How to improve your writing: A guide for PhD students and academics

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  • Опубліковано 21 січ 2025

КОМЕНТАРІ • 132

  • @mdisrafil5542
    @mdisrafil5542 2 місяці тому +38

    00:02 Writing is a crucial skill for PhD students and academics.
    02:28 Academics lack proper writing training.
    07:02 Writing is a skill that requires attention to detail and deliberate decisions.
    09:22 Focus on selecting and communicating the most important and relevant information in your writing.
    14:12 Addressing broader questions to set up the aim of the project
    16:39 Research focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of interventions
    21:01 Identify causes, responses, and consequences to structure your writing effectively.
    23:03 Understanding the narrative structure of literature reviews is essential for effective writing.
    27:20 Focus on one section at a time for better writing efficiency
    29:22 Separate exploration from presentation
    33:14 Introduction sets the focus and structure for the paper.
    35:09 Dealing with writer's block and focusing on solving individual problems
    38:58 Complete attention and persistence are required to solve writing problems.
    41:01 Avoid constant digital distractions for better focus
    44:58 Balancing speed and perfectionism in academic writing
    46:52 Adjust your writing pace and be flexible
    50:57 Consistent practice and prioritization of writing is crucial for long-term success.
    52:53 Relax into the writing process
    56:56 Focus on research over writing
    58:47 Get professional help early on for language challenges
    1:02:52 Start with an interesting problem or question.
    1:04:51 Keep thesis concise and relevant, prioritize examiner's time
    1:08:46 Develop a system to quickly find relevant papers and extract relevant details for writing
    1:10:46 Get feedback before formal writing
    1:14:49 Get feedback and collaborate with others for improvement
    1:16:42 Dealing with conflicting ideas and expectations from your supervisor
    1:20:43 Avoid overly rigid timelines in research planning
    1:22:41 Setting flexible deadlines is crucial for successful research planning.
    1:26:53 Combination of reading papers and writing text is essential for effective writing.
    1:29:01 Building knowledge by referencing known papers and researching new ones

  • @NecroSonic1
    @NecroSonic1 2 роки тому +141

    Good applicable points. Other than structure I find that tone is also an important yet underrated aspect of academic writing. Of course some disciplines might enjoy more liberty than others but I find that many academics writes in a needlessly boring style. When I began writing my PhD dissertation I would also feel obliged to write in a style where I would distance myself from the writing and strive to make myself invisible as the author of the text in some misunderstood attempt at objectivity. When I read through my dissertation around a 100 pages in I found it to be terribly boring and felt like it could have been written by someone else. So, I decided to scrap the whole thing and start over and write it in a more personal style with humor and excitement and I hoped that it would not be dismissed as being less scientific. It was much more fun to write and edit the new version and at the defense it turned out that the assessment committee really valued the personal style of writing. One even said that it had been such a joy to read and that it would make assessment work much more delightful if more dissertations would feature creative and unique styles of writing.

    • @James_Hayton
      @James_Hayton  2 роки тому +23

      I agree- tone is a little more difficult to coach, so I tend to focus on structure as it's more fundamental to good communication and often I need to prioritize.
      If people get a good grip on structure and there's enough time, then I might work on getting them to express more of themselves with excitement and humour about the subject

    • @thudao7391
      @thudao7391 Рік тому +3

      I have this concern though. I also struggle with style and tone in writing. For some reason, every time I tried to incorporate some personal style and humor into my writing, it backfired. My supervisors said that it gave off a lighthearted vibes and that no one would take this seriously. So I gave up doing so.

    • @youneschebini5280
      @youneschebini5280 Рік тому +7

      the biggest problem with academics is boring writing style, why they just don’t be direct and simple in their writings? Is it lack of confidence or lack of engagement? Or just trying to layer the simple direct truth?

    • @mktsp2
      @mktsp2 Рік тому

      @@James_Hayton I doubt that

    • @James_Hayton
      @James_Hayton  Рік тому +11

      @@youneschebini5280 I agree. They should be clear and direct. And yes, they do often dress their work in overly complicated language due to a lack of confidence.

  • @Monamie44
    @Monamie44 2 роки тому +34

    Writing up my PhD thesis now. Many thanks.

