五南官網

Crack the Case, Not Your Head: A Beginner’s Guide To Solving Your Thesis Puzzle

分享Facebook

作　　者╱

Dr. Chih-Jung Ku、Dr. Sonya Fan、Ms. Ng Meixin、Dr. Mei-Huei Liu、Dr. Yeu-Ting Liu

出版社別╱

五南

出版日期╱

2024/09/11 (1版 1刷)

I S B N ╱

978-626-393-697-3

書　　號╱

1HAX

頁　　數╱

464

開　　數╱

20K

定　　價╱

580


這本書是學術英語寫作界的「不藏私寶典」！

當你凝視著論文（或作業）的時候，論文也凝視著你──英語學術論文寫作，是許多人在學習途中的考驗，這本書正是為了這些勇敢的冒險者量身打造！

作者們由自身笑淚交織的經驗出發，像一位隱形的學長姊，與你一起在「論文寫作」的世界中冒險。從揭開學術寫作迷思的面紗，搭配案例、練習題，和你逐步走過選題、文獻回顧、研究方法到結果討論，還包含「 AI 輔助寫作」、「 生涯規劃」等等議題——沒錯，你並不是唯一在凌晨三點還在跟論文對抗的人！

「這本書中很特別的一點是貫穿全書的《唬爾摩斯與譁生》偵探故事。由系列的故事引導讀者進入每一章中作者們要傳達的核心概念，並在生硬的文字段落中插入表格和插圖，以不同的形式來幫助讀者理解書中的內容，使他們能夠快速掌握書中複雜的概念。」——師大校長吳正己

「書中除了運用了偵探故事的元素，激發讀者的好奇心之外，還大玩眾多風趣的時事梗、諧音梗、流行文化梗和迷因梗圖等。特別是擅長將枯燥的概念用貼近年輕人生活的事例來比擬取譬，讓同學在學習嚴肅的學術寫作時也能保持愉快心情。這也反映出作者團隊高超的教學創意，能把複雜的寫作技巧和研究方法轉化為生動易懂的內容，還能令人會心一笑。」——師大翻譯所前所長廖柏森教授

「如果是勇者欣梅爾的話，他一定也會這麼做的。」我們衷心希望，這本書能幫讓你在學術寫作的冒險旅程上少走點彎路，甚至還能找到一點樂趣也說不定哦！（嘿嘿，別說不可能！）

In this book, the authors share all their secrets on how to write well in the academic context!

Picture this: You open up an academic writing task or assignment and stare at it. You might feel the task staring back at you. And then what? 

Does this sound familiar (perhaps too familiar)? If it does, you are not alone. Academic writing in English is immensely challenging for many beginning writers. For those of you brave enough to take on the challenge, this book is here to give you a boost!

Throughout the book, the authors share heartfelt stories of laughter and joy, sweat and tears. They are like your personal guardian angels – you can't see them, but they are there as your loyal companions as you embark on your academic writing adventure. First, we begin with some debunking myths on academic writing to help you get started on the right foot, before the various chapters take you through the key components of an academic paper or thesis, such as setting a good topic, conducting a literature review, discussing your research method, and penning your discussion and conclusion to wrap up the manuscript. Every chapter comes with a host of examples and guided exercises to ensure you grasp important academic writing know-how. On top of that, there are also chapters on the intersection of pertinent issues, such as AI and career prospects, with academic writing. Know that you are not the only one being kept awake at 3 am thinking about these issues or struggling with your writing!

“One of the most unique features of this book is the story of Detective Surelock and Dr. Whatson, which opens each chapter. The detective story at the start of every chapter introduces its core concept. Furthermore, the writers also include a variety of visual aids and illustrations, especially at the more difficult parts of the text, so that readers might grasp important and complex ideas relatively easily.” 

– Dr. Cheng-Chih Wu, President, National Taiwan Normal University

“Besides incorporating elements of detective stories to make for a more interesting read, the writers also included numerous funny references to current affairs and pop culture, utilized wordplays, and added lots of memes to the text. The writers are especially skilled at using analogies familiar to young readers to explain what could have been dry and boring concepts. In this way, beginner writers would not feel bogged down even as they pick up pointers on writing serious academic papers. Such a writing style reflects the high level of pedagogical creativity wielded by the writing team, for they managed to not only transform complex writing techniques and research methods into interesting and easy-to-understand content but even elicit a laugh in the process!”

– Dr. Liao Posen, Former Chair, Graduate Institute of Translation and Interpretation, National Taiwan Normal University

To quote a line from the anime and manga Frieren, "The Hero Himmel would've done that." You, too, can emulate Himmel's courage and take on what seems like an impossible challenge. We sincerely hope that this book will make your academic writing adventure less arduous, and even a little more fun! After all, nothing is impossible when you put your mind to it!

