Work Habits of Productive Scholarly Writers: Insights from Research in Psychology

Work Habits of Productive Scholarly Writers: Insights from Research in Psychology: "Durable motivation is a matter of habit. What distinguished geniuses like Einstein, T.S. Eliot, and Freud is that they worked at their craft daily. What helps writers feel like writers and feel like writing is the discipline of regular work. In fact, successful writers often brag about their habits"


Here is another snippet that I liked, basically stating that in order to hone your skills you have to practice your craft. It even goes on to mention a newspaper columnist and how they have to write daily and that helps them stay ahead of their game. This rings true to me, as I've seen it in my personal life. My father in law is a columnist for the Desert Morning News, and has been a journalist for about 30 years or more. When we go camping as a family I see how hard it is for him to get back in to the swing of things as opposed to how well and quick he can hammer out a column when we are at home and he's been working for the past coulple weeks every day.

And Although I'm no writer, I can see the importance of this skill through him, as well as just in my homework from school. If I don't use my skills, they start to dwindle, and I feel like a top slowly coming to a stop to rest on my side, no longer spinning. It takes some lame paper to get me back at the computer to write again. In a sense I'm glad for the blog that is required for this class, it gets me writing a couple times a week at least, and that is certainly better than nothing.

Work Habits of Productive Scholarly Writers: Insights from Research in Psychology

"I’m very busy right now so I’ll wait for a big block of completely undisturbed time in which I can do a lot of writing. Maybe I’ll set aside a whole weekend. You on’t do your best writing in little snippets, and I’m not going to settle for second-rate writing.”"

I feel that I do this most of the time I have a paper due. Infact, I'm doing it right now, where I have thursday off, and I've already booked a time for me to sit down and hack that thing out Thursday afternoon. Maybe I need to take this writing to heart and not procrastinate the day of my repentance.

Response to my feedback on my paper

Ok, other than the response I got from Mark on Hypermilers, I only had one other review of my paper, and I'm not yet convinced that the person who left the review fully comprehended what I was writing about. Perhaps that's my fault. Perhaps they aren't quite up to snuff on their reading comprehension skills.

Here was the review I got, and I'm about pick the hell out of it. Call it egotistical and that I can't take criticism, or call it I can't stand when people don't use their god given brains to look beyond the cover of a book, or the title of a paper.


1. What is this paper really about?
This paper is about new technologies for higher-mileage cars and that the U.S. automakers aren't using enough of them. I thought from the title that it was going to be about why gas prices are so high.
Maybe you need to be able to look beyond the title of a paper. It's not my fault that you thought the paper was going to be on why gas prices were so high. I may be sick and tired of paying a high price at the pump, but my paper was clearly on miles per gallon and not the price of fuel. I stated in there that people were tired of paying high prices, but the fact that people wanted more bang for their buck was brought up more and a handful of times, in those words exactly.



1. What is this paper really about?
This paper is about new technologies for higher-mileage cars and that the U.S. automakers aren't using enough of them. I thought from the title that it was going to be about why gas prices are so high. Right on the money with the firest sentence. Again, not about why prices were so high. Can you really assume that the book Of Mice and Men was going to be about 2 dudes and a mouse? Sometimes you have to look beyond the title.

2. What confused you?
The part about George Washington seemed really out of character for the paper, and I don't think it contributes to the paper as it confused me. Also, the introduction was kind of confusing, and at first I thought CAFE was regulating gas prices, because at first you seemed to be writing your paper on gas prices. Holy shit@#@#^@#$!&(%^ Why the F?! Did you think CAFE was regulating gas prices? I didn't state in there ANYWHERE that CAFE regulated gas prices at the pump or otherwise. Stated numerous times that CAFE is in charge of MPG, Miles per gallon, Fuel Economy and that number that comes out of the calculator when you're at the pump... that number would be how many miles you went divided by how many gallons of fuel you bought. The price is not mentioned in there. Anywhere. And about the George Washington comment. I knew this would confuse some people, only for the fact that everyone that reads papers nowadays can't add any attitude to it, and comedic relief, or even put any sort of personality in there. I however gave you the reader the benefit of the doubt and assumed that you'd be ok to infer that perhaps I was going off a bit on America and the way we think and act. We need success to get somewhere. And none of us would even be here were it not for the success that GW saw that night so long ago. Go to History 1700 again. Thanks.