  • @fernandocortes1187
    @fernandocortes1187 Рік тому +80

    16:07 Stress among PHD Students 20:00 Structure 9:40 How to show what you know 28:00 The process...use a mind map to guide the writing 48:14 Q&A e índice de lo visto

  • @asthasharma8770
    @asthasharma8770 Рік тому +11

    So extensive guidance. Glad to listen to this video. Lots of important tips and the speaker has immense patience.

  • @steevensonrosema8125
    @steevensonrosema8125 5 місяців тому +21

    I am going to start my PhD studies this coming fall. I was worried about writing a thesis, but I have come across your video. I feel more confident about writing in my field. Thank you, Dr. Hayton.

  • @shakinatalkah1380
    @shakinatalkah1380 2 місяці тому +2

    I've graduated my PhD last year, I wish I have found this before.. This is a good and practical insights.. Still applicable to academics career though.. Thanks!

  • @binyabenson4809
    @binyabenson4809 3 місяці тому +5

    Educative. If there is one lesson I've heeded, it is that research and writing are not similar; one cannot do both at a go. Focus on research (gathering data and information) to inform the writing process.

  • @JorgeZiyad
    @JorgeZiyad Рік тому +7

    I want to thank you for posting this video.
    It has got many information that I find valuable.

  • @sitinursariismarini7193
    @sitinursariismarini7193 8 днів тому +1

    Thank you Dr Hayton! The lecture is super insightful for me who is preparing to go back to school after years of working in non academic roles!! Very appreciate you posted this 😇😇😇

  • @sarah1of4
    @sarah1of4 Рік тому +2

    Really liked the fundamental problem around 8:10 - made me feel a bit better about the current tangle!

  • @mkbestmaan
    @mkbestmaan 10 місяців тому +1

    It is great to witness wisdom in a testimony, masterclass talk. Metacognition talks help a lot. Thank you for the inspiration.

  • @akmalbakar5078
    @akmalbakar5078 6 місяців тому +8

    Im a research scientist in industry and I found this incredibly helpful. Particularly about how other aspects of the research might be causing the issues in writing. Thank you!

  • @BrodieGiesbrecht
    @BrodieGiesbrecht 2 роки тому +17

    Your lectures are extremely helpful, thank you for posting these! Believe it or not, writing has been my favorite part of my undergraduate degree so far. I'm sure these tips will help me improve!

    • @James_Hayton
      @James_Hayton  2 роки тому +9

      I enjoy writing too! I don't think people should suffer through it

  • @TVWJ
    @TVWJ Рік тому +14

    I always tell them to start constructing the story, without worrying too much about the language. Could be power-point style. Formulate a main message for the entire article, and present the new evidence for that message, and construct the arguments, and put the things in the right order. Once you have done that, then you can focus more on the text.

  • @nidaulhasanati6402
    @nidaulhasanati6402 2 місяці тому +1

    Very complete guidance. The speaker is very patient in guiding 101 PhD students and aprofessional academics in writing. He really appreciates the efforts of PhD students and knows their problems, difficulties, struggles to achieve their goals to be able to contribute to knowledge. Thank you and blessing you

  • @PRIMULA567
    @PRIMULA567 2 роки тому +7

    Your talks are so good, wow!!! Well done. I am in my first semester of my Master's degree in Genetics and now I am writing my research proposal, this is so helpful. THANK YOU!!

  • @parishayjahanzeb2578
    @parishayjahanzeb2578 Рік тому +19

    Hi Hayton, I wish, i knew this at the time of my grad school. I was literally struggling with writing at that time .I stuck myself confronting three things
    1. Knowledge of particular discipline on given topic.
    2. Research methodolgy (worrying about the research principles)
    3. How to structure my ideas ( the most frustrating part).
    Thank God i saw your videos. it will surely help in my academic career.
    May Allah bless you.

    • @steevensonrosema8125
      @steevensonrosema8125 5 місяців тому

      @@parishayjahanzeb2578 Hi, I have been struggling with these three things in my PhD now. That is why this video is useful for me 😁. Thank you for showing that I am not the only one 😭

  • @JensdC
    @JensdC 6 місяців тому +13

    Found this on my feed. I regret that UA-cam didn't recommend this soon when I'm still in uni :(

  • @mamoako1521
    @mamoako1521 Рік тому +2

    14:47 Basic structure for the introduction of any project

  • @lily08799
    @lily08799 8 місяців тому +2

    Amazing presentations! It is indeed very important to learn to select from numurous evidence to tell a comprehensive story.

