Why intermittent metrical?

When setting up this website and newsletter, I always had the word ‘metrical’ in mind.

Specifically this Collins Dictionary definition.

I did wonder how many would know what the word means.

Metrical:

of or relating to measurement

of or in poetic metre – where metre is the regular and rhythmic arrangement of syllables according to particular patterns

For me, my work has always been driven by the desire to conduct empirical estimations that gets the measurement right. Or as close as I can get to that overarching aim.

Striving for causation is a term I use. Moving from correlation towards causality is a key aim of any research project I work on.

Choosing to communicate well

To communicate quantitative research well, you need to combine high-quality empirical work with good writing. And I hope to write well. I hope to produce high-quality empirical work that people understand.

Even as an academic, who as a group have a reputation for writing extremely long sentences, I hope to write something that reads well. It should flow well and help people understand what is going on in the empirical work. And, since my hoped for audience is wide – it needs to read well for academics, policymakers, and the general public.

How can research be used if it is not understood?

So, one of my first posts, starts with explaining how ‘metrical’ defines part of my strategy for writing research. Is it possible to combine good measurement with the poetic?

Can empirical analysis be poetic?
Should empirical analysis always be accompanied by a write up with rhythm?
Maybe we should write with style rather than in “the style”?

🙂

Who understood this paper?

How many times do you need to re-read an academic paper to understand it?

What is the expected norm? Once, twice, more?

One of my favourite lecturers asked my Honours class at Uni: “So, who understood the paper?” And when someone replied that they did, the lecturer said: “Really? Because I’ve read this paper three times and I still don’t know what they’ve done”.

So, who understood the paper?

Really? Because I’ve read this paper three times and I still don’t know what they’ve done.

A favourite Assoc. prof.

What a lesson for all. It resonated with me and stayed in my mind for many years.

Later on, during my research career, another favourite academic colleague asked me: “Have you ever read one of Prof. xxx paper’s?” Then after a pause, they laughed and said “They certainly publish a lot of papers but they are all unreadable!!!”.

Have you ever read one of Prof. xxx paper’s?

They certainly publish a lot of papers but they are all unreadable!!!

A favourite Prof.

Anyway – that’s the post – I hope you find my research useful, interesting, and readable.

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