Like there are many ways up a mountain, there are many ways to get into research. Becoming a balanced researcher, however, requires proficiency in many skills, some of which may not have been necessary in one’s previous work. Academic writing is an essential skill for research. I went to engineering school and then industry, neither of which involved writing research articles (or much writing in general). I am going to investigate what aspects of writing constitute the polish expected at top-tier conferences. (I will go into detail in my next post.) In doing so (in tandem with writing and submitting to conferences), hopefully I can learn how to reliably generate high quality academic writing.
I have a few reasons for blogging:
Writing practice. I am an engineer by training, so my writing skills are rusty. This blog will provide a low-pressure outlet for short-term writing projects while I chip away at conference submissions.
Learning aid. I’m actively learning what is required of a top-tier research paper. The process of writing will hopefully solidify what I’m learning. Because it’s not something required like an assignment for a class or a project with my advisor, it will also be nice to have the blog as a way to hold myself accountable.
(Bonus) Helpful to others. I suspect there are others like me who want to transition into research, but do not know what it takes to write a quality research paper. While discovering it for myself I hope to share insights in an accessible way.