Master’s in Applied Social Work

Centre for Learning and Teaching

Academic Writing Orientation

View online at:

http://tinyurl.com/masw2016

CENTRE FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING SERVICES

http://tinyurl.com/6xy9hy Academic English podcast

http://owll.massey.ac.nz Online Writing and Learning Link

http://tinyurl.com/studyup2016 Live online workshops

Book on slc-alb@massey.ac.nz

OR in person at the library (LEVEL 3)

ONE-TO-ONE OR SMALL GROUP CONSULTATIONS

CTL Orientation Workshops for Postgraduate Students

Date Time Venue WorkshopQB2

9am-2pm

QB5 Part 2: Academic Writing Analysing assignment questions Finding sources – Library session Using and acknowledging sources Writing paragraphs & Essays

Wed 2/3 12-2pm Part 1: Academic Knowledge and Learning Relationship between theory and research Application and critique of theory and

research in assignments

Sat 5/3 9am-1pm

Registration is essential: Email: slc-alb@massey.ac.nz

Date Time Venue WorkshopWed 9/3 12-2pm QB2 Reading and Using Journal Articles

Wed 16/3 12-2pm QB2 Writing a literature review

Wed 23/3 12-1:30pm

QB2 Reflective Writing

Complete list on the Stream Orientation page News Forum

Other CTL Workshops for Postgraduate Students

Part 1: Academic English style

Part 2: APA referencing

Part 3: Using sources in your writing

Part 4: Paragraph structure

PART 1: ACADEMIC ENGLISH STYLE

Ordinary English

Ageism happens when someone is treated badly just because they’re young or old and it’s a lot more common than people think. What matters most isn’t whether or not someone’s treated differently but whether it’s unfair to treat them differently in the circumstances. You couldn’t call a bar ageist if they didn’t take on a 16 year-old for the job because that’s fair enough as their hands are tied. But it’s obvious that a bar that wouldn’t give a job to a 50 year old to serve drinks is being ageist if that person was able to do everything he or she was supposed to do, except for the fact that he or she was older. This sort of thing is incredibly common, even in New Zealand.

Ageism may be defined as “unfair discrimination towards someone on account of their age” (Smith & Davidov, 2003, p. 104). The crucial aspect in ageism is not discrimination in itself, but its unfairness. A bar cannot be considered ageist for refusing to employ a 16 year-old, since this is perfectly fair (and in fact, legally required). However, a bar which refused to employ a 50 year old to serve drinks could be considered ageist, if that person met the other employment requirements. Recent research has found evidence of ageist employment practices, in over half of New Zealand organisations (Brown, 2012).

Academic English

Ageism happens when ….

unfair discrimination

preciseAgeism may be defined as ….

when someone is treated badly

concise

Academic English is:

Recent research has found … (Brown, 2012).

based on theory and evidenceThis sort of thing is incredibly common, even in New Zealand.

Situational Leadership Theory is about the idea that there is no single best leadership style, and if you really want to be an effective leader, you need to adapt your leadership style so that you lead differently in different situations and according to the different needs of different followers, and if you are going to use it, you’ll have to start off by seeing if you can put followers into four groups of different performance readiness levels (R1, R2, R3, R4), and then you’d better have a good look at the ways you are going about the day to day business of managing a social work team and work out which of the four leadership styles (Telling, Selling, Participating, Delegating) seem to fit. How these leaders tell their followers their duties and responsibilities, provide guidance, communicate (listening and explaining) and provide supportive behaviors. Finally, ability (relevant knowledge, skill, and experience) and willingness (confidence, commitment, and motivation towards the tasks). You can find out which performance readiness level they can best fit into.

Task 1: Suggest 3 improvements to this paragraph

Situational Leadership Theory is based on the notion that there is no single best leadership style; rather, effective leadership is dynamic and adaptive. Leaders need to adapt constantly both to environmental changes and the developing needs of their diverse followers (Brown, 2014). The starting point for situational leadership is needs analysis. One approach to needs analysis is to categorise followers according to their performance readiness levels (R1, R2, R3, R4). This analysis needs to take account both of individuals’ ability (relevant knowledge, skill, and experience) and willingness (confidence, commitment, and motivation towards the tasks). It is also essential for leaders to analyse their own leadership behaviours; in particular, how they tell their followers their duties and responsibilities, provide guidance, communicate (listening and explaining) and provide supportive behaviors. This should allow them to identify examples of four major styles: telling, selling, participating and delegating. Their task is then to select and follow the style which is best suited to the needs of each individual in their team, according to their performance readiness (Ronaldson, 2010).

