Tips on New Academic Material for Your Research

Tips on New Academic Material for Your Research
Whenever a scholar delves into a new field of inquiry, even if it is only slightly removed from his or her usual area of study, the terminology, ideas, approaches, questions, arguments and styles encountered tend to present something of a challenge. The reading may prove very difficult indeed, and both persistence and insight are often required in order to break through what can seem insurmountable barriers of understanding. In some cases, the problem arises from the complexity of the ideas and the fact that they are unfamiliar though valuable; in others, the writing is simply poor, awkward and ultimately unrewarding. The only way to determine with certainty which is which is to read enough writing in the field and read it thoroughly and carefully enough to gain a knowledge base that allows you to understand exactly what is intended and, on that basis, separate the chaff from the grain.

Specialised terminology can be particularly frustrating, and theoretical studies or studies that make extensive use of theory are notorious for inundating readers with obscure language and jargon. It is very important not to be in a rush when tackling such material. Yes, time is always short, and yes, this sort of reading will use up more time than you would like, but reading slowly and sometimes repeatedly is the only way to make sure you understand what you are reading and whether it is relevant to your own work or not. Making extensive use of one or more dictionaries is essential, and breaks for processing information can be immensely helpful. Thorough comprehension of difficult terminology is the only route to understanding the sophisticated ideas that are often expressed through such language, and if you plan to use any of this terminology in your own writing, you must ensure that you use it in precise and meaningful ways. It is also a good idea to provide brief explanations of such terminology for your readers when you do use it, even if that courtesy was not extended to you as you began your reading on the topic.

Once you feel that you have a solid understanding of the ideas, arguments and language used in the new field, you will be able to distinguish for yourself the difference between writing that makes effective use of them and the poor writing that does not and is a waste of your time. For this reason, it is always wise to begin your reading in unfamiliar territory with tried and true publications in the area, and to keep in mind that complex work presenting valuable new concepts, unusual approaches and specialised language will be the most challenging, but also the most useful and rewarding. Perseverance and reflection will eventually produce positive results, and all that hard work will make each and every new text in the area more accessible until you, too, will be in the know and considered an expert in the field.