  • @zainaraza9585
    @zainaraza9585 3 місяці тому +1

    Jee thanks , it's a great resource for both phd and undergrad students, pretty helpful in their preparation. Its so thoughtful of you to share the valuable resource using your valuable time, so highly appreciative of your wisdom and generosity. You are educating a whole lot of people encouraging them to study further not just your uni students.

  • @lawanyaarvind2810
    @lawanyaarvind2810 Місяць тому

    Thank you so much, Dr Hayton. I will need to watch this more than once to understand it and implement it..Very useful as.A Ready reckoner

  • @ashleynguyen4802
    @ashleynguyen4802 6 місяців тому +5

    Thanks for your video, it helps me so much for academic writing skill!

  • @eulissaharvey5640
    @eulissaharvey5640 Рік тому +1

    Eulissa Harvey
    I totally agree, one should have details. For me, gathering details gives me the the oportuinity to communicate effectively.

  • @lawanyaarvind2810
    @lawanyaarvind2810 Місяць тому

    Thanks

  • @FS2024-j6k
    @FS2024-j6k Рік тому

    Best presentation on improving writing I've come across - thanks for sharing your lecture

    • @FS2024-j6k
      @FS2024-j6k Рік тому

      Is it possible to get access to the slides ?

  • @0101799
    @0101799 9 місяців тому +1

    Thank you so much for your lecture, Dr. Hayton! I will apply the skills you taught us in Portuguese! Greetings from Macau! :)

  • @TVWJ
    @TVWJ Рік тому +10

    For introductions - a way to get around that: Write a sentence: "in this article we present..." ("This research will... " !) and complete the sentence stating what you are going to do in the article. That sentence will contain a number of key words and concepts (these are related to the "situation, problem, current knowledge on the topic, and the approach you have chosen to address it). Find these items, they must be explained in your introduction. This will basically select what you need to explain (avoid irrelevant information), and also force you to put the things in a meaningful order. It is kind of writing your intro "backwards" - but by doing that, you have a clear focus when you write your introduction.

    • @James_Hayton
      @James_Hayton  Рік тому +2

      How does your approach force you to put things in a meaningful order, without addressing the relationship between ideas? I'm sure you can do it, but I've seen countless students use your approach but the writing is a total mess. The challenge in explaining the writing process is understanding those instinctive things we do in a way that someone else can follow.
      In your other comment, you say to formulate a main message and present evidence for it... but sometimes it's better to put the main message at the end as the argument and evidence leads the reader to the new conclusion... is this what you mean by writing backwards?

    • @TVWJ
      @TVWJ Рік тому +4

      @@James_Hayton Hi James. What I mean is that it is easier to select the material you need if you have the main message of your article as a focus point. I tell my students (I am an industrial coach) to write that sentence down. Of course, you have to address the relationship between the ideas and concepts, in the article itself this will be in your argumentation - the results and discussion parts.
      In introductions, having the final sentence in your head, with all the keywords/concepts in it helps to select what you should actually explain in the introduction and what not. If that one sentence you write down should make sense to a reader, you have to think about in what order you have to go through the keywords in that sentence, and of course explain what the relationship between the points is. That is then the storytelling part.
      I find this an efficient way to decide what you should put in and what you can leave out. It helps you to stay on the main track, and not get lost in sidetracks, as I often see in manuscripts (as a reviewer) and also in published articles.
      So my strategy is not to replace the thinking - there is no easy workaround for that ;-), but it is a useful guideline in what you should be thinking about.

  • @elalaelasariuinjakarta7548
    @elalaelasariuinjakarta7548 Рік тому +3

    Thank you, Dr. Hayton, It's a great video. I will try to apply in Indonesia. Cheers!.

  • @castalia6778
    @castalia6778 Рік тому +1

    I can't get enough of these lectures. Mr. Hayton, thank you so much!