An improved version

Recent research has found evidence of such practices, where age is used as an unjustified barrier to employment or promotion, in over half of New Zealand employers (Brown, 2012).

Citations are a short way of indicating the source of your theories, models, concepts, examples or facts

In APA style, all you need to do is to put the author and date of publication of the book, article or website you used

The most common way to do this is to put these in brackets AFTER you’ve used the information

PART 2: APA REFERENCING

As an alternative you can use ‘according to’ and include the author(s) in your sentence

Or make the author(s) the subject of your sentence, choosing an appropriate reporting verb, for example: claim(s) argue(s) explain(s) point(s) out foundsuggest(s)

According to Brown (2012), older employees provide three main benefits for organisations. The first of these is ….

Brown (2012) found that age is used as an unjustified barrier to employment or promotion in over half of New Zealand employers.

Brooks, R. M. (2010). Financial management: Core concepts. Boston, MA: PearsonBrown, P. (2012). Equal opportunities in New Zealand: Myth or reality? Australasian Journal of Human Resources, 41(3), 46-68.Davidson, C., & Tolich, M. (2001). Social science research in New Zealand. Auckland, New Zealand: Pearson Education.Khan, I., & Chen, T. (2010). Tackling ageism: A cross-institutional approach. In J. Johnson & T. Peterson (Eds.), An equal opportunities handbook (pp. 102-131). San Francisco, CA: Pilot Press.Atkinson, D. (2013, January 24). Too old to work: Too young to die? Retrieved from http://www.nzherald.co.nz/1004532.htm Smith, P., & Davidoff, R. (2003). Equal opportunities: From policy to practice. Central Islip, NY: Progressive Press.Statistics New Zealand. (2008). Demographic Trends – 2001-2006. Retrieved from http://stats.govt.nz/demotrends-2012.pdf

Your citations need to match up with complete references to sources in a list at the end

References

Smith, P., & Davidoff, R. (2003). Equal opportunities: From policy topractice. Central Islip, NY: Progressive Press.

(year) title of book

city publisher

In academic writing, most references are to books and journal articles

surname, initial

Brown, P. (2012). Equal opportunities in New Zealand: Myth or reality? Australasian Journal of Human Resources, 41(3), 46-68.doi: 10.1037/0278-6133.24.2.225

(year) title of articlesurname, initial

volume / issue number

page numbers

name of journaldoi number

CHAPTER INEDITED BOOK

Biggins, G. (2009). Why I became a social worker. In P. Te Ara & T. Rogers (Eds.), Social work and social workers in New Zealand/Aotearoa (pp.102-120). Auckland, New Zealand: Insight Press.

Title of chapter – not in italics

Editors’ names – initial goes before and (Eds.), goes after!

Title of book – in italics

Page numbers of chapter – in brackets with pp. before

Author of chapter and year of publication

City & Publisher

CITY OF PUBLICATION

UK, NZ etc city, country

Harmondsworth, England: Penguin.Palmerston North, New Zealand: Dunmore Press.

USAcity, state initials

Upper Saddle River, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Check title of book in library catalogue and/or Google if city of publication is not clear from the book itself

Australiacity plus state OR country

Milton, Qld: McGraw-Hill.Milton, Australia: McGraw-Hill.

WEB PAGE REFERENCE

Statistics New Zealand. (2009). Mapping trends in the Auckland region. Retrieved from http://www.stats.govt.nz/Publications/PopulationStatistics/mapping-trends-in-the-auckland-region.aspx.

author’s name (or organisation that owns the web site)

Year (if it’s missing put (n.d.)

Retrieved from followed by full internet address

Title of page (in italics)

REFERENCING SOFTWARE

Endnote ($36 from library – and make sure you go to a tutorial)

http://tinyurl.com/endnoteguide

http://www.zotero.org/

Free Programmes to download (but you’ll need to learn how to use them, through online tutorials etc)

Use the references tab in the toolbarMicrosoft Word 2007 +

Click ‘insert citation’ + add new sourceTake care with names (Hamel, Gary) and type of source

http://www.mendeley.com

Task 2: Write end of text references and in-text citations for the following journal article

Author: Mason DurieYear of Publication: 2000Article: Public health strategies for Māori.Journal Name: Health Education & BehaviourVolume: 27Issue: 3Start page: 288End page: 295doi: Not provided

Durie, M. (2000). Public health strategies for Māori. Health Education & Behaviour, 27(3), 288-295.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Durie, 2000).