3. What was the most interesting part of the paper?
I found it interesting that there are all these technologies for improving fuel economy but that carmakers aren't using them. Finally.. Breathe... Breathe...

4. What important questions remain unasked?
WHY aren't U.S. automakers using the new technologies? Thank you, I'm starting to think that maybe you did infact read and comprehend this paper.

5. What conclusions, if any, does the author reach?
I think that the conclusion is that car companies should use more technologies and make an effort to increase the fuel economy of their cars, especially because gasoline is so expensive. But there's not a real conclusion on the paper yet.

Junk draft, no conclusion yet. You didn't notice the lack of citations though. Strange.

5 Steps to pull my papers head out of it's ass.

1, I most certainly need to cite my sources, and get better at that all together.
2, I need to put more soul into my paper, more feeling, more umph... I need to prove that I am interested in this subject, if i'm not interested in it, it's hard to get people to be interested in reading this.
3, I would like to find some sort of image or graph or chart or some sort of visual that relates to the topic.
4, I hope to be able to find good information on cars that are already on the market that don't cost an arm and a leg, however get good gas mileage.
5, I'm going to go into more detail about costs and mileages.

Comments

There are no comments to be had.
For this cause, I sit here sad.

I blog and blog by day and night.
Hoping he will see, and help my plight.

English 2020, with Craine I had.
No matter what they say, he's not so bad.


I saw "There will be blood" over the weekend. Sadly I was let down. I thought it would be much better... Daniel Day Lewis deserves best actor for sure. I don't think the film deserves best picture though. As for now, I am saving that vote for "No country for old men." In my opinion, the acting and the film combo were a better bang for my buck. Javier Bardem was a truly horrific villain.

School, school... I only got one reply to my junk draft and I was told to fix the massive run on sentence that was my paper. Eh.. That's to be expected. Oh well. I'll be revising that paper this week.

Today is Martin Luther King day. No school. Plenty of snow. Ugh.

C A F E Overview

C A F E Overview

very good cafe info

Citing websites in the APA styles

Citing websites in the APA styles

Good way to learn about citing websites.

Pinchy the lobster!

I think in the article about the lobster David presented a number of great findings. Things that certainly made me think about lobster. Luckily I once had a run in with lobster already and have sworn it off years ago. I got food poisoning at a fancypants restaurant and that was that. However I now feel like I have to be a missionary of sorts to spread the gospel truth about lobster and lobster cooking. Up to 45 seconds to die in boiling water? Holy nuts! Talk about a terrible way to go out. Cooking to death, I can't imagine.

And that lobsters are in the same genus as insects? That cracks me up, not that I'm totally against eating a hopper when in a pinch, it's just when the hopper is a swimmer and it can pinch back, and is somehow justified by culinary America to sit with a price tag of $28.99 each (as of 1.12.08 at McGrath's Fish House). Who wants to pay 30 bones to eat a bug?

This whole article made me think about one of my favorite places to get a dog around here in Ut County. It's a small shack called J-Dogs. I've got no need to into the heinous details about what goes into a hotdog, but needless to say, if you like dogs, or even if you don't. J makes a good one. This place used to be a serious run down joint where I'm sure they were paying off the county health inspector in order to continue selling wieners. Now though, you go down there and on any given weekday at noon, you'll be standing at the tail end of a 40 man monster! I can't believe the lines. By the time you finally get to the head, there's another 40 men that have arrived to take your place! It'll blow some minds, I'm not kidding. Anyhow, this whole article reminded me of how my precious meaty sanctuary went from all mine to lengthy line! Saddened and disgruntled I rarely make it down to provo anymore for the packaged porcine party.

