논문 잘 쓰는 법 2

Douglas E. Comer 교수의 홈페이지에 How To Write A Dissertation (학위논문 쓰는법)에 정말 공감가는 말이 있어서 옮겨본다.

A Rule Of Thumb:

Good writing is essential in a dissertation. However, good writing cannot compensate for a paucity of ideas or concepts. Quite the contrary, a clear presentation always exposes weaknesses.

가장 잘 들어맞는 규칙:

좋은 작문은 학위논문 쓰는데 필수불가결하지만, 그렇다고 해서 좋은 작문이 아이디어나 개념의 부족함을 보상해줄 수 있는 것은 아니다. 오히려 그 반대다. 명확하게 쓰여진다면 항상 (아이디어나 개념의) 약점들을 드러내기 마련이다.

다음은 Comer 교수가 나열한 "피해야 할 용어나 구절들" 리스트다. 하나 하나 보면 알겠지만, 전에 포스팅한 논문 잘 쓰는 법... 에서도 언급했듯이, 역시 결국 핵심은 "명확성"이다.

• adverbs
  Mostly, they are very often overly used. Use strong words instead. For example, one could say, ``Writers abuse adverbs.''
• jokes or puns
  They have no place in a formal document.
• ``bad'', ``good'', ``nice'', ``terrible'', ``stupid''
  A scientific dissertation does not make moral judgements. Use ``incorrect/correct'' to refer to factual correctness or errors. Use precise words or phrases to assess quality (e.g., ``method A requires less computation than method B''). In general, one should avoid all qualitative judgements.
• ``true'', ``pure'',
  In the sense of ``good'' (it is judgemental).
• ``perfect''
  Nothing is.
• ``an ideal solution''
  You're judging again.
• ``today'', ``modern times''
  Today is tomorrow's yesterday.
• ``soon''
  How soon? Later tonight? Next decade?
• ``we were surprised to learn...''
  Even if you were, so what?
• ``seems'', ``seemingly'',
  It doesn't matter how something appears;
• ``would seem to show''
  all that matters are the facts.
• ``in terms of''
  usually vague
• ``based on'', ``X-based'', ``as the basis of''
  careful; can be vague
• ``different''
  Does not mean ``various''; different than what?
• ``in light of''
  colloquial
• ``lots of''
  vague & colloquial
• ``kind of''
  vague & colloquial
• ``type of''
  vague & colloquial
• ``something like''
  vague & colloquial
• ``just about''
  vague & colloquial
• ``number of''
  vague; do you mean ``some'', ``many'', or ``most''? A quantative statement is preferable.
• ``due to''
  colloquial
• ``probably''
  only if you know the statistical probability (if you do, state it quantatively
• ``obviously, clearly''
  be careful: obvious/clear to everyone?
• ``simple''
  Can have a negative connotation, as in ``simpleton''
• ``along with''
  Just use ``with''
• ``actually, really''
  define terms precisely to eliminate the need to clarify
• ``the fact that''
  makes it a meta-sentence; rephrase
• ``this'', ``that''
  As in ``This causes concern.'' Reason: ``this'' can refer to the subject of the previous sentence, the entire previous sentence, the entire previous paragraph, the entire previous section, etc. More important, it can be interpreted in the concrete sense or in the meta-sense. For example, in: ``X does Y. This means ...'' the reader can assume ``this'' refers to Y or to the fact that X does it. Even when restricted (e.g., ``this computation...''), the phrase is weak and often ambiguous.
• ``You will read about...''
  The second person has no place in a formal dissertation.
• ``I will describe...''
  The first person has no place in a formal dissertation. If self-reference is essential, phrase it as ``Section 10 describes...''
• ``we'' as in ``we see that''
  A trap to avoid. Reason: almost any sentence can be written to begin with ``we'' because ``we'' can refer to: the reader and author, the author and advisor, the author and research team, experimental computer scientists, the entire computer science community, the science community, or some other unspecified group.
• ``Hopefully, the program...''
  Computer programs don't hope, not unless they implement AI systems. By the way, if you are writing an AI thesis, talk to someone else: AI people have their own system of rules.
• ``...a famous researcher...''
  It doesn't matter who said it or who did it. In fact, such statements prejudice the reader.
• Be Careful When Using ``few, most, all, any, every''.
  A dissertation is precise. If a sentence says ``Most computer systems contain X'', you must be able to defend it. Are you sure you really know the facts? How many computers were built and sold yesterday?
• ``must'', ``always''
  Absolutely?
• ``should''
  Who says so?
• ``proof'', ``prove''
  Would a mathematician agree that it's a proof?
• ``show''
  Used in the sense of ``prove''. To ``show'' something, you need to provide a formal proof.
• ``can/may''
  Your mother probably told you the difference.