VOA慢速英语:Writing Groups Can Help Students with Papers

Writing an essay or paper for school can feel like – and often is – a big challenge. But an expert from Duke University in North Carolina has some ideas to make the process easier -- and produce better results.
写一篇论文往往被视为一个巨大挑战。但是，北卡罗莱纳州杜克大学的一位专家有些意见可以让这一过程更加容易，并产生更好的效果。

Jennifer Ahern-Dodson is an assistant writing professor. She also helps organize writing groups for both students and teachers. She believes getting advice and suggestions from others can help.
Jennifer Ahern-Dodson是一位写作助理教授。她还帮助为师生们组织创作小组。她认为，得到他人的意见和建议会有帮助。

Ms. Ahern-Dodson says that students usually share their writing only when it is completed and ready to give to the teacher. Instead, she suggests that you prepare an early draft version. Then, ask yourself who can give you helpful feedback, or reaction, on what you have written.
Ahern-Dodson女士称，学生们通常只会在完成并准备交给老师前分享他们的作品。相反，她建议大家准备一个早期草案，然后问问自己，谁可以就你所写的内容给你有益的反馈。

"Who can I share it with? Who can give me feedback? What I like to describe that as, is finding the right reader at the right time."
“谁能与我分享？谁能给我反馈意见？我想称之为，在正确的时间寻找正确的读者。”

Or, Ms. Ahern-Dodson says you may want more than one reader to comment. You may want a writing group.
Ahern-Dodson女士说，或者你可能想要多位读者就此发表评论，这样你可能就需要一个写作组织。

"A lot of my work with students and faculty (teachers) is helping them form writing communities to share writing on a regular basis."
“我大部分工作都是帮助师生们组成写作小组来定期分享作品。”

She says starting a group takes "a little bit of cultivating." One requirement is that everyone taking part must offer their own work for comment.
她说，开办团体需要一点点培养。其中的要求之一是每个参与者都必须提供自己的作品供人评论。

"Like any community, you don't build trust immediately. Part of it is, everyone has to be willing to share their own writing. And you have to establish ground rules. Rules of the road, right?"
“就像任何一个社会，你无法迅速建立信任。部分原因是每个人都必须愿意分享自己的作品。而且你必须建立基本的规则，对吧？”

Ms. Ahern-Dodson says these rules should include what kind of feedback is needed.
Ahern-Dodson女士称，这些规则应该包括需要什么样的反馈。

"Usually folks don't want someone to be mean. But you want your readers to be specific, and give useful feedback."
“通常人们不希望别人刻薄。但你希望你的读者是特定的，并给予有效的反馈。”

She says that means much more than saying "Good job!'" or "Great!" without real thought.
她说，这意味着不是光说“干得好”或“太棒了”，而没有真正的思想。

She says sharing writing can reduce the stress that many students feel when they write a paper just before the deadline, the time limit. This is the idea of a student who goes into a room alone and 12 hours later comes out with a good paper. She says some people call this "binge" writing.
她说，分享作品可以减少许多学生在最后期限前撰写论文时会面临的压力。这是一个独自关在房间里12小时后写出一篇好论文的学生的想法。她说，一些人称之为“狂写”。

"Yes, some people can do that successfully. But it's not a positive experience that you want to do again and again and again."
“是的，有些人能够成功做到这点。但这并非你想要一次又一次进行的积极体验。”

She has other ideas for what she called "a sane and enjoyable writing life.
她对自己所谓的“理智愉快的写作生活”另有想法。

Ms. Ahern-Dodson says some people form writing groups where they live. Others establish groups with other students from their classes.
Ahern-Dodson女士称，有些人在居住地组成写作小组。还有些人同自己年级的学生一起建立小组。
"Some just meet in a coffee shop (store) and bring whatever writing that they're working on at the time. You know, finding a community of writers cannot only get your writing going but it can keep your writing going."
“有人只会在一个咖啡店会面，并带上当时他们正在写的作品。你知道，寻找一个写作小组不仅能让你开始写，还能让你继续写下去。”

And she says that is very valuable for writing well.
她说，这对写好作品来说很有价值。