compare and contrast different ideas to weigh the positives and negatives in each |
Challenge taken-for-granted thinking and lead others to question assumptions |
Interpret the current perspectives and expand/extend the discussion to different viewpoints |
Prioritize to assess the relative importance of various influences on the situation |
Probe the phenomenon under study to identify possible underlying causes |
Hypothesize about what might occur under a different set of conditions to provide a fresh perspective |
Investigate possible solutions to a problem |
Propose a call to action in response to a situation |
Apply theory and research to practice |
Evaluate the best available evidence to suggest a better course of action |
Adapted from Barkley, E. F., Cross, K. P., & Major, C. H. (2005)