  • @paulntalo1425
    @paulntalo1425 4 місяці тому +2

    Prof has simplified the art of writing different sections of the literature review findings.
    This is human AI on steroids for writing technically.
    Of all major channels you can think of, nothing comes close the way we taught to explore problems and debates.
    🎉 Thank You

  • @nilarose4983
    @nilarose4983 3 місяці тому

    Finally I found this video..Thanks from India

  • @GhalibVlogs
    @GhalibVlogs 3 місяці тому

    Good applicable points. Other than structure I find that tone is also an important yet und

  • @ledwinahungwe6001
    @ledwinahungwe6001 Рік тому +1

    Powerful presentations

  • @AmberSoleil1
    @AmberSoleil1 2 роки тому +299

    He missed “crying under your desk” in his process section

    • @paperclips1306
      @paperclips1306 Рік тому +15

      Does that work. If it works I will also cry under the desk.

    • @marryamakbaar3014
      @marryamakbaar3014 Рік тому +10

      It's absolutely necessary to cry, that's built in human system to coping mechanism ! It's important for us and normal 😌 don't worry about it !

    • @areliousmuckle8249
      @areliousmuckle8249 11 місяців тому +8

      😮 so I'm not the only one.

    • @AmberSoleil1
      @AmberSoleil1 11 місяців тому

      Definitely not! Stay strong! :P
      @@areliousmuckle8249

    • @kalaisai680
      @kalaisai680 9 місяців тому +8

      I can't even cry😂😂

  • @viantiapr
    @viantiapr 3 місяці тому

    Educative!Thanks for the video, your video brings me to the way out of the fear of writing. By the way, I am considering to take PhD, but realizing that writing a paper is mandatory, scares me! I was wondering if could I pass the stress and manage everything or not, but I would like to highlight things from you it's about the structure and "Fundamental reason".

  • @tawfiqezaz3455
    @tawfiqezaz3455 2 роки тому +3

    Thanks for your useful tips

  • @gokulanparthiban9230
    @gokulanparthiban9230 Місяць тому

    Thank you so much Sir. It's very useful.

  • @FredDeGreat
    @FredDeGreat 2 роки тому +3

    You are the best! Been a fan since "... Without Going Insane". 👍👍👍

  • @httv8677
    @httv8677 6 місяців тому +2

    Thank you so much. I take notes a lot.

  • @chitararajeshkumar5934
    @chitararajeshkumar5934 8 місяців тому +1

    Thank You sir for the informative session

  • @miramot0-origin
    @miramot0-origin 4 місяці тому +1

    Now is 3:30 am, I am preparing for IELTS, and I found thet may be this lecture will help to improve something

    • @James_Hayton
      @James_Hayton  4 місяці тому +3

      I'm not sure how helpful it will be for IELTS... I hope you managed to get some sleep and good luck!

  • @pH7Programming
    @pH7Programming 3 місяці тому

    Really good sharing here!

  • @Cloudxxx23
    @Cloudxxx23 3 місяці тому +1

    Do you have shorter version like bullet points?

  • @topromanticsong-trs7528
    @topromanticsong-trs7528 5 місяців тому

    Thank you so much for sharing, Sir!

  • @econshariful
    @econshariful 11 місяців тому +1

    I am half way to finish this amazing video. Would you please share the PPT?

  • @stern_noon
    @stern_noon 5 місяців тому

    Thank you for sharing this, it's so helpful.

  • @dlaminirozay3016
    @dlaminirozay3016 Рік тому +2

    I can hear what you are saying but it's hard to get the papers for information iam trying to attempt I stuck lot I wish to excel on this.

  • @MdJubairpantho
    @MdJubairpantho Рік тому +1

    Hello. Dr.Hayton. Very nice resource. Can i get the slides that you used if possible? Thanks

  • @tasnimsarker4653
    @tasnimsarker4653 Рік тому +1

    Thank you so much professor.

  • @rubabanaqvi3774
    @rubabanaqvi3774 6 місяців тому +1

    Excellent talk . Great insight. Please could you tell me should AI be employed for academic writing

    • @James_Hayton
      @James_Hayton  6 місяців тому

      Short answer is no. You can use it for proofreading, but if you are using it to generate text then that-s a very bad idea. You need to be able to defend everything you write, and if it turns out you don't know what you've said (or don't understand what you cite, or cite invented papers as AI often does), then you will fail.

