Writing with Sweet Clarity

"Eck makes a convincing argument that complex prose or attempts to sound clever lead to frustrated readers and muddled ideas. He presents practical techniques to encourage us to write clearly and introduces tools that can help us to evaluate our progress. There is also lots of fun along the way."

Kate Bowers, Head of the Department of Security and Crime Science,University College London, UK

"John Eck’s Writing with Sweet Clarity is an imaginative, comprehensive, and altogether persuasive and practical 'kit of tools' for improving student writing. I enthusiastically recommend the book for advanced undergraduate, master's, and PhD students. The book can assist students regardless of their professional aspirations."

Thomas Blumberg, Dean and Sheldon L. Messinger Professor of Criminology, College of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Florida State University, USA

"Eck provides an essential resource for anyone working in the social sciences with this clever, simple, and useful guide to good writing. He takes you through key principles for each stage of the writing process, including important tips for creating the tables, graphs, and diagrams. This book is an exemplar of writing at its best!"

Danielle Reynald, School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Griffith University, Australia

"In true Eckian fashion, John cuts through the problems of convoluted academic writing and provides straightforward guidance for us all. This guidebook is a must-have for students and early academics who want to be educated and entertained about the basics of simple, meaningful, and audience-specific writing."

Cynthia Lum, Department of Criminology, Law and Society, George Mason University, USA; and Co-Editor-In-Chief of the Journal Criminology and Public Policy

"Few academic programs provide systematic training in writing—the major form of scholarly and professional communication. Writing with Sweet Clarity fills this gap. John Eck develops the insight that the measure of a text is its success in communicating with its readers. His treatment is comprehensive and systematic. And he followed his own good advice, writing a text that will hold the attention of undergraduates and professionals alike."

Paul DiMaggio, New York University, Department of Sociology, USA; and A. Barton Hepburn Professor Emeritus of Sociology and Public Affairs, and Senior Scholar, Sociology Department, Princeton University, USA

"Finally, a contemporary work full of tips and exercises to improve writing process. Eck’s practical guide infuses humor and kindness as he explains everything from the basics, to writing with co-authors, to editing and reviews. Writing with Sweet Clarity is now required reading for my graduate and honours students and strongly recommended in my other classes. A must read for anyone seeking to improve their written communication or wanting to help others improve theirs."

Sheri Fabian, School of Criminology, Simon Fraser University, Canada; and Winner of the 2019 3M National Teaching Fellowship awarded by the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

"The role of policing is changing, and our writing must be clear, concise, and convincing. Eck’s ten simple commandments will entertain you and improve your writing skills. I found his book witty and easy to read. Every police officer needs this book."

Maris Herold, Chief of Police, Boulder (Colorado) Police Department, USA

"Writing in English is challenging for non-native English speakers like myself. We tend to write long sentences to appear sophisticated but create sentences that are hard to comprehend. I could not agree with John more on writing short sentences using active voice to alleviate this problem. I highly recommend this book to anyone in geography, planning, sociology, criminology, or related fields."

Lin Liu, Department of Geography and GIS, University of Cincinnati, USA

"In a world where we increasingly communicate by tweets and emojis, John Eck has published this marvelous book as a public service. Clarity of expression is vital in the arena of crime and policing decision-making. Students of this book will improve not just their grade, but also their connection to readers and policy makers."

Jerry Ratcliff, Department of Criminal Justice, Temple University, USA; Retired London Metropolitan Police officer, and host of the popular Reducing Crime podcast

"John Eck’s Writing with Sweet Clarity is a tour de force on the craft and joy of academic writing in the social sciences. Brilliantly written and chock full of great advice, with a touch of humor, this book is essential reading for current and aspiring academics."

Brandon C. Welsh, Northeastern University, USA; and Director, Cambridge-Somerville Youth Study