Writing for Scholars

Since moving to Norway from the US in the late 1980s, Lynn P. Nygaard has provided editorial support, writing instruction, and coaching for researchers in a wide variety of disciplines. A native English speaker, Nygaard started as a freelance copyeditor and translator for Norwegian academics aiming to publish their work in international journals. In 2000, she became the editorial advisor at the Center for International Climate and Environmental Research – Oslo (CICERO). This position allowed her to view researchers and the writing process from close quarters, and she discovered that language was seldom the main explanation for what was going wrong. After several years of leading workshops on academic writing that focused on developing an awareness of audience, formulating the core argument, and structuring the story, she published Writing for Scholars: A Practical Guide to Making Sense and Being Heard (originally published by Universitetsforlaget in 2008, and published in a second edition by Sage and Universitetsforlaget in 2015). In 2008, she became a special advisor at the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), and continues to develop her expertise in how to support scholars through the writing process. With an undergraduate degree in women’s studies from the University of California at Berkeley and a graduate degree in political science at the University of Oslo, she is currently pursuing a doctorate in education from the Institute of Education, University College London, focusing on research productivity, academic writing, and gender gaps in academia.  

Chapter 1. Introduction: Entering the conversation
Chapter 2. Getting started: Developing good writing habits
Chapter 3. The “i” in (social) science: Objectivity, transparency, and argument
Chapter 4. Who are you talking to? Defining your audience
Chapter 5. What do you want to say? Forming your core argument
Chapter 6. How are you going to say it? Developing your structure
Chapter 7. Breaking up the grey mass: Headings, figures, and tables
Chapter 8. Holding up the mirror: Giving and receiving feedback
Chapter 9. Saying it out loud: Presenting your paper
Chapter 10. Delivering the goods: Following author guidelines and submitting your manuscript