Tag Archives: professional

Writing & Research

Research is a key element of progression and advancement across many disciplines. Whether it is for scientific or business purposes, the integration of research into a particular field can not only provide opportunities for moving forward, but as well as insight regarding the development of previously unfamiliar ideas. An important aspect of starting and conducting research is the creation of a research proposal. Tailored specifically to the subject matter at hand, research proposals are not only practical in conveying the framework of an idea, but they are also structured and formatted in a way that seeks to challenge the idea and reimagine it’s potential impact. Even beyond proposals and in research papers at large, there is a significant expectation for ideas to be conveyed effectively and in an informative fashion at all times. 

When assembling a research proposal, there are a number of highly important things to consider. Depending on the field in which the research is being done there will be a handful of criterion to consider in planning a proposal. In just about every case, one of the first things a research plan is centered around is the formulation of a hypothesis. Contrary to popular belief, there are a number of ways in which a hypothesis can seek to answer a question, which is ultimately tied into the type of research being conducted. A hypothesis can be either directional or non-directional, which can seek favor for one effect over another or purely the presence of any effect.

Key to choosing the way in which a hypothesis is phrased is the kind of research being conducted. In the case of experimental design, used prevalently in sciences such as biology and psychology, there is an extensive the amount of planning that goes into formulating a research question. Often times, ethics plays a strong role in setting up boundaries for what you can and cannot do in an experiment, as well as how you must go about the handling of human subjects while creating the most safe and valid design possible. It may take a while to find the proper methods and statistical analysis tools required to produce significant results for the research you wish to conduct, however the time spent ensuring that you’ve created a stable and accurate design will ultimately prevent trouble in the long run.

Within each field specifically, there is a very particular format for the way in which not only research is conducted, but also in the way that it is written about. It is important to stay true to the language of the research you’ve conducted, while also keeping in mind who your audience is when writing research reports. For the most part it is best to use primarily palatable language, while as often as possible keeping paragraphs and sentences shorter rather than longer. By far the most important aspect of writing in research, which is applicable across any field, is the ability to be concise. If what you have written is able to convey as much clear-cut information in as few words as possible, readers will be much more easily engaged and interested in what it is your research has to say.

At the Drop of a Tweet

In the rapidly evolving age of information that we are currently planted smack dab in the middle of, there are a handful of emerging methods of communication at our disposal via the Internet. One of the most readily available forms of social media is Twitter, a website that has shown great impact outside of purely casual means. Take for example, the way in which many young people around the world spread information surrounding the relatively recent Arab Spring in a rapid-fire fashion. In this sense, a website such as Twitter has the potential to be revolutionary, yet we often seem to view it as a cultural vice on which people gossip about celebrities and their personal problems.

Earlier today, as a class, we participated in an academic Twitter summit, sharing questions and ideas with students, professor and scholars across the globe. Until early last week, I had no idea what an academic Twitter summit was, or what it might even relatively hold. However, after participating in this experience firsthand, my eyes have been opened to the immense possibilities that a social media website as such can offer, in addition to the magnitude of ways in which the communication of ideas will be impacted in the future as a result of our growing mastery of technology.

One of the first and most amazing things about the Twitter summit was that by simply using a uniting hash tag, anybody from around the world could be involved in the conversation. The reason why this is so phenomenal is that in the past, communicating with people all over the world was much more difficult and took hours, if not days to facilitate proper conversation. Here we are, in 2014, in a classroom, typing up 140 characters or less to articulate our professional concerns and inquiries with any number of distinguished academics. Thirty years ago, they would’ve called us crazy; we now call it the wave of the future in spreading ideas.

The possibility for this activity to expand in the future, both in terms of membership and exposure, is highly promising. Granted that prior to recently, I was even unfamiliar with the existence of these types of things, the number of academic and professional uses for Twitter is constantly growing. A website that was once viewed as a distraction or not worthy of my time has proven to not only refute those ideas, but also be much more than that, as a device for professional and personal advancement. It is highly plausible to meet someone important on Twitter because they saw an idea or work that you have posted. In the event of something like this, be it an academic from Cairo or an employer in your city, you have the chance over the Internet to forge a connection with them and establish a potential fruitful relationship as a result of your exposure via Twitter.