  • @NHSHEARTTRANSPLANT
    @NHSHEARTTRANSPLANT 10 місяців тому +1

    Thanks! A lot

  • @MBMestrado2024
    @MBMestrado2024 Рік тому

    wow! Thank you so much

  • @mehnazhossain4632
    @mehnazhossain4632 8 місяців тому +1

    Well thank you.

  • @irwanmappe600
    @irwanmappe600 11 днів тому

    thank you

  • @nothydropump845
    @nothydropump845 6 місяців тому +1

    What do you think of large language models and the possibility for them to 'academicize' our texts for us without altering the contents of the text? Is it possible that writing excellence will lose some value to academia?

    • @nothydropump845
      @nothydropump845 6 місяців тому

      Also you say 'there is no other field in human activity .....and to ignore the details' but you know there is a lot of sports related activities where teachers will tell you that, with science to back it up

    • @nothydropump845
      @nothydropump845 6 місяців тому

      or would you call those teachers coaches...

    • @James_Hayton
      @James_Hayton  6 місяців тому

      If the input is rubbish, AI can't fix it. Academic writing will always be a valuable skill, but AI can be useful for proofreading

    • @James_Hayton
      @James_Hayton  6 місяців тому

      Going quickly without thought only applies once you have a high level of skill (for example in a competition setting, where you rely on the skill development you've done in training). If you want to improve or modify a skill, you have to slow down and pay attention (you can't do this in a competition setting)

    • @nothydropump845
      @nothydropump845 6 місяців тому +1

      @@James_Hayton Still though, what if the input is logically sound and also objectively valid, but is just said in grammatically incorrect ways or ways not seen as academical? Let's take 2 imaginary people who go to college, are smart, and lets assume they both write a paper which is logically sound and empirically valid, and both writers manage to communicate their ideas in such a way that the reader is able to fully understand. Now let's say that one writes in a perfect academic style and the other writes with vocabulary which a 12 year old would understand. In current academia, the second submission would be failed (even if the contribution the paper makes to the science field it is proposed to is important). I argue that a.i (in the near future) will be able to academicize the second paper, making it on par with the first. Now i am not saying that writing skills are therefore void and useless, but what i am saying is that person 2 does not deserve to be failed for his paper on the grounds of it being written simply. I understand that the second person would and should be failed in all time before now, but in the modern digitalized era, i think it is time to de-value writing as measure of intelligence

  • @mavicityrelayson2924
    @mavicityrelayson2924 Рік тому

    I need a workaround on that being completely offline thing. Most of my stuff are in the cloud.

    • @James_Hayton
      @James_Hayton  Рік тому

      you can block distracting sites and leave essential ones accessible

  • @SengkhounLim
    @SengkhounLim 7 місяців тому

    Thank you for this video.

  • @zeeshan5643
    @zeeshan5643 2 місяці тому

    Prof. would you kindly share the slides?

  • @Gorboduc
    @Gorboduc Рік тому +7

    Upvoted the second he said that Just Write™ is trash advice.

  • @luisalfonso5205
    @luisalfonso5205 2 роки тому +1

    Your videos are so enjoyable! I'm currently stuck in the process of submitting my first draft at journals. Do you have any recommendations or videos that could be helpful for this process?

    • @James_Hayton
      @James_Hayton  2 роки тому

      show the work to your supervisor and get feedback before submitting- also ask your supervisor about the process as they'll be able to guide you

  • @RIGTV-nb5jy
    @RIGTV-nb5jy 6 місяців тому +2

    Great

  • @James_Hayton
    @James_Hayton  6 місяців тому +22

    If you like this video, check out this other live talk on The Basic Principles Every PhD Student Needs to Know:
    👉 ua-cam.com/video/VrMwAOtB9S4/v-deo.html

  • @rohinikrishnan7026
    @rohinikrishnan7026 Місяць тому

    The same approach can apply for social sciences phd ???

    • @James_Hayton
      @James_Hayton  23 дні тому

      Yes. Most of the clients I've worked with have been from the social sciences!

  • @Jesus-Blockchain
    @Jesus-Blockchain Рік тому

    How can I be in touch with you Dr ? I want to write my Thesis in Finance , please let me know to reach you

  • @PhDsoonish
    @PhDsoonish Рік тому

    You are right Dr. Hayton, I need write 3 papers each ones in a different languages, I do NOT knows where to start. The papers is due buy December 21, 2023. This is old video I hopes you is still alive?

