Shows
The Grey Lit CaféPodcasting on grey literature: what have we done? whither will we go?"Three years have passed; five summers, with the length/ Of five long winters!" (as William Wordsworth wrote). This episode was recorded to mark the third anniversary of The Grey Lit Café's first episode ('Welcome to the Grey Lit Café') and the conclusion of our seventh season. We briefly review the season in the context of our developing conception of how best to discuss grey literature and we look ahead to the next season, which promises a novel focus.Further listeningWe hope you found this episode rewarding. If so, you...
2025-03-0806 min
The Grey Lit CaféEssays revisited: How effective are essays as a genre of student writing?Anthony Haynes writes: In our previous episode, How effective are essays as an academic genre?, we examined essays specifically as a tool for assessment in academic contexts. In this episode we return to the genre of essays but consider their use on courses outside examinations. Engy Moussa and I debate the strengths and weaknesses of the genre - and try to remain polite without holding back on our disagreements!Further listeningWe hope you found this episode rewarding. If so, you might find the following of particular interest:Dissertations and...
2024-10-1450 min
The Grey Lit CaféHow effective are essays as an academic genre? The case of examinationsAnthony Haynes writes: On The Grey Lit Café we frequently focus on specific genres.* In this episode, we focus on the genre of essays. In particular, we discuss the use of essays in examinations. Engy Moussa (University of Cambridge) and I debate:the strengths and weaknesses of essays as an assessment toolmultiple ways to help students improve the quality of their essays*Examples include abstracts, blogs, book proposals, dissertations, emails, funding proposals, letters, online lectures, newsletters, pitches, preprints, podcasts, posters, reports, and white papers.Further listeningWe hope yo...
2024-09-1044 min
The Grey Lit CaféQuality infrastructure and productivity: on protocolsAnthony Haynes is the author and publisher of an extensive series of Writing Protocols. In this episode, Engy Moussa interviews Anthony on how to produce protocols in order to get things done - and get them done well.In the process, they discuss such questions as:What is a protocol?How to compose protocolsHow are they used and what is their rationale?What is the relationship between protocols and learning?Further listeningWe hope you found this episode rewarding. If so, you might find the following of particular interest:How...
2024-07-0413 min
The Grey Lit CaféThe art of the newsletter: lessons from the reader's perspectiveAnthony Haynes writes: In this, our latest genre-based, episode, Engy Moussa and I explore newsletters - primarily from the perspective of the reader. We range widely, exploring questions concerning quantity, spatial design, schedules, the reading journey, distinction, and offputting features. And we review our favorite examples, asking what can be learned from them about the art of the newsletter.And, finally, we consider the benefits to writers of contributing to newsletters.LinksOur episode on managing emails: Managing emailsOur episode on Robin Williams' book: The non-designer's design book T...
2024-06-2039 min
The Grey Lit CaféOverwriting: how and why to avoid itOverwriting - producing a draft that exceeds your word (or page) limit - is an extremely common problem amongst writers in science, research, and professional areas. In this episode, Engy Moussa interviews Anthony Haynes. They examine why this problem arises, what harm it does, and, crucially, how to overcome the problem. The discussion outlines practical solutions, with an emphasis on how to prevent the problem from arising. Topics include the psychology of writing and techniques for planning, reviewing, and editing.Further listeningWe hope you enjoyed listening to this...
2024-02-0721 minThe Grey Lit CaféManaging emails: a guide for individual usersAnthony Haynes writes: "Email? - no sweat!"; "Email is no kind of bane to me!" - one doesn't offer here such sentiments. Anyone who remembers the world of work before the advent of email will remember of feeling of wonder when email became available. When I started working in publishing, authors were required to mail hard copies of their typescripts (along with a 'floppy' disc - remember them?) With email, even those authors working in far-off lands could send their scripts with a push of a button.But for most people, that sense of wonder...
2023-05-2418 min
The Grey Lit CaféWasted words: our antidote to verbosityAnthony Haynes writes: 'Added bonus'; 'free gift'; 'forward planning'; 'pre-prepared': pleonasms - usages that involve redundant words - are all around us. In this episode, Engy Moussa and I have fun with the English language. We ask:what are the most common pleonasms?what types of pleonasm are there?do pleonasms matter?is pleonasm always a bad thing?how should we respond to pleonasm?Support the showReference and allusionsThomas Gray, 'Elegy written in a country churchyard'.Our use of 'one-uppersonship' (which we're hoping is a first: OED p...
2023-05-1224 min
The Grey Lit CaféManaging writing projects: two strategiesIn this interview, Engy Moussa and Anthony Haynes explore approaches to the management of lengthy writing projects.First, they characterise the 'waterfall' approach and indicate its strengths and weaknesses - especially in terms of assumptions about the underlying nature of writing.Second, they characterise and assess the 'agile' approach.Further listeningWe hope you enjoyed listening to this episode. If so, you might enjoy the following episodes:Writing reports successfullyHow to get blogging and stay bloggingCreditsSound production: Bart HallmarkMusic: from Handel's Water...
