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DOR Vag —t 22)os)asia Academic Writing for Graduate Students ESSENTIAL TASKS AND SKILLS SECOND EDITION John M. Swales and Christine B. Feak EA MicHicAN senues IN ENGLISH For SHA cxbentc & rnorssstonar punrosis The University of Michigan Press Ann Arbor Copyright © by tho University of Michigan 1994, 2004 Allrights reserved Published in the United States of America by The University of Michigan Press Manufactured in the United States of America @Printed on acid-free paper 2018 2012 2011 2010 wos 7 ‘No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval syétem, or transmitted in ‘any form or by any means, electronic, ‘mechanical, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher. ACIP catalog record for thie book ie available from the British Library. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data ‘Swales, John. ‘Acarlomie writing for graduate students : essential tasks and skills / John M, Swales and Christine B. Feak. —2nd ed. p. om. — (Michigan series in English for academic & professional purposes) Includes bibliographical roforences and index. ISBN 0-472-08856-4 (paper : acid-free paper) 1 English language—Rhetoric, 2, English language—Textbooks for foxcign speakers. 3, Academic writing—Problems, exercises, ete. I. Fea, Christine B. TI. Tie. TIT. Series. ‘PE1408.87836 2004 808.0428—de22 2004042505 ISBN 978-0-472-08856-0 (paper : acid-free paper) 14. Acddemle Writing for Graduate Students features, such as chapters, sections, and paragraphs. As you work your way through this book, you will become familiar with the various approaches to internal organization as well. One very common stratégy in academic writing is to organize information in terms of problem-solution (Hoey 1983). This pattorn usually has four parts, 1. Deseription of a situation 2. Identification ofa problem 8. Description of a solution 4. Evaluation of the solution TASK FIVE Draw boxes around and label the four parts of this problem-solution text. he first part has been done for you. After marking up the text, answer the questions that follow. 1. Description of @ For over 20 years now biologists have been alarmed @oituation that certain populations of amphibians” have been declining. @ These declines have occured both in areas populated by humans as well as areas seemingly undisturbed by people. @ However, offering clear proof of the decining numbers of amphibians has been dificult because in most cases there is no reliable deta ‘on past population sizes with which to compare recent numbers. @ Moreover, itis not entirely clear whether the declines are actually part of a natural fluctuation in Populations arising from droughts ora scarcity of food. @ To address this problem biologists are changing the way that they observe amphibian populations. @ One “Frogs toads, and salamanders, Unit Ono: An Approach to Academic Writing 18 ‘good documentation method involves counting species ‘over the course of several years and under a variety of climatic conditions, @ This method should yield refable data that will help researchers understand the extent to \hich amphibian populations are in danger and begin to determine what can be done to stem the decfine in populations. How serious does the problem seem to be? How does the author evaluate the solution? What do you think of the solution? What is one major problem being worked on in your field of study? TASK SIX Here is another passage with the same structure. Read it and answer the questions that follow. @ Incia has the second largest population in the world. @ In 2001 it was 1027 milion, which constituted nearly 17% of the world’s people : (Census of India, 2001). @ Growth of population in urban areas is about twice as fast as that of the total country. @ The city of Delhi, for example, has been experiencing rapid population growth because ofits administrative importance in the country and better than average ‘opportunities for education and health care. @ Within the next two decades its population is expected to be around 27 millon. © One of the major challenges facing Delhi today is the lack of affordable housing. @ Because of this housing shortage, numerous unauthorized housing settlements have emerged and are scattered around the city. @ Despite the low level of amenities and facilites in ‘these thriving, unauthorized colonies, they are tie only option for ‘those who cannot afford either public or privately developed housing. © Although many solutions have been considered to solve this problem, some urban planners have argued that government policies should be implemented to regularize and expand these unsanctioned settlements. @ Along with this effort, the government could co ordinate efforts to upgrade these areas and provide basic services 16 Academic Wilting for Graduate students such as water supply, sewerage, and electricity, @ If the settlements | are better regulated and offer basic services, the housing shortage \ may begin to be alleviated. (Sivam 2003) 1. For what type of audience was this written? 2, What assumptions does the author make about the audience's knowledge background? 3. What is the author's purpose? 4, How is the problem introduced? . 5. What does this effort in sentence 10 refer to? 6. What does the author think of the solution? 7. Ifthe writer had thought that the solution would not work, what might hehave written for the last sentence? In such a case would 4 this last sentence be enough to complete the text? If not, what | would need to be added? In addition to the problem-Solution structure, some other ways of q organizing information include the following. Comparison-contrast (see pages 75, 174) Cause-effect (focusing on one cause and multiple effects as in an earthquake or describing multiple causes and one effet as in global warming) Classification (categorizing as suggested by the following exam- ple: “Barthquake effects on underground structures can be grouped into two categories: (1) ground shaking and (2) ground failure euch as liquefaction, fault displacement, and slope insta- bility” Note the cause-effect aspect of this as well.) ‘Research paper introductions in your field may also follow an established. organizational pattern, which we will address in Unit Eight, t Style | Academic writers need to be sure that their communications are ‘written in the appropriate style. The style of a particular piece must

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