※書籍推薦人
聯合推薦
Dr. Cheng-Chih Wu
President, National Taiwan Normal University

Dr. Frank Yung-Hsiang Ying
Executive Vice President, National Taiwan Normal University

Dr. Wen-June Wang
Vice President for Academic Affairs, National Central University

Dr. Shu-chen Sherry Ou
Vice President for Academic Affairs, National Sun Yat-sen University

Dr. Yuh-Fang Chang
Vice President for Academic Affairs, National Chung Hsing University

Dr. Posen Liao
Associate Dean, College of Liberal Arts (2016-2017), National Taiwan Normal University

Dr. Daniel Hu
Chair, Graduate Institute of Translation and Interpretation, National Taiwan Normal University

※推薦文
The book is an indispensable guide for a beginner writer embarking on their arduous academic writing journey. Both informative and engaging, this book transforms what could have been a tedious and boring text into an entertaining read through the story of “Detective Surelock and Dr. Whatson,” which opens each chapter, as well as a variety of visual aids and illustrations that help readers might grasp important and complex ideas relatively easily. Importantly, the personal experiences of the writing team also makes the content relatable. I hope that this book can be a beacon for you when you're searching for directions in the boundless sea of research!
Dr. Cheng-Chih Wu
President, National Taiwan Normal University

This book’s primary objective is to present the how-to’s of academic English writing in a humorous yet professional way. By making academic English writing accessible, the book aims to give its readers a boost in both mastery and confidence when it comes to academic writing in English. Whether you’re a graduate student writing your first paper or an experienced researcher seeking to elevate your academic writing skills, this book offers priceless insights and practical tips that you would find useful. The engaging and heartwarming stories of the writers will stay with you throughout your writing journey, which might be long, but hopefully confident and joyous, with the help of this book.
Dr. Frank Yung-Hsiang Ying
Executive Vice President, National Taiwan Normal University

Whether you are a graduate student in the sciences or the arts, you should read this book. Whether you have confirmed your supervisor, your research topic, or whether you have started writing your thesis, you should read this book. You might be thinking, it’ll take a long time for me to finish reading this book! Don’t worry! You’re going to make up for “lost time” spent reading the book, for you will gain insights on how to get a “Professor Right” as your supervisor, how to find a research topic that is your “perfect match,” invaluable pointers on thesis writing and tapping into AI to complement your writing process.
Dr. Wen-June Wang
Vice President for Academic Affairs, National Central University

Academic writing is an essential and necessary skill for academic training. It involves content presentation, information integration, logical thinking, organizational structure, and language expression. Each step is crucial to the success of writing. This book systematically introduces the key elements and techniques of academic writing, using interesting examples to guide readers into each topic, making learning academic writing enjoyable and meaningful.

Dr. Shu-chen Sherry Ou
Vice President for Academic Affairs, National Sun Yat-sen University

The writers explain the key steps of thesis writing in clear, fun, and easy-to-understand language. The book is full of practical examples and writing tips, which help readers overcome common challenges encountered in the process of thesis writing. No matter whether you’re a newcomer to the world of academia or an experienced researcher, you will find useful pointers in this book aimed at elevating your writing and research. By using simple language, the writers make complex ideas accessible. As such, this book is more than just a writing guide. It is also an important tool for leveling up research skills as well as a great learning resource for academic writing.

Dr. Yuh-Fang Chang
Vice President for Academic Affairs, National Chung Hsing University

The publication of Crack Your Case, Not Your Head: A Beginner’s Guide to Solving Your Thesis Puzzle marks the first time in Taiwan that a reference book on academic writing has been published in both English and Chinese in quick succession, providing a great boost to local universities offering English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) courses in line with the Taiwanese government’s Bilingual policy. A one-of-a-kind book that fuses a humorous rhetoric style with rigorous academic training, this book will help beginner writers pick up solid tips on academic writing while being entertained and inspired at the same time.
Dr. Liao Posen
Chair (2013-2016), Graduate Institute of Translation and Interpretation, National Taiwan Normal University
Associate Dean, College of Liberal Arts (2016-2017), National Taiwan Normal University

For many graduate students, the hardest and most painful part of graduate school is the writing of a thesis. If you are in the throes of the thesis disease, this just might be the right book for you. The authors themselves are great humorists, who pepper their advice with pop culture references and memes, to make the learning process as funny and as painless as possible. After reading Crack Your Case, Not Your Head, you just might come to a new realization about thesis writing: it doesn’t have to be torture; it can and should be an extremely meaningful experience, a way of connecting yourself to the larger world, and finding out who you are. Many thanks to the authors of this book for showing the way.
Dr. Daniel Hu
Chair, Graduate Institute of Translation and Interpretation, National Taiwan Normal University

Dr. Mei-Huei Liu
A distinguished professor and Vice President for Academic Affairs of National Taiwan Normal University, Dr. Liu works in many areas such as citizenship education, phenomenon-based learning, curriculum development, international education, multicultural education, teacher education, and gender issues.