  • @mehnazhossain4632
    @mehnazhossain4632 8 місяців тому +1

    Aren't the details guided by the science. Research methodology. And methods? I might have missed the point?

    • @James_Hayton
      @James_Hayton  8 місяців тому

      Yes, the details are guided by the science... I don't understand your comment

  • @coreymullan9348
    @coreymullan9348 4 місяці тому

    If you write like a phd student as an undergrad, would you still get the highest grades of that level

    • @James_Hayton
      @James_Hayton  4 місяці тому

      Great question! You would hope that a PhD student would score very well on an undergrad assignment...
      The principles of structure I talk about are universal (I adapted them from principles of narrative structure in storytelling) and can be applied to essays, academic papers, grant proposals... anything. The application may vary slightly, but the principles remain the same

  • @MadofaA
    @MadofaA Рік тому +1

    9:40 the effect on our writng ability of being educated to pass tests.

  • @virenpatelpage
    @virenpatelpage 3 місяці тому +1

    He took the movie Speed as an example. Now he becomes a brother anyway.

  • @studyandworkbuddy
    @studyandworkbuddy 6 місяців тому +1

    14:36 Structure

  • @yousefalqurashi777
    @yousefalqurashi777 2 роки тому +8

    When writing a Dissertation in humanities - particularly in philosophy and theory of something (political theory for example), it is a whole other story. you are just flowing in a sea of narratives and trying to fix up something from almost nothing. no data, no problem, no analytics, just philosophy.
    I hope that you have something on this issue

    • @James_Hayton
      @James_Hayton  2 роки тому +11

      most of the students I've worked with have been in the humanities, and I can tell you that my approach evolved from working with those students. You need structure. There is no other way.
      If you understand how structure works, you don't need to be adrift in a sea of narratives, you can systematically and logically construct an argument in exactly the same way as in the sciences.
      If you don't have a problem or question to answer, what are you doing?

    • @Heyu7her3
      @Heyu7her3 2 роки тому +2

      I did my undergraduate studies in Philipsburg and had to do a thesis. While I agree that the theoretical writing is very different from empirical writing, you do still have some sort of problem that you solve or address in some way (through sources, proofs, thought experiment, etc). There's still a structure -- of course, not like an empirical paper, but still there.

    • @James_Hayton
      @James_Hayton  2 роки тому +8

      It's not really that different at all. The key is that you can use structured thinking to figure out what you want to say, but to do short, standalone pieces to explore specific aspects of a problem. As you figure out more of the pieces you start to notice connections and patterns, then you can put together a complete document once you've clarified your thoughts and know what you want to say

    • @yokkanyanat1532
      @yokkanyanat1532 2 роки тому +1

      @@James_Hayton Thank you so much! This suggestion helps me too.

  • @mehnazhossain4632
    @mehnazhossain4632 8 місяців тому

    I start with the introduction which was dissonant with conventional advice. That brought in doubts. On what one should do rather than what have been doing. That was confusing. Past.

  • @ninirema4532
    @ninirema4532 Рік тому +1

    Dear prof Dr sir
    Very sweet good morning 🌄🌄🌞🌞🌞
    Thank you very much 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏❤😅

  • @EnglishAnahit
    @EnglishAnahit 3 місяці тому +1

    👏👏👏👏👏👍👍👍👍👍

  • @vectoralphaSec
    @vectoralphaSec Рік тому +1

    I thought you were Greg Miller from a distance.

  • @diarimachan
    @diarimachan 2 роки тому +6

    1.5 hours and keeps my attention

  • @herbsandflowers8152
    @herbsandflowers8152 3 місяці тому

    Now someone write their PhD about how to have good writing in your PhD thesis, inception?

  • @sumantranray2414
    @sumantranray2414 Рік тому

    your videos are on important topics.
    But why are they soooo lengthy > 1 hour ?

    • @James_Hayton
      @James_Hayton  Рік тому

      i do shorter ones too. Take your pick!

  • @user-numnumnum
    @user-numnumnum 3 місяці тому

    Someone is entirely missing the point of “just write”

    • @James_Hayton
      @James_Hayton  3 місяці тому

      so what is the point I've missed?

  • @khansvirtualdiary
    @khansvirtualdiary Рік тому

    📝📨🖥️