Writing academically
Monica Fernandes ASK Academic Skills
SPRING WEEK 2014
ask@brunel.ac.uk
Session Outline Academic writing conventions
The importance of structure Writing clearly and concisely The importance of referencing
Are you a writer??
Every writer I know has trouble writing. - Joseph Heller, novelist
Challenge yourself… Try different things – Locations Times of day In silence, with music, etc. You don’t need big blocks of time Try the pomodoro technique Do not wait for ‘inspiration’ But most importantly…
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The biggest misconception…
ACADEMIC WRITING SHOULD BE DIFFICULT AND COMPLICATED.
Remember you need to BE CRITICAL Which is an example of critical writing? Baker (2009) offers a detailed evaluation of various IT support systems.
DESCRIPTIVE
Though Baker (2009) emphasises the necessity for IT support systems to undergo constant evaluation, he does not take into account earlier work by Butler (1998) and Peabody (1987), both of which provide a useful perspective about how such programs have evolved over time.
CRITICAL
Academic writing should be Critical rather than descriptive 1. 2. 3. 4.
Objective rather than biased Formal rather than informal Structured Concise and clear
It’s about creating a balance.
1. Be objective Subjective Opinion I thought Transformers 2 was absolute rubbish.
Balanced evidence-based
Academic argument Though its use of digital 3D marks an notable evolution in filmmaking technology, my reading of Transformers 2 aligns with those of recent critics like Kermode (2010) and Johnson (2011) – far too often that very technology stands as a substitute for taut storytelling and polished screenplays.
2. Formality – what’s wrong? With the economy still in absolute chaos, restaurants are all in the same boat, and as you can imagine, the hospitality business has been hugely affected. The researcher believes that Gourmet restaurants will continue to be affected in the imminent future. • • • • • •
Avoid emotive language Avoid colloquial or informal language Avoid the second-person (‘you’) Avoid superfluous adverbs What did we say about opinions? Watch out for Random Capitalisations!
3. Structure
Look at both levels‌ 1. Macro level
2. Micro level
1. Macro-level structure What is the big picture… Organisation of the essay as a whole
Introduction, body and conclusion
Macro-level structure Introduction
~ 10%
Body Paragraphs
~ 80%
Conclusion
~ 10%
Macro-level structure Context Preview Position
Introduction Remember: Don’t just tell them what you’re going to say – tell them why they should care.
Position
Review Implications
Remember: No new evidence, but do push beyond the bounds of the essay.
Conclusion
Remember the Micro-level‌
Paragraph-level structure What are the three main elements of a paragraph?
S E E
Statement = TOPIC SENTENCE Evidence = References or experiences
Explanation = Significance One-sentence paragraph
STATEMENT/ TOPIC SENTENCE should… • tell the reader what to expect in a paragraph • be a specific statement that will be supported with evidence • Help you in the editing process – Guide you with what needs to stay in your work or be cut out
• NOT opinion or general fact
Which is a better topic sentence? Andrew Jones (2009) has shown that in England, 15.4 million people are currently living with a chronic condition. Recent studies have demonstrated a strong link between physical inactivity and chronic disease. Andrew Jones’s (2009) research on the subject covers a great deal of ground, showing that in England...
Identify the ‘SEE’
S E E
Despite the widespread use of yoga exercise to alleviate back and neck complaints, its effectiveness has not been investigated adequately. The effectiveness of yoga for the treatment of back and neck complaints has been studied in a number of trials (Harbock 2005, Wringley 2008, Brooke 2010), however these trials often have methodological flaws relating to the small size of the study population or the selection criteria. These limitations have brought about the need to devise a large scale study with systematic and transparent criteria.
Remember to be
CRITICAL NOT Descriptive
What’s signposting?
Checking your paragraph for structure and relevance: ‘so what’? • What is it about? • What does it do? • How does it contribute to your overall argument? (Does it contribute?) • Does every sentence in the paragraph relate to the topic sentence? • ‘So what’? What are the implications of this?
Redraft and revise! • Don’t hand in your first draft! • Give yourself time to rephrase, restructure and rethink your work.
Ideas Arguments Logic Style Clarity ‘Flow’
Spelling Grammar Repetition Typos Consistency (reference style, abbreviations, etc)
4. Be concise! Cut the junk… ‘at this moment in time’
now
‘take into consideration’
consider
‘until such time as’
until
‘last but not least’
lastly
‘in the event that’
if
‘due to the fact that’ ‘the way in which’ ‘in order to’
because how
so
Practice To start off, it would be appropriate to define what is meant by ‘recessions’ before going any further. OR ‘Recession’ refers to…
Remember…
GET TO THE POINT
Summary • Academic writing follows certain conventions…
• But it does not have to be boring! Explain why we should be interested in the topic • Give your stance authority • Signpost your reader • Clear structure powers your essays • Get to the point and be clear
Contact us… Check out the ASK website, Blackboard section and interactive resources, including Skills4Study Visit ASK during appointment times: • Monday- Friday 1-3 pm • Tuesday and Thursday evenings 5-6 pm • Book online at: http://libcalendar.brunel.ac.uk/booking/ask Email: ask@brunel.ac.uk