Dr. Yeu-Ting Liu
A distinguished professor and Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs at National Taiwan Normal University, Dr. Liu's research areas include the cognitive aspects of computer-assisted language learning, second-language vocabulary processing and acquisition, second-language reading processes, and second-language phonological acquisition.

Dr. Chih-Jung Ku
A postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Academic Literacy at National Taiwan Normal University, Dr. Ku's research interests include STEM education, technology and engineering education, teacher education, and teacher professional development.

Dr. Sonya Fan
A full-time teacher at the Center for Academic Literacy and associate executive at the Resource Center for English as a Medium of Instruction at National Taiwan Normal University, Dr. Fan is active in teacher education, with research interests in international education and bilingual education.

Ms. Ng Meixin
A Ph.D. candidate at the Graduate Institute of Translation and Interpretation at National Taiwan Normal University, Ms. Ng has honed her sensitivity in both English and Chinese through translation, while her teaching experience has enabled her to identify transferable skills applicable to learners in Taiwan.

Foreword

1 What Do You Mean It’s Not True?
– Debunking Myths of Thesis Writing
Myth 1　 Academic Writing Should Always Start From the Beginning
Myth 2　 I Need to Know Everything About the Topic Before I Can Start Writing
Myth 3　 Literature Review – The More the Merrier
Myth 4　 Thesis-Writing Is Meant to Be Lonely
Myth 5　 Academic Writing Means I Cannot Express Any Personal Insight
Recap and Key Takeaways

2 Find Me a Case!
– Choosing the Right Topic for Your Thesis
1. Lessons From the Field
2. Encrypted Case Files: Finding the Right Topic
3. Field Training Exercises
Recap and Key Takeaways
Suggested Answers to Chapter Exercises

3 Who Can Help Me, and How?
– Working With Your Advisor
1. Finding the Right Fit
2. We’ve All Been There: Personal Stories From Our Writers
3. Making It Work
4. Exercise: Choosing the Right Advisor
5. Do We Have a Match?
Recap and Key Takeaways

4 Am I Cheating?
– Ethics in the Age of AI
1. What Is Generative AI And How Does It Work?
2. Strengths of Generative AI
3. Training Your AI Butler
4. Weaknesses
5. The King and His Advisor (Part I): How to Take a Life
6. How Can I Use AI Wisely?
7. The King and His Advisor (Part II): Sit Tight on the Throne
8. Conclusion
9. Field Training Exercises
Recap and Key Takeaways
Suggested Answers to Chapter Exercises

5 Do I Sound Like I’m Five?
– Addressing the Nuances of Academic Writing
1. What’s Academic Writing?
2. Why Write This Way?
3. The Do’s of Writing Academically
4. The Don’ts of Making Your Writing More “Academic”
5. Finding Your Academic Sea Legs: Getting the Hang of Academic Writing
6. The Last Word (For Now, at Least)
7. Field Training Exercises
Recap and Key Takeaways
Suggested Answers for Chapter Exercises

6 Shall We Begin?
– Introduction
1. First Up: What Kind of Study Am I Conducting?
2. Illustrated Introduction Elements: Where Is My Other Sock?
3. Field Training Exercises
Recap and Key Takeaways

7 Where’s That Missing Puzzle Piece?
– Literature Review
1. Cooking up a Storm, or Your Lit Review
2. What Is Relevant?
3. The Don’ts of Literature Reviews
4. The Do’s of Literature Reviews
5. Field Training Exercises
Recap and Key Takeaways

8 What Have I Done?
– Method
1. Why Give away My Secrets?
2. What Information to Include
3. The Meow-thod, Illustrated
4. Dos: Consider This Method to Talk About Your Method!
5. Don’ts: Don’t Be Unmethodological (Duh!)
6. Field Training Exercises
Recap and Key Takeaways

9 What Have I Found?
– Results
1. Results vs Findings
2. Look What I Found! Organizing Your Research Results
Do’s and Don’ts of the Results Section
3. Do These to Get Good Results!
4. Don’t Fall into These Traps!
5. Field Training Exercises
Recap and Key Takeaways