2023-01-0414 minThe Grey Lit CaféBoosting your productivity: the role of space and placeAnthony Haynes writes: On this podcast we often explore grey literature from the perspective of creators - the authors, editors, designers, and publishers.We focus both on the genres of grey literature and the processes of creation and production. This episode is one of the latter.Productivity hacks typically focus, sometimes exclusively, on use of time. Here, in contrast, Dr Engy Moussa and I focus on the ways in which use of space and place can contribute to personal productivity.Further listeningWe hope you enjoy this episode. If...
2022-11-3017 minThe Grey Lit CaféWriting reports successfully: a professional viewAnthony Haynes writes: This episode draws on extensive experience of working professionally on reports in order to provide practical advice and guidance to authors writing reports.The topics that Engy Moussa and I discuss include:what a report is (the meanings of 'report')identifying and charaterising your audiencearticulating your goalestablishing a workflowusing modelsworking with word budgetscreating sample textworking collaborativelyResourcesThis eisodes recommends the following:Bruce Cooper, Writing technical reports (Penguin, 1964)University of New South Wales, 'Report writing support': https://www.student.unsw.edu.au/report-writing-supportChartered Institute of Editing and...
2022-10-0325 min
The Grey Lit CaféConsuming grey literature: a reader's perspectiveAnthony Haynes writes: Much of the emphasis of our podcast falls on the creation of grey literature. We often look at grey literature from the perspective of creators, originators, or producers.But in this episode, we switch perspectives and examine how grey literature looks from the consumer's point of view.I interview political scientist Dr Engy Moussa (University of Cambridge). We discuss how grey literature has contributed to her research. What types of grey literature have featured in her work? And how have such materials contributed to her research?We also touch on...
2022-09-1520 min
The Grey Lit CaféWriting book proposals (III): good practice for authorsAnthony Haynes writes: In this episode, we provide constructive advice for prospective authors.Dr Engy Moussa and I focus on good practice to boost the chances of eliciting a publishing contract.Topics include: defining your market(s)incorporating the potential for export salesrights salesyear-on-year salesidentifying ways of reaching your market(s)positioning your book in relation to other productsselling points: the need for your book and the benefits that your book will provide to readersRelated episodesThis is the third and final episode in a three-part series on bo...
2022-08-2313 min
The Grey Lit CaféWriting book proposals (II): 5 common pitfallsAnthony Haynes writes: Although definitions of grey literature exclude books, the proposals that authors write in order to attract a publisher can be thought of as a form of grey literature -- hence our mini-series on book proposals.How to write a proposal effectively? In this episode, like the previous one, Dr Engy Moussa and I explore some of the pitfalls that authors often fall into. By anticipating such pitfalls, authors can give themselves an advantage in the competition for book contracts. Further listeningIf you enjoyed listening to...
2022-08-1214 min
The Grey Lit CaféWriting book proposals (I): 4 things NOT to doAnthony Haynes writes: Welcome back to the Grey Lit Café for this, the first episode in our second season. Engy Moussa and I begin the new season with an extended treatment of one specific form of grey literature, namely book proposals. We've decided to devote three episodes to this topic.We begin with a consideration of why this topic falls into the category of grey literature.We then outline four pitfalls that are very common and need to be avoided.Further listeningIf you enjoyed listening t...
2022-08-0416 minThe Grey Lit CaféWriting emails effectivelyIn this episode, Engy Moussa (University of Cambridge) and Anthony Haynes (Creative Director, Frontinus Ltd) discuss how to write emails.They focus on how to anticipate typical pitfalls in order to enhance communicativeness.ReferencesThe links, both to (a) the slide deck on practical advice and (b) further practical resources, are available here: https://writeyourresearch.wordpress.com/email-writing-and-management/.CreditsSound production: Bart HallmarkMusic: from Handel's Water Music, courtesy of the United States Marine Band and Marine Chamber OrchestraFurther listening...
2022-05-2315 minThe Grey Lit CaféPosters as a form of research communicationIn this episode, Engy Moussa (University of Cambridge) and Anthony Haynes (Creative Director, Frontinus Ltd) discuss how to write, design, and present posters.They focus on how to anticipate typical pitfalls in order to enhance communicativeness.References'Writing, designing, and presenting a poster' is published by Frontinus Ltd as the 17th resource in the Writing Protocols series. It provides references to other resources, including Colin Purrington's website.Vischeck is available here: vischeck.com.CreditsSound production: Bart HallmarkMusic: from Handel's Water Music, courtesy...
2022-04-2611 minThe Grey Lit CaféWelcome to the Grey Lit CaféWe kick off our podcast by asking; what is grey literature? why does it matter? and why Grey Lit Café?This episode features co-hosts, Engy Moussa and Anthony Haynes.References[Mentioned at about 04:30] Research communication and grey literature: a rising tide: https://writeyourresearch.files.wordpress.com/2020/11/03-nov-20-white-on-grey.pdf [Mentioned at about 11:03] The website of GreyNet: http://www.greynet.org/ Further readings on grey literature:[Book] Sarah Bonato, Searching the grey literature: a handbook for searching reports, working papers, and other unpublished research, London: Rowman & Lit...
2022-03-0812 min