Category: Ask Dr. Wobs

When is okay to publicly reveal people’s personal information?

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A recent query from a reader raised some interesting points about when it’s okay to post things online — and when it’s a violation of privacy. This is a challenging question, and one that might generate a lot of disagreement, so I think it’s worth exploring. I’ll start with what I’ve developed as general principles, … Continued

Ask Dr Wobs — Can I publish police information?

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Today’s question concerns what “public information” really means — and there’s a lot at stake for a victim of abuse. Dear Dr. Wobs: I am a victim of domestic violence. At 10 years healing I am ready to write my book. I’ve hit brick walls over and over while seeking the answer to what should … Continued

Ask Dr. Wobs: Advice to a first-time editor

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Here’s a query from a new-minted editor that gets right to the heart of what an editor must do: Dear Dr. Wobs: I want to be an editor when I get out of school, and right now I’m doing beta projects for free to get some practice. I was looking for advice on my first … Continued

Where do you find stories for your book? (Ask Dr. Wobs)

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Business books are made of stories. Where do they come from? Here’s today’s question: Dear Dr. Wobs  I am writing a business book and want to supplement my own experiences with relevant business anecdotes. (Google is virtually useless, although maybe I’m just doing it wrong.) Any suggestions? — Jack Finding stories We’re hard-wired to remember … Continued

Ideas on how to confront Professor Writewrong. (Ask Dr. Wobs)

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Today’s question is from an academic who’s being forced to use a colleague’s terrible materials in his course. I’ve got six ideas on how to fix the handiwork of Professor Writewrong. Can you do better? Here’s the note I got: Dear Dr. Wobs I’m a college professor and I like to think a decent writer. … Continued

Ask Dr. Wobs: How to bust out of rigid academic writing boxes

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Today’s question comes from a university student who thinks the professor is putting him in a box with instructions on how to write a paper. But how big is that box, really? Dear Dr. Wobs, Re: Avoiding the structure of academic writing I’m taking a political science writing class at Ohio State, and we have a … Continued

How to write a short bio that’s not awful (Ask Dr. Wobs)

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Everybody needs a short bio, whether its at the top of your LinkedIn page or on the bookflap of your first book. But it’s hard to write about yourself succinctly and objectively. That’s why people writing their own bios so often end up sounding like an idiot. Dear Dr. Wobs Why are bios so bad? … Continued