10 What Have We Learned?
– Discussion & Conclusion
1. The Why: Why Do We Have to Discuss the Findings?
2. The What: Essential Elements of the Discussion & Conclusion
3. Do Keep These in Mind for a Strong Wrap-up
4. Don’t Neglect These Considerations
5. Field Training Exercises
Recap and Key Takeaways

11 The Last Stretch
– Wrapping up the Study
1. Academic Debugging: Proofreading/Editing
2. A Rose by Any Other Name...: Setting a Good Title
3. Writing an Abstract
4. Setting Keywords, or Academic Hashtags
5. What’s Next?
6. All Good Things Come to an End
7. Field Training Exercises
Recap and Key Takeaways


管理學質性與量化混合研究方法概論	整合分析軟體C MA：簡介與操作實務	Python量化研究實作：D eepnote 雲端平台應用

SPSS操作與應用：問卷統計分析實務（附資料檔）	結構方程模型分析：JASP的運用	給論文寫作者的進階統計指南：傻瓜也會跑統計 Ⅱ (SPSS +R)

4 Am I Cheating?– Ethics in the Age of AI(節錄)

Which is rarer nowadays, a student who has never used AI in their work or a fire-breathing dragon? If we had to bet our lunch money on it, we’d put our money on the student. In this chapter, we will walk you through some do’s and don’ts of using AI to help you slay, or at least tame, the thesiswriting dragon (since we’ve established that the chances of dragons existing are higher than those of a student who has never used AI). For many people, AI tools have become part of our lives, and that goes for Detective Surelock and Dr. Whatson too. Let’s see how they use AI to help them crack their latest case!

Surelock & Whatson: Episode 4
Detective Surelock started working on a tough case two days ago. On this rainy morning, Dr.Whatson arrives at Surelock’s house, only to find the detective already up and about, excitedly reading pages of notes. Dr. Whatson: What’s happening? You aren’t usually awake before noon!

Detective Surelock: I think I’m about to solve the case!

Dr. Whatson: How? This case isn’t in your area of expertise. For one, you knew next to nothing about Botany two days ago. How did you get up to speed so fast?

Detective Surelock: Well, I found a trusty sidekick in AI.

Dr. Whatson: What exactly did you do?

Detective Surelock: I asked AI to give me an overview of some Botany concepts I’ve. become a bit of an armchair Botanist almost overnight! I can even tell you the names of some experts and their key papers. For instance, there’s Dr. Ivy Leaguer who wrote “A Study on Depression among Weeping Willows.”

Dr. Whatson: What? That’s obviously made up!

Detective Surelock: Really? What about Dr. Bloom Diggity’s“Photosynthesis and Chill: The Secret Love Lives of House Plants”?

Dr. Whatson: Do you seriously believe that these are real papers?

Detective Surelock: Are you seriously saying that these aren’t?

Dr. Whatson: Of course not! Look, I’ll show you. *starts searching on academic databases* See? These papers don’t exist.

Detective Surelock: So AI lied to me? The knowledge I learned seems pretty legit though. Dr. Whatson: AI output can be based on real facts yet inaccurate at the same time. You always need to fact-check! Now it’s time to check that you haven’t been misled! Let’s go through your notes point by point.

Detective Surelock: Urgh. I’ll bet you’re real fun at parties. You’d make a big splash at the annual Botany Conference.

Dr. Whatson: Well, at least I know the difference between a real research paper and a plant pun. Now, let’s get to the bottom of this case, shall we?

Detective Surelock: Sure, let’s leaf through these pages of research, learn about their branches, and get to the roots of this mystery.

Dr. Whatson: Now your ideas are blossoming!

Hmm, it seems that Detective Surelock got too reliant on AI and threw caution to the wind! AI’s increasingly common presence in our everyday lives is proof of its usefulness. While it is undoubtedly a very powerful and even seductive assistant, especially for stressed-out grad students drowning in a sea of research papers, we have to be careful about how we use AI so as not to fall prey to the honeytrap.

Nowadays, new generative AI tools seem to appear faster than cute plastic rodents popping up from whack-a-mole machines. Thus, the focus of the chapter is not on recommending specific tools, for such knowledge and tips might become outdated faster than you can say “AI is taking over the world!”

Instead, we wish to share general usage guidelines to help you maximize the benefits that these virtual assistants could offer you in your academic writing and research endeavors, while steering clear of potential drawbacks like accidentally plagiarizing or having your thesis written by an unhelpful chatbot. In the following sections, we will explore the strengths and weaknesses of generative AI and how you can use it wisely to enhance your learning and research.