According to Durie (2000), xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As Mundell (2002, p. 4) argued, “If it’s right for Europe to scrap its national currencies, why is it wrong for other countries to do the same thing?”

1) Only quote definitions:

Quotations

And, as in the above examples, copy as few words as possible and put these inside “…..” after your own introductory phrase.

2) ..... or really memorable phrases:

The concept of comparative advantage states that “everyone does best when each concentrates on the activity for which he or she is relatively most productive” (Frank & Bernanke, 2001, p. 23).

PART 3: USING SOURCES IN YOUR WRITING

On the next slide is an extract from an article about how leaders communicate with team members.

Let’s see how we can summarise the main points, so that this can be part of an essay about effective leadership in Social Work

Summarising90% of the time, when you use ideas from your reading, you’ll need to summarise these in your own words. This four-step process is the most effective way to do this:

a) highlight the relevant information

b) turn this into brief notes

c) close the original text

d) expand your notes into one or more linked sentences

Bakhtin … differentiates between monologic and dialogic ways of talking. Monologism is based on a single authority who is unresponsive to how his/her voice is being received, advocates a particular view or ideology, manages meanings and impressions, and aims to get a common understanding of his/her pre-established view or vision. Bakhtin criticized the oppressive nature of monologic discourse, suggesting that it rules out diverse meanings, silencing and marginalizing other voices. Dialogism means talking with people not to them, understanding that meaning emerges in specific moments of responsive conversation between people, and that everything that is said is in relationship to ‘others’: other people, other ideas, other conversations. Talking with means all views are shared and considered – cross/back and forth dialogue (p. 1434)

Cunliffe, A. L., & Eriksen, M. (2011). Relational leadership. Human Relations 64, 1425-1449. doi: 10.1177/0018726711418388

Bakhtin … differentiates between monologic and dialogic ways of talking. Monologism is based on a single authority who is unresponsive to how his/her voice is being received, advocates a particular view or ideology, manages meanings and impressions, and aims to get a common understanding of his/her pre-established view or vision. Bakhtin criticized the oppressive nature of monologic discourse, suggesting that it rules out diverse meanings, silencing and marginalizing other voices. Dialogism means talking with people not to them, understanding that meaning emerges in specific moments of responsive conversation between people, and that everything that is said is in relationship to ‘others’: other people, other ideas, other conversations. Talking with means all views are shared and considered – cross/back and forth dialogue

Monologic talking: Single authority; imposes particular view; silences or marginalises other voicesDialogic talking: with, not to, people; meaning emerges (not pre-established); all views shared and considered

STEP 1: Highlight relevant information

STEP 2: Take the information out and put into brief notes

Bakhtin distinguished between two forms of talking. In monologic communication, the speaker sees him or herself as a single authority and seeks to impose their view on others through talking to them, silencing or marginalising any other voices. Dialogic talking, on the other hand, means talking with people, allowing new meanings to emerge from the sharing and consideration of views (Cunliffe & Eriksen, 2011).

STEP 3: Close the original book or screen – so all you have in front of you is your notes

STEP 4: Expand your notes into one or more linked sentences

Monologic talking: Single authority; imposes particular view; silences or marginalises other voicesDialogic talking: with, not to, people; meaning emerges (not pre-established); all views shared and considered

A strengths-based model can be a suitable approach to social work practice with migrants, families and communities (Sisnerous et al., 2008). This approach is focused on the strengths, possibility and resilience of individuals and their families, rather than addressing their deficits and weaknesses (Saleebey, 2006). For Korean migrants, the transnational community is a vital source of strength, opportunities, resilience and belonging. To meet the needs of migrants and their families, it is important for practitioners to work with groups, organisations and other institutions at the community level (Berg-Weger, 2010). This community-level social work practice, based on the strengths-based approach, can be extended to macro practice in the transnational context within which Korean clients are positioned. The roles of social work practitioners with migrant communities can range from empowering clients and their families, to utilising the community’s own resources, and to promoting the participation and inclusion of migrant clients in their host society. (p. 38)

Task 2: Write a summary of this text using your own words in three or four sentences.

Hong-Jae, P., & Anglem, J. (2012). The 'transnationality' of Koreans, Korean families and Korean communities in Aotearoa New Zealand--implications for social work practice. Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work Review, 24(1), 31-40.

