Academic Writing Interactive Workshop 2020
Explore the essentials of academic writing through this interactive workshop. Discover the key elements such as paraphrasing, formal language, and critical thinking. Learn how to effectively paraphrase ideas with citations, follow steps to enhance your paraphrasing skills, and engage in practical activities to reinforce learning. Enhance your academic writing proficiency by understanding the importance of formal language and its components, and dive into the world of scholarly writing with clarity and precision.
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Academic Writing Interactive Workshop 2020
Welcome to academic writing. The purpose of this slide show is to help you improve your academic writing. Read through each slide. Complete the activities and look at the answers on the following slide. If you have any questions, feel free to contact any of the Learning Advisors. We are here to help.
What makes writing academic? Paraphrased ideas (with in-text citations) Formal language Connecting words Critical Thinking
Paraphrasing Putting someone s ideas into your own words Includes a citation Example: The primary role of the nurse as caregiver is to prevent illness. Information from James Jones 2019. Paraphrased: It is the responsibility of a nurse to assist their patients to avoid sickness (Jones, 2019).
Steps to Paraphrasing Step 1: Read the original information. Step 2: Note down the key words (main ideas). Step 3: Rewrite the information using your own words. Step 4: Include a citation at the end of the sentence (last name of author, year).
Paraphrasing Activity Put each of the following sentences into your own words. Sentence 1: Many martial arts were invented because people had no way to defend themselves. Sentence 2: In some places, farmers learned to fight with their simple tools. Sentence 3: In ancient China, some women carried heavy weights in their sleeves and to defend themselves, they swung the sleeves and broke an enemy s nose or arm.
Paraphrasing Activity Sample Answers Your sentences will be different, but may look something like this: Sentence 1: In order to protect themselves from harm, people made up exercises that could be used to fight off their attackers (Beatty, n.d.). Sentence 2: People on the land had no weapons, so they used their sticks, pitch forks and shovels to defend themselves (Beatty, n.d.). Sentence 3: Women in China used to put hard items in their sleeves so, when they were attacked, they could swing their arm and hurt their attacker (Beatty, n.d.).
Formal language Does NOT have: personal pronouns (I, me) contractions (don t) Does have: subject terms and jargon longer more complex sentences Example: It is the responsibility of a nurse to inform the patient of the reasons why nurses are unable to accept gifts.
Informal language uses personal pronouns I, we, me, us Example: In this essay I am going to discuss .. uses contractions don t, can t, didn t Example: I don t think that .. uses colloquialisms Example: If the managers follow this suggestion, they will fix it up. Tends to use short sentences. Example of informal language: You know that book I wrote? Well, the publishing company rejected it. They thought it was awful. But Hey, I did the best I could, and I think it was great. I m not gonna redo it. (Pennworking papers, n.d.)
Formal/Informal Language Activity Compare the two paragraphs on the next slide. Which paragraph is formal and which is informal. Write down the words or phrases that helped you to answer question three.
Formal/Informal Language Activity (2) Extract One: Rich, G. J. (Ed.). ( 2002). Massage therapy: the evidence for practice. Edinburgh, Scotland: Mosby Immune disorders involve dysfunction in the immune system immune cells are destroyed by foreign cells (viral cells). It was expected that massage therapy would attenuate immune disorders such as HIV and cancer because massage therapy has been noted to lower cortisol (stress hormone) in many conditions and cortisol is noted to kill immune cells that in turn kill viral and cancer cells. Extract Two: Orielly, S. (2017) What s the Fuzz? A review of Gill Hedley s Lecture Tour [Blog]. Retrieved from https://www.shantiliving-wellness.com/blog/what-s-the-fuzz-a- review-of-gill-hedley-s-lecture-tour Kym and I were privileged enough to be able to see Gill Hedley this past week at one of his lectures. Kym was introduced to Gill a few years ago attending one of her yoga events, I don t entirely remember how I was introduced, but it had to do something with massage. We both instantly became enamoured with his approach to looking at how tissues work in conjunction to one another, as well as his simple language in which to understand what exactly it is being explained.
