Robert S. Becker (1928–2023)

studantes e pesquisadores escrevem sob pressão: dos prazos, do currículo, da obrigação de impactar. O resultado costuma ser uma prosa empolada, um tom acadêmico pretensioso e, com frequência, um bloqueio na escrita. Para ajudá-los nessas horas de aflição, o experiente sociólogo Howard S. Becker, conhecido por seu estilo informal e simples, escreveu este Truques da escrita - um clássico que a Zahar torna enfim disponível para o leitor brasileiro, em edição revista e prefaciada pelo autor especialmente para esta edição. Sensível, divertido e inteligente, o livro apresenta ideias reunidas ao longo de décadas de pesquisa, escrita e ensino. A mensagem de Becker é direta: "a única maneira de começar a nadar é entrando na água". Para aprender a escrever, respire fundo e escreva. Revise. Repita. O processo nem sempre é fácil. Becker expõe, com toques de humor, falhas e vícios acadêmicos como a verborragia, o abuso da voz passiva, o uso de expressões longas demais ("a maneira pela qual" em vez de um simples "como", por exemplo). Mas todos esses mecanismos fazem parte da estrutura social da redação acadêmica - e é aí que se encontra a chave para acabar com o medo de encarar "a Bibliografia", a opinião dos professores ou a comparação com os colegas.Truques da escrita é ao mesmo tempo um manual que ensina os elementos da boa redação e um ensaio sutil e perspicaz sobre a organização social do saber acadêmico. Ao lado de Segredos e truques da pesquisa, é uma ferramenta permanente de enorme utilidade para escritores de todas as áreas, de alunos principiantes a autores com obras publicadas.[...]… (meer)

Pursuing excellence in research requires much self-discipline. Mentors are often the first ones to instill basic habits, but any one mentor (or even any group of mentors) lacks the ability to teach how to think about research completely. Indeed, mastering the art of research is a lifelong task. Fortunately, books like Becker’s provide good, patient tutoring on the path of a career in research. He provides “tricks” that specifically address those in the social sciences throughout the whole process of research.

Becker divides his book into several large chapters, including imagery, sampling, concepts, and logic. These cover the whole of the research process for those in the social sciences. (Caveat: I do not work in the social sciences but in informatics; I am reading this book to communicate with colleagues better.) Topics move from observation to data collection to theory to rigorous, critical examination. They demystify how a researcher can transform mere experiences into widely accepted theory.

This book would be great for a class on research methods, especially those interested in how qualitative research works. By itself, this book is not as much of an introduction as something to build with after an introduction. It seems most suitable late in an introductory course or at any point in an advanced course. Or after an introduction, those interested in learning more but without access to appropriate teaching can also benefit from Becker’s clear, engaging prose.

Graduate students in the social sciences, in particular, will benefit from this book, but its specialized nature does not restrict it to this primary audience. Practitioners, teachers, and anyone else involved in data collection in the social sciences can hone their skills through Becker’s wisdom. Indeed, though published almost 25 years ago, this book offers mountains of timeless advice that could just spur one’s research skills to the next level.… (meer)

I really love ethnographic studies and this was a very interesting one to read as a current college student. This book is a little out of date and it does read that way a little bit. A lot of the language seems old and you can absolutely see how there have been many changes in the way colleges work and how students interact with that environment. One thing that I think is very different is students expectations of teachers. A lot of students now will research teachers before enrolling in a class and they have to rely a lot less on just what a professor says when figuring out how to get a good grade in the class. Overall I think this was very interesting and would love to see someone replicate this study with college today.… (meer)