English for Academic Purposes

Tutor: Paulina Sobinska (paulina.sobinska@lshtm.ac.uk)

Course administration – Jennifer Richards (eaptutor@lshtm.ac.uk)

Aims of the EAP course• To ensure that students recognise the way

academic English (especially scientific English) is written

• To provide students with advice and guidance on how to produce good, clear academic English

LSHTM requirements• From the LSHTM Academic Writing Handbook

(http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/edu/qualityassurance/academicwritinghandbook.pdf)

• If English is not your first language or you are not fully confident in your fluency, please be reassured that a 'high' standard of English is not a general requirement for assessed work.

• Rather, LSHTM assessments will normally ask you to produce readable and evidence-based commentary that puts your points across clearly.

LSHTM requirements• Well-structured organisation (such as distinct

main sections), clear presentation (such as uncluttered short paragraphs and sensible use of lists, bullet points or tables) and straightforward unambiguous phrasing (e.g. using short descriptive sentences) are all much more important than brilliant phrasing.

• Your use of language needs to demonstrate your knowledge of the topic, not your fluency in English, so you will not be marked down for minor imperfections.

Linear thinking and writing

Robert B Kaplan, 1966, Cultural thought patterns in inter-cultural education

What do we mean by linear?

• Each part contributes to the main line of argument

• No digression or repetition• Clear organisation, easy for the reader to follow(Andy Gillett, www.uefap.com)

CharacteristicsStructurally

• structured logically – it tells the story: ideas and processes are expressed in a logical order. This order is made clear from the outset and the text is divided into sections with clear headings

• uses paragraphs to ensure logical flow – each paragraph describes one topic

CharacteristicsGrammatically

• uses verbs to describe action – (not the usage of verbs enables the description of action!)

• makes the main idea the subject of the sentence - (the patient’s symptoms did not change, not ‘the patient showed no change in symptoms)

• uses the active voice – (we interviewed mothers, not mothers were interviewed)

CharacteristicsStylistically:• clear - avoids unnecessary detail• simple - uses direct language and avoids

complicated sentences. Technical terms and jargon used only when absolutely necessary

• precise - avoids language such as ‘about’, ‘nearly’;

• reader centred –focuses on what reader needs to know – reader should not need to read more than once or read slowly, write to express not to impress

• less is more - every word is necessary

How do we do it – course content

o Word choice• Simple, accurate, necessary

o Sentences and paragraphs• Sentence length, position of subject, verbs

or nouns? • Topic sentences, connectives, parallel

structures

How do we do it – course contento Grammatical features of academic writingo Organising the content – cohesiono Academic discussiono Avoiding plagiarismo How to paraphraseo Describing quantities and trendso Writing introductions and conclusionso Writing literature reviewso Writing abstracts

Textbooks and WebsitesMimi Zeiger, Essentials of Writing Biomedical

Research Papers, MacGraw HillTim Albert, Write Effectively, a quick course for busy

health workers, Radcliffe, 2008Hilary Glaman-Deal, Science Research Writing for

Non-native speakers of EnglishNancy Fox, The Little Book of Science Writing

http://owl.english.purdue.eduhttp://www.uefap.com/vocab/select/awl/htmwww.phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk

Avoiding plagiarim

Taster session

Source: Gimenez, J. (2011) Writing for Nurses and Midwifery Students. 2nd edition. Palgrave Macmillan

How do we avoid it?• Where any use or mention is made of the work of

others, it should be acknowledged.• A recognized citation system should be used.• Quotations must accurately refer to and

acknowledge the originator(s) of the work.• Paraphrasing – using other words to express the

ideas or judgments of others – must be clearly acknowledged.

• Work done in collaboration with others must appropriately refer to their involvement and input.

• Use of your own past work should be referenced as clearly as the work of others.

Quoting, summarizing and paraphrasing

• What are the differences?

• All three are crucial skills showing how effective you are working with sources.

When to summarize• Summarize long sections of work, like a long

paragraph, page or chapter;• To outline the main points of someone else's work

in your own words, without the details or examples;

• To include an author's ideas using fewer words than the original text;

• To briefly give examples of several differing points of view on a topic;

• To support claims in, or provide evidence for, your writing. 

how to summarize• Read a text carefully and make sure you understand

it;• Select relevant key information (discriminate between

main points and additional information, e.g. examples, lists, details, illustrations) and underline/ highlight it;

• Make notes of the key points;• Write a summary from your notes using your own

words (paraphrase, change sentence structure);• Compare your summary with the original passage to

ensure the meaning is retained.

• (adapted from Bailey, S. Academic writing)