Sunteți pe pagina 1din 41

How do I write academically?

Dr. Courtney Hopf Academic Skills Adviser ask@brunel.ac.uk

Session Overview
What is meant by academic writing?
Conventions Style Voice/Tone

The pitfalls of trying to sound academic


Overwriting Loss of clarity

Writing with sophistication and authority


Referencing Synthesis

What makes writing academic?


Context
Responsibility Dialogue Formality Structure Tone and Style Peer Review

Authority

The biggest misconception

ACADEMIC WRITING SHOULD BE DIFFICULT AND COMPLICATED.

The truth is
The best style is the style you don't notice. - Somerset Maugham

Easy reading is damn hard writing. - Nathaniel Hawthorne

What makes writing academic?


Academic writing is
Clear, structured and concise not overblown and wordy

but also sophisticated and interesting!


More critical than descriptive

Balanced, using rhetoric for argument rather than emotive language Meticulously referenced
Part of a larger conversation

Which is an example of critical writing?


Schenkman (2003) discusses in detail various aspects of Parkinsons Disease treatment programs, looking mostly at evaluation.

DESCRIPTIVE

Though Schenkman (2003) emphasises that Parkinsons Disease treatments should undergo constant evaluation, he does not refer back to the earlier work of Butler (1998) and Peabody (1987), both of whom can provide a useful perspective about how such processes have evolved over time.

CRITICAL

Its about creating a balance.

Academic Writing Conventions


Whats wrong here?
The choices made by the Education Committee in the California legislature are clearly designed to benefit the corporate university structure and not the students. As a former undergraduate I find their policy decisions reprehensible. Avoid inflammatory or emotive language. Evidence needs to come from academic sources

Academic Writing Conventions


All that said, is there anything wrong with this?
When the California House Education Committee consented to a rise in state tuition fees, the outcry among both academics and members of the public was swift and widespread. I contend that only a change in the structure of California legislative committees can improve conditions for universities statewide. I is not always a forbidden word. What referencing work does the author need to do to make this statement valid?

So can I use my opinion?


Subjective Lay opinion
I think education should be something anyone can access no matter how old they are.

Objective Academic opinion


Popular images of ageing are often constructed in negative terms, which stereotypes older people (Ang 2000). Educational policies are informed by such stereotypes (Burns 2002), and this leads to the exclusion of older demographics from educational opportunities.

It is the
that drives us.

But it is the
we must use to communicate.

Remember

Academic Writing Conventions


What about this? As many have argued (Harris 2004, Holbright 2006, Xu 2007), the California legislature is in desperate need of reform. You cannot expect change at the local level without a fundamental ideological shift at the top. Avoid the reflexive you. How could these sentences be rewritten to avoid the you construction?

Academic Writing Conventions


Just one more

In this day and age, recent graduates must leave no stone unturned in the search for work, and theyre all in the same boat.
Avoid clichs! Overused expressions make your writing dull and make it sound like you dont have your own ideas. How might you express the same idea of the above sentence in interesting, sophisticated prose?

In short, academic writing


Expresses your opinion implicitly you do not need to say I think to say what you are thinking. Constantly backs up its claims with the help of other academics. Does not have to be dry and dull! Be aware of your word choices! Is clear and concise, saying what it needs to say as economically as possible.

What is overwriting?

Overwriting
Too many big words, too much jargon Antiquated words and constructions It obfuscates meaning by burying the subject of sentences instead of starting with them An attachment to the belief that big, complicated ideas require complicated, confusing language and structure.

Avoiding Overwriting
An example:
A sentence, overly and perhaps overtly complexified, turgid with rarified language, gains the semblance of scholarship though it may indeed lack the capacity to communicate its import to any but a reader utterly dedicated in his attentions. Which means:

A complex sentence may seem scholarly but will confuse casual readers.

Avoiding Overwriting
Another example:
In so far as manifestations of infestation by a small faunal species were evident in the residential facilities provided for the agricultural labourers, an unwillingness to occupy, utilize, or in any manner inhabit the facilities was therefore demonstrated by the aforementioned labourers. Which means: Because rats infested the house, the workers refused to enter.

Avoiding Overwriting
In so far as manifestations of infestation by a small faunal species were evident in the residential facilities provided for the agricultural labourers, an unwillingness to occupy, utilize, or in any manner inhabit the facilities was therefore demonstrated by the aforementioned labourers.

Nominalisation: Trapping active, interesting verbs within dull, confusing nouns. Eg. Most words ending in tion, but also words like transmittal, which could be transmit

Avoiding Overwriting
Nominalisation causes you to need more helping words, which makes your sentences longer and more difficult to understand.

