Academic Writing for FYP Students: Applied Languages
Seminar 3
Íde O’Sullivan, Lawrence Cleary
Regional Writing CentreThe Writing Centre, UL
www.ul.ie/rwc
Academic Writing for FYP Students: Applied Languages
Seminar 3
Íde O’Sullivan, Lawrence Cleary
Regional Writing Centre
The Writing Centre, UL
www.ul.ie/rwc
Plan of Seminars
Seminars: Weeks 5, 6, 7
Wednesdays 2–3 pm A1-052
One-to-One Sessions:
visit our website (www.ul.ie/rwc) to check out our tutors and make an appointment
Plan of seminars
Seminar 1 (Week 5):
Getting started
Layout/presentation/structure
Referencing
Seminar 2 (Week 6):
Writing an effective abstract, introduction and conclusion
Developing and sustaining an argument
Seminar 3 (Week 7):
Academic writing style
Editing and proof reading
Academic Writing Style
Academic writing style
Academic writing is clear, concise and comprehensive
Clarity of expression
‘Clear writing is direct, orderly, and precise’ (Ebest et al., 1997).
Logical method of development
Effective transition signals
Good signposting
Coherent
Consistent point of view
Conciseness (careful word choice)
The importance of clear and fluent expression.
Ebest, Sally B., Gerald J. Alred, Charles T. Brusaw, and Walter E. Oliu. Writing from A to Z: The Easy-to-Use Handbook, 2nd Edition. Mountain View, California: Mayfield Publishing Company.
Clarity:
‘A logical method of development and effective transition signals given your writing coherence, enabling the reader to connect your thoughts without conscious effort and to concentrate solely on absorbing your ideas. Techniques of emphasis and subordination distinguish the key ideas from those of less importance. A consistent point of view establishes through whose eyes, or from what vantage point, the reader views the subject. Conciseness contributes to clarity and saves your reader’s time. Careful word choice helps you avoid vagueness and ambiguity (Ebest et al. 97).
Academic writing style
Clarity of expression
Avoid repetition of words
Avoid repetition of ideas
Delete redundant words
Be direct: avoid using too many words
Avoid ambiguity
Avoid unclear pronoun reference
Choose strong active verbs
Use parallel constructions
Academic writing style
What is wrong with the following?
“In Florida, where the threat of hurricanes is an annual event, we learned that it is important (1) to become aware of the warning signs. (2) There are precautions to take, and (3) deciding when to take shelter is important.”
(Purdue OWL 2006)
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/
Academic writing style
Formality/register:
Academic writing uses a formal style
Avoid informal language especially colloquial expressions, idioms and slang.
Do not use contractions (don’t, can’t).
Avoid subjective language (“I heard it said…”)
Appropriate language
Use bias-free language.
Avoid language that privileges one race, colour, gender, persuasion, or religion over another.
Academic writing style
Voice:
Replace personal references, e.g. "I aim to" with passives, e.g "the aim of the project is". Use language that emphasises the subject, rather than the writer.
Vocabulary
Academic writing conventionally uses a more lexically dense, varied vocabulary.
Academic writing uses more subordination and passives than other genres.
Academic writing style
Tense
Do not mix verb tenses in compound predicates
Be consistent
Check for subject verb agreement
Use verbs to emphasise the subject, not the writer
Avoid
Repetition
Unfinished ideas
Academic writing style
Be sure that sentences express a complete idea.
Arrange ideas logically in paragraphs, logically dividing your ideas and presenting them linearly.
Grammar, spelling, capitalisation and punctuation should be according to conventions.
Do not use contractions.
Be explicit; use signals.
Academic writing style
Hedge. Distinguish between absolutes and probabilities. Absolutes are 100% certain. Probabilities are less than 100% certain.
Be responsible. Provide traceable evidence and justifications for any claims you make or any opinions you have formed as a result of your research.
Editing and Proof Reading
Editing and proofreading
What is editing?
Macro and micro edits
Types of edit
Becoming the editor
Traps – spelling, grammar, punctuation
Common errors
Tips for editing
What is editing?
Editing a document is revisiting it for publication
It is ‘sharpening a thought to a gemlike point and eliminating useless verbiage’ (Leedy, 2001: 54)
Types of edit
Policy edit
Integrity edit
Screening edit
Format edit
Mechanical style edit
Language edit
Substantive edit
Policy edit: FYP booklet (cover page/title page/abstract)
Integrity edit: Do all the parts of the publication match (TOC, page numbers, figures/tables)
Screening edit: Editorial standards laid out in the FYP booklet
Format edit: Margins, font pagination
Mechanical style edit: capitalisation, abbreviation
Language edit: fluency, spelling, grammar, punctuation
Substantive edit; meaningful content / coherence
Macro and micro edits
Macro Issues
content and organisation
logical sequence of ideas
audience adaptation
purpose
Micro Issues
grammar
style
format
Only edit one thing at a time
Revision
Revising the structure
Introduction
A clear logical structure
Your arguments / evidence
Conclusion
Revising the research methodology/design and methods
Revising the content
Accuracy
Style
Use of words
Step back - become the editor
See revision as a distinct stage in the writing process
Don’t attempt to revise everything at once – revise a number of times checking something different each time
Structure:
Read through quickly - reassurance
What is good
What needs to be improved on?
What is clearer now that you have finished writing the draft?
Revising the structure
Introduction
Have you stared what you are doing and why?
Have you outlined the structure?
Have you mapped the plan?
A clear logical structure
Did you lead the reader clearly through the essay/FYP?
Did you follow the map outlined in the introduction?
Did you give directions to the reader? (check coherence, topic sentences and transition signals)
Have you delivered on all your promises?
Check your topic sentences in each paragraph
Check your transition signals
Revising the structure
Your arguments / evidence
Is each argument developed sufficiently?
Do you give enough evidence to support your argument?
Do you use the appropriate language to reflect the evidence?
Is the content of each paragraph relevant?
Does irrelevant information get in the way?
Conclusion
“Show not tell” (Greetham, 2001:265)
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