Hi guys, Could you guys explain those phrases? I did look them up in a dictionary but I am a little bit confused. Thank you so much. 1. thwarted writers "This specious barrier is destined for academia’s hall of fame. We’ve all used this one; some thwarted writers have elevated it to a guiding life theme." 2. service committees What does "service committees" mean in the context of a university? "Likewise, I’ve been on some service committees in which the only time the whole group could meet was during my scheduled writing time." 3. a “recurring intractable obligation” or a “previously encumbered temporal placement.” Both phrases in quotes are elusive. 4. "You’ll find yourself committing unthinkable perversions, like finishing grant proposals early". The first clause is a negative state because of "perversions", while the other one is a positive state. How can I understand this sentence? 5. type into the ground "I bought a portable computer that I typed into the ground." 6. Self-reinforcement and contingency management "Self-reinforcement and contingency management are time-honored ways of fostering desirable behaviors." 7. I know what Geiger counters mean but I don't know the relationship between "role models in the journals" and "Geiger counters". "Their role models during graduate school were probably bad writers, and their role models in the journals set the Geiger counters clicking." 8. cell sizes "For experimental designs, make a table that presents the means, standard deviations, and cell sizes." 9. masochist I know what "masochist" means but why did the author use it in this context? "Only masochists submit rough drafts to journals." 10. derelict coauthor A friend of mine sent a derelict coauthor an e-mail with ‘‘You’re off the paper” as the subject. That worked. 11. copyedited manuscript "When your book enters production, expect big packages of copyedited manuscript from the production editor."