I made my presentation of my idea to the president, whose reception of it was characterized by enthusiasm, resulting in its transmittal to the Action Committee.
Why not just I presented my idea to the president, who received it enthusiastically and transmitted it to the Action Committee.

Avoiding Overwriting
A caveat
Nominalisation is sometimes essential, especially if you work in the sciences. If you are expected to distance yourself from your writing, you will nominalise and write passively quite a lot. Dont let this make your sentences over-long and confusing, though.

Avoiding Overwriting
In summary, how do I avoid overwriting?
Cut most adverbs, they are truly just fluff (see what I did there?) Avoid passive constructions unless they are absolutely necessary Use nominalisations sparingly (if you can) Think carefully about your meaning for each and every sentence, and select accurate verbs In later stages: force yourself to cut 10 words per page youll be astonished to find that you can.

Writing with Authority


Okay, so how do I avoid overwriting, but still write with authority and sophistication?

Writing with Authority


We create authority in several ways, beyond using the right words and the right level of complexity.

How you reference How you integrate quotations and data How you synthesise the material with your own arguments

Writing with Authority


Dont get bogged down by references and paraphrasing, though it is tempting. Remember that you control the content and argument. References are there to support, not overpower your points. Perform authority, even if you dont feel it.

Writing with Authority


Most importantly, avoid the summarising trap. So how do we demonstrate and enact critical analysis in our writing?

TOPIC SENTENCES

Writing with Authority


Good topic sentences are essential because they help you to
Guide your reader through your points Ensure that you own the argument and speak knowledgeably about it in your own words Avoid just summarising articles, studies or theories Synthesise and critically evaluate your sources In the editing process, they can help you determine if your argument flows logically, and also to identify redundancies that should be cut.

Writing with Authority


A topic sentence is NOT
A summary An announcement of a fact or statistic A definition (unless you link it to a claim) A quotation that stands by itself with no interaction from you

Writing with Authority


A weaker topic sentence would be Mackinnon (1994) states that the law should provide women with special treatment because they are different from men. But a stronger topic sentence is Although the common goal for feminists is to remove inequalities from the law, there are different views among feminist legal thinkers towards how this ought to be achieved.

In short, topic sentences are:

CRITICAL. NOT DESCRIPTIVE.

Referencing with sophistication


To ensure your topic sentences are supported by solid evidence, follow the SEE paragraph method:

Topic Sentence Evidence Explanation

S E E

Identify the SEE

S E

In the tea industry, which relies heavily on reputation and taste over trend, the benefits of direct and organic marketing far outweigh the more traditional elements of the marketing mix. Direct marketing can provide a more personal service (Fill, 2005), whilst organic marketing can provide a sense of community and allows contact and the transferring of knowledge with customers (Ghambari, 2008). In considering community in marketing strategy, Booms and Bitner (1981) suggest an extended marketing mix including people as a key element. This emphasises the impact of culture on the success of the tea industry, and in turn allows for the inclusion of cultural practices in marketing strategy development.

Referencing with sophistication


Your evidence, of course, is your references.

Sophisticated Writing interrogates sources synthesises sources puts itself in conversation with those sources references consistently and correctly Never let a quotation speak for itself.

Referencing with sophistication


Integrate references with sophistication by
Using a mix of direct quotes (in inverted commas) and indirect quotes (paraphrasing) Only directly quoting what you couldnt have said better yourself Working partial direct quotes into your own sentences Making sure they are relevant and authoritative Referring to multiple references at once and putting them all in brackets at the end

Know (and vary!) your toolbox


Indirect quotation (paraphrasing)
Demonstrates broad knowledge and understanding Distils ideas and conserves word count Allows for sophisticated synthesis of ideas

Direct quotation (in speech marks)


Brings punch and interest to a point Demonstrates ability to integrate others ideas grammatically Should only be used if you couldnt have said it better yourself

Referencing with sophistication


Something else to worry about Over-referencing.

It can undermine your authority Examiners can infer that you dont have any of your own ideas

Remember

Referencing is not just something you do to show you havent plagiarised. It is an integral part of the process through which you build academic authority.

In Summary
Writing academically

Can mean resisting the urge to sound academic Involves a fervent focus on structure and clarity Does not mean you have to write yourself out of the equation Means a dogged dedication to referencing Is writing to persuade, so never forget your audience

Any questions?

http://dissertationforum.wordpress.com/

The Postgraduate Survey


Complete The Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES)
Location: Lecture Centre (1st Floor) - outside Theatre C Date: Monday 21 Friday 25 May 2012 Time: 10am - 4pm

In return youll receive a gift DONT MISS OUT!

S-ar putea să vă placă și