Notes Taking: Researching the Art
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58213/ell.v4i1.45Abstract
Writing a thesis is like offering retirement planning counsel to a 65-year-old: you can't start with a blank sheet and you'll be in trouble from the first. Ahrens does not hold back in How to Take Smart Notes when it comes to making big statements and his critique of academic writing guides is unrestrained. It is important to take notes before beginning to write an academic paper, even if the author does not give precise direction on how to construct a strong research topic, how to arrange a lengthier piece, or how correctly reference sources. As a result, Ahrens' book doesn't fit into either category: broad advice or particular instruction. Rather, it sits somewhere in between. Either a practical how-to guide or a psychological self-help guide that offers suggestions on how to deal with the mental challenges of finishing a piece of writing without incurring emotional breakdowns.
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