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Research shows that if you keep track of something, you are more likely to pay attention to it, care about it, and be successful at it. Consider the new popularity of Fitbits and exercise apps. We want to have a record of our daily exercise amounts to hold ourselves accountable and have something to brag about to others. I always hate it when I forget to wear my Fitbit when I exercise. It is almost like it didn’t happen if I do not have a record of it.
Why is it that we automatically think of keeping a record of something such as daily amount of exercise but we do not often keep records of other important areas of our life that would benefit us much in the same way as our Fitbit does for exercise.
For my academic path, this something is writing. The leading factor behind academic success is writing proficiency. If you cannot write (and publish) well, you will not be considered successful in academia. Knowing this, I have set out on a journey to take what I have learned about academic writing and share it with the world. Or at least the part of the world interested in academic writing.
Founded on the work by Dr. Pat Goodson at Texas A&M University and her POWER model, I have created a 15 week workshop (which I deliver each semester to graduate students) and a video series aimed at transforming the way we write.
The series I have developed is called “The WRITE Thing to Do: Enhancing Academic Writing Proficiency and focuses on developing writing different from the usual methods that are often tried and not always helpful. This model starts with seeing yourself as a writer and establishing strong writing habits (video #2 in the series). These habits include: writing daily, scheduling your writing, logging your writing, and writing accountability. The first two videos in the series focus on the foundation of the program and scheduling your writing.
The most current video focuses on logging your writing to increase productivity. Think of it as a writer tracker or a Fitbit for writing. If you have never logged your writing before, you will be amazed at the difference it makes. Watch this video and try it out. Let me know what you think.