CAFE

Corporate Average Fuel Economy

What about this, and how it's virtually unchanged in the last 20 years? I think something should be done about this. I realize that Bush has recently signed a new bill, that was supposed to change the CAFE by something like 2021 or something. But why? Why can't we already be driving the cars that are available in countries like Japan and many others within the EU? They are reaching a whopping 41mpg, and have set themselves a goal of hitting 49 by 2010!! I hate the politics and politicians for telling us Americans that they are going at the best and fastest rate possible to support the new technology. Bullshit.

When did CAFE start and why?

Who ran this program, and why has it literally died off in the last 20 years?

Were they ever successful at anything?

How am I effected by CAFE as an individual gasoline consumer?

Autopsy

Autopsy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "An autopsy, also known as a post-mortem examination, necropsy, or obduction, is a medical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse to determine the cause and manner of death and to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present. It is usually performed by a specialized medical doctor called a pathologist.

Autopsies are either performed for legal or medical purposes. A forensic autopsy is carried out when the cause of death may be a criminal matter, while a clinical or academic autopsy is performed to find the medical cause of death and is used in cases of unknown or uncertain death, or for research purposes. Autopsies can be further classified into cases where external examination suffices, and those where the body is dissected and an internal examination is conducted. Permission from next of kin may be required for internal autopsy in some cases. Once an internal autopsy is complete the body is reconstituted by sewing it back together."

The prefix 'auto-' means 'self', and so autopsy means 'to see for oneself'; it is used more broadly of personal examination of an object, as well as its specific usage for the post-mortem examination of a human corpse.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autopsy

Pathology - Autopsy

Pathology - Autopsy: "Autopsy Procedure

For a complete autopsy, the organs in the chest and abdomen are routinely examined with removal, dissection, and sampling for microscopic slides, then returned to the body. the brain is removed for neuropathologic examination. The incisions are made in such a way that viewing of the body at a funeral is possible after the autopsy.

The routine autopsy is completed in less than 4 hours. An autopsy will not delay funeral arrangements. An autopsy will be performed the same day that paperwork is received by 2 pm on weekdays and 12 noon on weekends and holidays. However, an autopsy can be expedited if necessary, and there is an on-call staff. The physicians who perform autopsies are pathologists. Autopsy is the oldest continuously practiced procedure in medicine, having been a part of medical practice for over 300 years."

Profile of the Sociopath

Profile of the Sociopath: "Profile of the Sociopath

This website summarizes some of the common features of descriptions of the behavior of sociopaths.


* Glibness and Superficial Charm

* Manipulative and Conning
They never recognize the rights of others and see their self-serving behaviors as permissible. They appear to be charming, yet are covertly hostile and domineering, seeing their victim as merely an instrument to be used. They may dominate and humiliate their victims.

* Grandiose Sense of Self
Feels entitled to certain things as 'their right.'

* Pathological Lying
Has no problem lying coolly and easily and it is almost impossible for them to be truthful on a consistent basis. Can create, and get caught up in, a complex belief about their own powers and abilities. Extremely convincing and even able to pass lie detector tests."

# Lack of Remorse, Shame or Guilt
A deep seated rage, which is split off and repressed, is at their core. Does not see others around them as people, but only as targets and opportunities. Instead of friends, they have victims and accomplices who end up as victims. The end always justifies the means and they let nothing stand in their way.

# Shallow Emotions
When they show what seems to be warmth, joy, love and compassion it is more feigned than experienced and serves an ulterior motive. Outraged by insignificant matters, yet remaining unmoved and cold by what would upset a normal person. Since they are not genuine, neither are their promises.

# Incapacity for Love

# Need for Stimulation
Living on the edge. Verbal outbursts and physical punishments are normal. Promiscuity and gambling are common.

# Callousness/Lack of Empathy
Unable to empathize with the pain of their victims, having only contempt for others' feelings of distress and readily taking advantage of them.

# Poor Behavioral Controls/Impulsive Nature
Rage and abuse, alternating with small expressions of love and approval produce an addictive cycle for abuser and abused, as well as creating hopelessness in the victim. Believe they are all-powerful, all-knowing, entitled to every wish, no sense of personal boundaries, no concern for their impact on others.

