Workshop 3 Features Academic Writing

7/27/2019 Workshop 3 Features Academic Writing

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Features of Academic

Writing

Skills for SuccessWorkshop 3, 2011



Student Learning Outcomes

2

• Make informed use of formal language choices• Avoid use of personal, subjective or unsupported

ideas and ambiguous language

• Recognise a range of generic terms that are

frequently found in academic writing

• Use passive and active forms of expression asappropriate

• Develop a repertoire of connectives and other

discourse markers that help to organise ideas

within and between sentences and paragraphs



(cont.) Student Learning Outcomes

• Exercise control in the use of pronouns• Recognise the need to avoid making absolute

claims in academic writing: understand the

notion of modality

3



What is Academic Writing?

• Audience

• Tone

• Purpose

• Involves a weighing up of evidence and ideas

4



Examples of academic writing

A: Not particularly good

• Today I will discuss my

position on Aboriginalhealth in 2009 and how

history affected it.

Different points will be

discovered and taken

into consideration.

B: Much better

• This paper will discuss

the current health statusof Indigenous

communities as a product

of history. Three things

will be emphasised: first,

Aboriginal health is…

5



Process of Academic Writing

I. Prewriting

II. Planning

III. Drafting

IV. Editing and revising

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Common Task Words

in Academic Writing

• Analyse

• Apply

• Argue• Compare/Contrast

• Define

• Describe

• Discuss

• Evaluate/Critique

• Interpret• Summarise

• Synthesise

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Features of Academic writing

1. Unity and cohesion within paragraphs-unity: each paragraph deals with one idea

-cohesion: ideas and information relate to each other

smoothly and logically

2. Unity and cohesion in the whole essay

-unity: the whole paper explores one clearly stated

central idea

-cohesion: paragraphs are arranged in a logical order,developing the argument

unity + cohesion = clarity 8



Unity in paragraphs:

ideas show a thematic

discussion achieved by

PEA

Fish make excellent pets.

A. Economical to feed

B. QuietC. Well-behaved

Because of these three

qualities alone, fish

make outstanding pets

(Bardos, 2009).

Paragraphs frequently

contain the following:

•Point

•Evidence (or example)

•Analysis

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Unity through organisation

Possible models of text organisation:

A. chronology- paragraphs are arranged by the order of events in time.

B. logical division- paragraphs with the same “coverage” stand close to

each other.

C. Order of importance – most important ideas first, etc.

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Cohesion through correct use of

punctuation marksComma Semi colon Colon Quotation MarksBefore an introductory

adverb or adverbial phrase:

Recently, the government banned

smoking in public.

Between closely related

sentences

Tom is going to CSU; Bill will be

attending Monash.

Preceding a list:

I must buy the following at the

shop: eggs, milk, and coffee.

To identify a direct

quotation

“I didn’t do it,” said O.J. Simpson.

Before a subordinate

clause:

Many people opposed the law,

but it finally passed.

Introducing a quotation:

We quote from the

address: “It now seems

appropriate…

To identify words used in a

special sense:

Teachers often refer to artworks

as “texts” to be analysed.

To bracket a phrase within

a sentence:

Smallpox, once a widespread

disease, is now under control.

Between items in a

complex series

I cannot decide which food I like

best: pizza, especially from

Domino’s; or pasta, the one

cooked by Romano’s.

Preceding an explanation:

There was a simple reason for

her failure: he did not do enough

study.

To identify the title of a

short work:

In the article “Symmetry is

Beauty”, Smith argues that . . .

To separate items in a list:

I speak English, French, Spanish,

and Italian.

To introduce a subtitle

The name of an article for

Sydney Morning Herald is

“Space Stations: Dream or

Reality?”

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Cohesion: pronouns

and referencing

12

EnglishEnglish has almost become an international

language . Except for Chinese, most people speak

it more than any other language. Spanish is theofficial language of many countries in the world but

more countries have it as their official or unofficial

second language. More than 70 % of the world‟s

mail is written in it. In international business, it is

used more than any other language and it is the

language of airline pilots and air traffic controllers

all over the world. Moreover, although French used

to be the language of diplomacy, it has displaced it

throughout the world. Therefore, unless you plan to

sped your life alone on a desert island in the

middle of the Pacific Ocean, it is a useful language

to know.



Cohesion through the use of transitions

(connectors)Meaning Connector

To intro additional idea and, another, also, too, moreover

Opposite idea in contrast, nevertheless, nonetheless

Example for example, for instanceRestatement or explanation indeed

Conclusion or summary in conclusion/summary , to conclude

Chronological order first of all, after that, since then

Order of importance above all, more importantly

Result or effect accordingly, as a result, thus, hence

Comparison similarly, likewise

Concession despite, in spite of, though

Strong contrast in contrast, in comparison, dissimilar13



Common mistakes in sentences

1. Sentence fragments

“Because the enzyme failed to bond.”

2. “Choppy” text

E.g. “We must find new sources of energy. The earth's naturalsources are dwindling. Solar energy is promising to be a new source

of energy. Solar energy is from the sun‟s radiation.”

3. Run-on sentences

“Getting married is easy staying married is a different matter.”

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Avoiding absolutism

Consider the following two arguments:

1. “Everyone in Australia agrees that gay couples should have theright to get married. No-one can disagree with this argumentbecause gay people are humans, like all of us. Therefore, the lawhas to change to allow for gay marriage.”

2. “According to a recent poll, 57% of Australians appear to be infavour of allowing gay couples to marry, which they are at presentprevented from doing by law . One of the most potent arguments infavour of such a change in legislation is based on the right of every

person to enjoy equality. Equality, it is argued, should and mustextend to marriage and not just be limited to material issues suchas property rights or inheritance.”

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Active or passive?

The terms „active‟ or „passive voice‟ refer to the way ideas are

organised grammatically to place the focus of responsibility for actions

in language. Consider the two following examples:

1. ( Active) “We encourage students to develop their understanding of

the role of grammar in the creation of more formal academicwriting.”

2. (Passive) “Students are encouraged to develop their understanding

of the role of grammar in the creation of more formal academic

writing.”

Question:

When should we use active or passive voice in our writing?

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Preserving the formal tone

Check with your lecturer about:

Sub-headings

Numbering

Bullet points

Avoid all:

Colloquial words and expressions

Abbreviations

Contractions

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Workshop 3 Features Academic Writing

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