A strengths-based model can be a suitable approach to social work practice with migrants, families and communities (Sisnerous et al., 2008). This approach is focused on the strengths, possibility and resilience of individuals and their families, rather than addressing their deficits and weaknesses (Saleebey, 2006). For Korean migrants, the transnational community is a vital source of strength, opportunities, resilience and belonging. To meet the needs of migrants and their families, it is important for practitioners to work with groups, organisations and other institutions at the community level (Berg-Weger, 2010). This community-level social work practice, based on the strengths-based approach, can be extended to macro practice in the transnational context within which Korean clients are positioned. The roles of social work practitioners with migrant communities can range from empowering clients and their families, to utilising the community’s own resources, and to promoting the participation and inclusion of migrant clients in their host society. (p. 38)

1. Highlight main points

• SWs can use a strengths-based approach with migrants

• Focus on resilience, ops, belonging

• Work with groups + insts at comm level

• empower clients, use comm res, promote incl + part.

2. Make brief notes

Social workers in New Zealand / Aotearoa are recommended to adopt a strengths-based approach to working with migrants. This approach involves working with community organisations and building on existing strengths, such as resilience and a sense of belonging. Using these community resources, social workers can both empower individual clients and promote broader social inclusion and participation (Hong-Jae, & Anglem, 2012).

3. Expand these notes into linked sentences

PART 4: PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE

UnityThe paragraph should focus on ONE claim about ONE topic

CoherenceEach sentence in the paragraph should build explicitly on the one before

DevelopmentThe paragraph’s claim must be developed through logical argument, supported by relevant evidence

PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE PARAGRAPHS

EXAMPLE of a WELL-STRUCTURED PARAGRAPH

Another barrier to elimination of the Monarchy is the lack of an alternative concept of State power. This difficulty is said to explain why Australians, less attached to the Monarchy than New Zealanders (Singh, 2010), voted against change in the referendum a decade ago (Campbell, 1999). According to Julia Gillard, a recent Australian Premier, the issue was no longer even on the agenda (Behan, 2011). In the meantime, like New Zealand, Canada etc, Australia continues to be governed according to the authority of the ‘Crown’ as the executive branch of Government; an authority inherited from the colonial power, Britain (Radley & Foreman, 2003). Republicanism has traditionally replaced this ‘top-down’ authority with a concept of power of the people. However, this ‘people-power’ concept has been criticised for suppressing diversity and bi-culturalism in favour of ‘One Nation’ (Brown, 2003) and would clearly be especially problematic for New Zealand, where the Treaty Principles uphold partnership, protection and participation (Massey University, 2009). If Australia, where indigenous rights and biculturalism have been less prominent, has struggled to develop an alternative to the power of the Crown, how much more difficult would such a process be in New Zealand, where national identity is a complex and central political issue?

UNITY

Topic sentence in the ‘Republic’ Paragraph

Another barrier to the elimination of the Monarchy is the lack of an alternative concept of State power.

• it introduces the topic precisely and makes a specific claim about it.

TECHNIQUES FOR GREATER COHERENCE

Coherence can be achieved by creating language bridges from one sentence to another. This allows the claim to be supported and developed as the paragraph goes on. This can be done by:

Repetition and Variation of topic vocabulary: keeps the focus on the same topic

Back-reference devices: Using ‘this’ / ‘these’ / ‘such’ etc means that each sentence builds on the one before, helping your argument move forwardSentence adverbials: Words or phrases like ‘Moreover’ or ‘On the other hand’ highlight important steps in the argument – but should not be used too much or too loosely.

EVALUATION OF PARAGRAPH COHERENCE

Coherence in the ‘Republic’ ParagraphAnother barrier to elimination of the Monarchy is the lack of an alternative concept of State power. This difficulty is said to explain why Australians, less attached to the Monarchy than New Zealanders (Singh, 2010), voted against change in a referendum a decade ago (Campbell, 1999).

The clear back-reference makes it flow so that it is easy to follow.

... the issue is no longer even on the agenda (Behan, 2011). In the meantime, like New Zealand, Canada etc, Australia continues to be governed according to the authority of the ‘Crown’ .... Republicanism has traditionally replaced this ‘top-down’ authority with a concept of power of the people. However, this ‘people-power’ concept has been criticised ......

Just a couple of linking words are used to highlight key moves