# Early Behavior Problems/Juvenile Delinquency
Usually has a history of behavioral and academic difficulties, yet "gets by" by conning others. Problems in making and keeping friends; aberrant behaviors such as cruelty to people or animals, stealing, etc.

# Irresponsibility/Unreliability
Not concerned about wrecking others' lives and dreams. Oblivious or indifferent to the devastation they cause. Does not accept blame themselves, but blames others, even for acts they obviously committed.

# Promiscuous Sexual Behavior/Infidelity
Promiscuity, child sexual abuse, rape and sexual acting out of all sorts.

# Lack of Realistic Life Plan/Parasitic Lifestyle
Tends to move around a lot or makes all encompassing promises for the future, poor work ethic but exploits others effectively.

# Criminal or Entrepreneurial Versatility
Changes their image as needed to avoid prosecution. Changes life story readily.

What is a Sociopath?

What is a Sociopath?: "A sociopath is a person who has antisocial personality disorder. The term sociopath is no longer used to describe this disorder. The sociopath is now described as someone with antisocial personality disorder.

The main characteristic of a sociopath is a disregard for the rights of others. Sociopaths are also unable to conform to what society defines as a normal personality. Antisocial tendencies are a big part of the sociopath’s personality. This pattern usually comes into evidence around the age of 15. If it is not treated, it can develop into adulthood."
Visible symptoms include physical aggression and the inability to hold down a steady job. The sociopath also finds it hard to sustain relationships and shows a lack of regret in his or her actions. A major personality behavior trait is the violation of the rights of others. This can appear as a disregard for the physical or sexual wellbeing of another.

Although these symptoms are all present, they may not always be evident. Research has shown that the sociopath is usually a person with an abundance of charm and wit. He or she may appear friendly and considerate, but these attributes are usually superficial. They are used as a way of blinding the other person to the personal agenda behind the sociopath’s behaviour.

Many people with antisocial personality disorder frequently indulge in alcohol or drug use. They may use these substances heavily as a way of heightening their antisocial personality. The sociopath sometimes sees the world on his or her own terms, as a place of high drama and risky thrills. The sociopath may suffer from low self esteem, and the use of alcohol and drugs is a way to diminish these feelings.

The causes of antisocial personality disorder are thought to be either genetic or environmental. Children who are influenced by antisocial parents may adopt these tendencies. Similarly, role models such as one's friends or peer group may also influence the behaviour pattern of a sociopath. Antisocial behaviour is more likely to occur in men than in women. About 1% of women have this disorder, while 3% of men are affected by it.

It is very rare for a person with antisocial personality disorder to seek help of their own accord. Treatment for antisocial personality disorder is usually through group psychotherapy. Sociopaths often find it helpful to talk through and recognize their problems with people they can trust. In a number of cases, this type of personality disorder tends to diminish from the age of 30 onwards.

If I told you, I'd have to kill you.

I've taken and passed a polygraph test! I've always wanted to say that
in a "Tell us something interesting about you" story and I finally got
a chance to use it. YES! I come from Humble, Texas. It sounds like an
oxymoron to me, since there is nothing humble about Texas, its size,
people or the attitude dripping off the boots of every gun toting
egomaniac in the state. However Humble, Texas is my home.

I don't think of myself as genius for being in an honors class, nor do
I feel my writing is anything out of the ordinary. I do however get a
kick out of writing and I was once English student of the year in High
School. (Insert sarcastic "yay" at any time)

* I enjoy reading true crime. I work in law enforcement, so I guess it
goes with the trade, so naturally I'd like to write about some sort of
murder and or murderer.

* I've always wanted to learn more about the stock market and how that
works, perhaps a paper on that would be beneficial to my growing
brain.

* I have big dreams and goals of becoming a Pathologist someday, so
perhaps I could write about the processes and procedures of an
autopsy.

* Death has intrigued me since the 9th grade when my Grandpa died, and
in my line of work I've had to deal with several suicides each year.
I'd like to write a bit about suicide.

* Last semester I took a Psychology class and was very intrigued with
several aspects of abnormal behavior. I especially liked learning
about bi-polar patients and sociopaths.