chapter 1 intro to academicwriting
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Introduction To Academic
Writing
Effective Academic Writing
Audience and Tone
Adapted from: Harris B Leonhard, Discover ies in Academic Wr iting,Thomson Heinle Publishers, 2002
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Learning Outcomes
By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:
define academic writing
identify the differences between personal andacademic writing
identify the characteristics of effective academic
writing
apply appropriate tone for related audience
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Academic Writing
What is academic writing?
Personal writing versus academic writing
Effective academic writing
Organization
Audience and tone
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What is Academic Writing?
A generic term for all writing done in high
school and college classes.
In academic writing, emphasis is placed on
formal structure and organization.
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Academic Writing
Academic writing is different from creative
writing used in stories.
Academic writing also differs from writing
used in personal writing such as letters to
friends, family members.
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Academic Writing
In academic writing, the words and grammarand the way of organizing ideas are probably
different from what you are used to in other
types of writing.
Elements such and as format, sentence
structure and organization are essential inacademic writing.
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Academic Writing vs Personal Writing
In academic writing, formal sentences arewritten. Abbreviations, slangs, contractions arenot allowed. Complete sentences are written in
an organized manner.
However, in personal writing, sentences are
informal and abbreviations, slangs,contractions and incomplete sentences areallowed.
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PERSONAL WRITING vs ACADEMIC WRITING
Features of Personal Writing:
1. Purpose: communicate with close and personalmembers on any issue/matter.
2. Your knowledge of topic: subjective dependingon the purpose of writing.
3. Audience: personal acquaintance who may have
varying degrees of knowledge on the topic.4. Criteria for evaluation: informal, simple
sentences.
5. Statistical and graphic support: almost none.
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PERSONAL WRITING vs ACADEMIC
WRITING
Features of Academic Writing:
1. Purpose: demonstrating what you know aboutthe topic, in a way that justifies a high grade.
2. Your knowledge of topic: less than the teacherwho evaluates the writing.
3. Audience: teacher who requests the assignmentand who will read it from beginning to the end.
4. Criteria for evaluation: organization, depth,logic, clarity, unity and grammar.
5. Statistical and graphic support: Sometimesused to explain and persuade.
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Differences between Personal and Academic Writing
Personal
(Informal/Colloquial)
Academic
(Formal/Technical)
Audience close friends and family professors, lecturers
Tone informal, friendly formal, objective, serious
Vocabulary slang, idioms, contracted forms academic, wide range, concise, accurate
Style simple or compound sentences simple, compound, complex sentences,sentence variety
Language fragments, run-on sentences,misspellings, punctuation errors
few, should have no errors
Content conversational, maybe repetitive depth of thought, unified
Organization maybe less structured thanformal writing
clear, coherent, well planned
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Effective Academic Writing
Three major characteristics:
convincing content
clear organization
effective use of the language
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Effective Academic Writing:
Convincing Content
The content is informative and thought-
provoking.
use specific and logical details, examples, facts,
statistics and case studies to support generalizing.
The support is relevant.
the support relates directly to the thesis and should
not digress away from the main point.
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Effective Academic Writing:
Convincing Content (contd)
The content shows depth of thought.
shows elements of critical thinking
analysis of information
interpretation of facts
making judgments
drawing conclusions
summarizing
defending opinions
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Effective Academic Writing:
Convincing Content (contd)
The writer must have a clear purpose and strong
control over the content. the message is clear, logical and to the point.
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Effective Academic Writing:
Clear Organization
it starts at the beginning and finishes at the end,with every part contributing to the main line ofargument, without digression or repetition.
ensure clear argument and presentation of pointsso that reader can follow the thoughts of the writer.
Preliminaries (introduction)
Main text (body)
End matter (conclusion)
Most academic writing in English is linear:
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Effective Academic Writing:
Clear Organization
Two approaches used in academic writing: deductiveand inductive approach
Deductive: Generalization is stated first followed bysupporting details and facts.
Inductive: Supporting details stated first followedby generalization.
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Effective Academic Writing:
Clear Organization
Organization on the Rhetorical Level:
narration
description
definitionprocess
classification
comparison cause effect
argumentation
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Effective Academic Writing:
Effective Use of English Language
Sentences must be clearly written.
Include subject-verb agreement, spelling,
punctuation.
Style
Use complex and compound-complex sentences.
Avoid too many simple sentences and frequent use
of conjunctions such asfor, and, nor, but, or, yetand
so.
Use a wide vocabulary range.
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Effective Academic Writing
Audience and Tone
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Effective Academic Writing:
Audience
Importance of Audience In academic writing, writers need to consider who
their readers/audience are.
An important feature is the control of audience andtone (formality).
Correct level of formality helps writers connect withthe audience.
(eg with friendsinformal languageindicates closerelationship)
(eg with lecturersformal languageindicates respect)
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Effective Academic Writing:
Audience
When planning to write, consider the followingfactors:
1. Identify Audience Audiences age, gender, social status, level of education,
special interest or needs, profession, cultural or racialbackground, feelings and attitudes, or relationship.
2. Purpose/Occasion Fulfilling an academic assignment, completing essay test,
getting a scholarship
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Effective Academic Writing:
Tone Importance of Tone
Expression of an attitude in your writing
Objective
Persuasive
Enthusiastic
Serious
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Effective Academic Writing:
ToneObjective language: Language used in formal report
present data.
Example:
a. A hazard exists if contact is made with this part
while it is whirling.
b. Warning. Turn off all power before you removethe cover. The blade underneath could slice off
your fingers!
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Effective Academic Writing:
Tone
Persuasive language:Language used in formal proposal
for thesis or final year project.
Example:
The purpose of this study is to discover a more efficient
way to produce hydrocarbons. The financial support for
this study will benefit many users.The researchers willbe able to investigate the problems comprehensively
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Effective Academic Writing:
Tone
Enthusiastic language: Writing in favor of a particularsubject for possible recommendation or acceptance.Example: sharing a new finding with intended readers
Example:
The discovery of medicinal properties in this bacteriawill eradicate Alzheimers Disease. This is a very
important and exciting discovery in the world ofmedicine.
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Effective Academic Writing:
Tone
Serious language: Language used to convey the
seriousness of an event/item or a discovery.
Example:
Our study has shown that if we do not recycle, natural
resources will be depleted in 2010 and planet Earth will
be barren. This will cause economic and environmentaldisasters.
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The End