GPSC International Writing Workshop

Week 1Jan. 19

Kara Johnson

Student Info HO

Develop writing skills needed for academic theses, dissertations, and publications

Support non-native speakers of English who are currently writing

Introduce both sentence and word level issues, as well as larger organizational and conventional issues

Give writers techniques for revising their writing

Goals

1. Learning your audience & organizing your writing

2. Using academic vocabulary I: connecting ideas & learning conventions of your discipline

3. Using academic vocabulary II: defining ideas & integrating source material

4. Using academic vocabulary III: academic styles & writing introductions

5. Using academic vocabulary IV: evaluative language & reviewing the literature

Weekly topics

Swales, J. M., & Feak, C. B. (2012). Academic Writing for Graduate Students: Essential Tasks and Skills. 3rd ed. University of Michigan Press.

Recommended book

TASK ONE What is your main writing strategy? What strategies would you like to develop? Right now, what do you feel your strengths

of writing are? Right now, what do you feel your

weaknesses of writing are?

Inventory

P2 HO

Learning your audienceWho are the audiences you write for?

What about your writing changes when you change audience?

◦ Personal◦ Students◦ Advisors◦ Thesis committees◦ Reviews◦ Editors◦ Conference or journal

readers (academics)

Purpose Strategy

Vocabulary Details Organization

Audience interconnected with purpose and strategy…how does that affect us?◦ All are frequently changing◦ For graduate writers, a purpose is often to display

familiarity, expertise, and intelligence◦ There is a need to consider how to position

yourself to leave the impression you want

Pg 5 missing lines:◦ A potentially cheaper technology called membrane

desali- nation may expand the role desaliantion worldwide, which

Learning your audience

P4-5 HO

Let’s consider your current work:◦ Who is your audience?◦ What is your purpose?◦ What impression do you want to leave with your

audience?◦ What is a strategy you are or can use?

Your writing

Organizing your ideas, when we return

Break time!

Academic writing has some typical organizations◦ Emails◦ Bad news letters◦ Good news letters◦ Book reviews◦ Dissertation◦ Journal article

You can deviate, but too far, and the reader can be confused

Strive for appropriate style

Organizing your writing

How do you find the organizational conventions of your field?

For your specific type of writing?

Typical organizations for sections or paragraphs:◦ General/specific◦ Situation/problem◦ Comparison/contrast

Organizing your writing

Very common structure for orientating the reader

Pattern is the following:◦ A general statement◦ An elaboration◦ More elaboration◦ Often returns to a broader statement

The general statement could be:◦ A short definition◦ A generalization or purpose statement

General-Specific organization

(From Swales & Feak, 2012, p 56)

Very common structure for orientating the reader

Pattern often used for:◦ An answer to an examination question◦ A course paper◦ An opening paragraph of an assignment◦ Background to an analysis or discussion

General-Specific organization

(From Swales & Feak, 2012, p 55)

EXAMPLE: Reality TV Formats (PDF)◦ Glance through Abstract and Introduction to position the

article◦ “From documentaries to docu-soaps…” 1st paragraph

How does the author take readers from the general opening emphasis on reality TV to the final focus on “docu-soaps and game docs to makeovers and quiz shows”?

Can you find the connections between each sentence?

What specific issue does the next paragraph reach?

General-Specific organization

General-specific—tends to be descriptive and expository

Problem-solution—tends to be argumentative and evaluative, perhaps convincing

Problem-Solution Organization

In your writing, look for a general statement, a generalization, a definition, something that could become more specific…

Then see if you brought it more specific

If time…

EXAMPLE: Scientific Writing of Novice Researchers (PDF)◦ Glance through Abstract to position the article◦ Introduction to p. 512 first paragraph

What problem-solution is set up in “Conclusions”

How is this expanded in the “Introduction” (up to p512, first paragraph)?

What is the problem? What is the solution?

Problem-Solution Organization

P103 HO

General-specific—tends to be descriptive and expository

Problem-solution—tends to argumentative and evaluative, perhaps convincing

Compare-Contrast—seeks to highlight overlapping views and differences in a way that have not been seen before

Compare-Contrast Organization

Suggestions for organization:◦ Use chart, table or diagram to help yourself see

connections or common threads◦ Write by key points, not by sources◦ A single paragraph usually is not from a single

source◦ Use language to show similarity

E.g., Similarly,…; Similar to…; Likewise,…; As in __, in __...

◦ Use language to show contrast E.g., In contrast, …; Unlike ___, ___...; Whereas __,

__...

Compare-Contrast Organization

Bring an article from a journal in your discipline (hard copy or on your computer)

Homework

Partners—same or different discipline. Instructions for pairs Two have signed up to meet me today.

Partners:◦ Consider what you struggle with (or have been

told) in order to ask your partner to look for specific things.

Workshop

If time

(From Liu & Hansen, 2002, p 138)