So, what is mastery?

No. 2 (February 2025) in the 'Mastery in Writing' series of articles: https://www.paramedicpractice.com/content/mastery-in-writing.

The whole crux of master’s level work is that the student shows a degree of Mastery in an area under investigation. Denby et al., (2008) give a clear framework for what this actually means: •Masters demonstrate that they know what is written about the area (through literature review) •They can discuss its features and failings and recognise the points on consent and contention (criticality) •They can examine their own practice (through reflection) •They can act as a change agent by using their examination to change practice (reflective practitioner)’ (Casey, Clark, and Hayes, 2017 p. 8).

STOP! This is not Mastery. This is demonstrating an ability to cut and paste! What is cited above is not wrong in its context but:It does not demonstrate understanding. It does not demonstrate criticality. It does not demonstrate synthesis. It is unparaphrased description. Yes, it is telling the reader how one person perceives mastery but consider, is this person correct? Without reading around the subject and bringing in other sources and their interpretation of the topic, you are in danger of citing information that may not even be true. The Denby citation is 17 years old and could easily be outdated. When writing academically, you are encouraged to keep within 5 years of current wherever possible to try to avoid the information being obsolete, leading to the potential for falsity within your work. It is not always possible to use current sources in your work so consider, is the source seminal (fundamental in the theory being discussed), is it still cited in modern publications and acknowledged as being influential in its findings, is the source still applicable? Does the source demonstrate how practice has evolved in the intervening years? This can be useful at times but avoid lapsing into description. A comment within your own work to acknowledge that you know the text is dated and why you still use it is a great way to add a little depth to your work.