The Academic Writing Process

Wow.  The Academic Writing Process is something not to be underestimated.  Guess what I did?  Major underestimation.  With that said, I am deeply enjoying the writing process and what I am learning.  It’s a humbling process with much reward upon completion.  What I have been struggling with most is the “writing blocks” and how to overcome these personal obstacles.  I’m finally getting back on my feet after a bit of feedback with intentions of handing in something “perfect.”  Aha.  The first obstacle to acknowledge.  The second would be… what are my intentions of writing my dissertation and completing my Doctor of Education that extend beyond the extrinsic goods.

Certainly upon completion, I would transform myself from “all but dissertation” or ABD to having a Doctor of Education (EdD).  My title would change, my status would change, and possibly my career path would change.  These are all good things.  My work for the past few months is understanding the intrinsic goods of completing my dissertation.  I am in the midst of writing my “Theoretical Framework” for my proposal discussing the Nature of Virtues by Alasdair MacIntyre (1984).  I have read this document in 1999 during my Master of Education program, read it in 2008 at the beginning of the EdD program, and reading it once again in 2011 and 2012 for my dissertation proposal.

Notions of the practice, the goods internal, standards of excellence, and the virtues that MacIntyre (1984) speaks of in the Nature of Virtues not only resonates with my research study, but also with my academic learning process.  Understanding that this is not an all-nighter event, the more I engage in the academic writing process, the more I am beginning to understand the ‘goods internal’ to the practice of academic writing.  I am striving for the excellence in my writing, the writing itself, and life as a practitioner researcher.  Only relying on the ‘goods external’ to the practice, such as getting my degree, was not enough for me to continue forward with this direction of my pedagogical journey.

By reading through Nature of Virtues again, I have gained some solace with the academic writing process.  It’s about taking risks (courage), being truthful (honesty), and judging fairly (justice)… the virtues.  Make mistakes, do what feels right, and accept feedback as a means to improve.  This is true for all learners.  This is the best part of pursuing graduate studies as an educator.  It reminds me what it is like for learners and how humbling the learning process can be.  To accept my inadequacies and define my relationships with others as opportunities for learning the standards of excellence, I hope to achieve the ‘goods internal’ to the practice of academic writing.