Intelligence Officer in Training: Response: "How does professional writing compare to basic military command communications?"

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Response 1 Week 3: How does military writing, compare to the requirements for: professional writing?

Army writers ensure sentences do not exceed 15 words in length in order to avoid confusing the reader with run-on or wordy sentences.  Single spaced paragraphs that exceed an inch in depth are also concerns for verbosity (DA PAM 600-67 1986, 2). -Drew Gordon

         Although, I am not trained in military writing, I am trained in: professional writing. For my first Master’s Degree, I completed a voluntary thesis. My voluntary thesis, required the direction, of a major professor, as well as, many rough draft forms-prior to my final copy. Professional writing, as compared, to what I now understand to be, the formulae, for: “Military writing”-is almost never-simple, or, necessarily easy to read.

       “Engage your source as if its writer were sitting with you, eager for a conversation . . . (Turabian 2013, 37). Simple, fundamental writing is: boring, and-it is not of an advanced academic level. The usage, of basic lexical terminology and “colloquial terminology,” obviates the necessity, for a professional piece of writing, to be: specific enough-to clearly, and correctly, communicate-exact meaning, to other professionals.

          Reading-at a high and advanced academic level, and understanding complex meanings, as well as a high level of comprehension, often involves, verbose explanations-and, is expected-for the advanced scholar-in the United States-it is one clear indication, that an individual, does in fact, have an education. Undergraduate, empirical studies, of African-American students, attempting to succeed academically-at a university level, clearly indicate, that, the inability to, both: read and comprehend, at an advanced academic level, damages their ability, to succeed academically (Collins et al. 2014, 141).

         When writing professionally, it is necessary, not only-that you yourself, are able to comprehend, the complex language and terms, of your specific academic genre-also, that you are able to communicate to others-in your specific field, with that same complex terminology. Communications, of professional writing, through peer-reviewed journals, are, always: “academic area specific:”

Discussion should put your findings, observations or research into the perspective of the knowledge and facts outlined in the Introduction. Do not repeat results, rather explain and comment them. Concentrate on your contribution to the field. Discuss controversies. (Boranic 2016, 417)

             Professional writing, for peer-reviewed journals, can be, more complex, and more difficult to read-based on the academic genre that is being studied, for example: The Journal of American Medicine, is far more complex, than: The Journal of The American Bar Association, or: The Journal of American Psychology. Professional writing, is intended for experts in the field. A large knowledge base, of study and practice specific terminology, and, the application of such a lexicon-as well as, academic genre specific knowledge, regarding: semantics, and syntax- are also expected-for the: publishing, and, for working professional-in any given academic field in the US.

          For instance, the definition for words, that are presented to children in the US, in the Webster’s dictionary, do in fact, vary to a great extent, from the meanings, of the very same and similar words-that, are utilized in the field of: American law, and, which are defined separately, in: Blacks Dictionary of Law. Recent studies of undergraduate students in the US, have shown-that, undergraduate preparation, in the area of statistics, and success in that area-is, a clear indication, of how well, those students will perform, at graduate studies level (Collins et al. 2014, 135). Professional journals-are always dependent on academic field, and almost always include, both: qualitative, and quantitative research.

         In order, to understand the results, printed in a peer-reviewed journal, of both: qualitative and quantitative experimental studies, and research-the specific subject matter and experimental findings, previous academic study is highly recommended.  Graduate level statistics-always an area of study, at the graduate level in the US, are, soo specifically construed, to the application of various statistical measurements and computer programs, that, it is necessary, for American graduate students, to study some levels, of both: research, and statistics-prior to moving on to graduate studies.

          Students, with areas of academic weakness, such as: reading comprehension, basic math, fundamental statistics, professional writing, etc.-are encouraged in the US, to enroll in remedial classes, at the undergraduate level. The preliminary study of statistics-in the United States, in regards to understanding peer-reviewed journals, at a graduate university level, are in fact, more important for graduate level studies-than, even taking, and passing, the: GRE (Graduate Record Exam). Many US states, have two year colleges, that offer preparatory college programs, for students-who are not academically prepared, to achieve, at an undergraduate level.

References

Boranic, Milivoj. 2016. “How to Compose, Write and Publish a Scientific or Professional Communication.” ACTA INFORM MED, vol. 24. 6.: 416-418. Accessed January 22, 2017. file:///C:/Users/Mumbai%20Eliza/Documents/APUS%20Intl%20500%20Week%203%20Directions%20For%20Professional%20Writing.pdf

Collins, Kathleen M., Onwuegbuzie, Anthony J., Jaio, Qun G. 2014. “Reading Ability As A Predictor of African American Graduate Students’ Technical Writing Proficiency In The Context of Statistical Courses.” The Journal of Negro Education, vol. 83. 2.: 135-141. Accessed January 22, 2017. file:///C:/Users/Mumbai%20Eliza/Documents/APUS%20Intl%20500%20Wek%203%20How%20reading%20ability%20affects%20grades.pdf           

 Turabian, Kate L. 2013. A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations: Chicago Style for Students & Researchers. 8^th ed. The University of Chicago Press.