Authoring a PhD

Link, Frame, Deliver
– a suggested sequence for organizing materi-
als within sentences. Start with words or other elements already
familiar to readers from previous text, establishing linkages. Try to
get qualifying or subordinate clauses out of the way next. These ele-
ments normally frame the core proposition of the sentence, which
is delivered last. See also the 
Subject, Verb, Object
maxim. But good
style also depends on some variation between sentences, and avoid-
ing a mechanical repetition of any single form. [pp. 114–17]
Manage readers’ expectations
– the central task of an author. Do
not create expectations on the part of readers that you will not ful-
fil, for instance, by over-promising or signposting in a misleading
way. Aim for a controlled release of information, which always fol-
lows the 
‘need to know’ criterion
. Make sure that readers appreciate the
importance of what you have found out by framing it and situating
it appropriately within a professional literature. [pp. 11–16]