1/29/2020 using metacommentary to specify your contribution: christmas present three | patter

patter
research education, academic writing,
public engagement, funding, other
eccentricities.

using metacommentary to specify your contribution: christmas present three

Posted on December 12, 2012

A metacommentary is the term used to describe a narrative which directs the reader’s attention to the text’s
purpose and positioning. According to Graf and Birkenstein (2010), the function of a metacommentary is akin to
that of a Greek Chorus – it stands to one side of the action and explains what is going on to the audience so that
they don’t lose track of where they’ve been and where they are headed.

The introduction to a chapter or journal article often requires an extended metacommentary. The
metacommentary allows the writer tells the reader what they are doing, why and how. It positions the work in the
scholarly field, but also often in the wider policy and practice fields. The writer uses metacommentary to carefully
delineate what they will and wont do, define key terms, and thus indicate very clearly the contribution that they
intend to make.

It is helpful to read introductions simply for their metacommentaries, to see the way the language works and to
see the moves that are made. Here is one example taken from an edited collection I recently read. It is the
introduction to a chapter called “Exploring the use of social network sites in the workplace” (Watson-Manheim,
2011)

I have put in bold the most important sections of metacommentary.

There is considerable interest in the use of social media in organisations today. In this chapter I explore the
potential for use of social network sites (SNNs) for performing organizational work activities. I focus on the
use of SNNs in the workplace for communication and collaboration between employees (either in the same or
different organisations), which is directed toward the range of firm activities supporting the production and
distribution of products and services. In other words, this chapter is not focused on customer
interactions primarily directed toward the marketing of produces and services, or the management of the
firm’s brand.

The question I explore is what value a new set of communication media tools can bring to an organisation
where employees already have a plethora of media to choose from to perform work activities, and under what
conditions it is likely that these tools will be adopted. In particular, I discuss the use of SNNs to perform
collaborative work activities. There are a wide variety of SNNs available to users which have had varying
degrees of success (boyd and Ellison, 2008). However I do not focus on a particular site, eg LinkedIn or
MySpace, but in software applications that enable similar functionalities. In this chapter, I base my
discussion of SNNs on the general definition offered by boyd and Ellison (2008):

web-based services that allow individuals to (1) construct a public or semi-public within a bounded systems, (2)
articulate a list of other users with whom they share a connection, and (3) view and traverse their list of
connections and those made by others within the system… ( P 121)

In line with Grudin (2006) I argue that a significant benefit of social media in organisations will likely be
for knowledge management…

The introduction then goes on to explore this latter point, using literatures.
https://patthomson.net/2012/12/12/using-metacommentary-to-specify-your-contribution-christmas-present-three/ 1/3
1/29/2020 using metacommentary to specify your contribution: christmas present three | patter

I now want to go through this introduction again, sentence by sentence, providing an explanation of what the
writer is actually doing in the metacommentary.

(1) There is considerable interest in the use of social media in organisations today. This opening sentence locates
the work in a wide area of concern, both scholarly and practical. Given the nature of the book in which the chapter
appeared it was not necessary to expand this point, as it might be in other contexts.

(2) In this chapter I explore the potential for use of social network sites (SNNs) for performing
organizational work activities. This is the general purpose of the paper.

(3) I focus on the use of SNNs in the workplace for communication and collaboration between employees
(either in the same or different organisations), which is directed toward the range of firm activities supporting
the production and distribution of products and services. Here the writer delinates the aspect of the broader topic
with which she is concerned.

(4) In other words, this chapter is not focused on customer interactions primarily directed toward the
marketing of produces and services, or the management of the firm’s brand. Now she clarifies even further what
she’s not going to do, just in case any readers thought that they might see this.

(5) The question I explore is what value a new set of communication media tools can bring to an
organisation where employees already have a plethora of media to choose from to perform work activities, and
under what conditions it is likely that these tools will be adopted. A further clarification is given for what will be
addressed.These various clarifications are drawing a boundary around what will and won’t be covered.

(6) In particular, I discuss the use of SNNs to perform collaborative work activities. The writer is circling
ever closer to the very particular focus of the paper.

(7) There are a wide variety of SNNs available to users which have had varying degrees of success (boyd and
Ellison, 2008). But again this is still too open to a reader’s misconception – she needs to stop and clarify what she
want to do, so again the writer says what she isn’t going to do… However I do not focus on a particular site,
eg LinkedIn or MySpace, but in software applications that enable similar functionalities.

(8) In this chapter, I base my discussion of SNNs on the general definition offered by boyd and
Ellison (2008): web-based services that allow individuals to (1) construct a public or semi-public within a
bounded systems, (2) articulate a list of other users with whom they share a connection, and (3) view and
traverse their list of connections and those made by others within the system… ( P 121) The writer now offers a
definition of what she will focus on, at the same time anchoring her approach in the literature.

(9) In line with Grudin (2006) I argue that a significant benefit of social media in organisations will likely
be for knowledge management… She concludes the metacommentary by stating what the article will show, and
that this is in line with other work in the area.

So that’s a metacommentary. It’s a very careful set of manoeuvres which stop the reader having false expectations,
jumping to the wrong conclusions and/or critiquing the writer for not doing something she never intended to do.
It’s a kind of steering the reader onto the track that you have taken.

References
Graf, G and Birkenstein, C (2010) They say, I say: The moves that matter in academic writing. (2nd ed) New York:
W.W. Norton & Co.
Watson-Manheim, M M (2011) “Exploring the use of social network sites in the workplace.” In Z Papacharissi (
Ed) A networked self. Identity, community and culture on social network sites. new York: Routledge. pp 169-182
https://patthomson.net/2012/12/12/using-metacommentary-to-specify-your-contribution-christmas-present-three/ 2/3
1/29/2020 using metacommentary to specify your contribution: christmas present three | patter

Share this:

 Twitter  Facebook  Pinterest 1  LinkedIn  Tumblr  Print  Email  Reddit  Pocket

Like

10 bloggers like this.

a drafting strategy what is an "original contribution"? writing course - The Introduction

In "planning" In "David Lodge" In "Focs and Expand moves"

About pat thomson

Pat Thomson is Professor of Education in the School of Education, The University of Nottingham, UK
View all posts by pat thomson →

This entry was posted in academic writing, introduction, meta-commentary and tagged academic writing, introduction, metacommentary, Pat Thomson. Bookmark the permalink.

5 Responses to using metacommentary to specify your contribution: christmas present three

maelorin says:
January 4, 2014 at 8:46 pm

thankyou! this has helped me get past a long drawn out rewrite – and led me to think more clearly about what i have been
trying to say, and how i’ve been saying it.

 Like
Reply

Pingback: talking ‘the contribution’ of a journal article | patter

Gh Hussian Haidari says:

March 12, 2017 at 9:14 am

Thank you very much, it helped me to do my assignment well. and understand the purpose of my instructors.

 Like
Reply

Pingback: leave a good last impression – the thesis conclusion | patter

Pingback: your MC for this paper is… | patter

patter
Blog at WordPress.com.

https://patthomson.net/2012/12/12/using-metacommentary-to-specify-your-contribution-christmas-present-three/ 3/3