Begin at the End

There was a nice discussion on differences on dependent variable treatment yesterday in Dr. Nachman's class where we talked about choosing dependent variables.

You see, dependent variables are the end half of an argument's equation.

Independent Variable (ID) -> Dependent Variable (DV)

The ID impacts on the DV,

      or the ID causes the DV... etc...

In quantitative research, you don't select sample cases based on the dependent variable for the reason that quantification usually means you are trying to prove the relationship that the ID cased or has an effect on the DV.

But in qualitative, you can sometimes make the sample choices based on the DV because you are not proving that the ID did impact on the DV but rather what you are trying to discover is on how.

But that's not why we are here today, I simply used that to introduce our topic. Begin with the end in mind (which in a way related to making choices based on DVs 😀 ).

What we've been focusing on in the past few weeks are things that help us write or help us begin to write, or even the ingredients that we can use as we do so.

For today we have these important life-research lessons, akin to my predilections on being practical and economic in any action that I do.

Esteemed educator and researcher Dr. Allan De Guzman speaks of the tenet - "When the why is clear, the how is easy."

So, keep that in mind as you begin to even think of writing. What's your end goal?

Let's further translate that here into practical samples.

Why write if the only goal is submit in class? There's a weirdness to this. Professors usually have "publishable" as the top quality for the highest scores for class papers.

Here's a scenario, we usually have insight or good manner of expressing ourselves or both. These things get us recognition on the potential of our work. But, are they journal ready?

That's our goal for today because it's sad that sometimes it's such an effort to revise after submission that papers with good potential already get pushed on the side and seldom get submitted,

Here are important strategies to note.

• What discipline or sub-discipline are you writing for? This will impact on several things that may need to be redone if you did not have this in mind.
• If you know the discipline, then you will know two things (or find out). 1. What journals do publish such material as you have in mind to write. 2. What's the writing style?
• Most disciplines have their own style. For example, most political science researches use APA, but political theory use Chicago (and usually footnote rather than parenthetical in-text citations).
• There's also another factor, sometimes the journal itself has a preferred citation style, so after you determine the discipline, look for your target journal.
• But how about if you get rejected and need to shift journals and the new journal has a different preferred style? That's where citation tools are useful. I checked with a prominent journal and even they say that people should not be doing manual method of writing bibliographies/references anymore. This is because if you need to shift, then all you will need to do is change the format of the tool and the entire list of references (along with the in-text) will be updated. Remember our last magic card, use the tools!
• TAKE NOTE THOUGH! I used the wording "writing style" awhile back on bullet 2. APA, Chicago, MLA... those are not just citation formats. They are Manuals of Style. The way they organize written text contain unique nuances that say "hey, this is written for this particular academic community who happen to speak the same academic language." So, the heading style, outline numbering, and even captioning may be different. Not all of these cannot be automated, though there are tutorials on YouTube on how to automate (I wouldn't say they're complete though). The rule here is know the style and adjust as necessary. 
• Another element of writing style is what mode of English do they use? American or British? So, best to begin with this in mid too.
• More often than not, the "sciences" use third person in writing. But there are particular subdisciplines in political science which doesn't do so. Again, if you know the journal, then you're better off.

Those are but a few, but they can help save you a big chunk of time and even help you publish.

Don't let your ideas go to waste as simply submissions that end up only in your hard drive.

Check out the systematic system on how goblins use artillery in today's MTG card (I don't agree in using people as cannon fodder though, just be systematic please).

Image copyrighted to Wizards of the Coast: https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=45467