As an afterthought of the Twitter summit, I was also exposed to a number of great insights regarding professional level writing and its ties to the ever-growing Internet. While some offered borderline obvious insights (be careful of what you post, remember that you have a global scale audience), a number of highly interesting points regarding the nature of writing in general were raised. Of the most interesting ones that were brought to my attention, was from a student in our class, who inquired on the interpolation of creative and academic writing.

This is something that I have always personally struggled with, often being too dense and wordy in reporting psychological research. However, I feel that the point raised is worthy of rumination. I do believe that there is a way to adhere to the tenets of academic writing while also being able to flex your personal skill as a writer. Although there may not be as ample of opportunities compared to creative fiction for example, it is entirely possible to integrate your own tone and style into writing at the professional level, especially on the Internet. Blogging in the professional realm, for example, serves as a great opportunity for the cohesion of two styles as such to occur.

Overall, thanks to the eye opening experience of the academic Twitter summit, I have been motivated to spend more time engaging with the academic and professional aspects of social media sites, as well as quench the thirst I currently hold for obtaining greater knowledge and personal exposure of my work as a writer. Although I have said this before, I am pleased to embrace the wave of the future in communication and the opportunities it will grant for the betterment of our collective academic knowledge.

Resume Writing in 2014

Seeking a job in today’s day and age may not be the easiest thing to do, especially considering the high levels of specification that often come with certain careers or positions. Often viewed as some sort of template document, the professional resume is an important tool that when utilized properly, can make all the difference in applying for a particular job. For the longest time, I too was under the impression that there could only be one proper way to produce a resume; that is, if I were lacking certain qualifications, my resume simply felt empty compared to that of one of my peers. However, the informative article “Resume Writing” produced by the University of California at Berkley does an excellent job at highlighting the essential aspects of a resume, placing emphasis on presentation, language and selection of detail based on the position one may be applying for.

One of the key decisions a person must make when applying for a particular position is choosing the type of resume that will be best for them in terms of marketability. Under the notion that a potential employer may only view an individual’s resume from somewhere between eight and thirty seconds, it becomes of high importance to organize the resume in a fashion that highlights the key components of what you are trying to sell to the interviewer. The two most common types of resumes are a skills resume and a chronological resume; more often than not, a chronological resume is the more universal and applicable resume style. In lieu of these ideas, constructing the resume around what an employer is seeking is completely possible, simply on the merit of organization and presentation.

For example, when listing education, a section that would almost never be absent on a resume, it is important to prioritize the order in which information is presented. Contrary to my own initial belief, the emphasis should not be placed on the institution or university from which you graduated, but rather the degree you received. This again relates to the idea of what you are trying to sell; the university from which you came isn’t of the upmost importance, it’s the specific educational qualifications that they are more than likely looking for.

An additional factor to consider when listing educational attainments is placing an emphasis on college, especially when applying for a job in a professional field. However, for some, myself included, there may not be a whole lot that particularly seems to stand out in that section. In light of this, there are a number of possible solutions. By listing an interesting or impactful course you succeeded in that may also bear a specific connection to your field of application, it could perhaps set you apart from other applicants by highlighting your passion and familiarity within the topic. Even something as much as a well-written undergraduate thesis or similar research endeavors that may not seem all that important could have a strong impact on your selection, granted that there is some connection it bears to the position for which you are applying.

Another key element of successful resume writing is centered on the specific use of language in phrasing one’s accomplishments and past efforts. Specifically, when fleshing out academic experience, work history and / or community involvement, the implementation of certain language has the ability to make your efforts stand out more and seem professional. These kinds of action verbs can be used effectively when detailing, for example, your duties under your current employer. Simply listing, ‘responsibilities included’ is not ideal, especially when the term responsibilities indicates that you were more or less obligated to do something. Using verbs such as ‘implemented,’ ‘strategized,’ and ‘expedited’ as opposed to just saying ‘did this’ and ‘did that’ are much more effective in driving home the point that you were a driving force behind the tasks being mentioned. Additionally, this type of language can be an important transition tool; specific wording could make the duties of a restaurant job applicable to the larger frame of a professional career. This use of language also holds true for sections such as technological skills, where by simply mentioning you know how to do or use something is much less effective than taking the time to practically word your skills in a marketable sense.

Overall, this article and class alone have been extremely helpful in developing a more professional resume. In the past, it felt like I had been peddling the same resume year to year, leaving me to only wonder what potential employers could possibly think about it. Now I feel highly confident in my ability to produce quality resumes that would be applicable to a number of positions.