Treating Research Writing: Symptoms and Maladies

TL;DR

This paper discusses diagnosing and treating common symptoms and underlying maladies in research writing to improve draft quality and research outcomes, emphasizing deeper analysis over surface-level fixes.

Contribution

It introduces a framework of symptoms and maladies in research writing, highlighting the importance of addressing root causes rather than just surface issues.

Findings

Identifies six surface symptoms with treatments.

Highlights five underlying maladies affecting research success.

Emphasizes deeper diagnostic approach for better outcomes.

Abstract

This article is a response to a question many economists ask: how can I improve my first draft? The first section addresses a common approach to doing this: treating problems visible on the surface. This paper presents six such symptoms along with treatments for them. The second section addresses another approach, one that often turns out to be more effective: looking deeper for the underlying malady that causes several symptoms to show up on the surface and treating it. This paper presents five common maladies that matter for eventual outcomes, such as publishing and hiring.