Formal/Informal Language Sample Answer Extract One is formal Extract Two is informal Extract One: impersonal tone subject jargon immune disorders, dysfunction, HIV complex sentences Extract Two: use of personal pronouns I, we use of contractions don t use of opinion privileged, enamoured
Connecting Words Connect sentences and paragraphs using connecting words. Highlight a point: Importantly, . In fact, Change direction or compare: In contrast, .. In comparison to .. Adding another point: In addition Secondly .. Adding a similar point: Similarly, . Likewise, Summarising: Finally To conclude .
Connecting words activity Using the connecting words provided join the sentences to make one longer sentence. However, Unfortunately, On the other hand, Furthermore, Moreover, In addition In many cities in developing countries where there is not a safe source of tap water, bottled water becomes a somewhat trusted option. Bottled water is a drain on the environment; the U.S. public goes through about 50 billion water bottles a year, and most of those plastic containers are not recycled Transporting the bottles and keeping them cold also burns fossil fuels, which give off greenhouse gases. Reference: Karlstron & Dell amore (2010). https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/3/why-tap-water-is-better/
Connecting words sample answer In many cities in developing countries where there is not a safe source of tap water, bottled water becomes a somewhat trusted option. However, bottled water is a drain on the environment; the U.S. public goes through about 50 billion water bottles a year, and most of those plastic containers are not recycled. Furthermore, transporting the bottles and keeping them cold also burns fossil fuels, which give off greenhouse gases.
Descriptive Writing Descriptive writing gives the background to the topic. Keep descriptive writing brief only the necessary points needed to set the scene for your essay. State what happened. State what something is like. State how something works. What has happened so far? Give information on reports and/or statistics. Example: In the West, all life forms are divided into one of two categories: plant or animal. Animals move and take in food. Plants are rooted into the earth in some way and lack locomotion. They photosynthesise their food. Zoologists study animals, and botanists study plants.
Critical Analytical Writing Evaluates strengths and weaknesses Outlines the significance of something why it happened. What it means. Makes reasoned judgements Identifies whether the timing is important Weighs up the importance of all aspects. Presents a logical argument backed up with evidence. Draws conclusions.
Example of critical analytical writing The difficulty in categorising bacteria was partly based on the assumption that all life forms were divided into two main categories, plants and animals Genetic research has now shown that there are at least eleven major divisions of bacteria, all of which are more genetically distinct than plants are from animals (Fuhman et al., 1992) . This research is significant as it has shown that the fundamental division of all life forms into plant or animal was an error .. And remember to include your in-text citations acknowledging where you got your information from.
Descriptive/Critical Analytical Activity Decide whether each extract is descriptive writing or critical analytical writing. Give your reasons Extract One: Bitcoin is currently a craze. It is a cryptocurrency, or electronic cash. It is marked by its decentralized nature without a central bank or administrator. The currency can be sent from user to user on the Bitcoin network without a middleman. In this respect, Bitcoin has been revolutionary. Though there are other cryptocurrencies besides Bitcoin, it is the most prominent one. In order to understand more about this phenomenon, this essay will explore the history and inner workings of this digital currency. (Academichelp, 2019).
Descriptive/Critical Analytical Activity (2) Example 2: Higher education in the United States is viewed as a wise choice, as it invests in one s future and gains an asset that will be one s stronghold when climbing up the social ladder. At the same time, college and university education in the United States is extremely pricey. Many high school graduates do not have an opportunity to continue their education right away (Saiz, Report on Education to Career Conversion). Therefore, when a person has already achieved a stable career is standing on both feet and knows exactly what it is he or she wants to deepen their knowledge in, he or she has the right to continue at the point he or she once stopped at and become a university student.(Academic Help, n.d.).
Descriptive/Critical Analytical Sample Answers Extract one is descriptive writing. Defines what bitcoin is. Describes how cryptocurrency is accessed and used. The final sentence outlines what the essay is about. Extract two is critical analytical writing. Outlines why higher education is preferred. Provides some barriers such as the cost of higher education Comes to a conclusion regarding the right of current workers to access further training.
Well done! Well done on finishing this slide show and the activities. Come back to this slide show when you are not sure about aspects of academic writing. Apply what you have learned to your assignment writing. Remember, if you have any questions, or want someone to read over your draft assignment, contact one of the Learning Advisors. We are here to help.
