ACADEMİC WRİTİNG

PROBLEM, PROCESS, AND SOLUTION (PART 1)

Stefan Rathert

OVERVIEW

Problem-solution texts

The structure of problem-solution texts

Language focus: Midposition adverbs

Process

PROBLEM-SOLUTION TEXTS

•problem-to-solution movement underlying structure in academic writing•frequently used in introductions and critiques

PROBLEM-SOLUTION TEXTS

•procedure and process often components in problem-solution structure•procedure: steps required to solve a problem•process: description of sequence of events, e.g. how a problem emerges

PROBLEM-SOLUTION TEXTS

•problem-to-solution texts usually argumentative and evaluative•researcher perceptive and questioning

EXAMPLE OF A PROBLEM-SOLUTION TEXT

THE SITUATION

EXAMPLE OF A PROBLEM-SOLUTION TEXT

THE PROBLEM

EXAMPLE OF A PROBLEM-SOLUTION TEXT

THE SOLUTION

EXAMPLE OF A PROBLEM-SOLUTION TEXT

THE EVALUATION

STRUCTURE OF A PROBLEM-SOLUTION TEXT

SITUATION

PROBLEM

SOLUTION

EVALUATION

EXAMPLE OF A PROBLEM-SOLUTION TEXT

THE SITUATION

There are various benefits that student-teachers can accrue from researching their own practice as they focus their intellects, academic knowledge, and personal experience on conducting classroom-based research (Steinberg and Kincheloe 1998).

EXAMPLE OF A PROBLEM-SOLUTION TEXT

THE PROBLEM

Unfortunately, however, many teachers rarely engage in research unless encouraged to do so by teacher education (Borg 2009a).

EXAMPLE OF A PROBLEM-SOLUTION TEXT

THE SOLUTION

To help teachers become research active, Borg (2009b) suggests that teacher education courses can be organized and structured in certain ways. For example, they can include awareness-raising activities (….) Teachers may thus be empowered, pedagogically, cognitively, and politically (Steinberg and Kincheloe op.cit.), to become more active in supporting learning.

EXAMPLE OF A PROBLEM-SOLUTION TEXT

THE EVALUATION

However, notwithstanding the work of Atay (op.cit.), writing in a Turkish context, little of this supporting evidence comes from the field of ELT (Borg 2009a).

MIDPOSITION ADVERBS

In addition, with sufficient space and time, participating teachers may more easily develop their ideas.

Teachers may thus be empowered, pedagogically, cognitively, and politically (Steinberg and Kincheloe op.cit.), to become more active in supporting learning.

MIDPOSITION ADVERBS

The provisions of the law must be applied with care.

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The provisions of the law must carefully be applied.

In chapter 10, Ellis describes in only a couple of paragraphs seven theories of SLA.

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In chapter 10, Ellis briefly describes seven theories of SLA.

PROCESS Figure 1 illustrates the interaction of

acquisition and learning in adult second language production.

Fig.1. Model for adult second language performance

REFERENCES

Krashen, S. (1981). Second language acquisition and second language learning. Pergamon Press: University of Carolina (First internet edition 2002) Retrieved from: http://sdkrashen.com/SL_Acquisition_and_Learning/SL_Acquisition_and_Learning.pdf

Swales, J.M. and Feak, C.B. (1994). Academic writing for graduate students. Essential tasks and skills (2nd Edition). The University of Michigan Press: Michigan.

Wyatt, M. (2011). Teachers researching their own practice. ELT Journal 65/4, p. 417-425.

Thank you for your attention.Enjoy your coffee.