Academic

Scholars Ponder The Process of Writin' and Citin'

By Dan Filler

Howard Wasserman over at Prawfs has a great conversation going on about this narrow but absolutely critical scholarship question:  how do you write?  Do you draft the piece freestyle, straight from your head, lightly cited?  Or do you write 'n cite - sketching out the text and inserting footnotes all at the same time?

This is a question that I've never actually discussed with other profs, but one that always vexes me when I'm at the drafting stage.  In my own experience, I tend to do a sloppy mix of both.  I surround myself with all the source material as if I'm going to write 'n cite, but end up doing most of the drafting without inserting footnotes.  The reams of paper function as my security blanket, confirming that a) I'm not making it all up and b) at some point I'll be able to prove that I'm not making it all up.

Whatever your preference, I think you do yourself a real favor by making a strategic decision on this early on.  That way, you can structure your production process around the inevitable need to finish with a fully cited work.  For example, I do extensive outlining before I write.  In fact, part of my ritual is to make a trip to the office supply store to purchase an 11x17 sketch pad, on which I create this outline.  I like lots of room to insert new points.  I note sources on this outline - often without page cites.  I can then refer back to the outline when I later need to generate footnotes. But I also agree with Hillel Levin that, sometimes, you need to switch approaches simply to break writing blocks. 

There is one risk to drafting from your head, footnoting later: you must make sure you actually cite all the ideas (and particularly language) you've borrowed from others.  It's possible that this approach does slightly increase  the risk of inadvertant plagarism. 

For new scholars, the important take-away from this dialogue is that there are different ways to crack the nut.  If one method isn't working, turn the ship and head in another direction.  The crucial thing is produce a first draft; the rest is editing.  And who ever heard of editor's block?

(Image?  C'mon!  That's a Citation, of course!)

Full post as published by The Faculty Lounge on March 21, 2008 (boomark / email).