Unlocking your Writing!!!

• Understanding the
• What?
• When?
• Where?
• How?
• Of your writing
 ‘What’ – of your writing…
• Topic and the specific focus??? - What research questions or objectives
are you seeking to address??….Check the literature?
• Ask these reflective questions – is the topic/questions relevant? - is the
topic/questions manageable? - is the topic/questions interesting?
• What format should your paper take?? – will your paper be based on
actual research, a review, or be a conceptual piece.
• What is your outlet of choice?? – Scholarly – journal (examine all
requirements of these outlet); nonscholarly
 More ‘What’ - Finding Literature for
Scholarly Work
• Search for reputable journals in your subject area – remember the UWI’s online Library
system (UWILinC) – google scholar (paywalled journals)
• Check https://doaj.org/ for Directory of Open Access Journals (be safe from predatory or
other questionable outlets – assess rankings at SJR (Scimago Journal Rankings -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeC6qMhLaRs )
• If you want to really advance a specific area or make an original contribution within the field ,
• examine the most recent articles in the ‘best’ journals in your field.
• look for the gaps or recommendations for further research – what do we not yet know – assess the
commonalities/convergences of these gaps
 “When”….of your writing
• Timing is critical in the writing process.

• This is different for everybody – find the time that best suits you!!!

• Choose a time where you know interruptions can be kept to the minimum.

• You need to carve out 1 to 2 hours of space and time!!!

 “Where”….of your writing
• Finding a suitable place in your physical home or space is key !!

• Reflect on your writing productivity based on on environmental factors such as

• Noise (or music)
• Lighting
• Temperature
• Isolation

• Experiment and see what (where) works best for you.

 ‘How’….of your writing
• Set writing ‘goals’ for each day (if you can) – adds more structure and incentive
to the process –
• e.g. reach a word size target or complete a particular section – be realistic and stick to goals!!

• Set deadlines on specific writing goals – i.e. chapter by end of the week!!

• Do an outline of your writing – e.g. create subheadings as ‘fillers’ and make notes
on what you need to achieve
 Literature Review (Sample Outline)
‘Subheadings and Notes’
• COVID-19 Pandemic in Education (Subheading 1)
• Include works defining pandemics and make reference to other pandemics
• Explain the COVID-19 pandemic
• Demonstrate how this pandemic has upended the educational sector

• Education’s Responses to the COVID-19(Subheading 1)

• Include works from various countries on how educational institutions have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic
• Evaluate these responses from the vantage points of other studies and theoretical/practical approaches
• Seek to identify any best practice responses (if any)
 Common Issues in the Writing Process
• “I feel my writing is weak or unsophisticated” – review others’ work and writing in your field; reach out
for help; get feedback.

• “I feel too lazy or procrastinate” – avoid distractions; leave the laptop on the desk; fill the room with
reminders

• “I find that I have to read everything – all of my articles for my review – before I can write” – you don’t
have to read everything – you can start with quickly pulling out key points (in a concise summary) from
a given article on a blank page:
• What was the article seeking to achieve?
• What approach did the article take – its method/design, who were the participants and what
factors/variables were under study
• What were the main findings and resultant conclusions?
 Final Tips
• Know why you are writing!!

• Plot a path to completion at the outset – what do you want to achieve each day and at the
end of the process!!!

• Know your deficiencies/weaknesses and locate support/reach out to someone

• Aim to write something each day – forgive yourself if you can’t

• Celebrate small wins in your writing journey – don’t compare yourself with anybody else