Academic Writing Skills

ENG 305 Advanced Academic Writing

ENG 305- ACADEMIC WRITING SKILLS I

1. 2. COURSE OBJECTIVES Students will develop their reading and writing skills needed for academic settings, advance their competence and confidence in using the English language form and function. summarize given short and long texts. paraphrase sentences and paragraphs. evaluate sources for relevance to their research topics. apply research methods, apply referencing rules (APA style documentation) Write a documented expository essay.

3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

ENG 305 Course Requirements

2 hours per week / 1 credit 6 hours of absence at most

PORTFOLIO!!! Library Research

ENG 305 - Grading

* MIDTERM: 20% * PORTFOLIO: 45% * FINAL : 30% * TEACHER ASSESSMENT & ORAL PERFORMANCE IN CLASS: 5%

ENG 305 - PORTFOLIO

TASK 1: Making an outline for a research paper (expository essay) (5 pts) TASK 2: Non-documented expository essay (400500 words) (10 pts) TASK 3: Referencing, summarizing, and paraphrasing library and online database sources (at least 4 sources) (10 pts) TASK 4: Documented expository essay (a revised and integrated version of task 2 and 3) (600-800 words) (20 pts)
ATTENTION: Do not leave gathering your sources to the last minute, choose your topic and hand in your sources in the 3rd week.

ENG 305 - COURSE BOOK

Academic English Survival Skills II

Glc, M., Glen, G, een, E., & Tokdemir, G. (2011). Academic English: Survival Skills II (4th ed.), Ankara: Black Swan.

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ENG 305 Study Pack (available at the photocopy room)

*Both materials need to be brought to the class each week.

PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT POLICY

1) You are required to submit at least 2 drafts for a task.

2) Both the first and final draft will be evaluated seperately, and the total score of the two drafts will be divided by two. For example:
1st draft: 4 (out of 5 points) Final draft: 5 (out of 5 points) Your score for the task: 9/2= 4,5 pts

CANKAYA UNIVERSITY - OFFICE OF BASIC AND ELECTIVE COURSES- ENGLISH UNIT

PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT POLICY

3) The first drafts need to be written in class. If you fail to be in the class on the assigned portfolio day without an official written excuse(e.g. a health report), you will lose the half of the points assigned to the task as well and you have to write your first draft in the next writing lesson. 4) If you fail to be in the class without an official written excuse again in the next writing lesson, your score for that task will be 0.
CANKAYA UNIVERSITY - OFFICE OF BASIC AND ELECTIVE COURSES- ENGLISH UNIT

PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT POLICY

5) If you have an official written excuse for not being in the classroom in the portfolio day, you write your first draft in the classroom in the next writing lesson. You will be able to continue the process without losing points.

CANKAYA UNIVERSITY - OFFICE OF BASIC AND ELECTIVE COURSES- ENGLISH UNIT

PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT POLICY

6) You have to type your final drafts on a computer with the online document called Student Assignment Sheet on top of each. Your final draft has to be double spaced and typed in Times New Roman 12 point characters.

CANKAYA UNIVERSITY - OFFICE OF BASIC AND ELECTIVE COURSES- ENGLISH UNIT

PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT POLICY

7) When you finish the final draft for a particular portfolio task, you need to submit it to your course instructor with the first draft of the task attached. Otherwise, you will lose the half of the points youve got for the first draft and your final draft will not be marked.
CANKAYA UNIVERSITY - OFFICE OF BASIC AND ELECTIVE COURSES- ENGLISH UNIT

PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT POLICY

8) Late submission is possible only within 7 days but you should know that half of the points assigned that task is extracted from your grade.

CANKAYA UNIVERSITY - OFFICE OF BASIC AND ELECTIVE COURSES- ENGLISH UNIT

RESEARCH
Sources can only be obtained from printed library materials or online databases. Online databases can be accessed from ankaya University Librarys website: http://library.cankaya.edu.tr/onlinevtabani.html

CANKAYA UNIVERSITY - OFFICE OF BASIC AND ELECTIVE COURSES- ENGLISH UNIT

RESEARCH TOPICS
Engineering Departments and MCS - Benefits of Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) to General Users of Computers - The Areas Where Advanced Robotics Technology is used to Improve Life for Humans - Biometrics Applications

 PSIR and ECON - The Dangers-Restrictions / Benefits EU Would Bring Along

- Reasons/Results of a Possible War between Turkey and Syria (Focus either on reasons or results; not both)
- Leadership styles

 MAN IE INTT - Factors That Lead to Good or Bad Reputation for Companies (focus either on good or bad reputation; not both) - Leadership styles - Advantages/Disadvantages of Working in a Family Business (focus either on advantages or disadvantages; not both)

 Specialist Topics for IE - Production Planning and Control Techniques for Performance Improvement

- Operations Research and/or Optimization Techniques

- Workplace Improvement Techniques for Increased Productivity

 Specialist Topics for INAR - Characteristics of an Architectural Style (Gothic, Baroque, Islamic, etc.)

- Examples of Green Architecture / Benefits of Green Architecture

- Masterpieces of Architecture (in a specific country or city)

LETS START WITH THE COURSE...

CHARACTERISTICS of FORMAL WRITING

(AESS II, p. 311)

 Whether youre a student, teacher, or businessperson, academic writing skills are necessary in todays world. Essays, reports, presentations and research papers are just some examples of documents written in the academic style.

What is academic writing?

In brief, academic writing is 'structured research' written by 'scholars' for other scholars (with all university writers being 'scholars' in this context).

Academic writing is; *factual, *objective, and most importantly, *FORMAL.

What are the characteristics of formal writing and informal writing?

Formal English is used mainly in - academic writing, and - business communications Whereas informal English is -casual, and -appropriate when communicating with friends and family.

Characteristics of Formal Writing

Formal Writing Distant Language -Personal pronouns are usually avoided. -Passive voice is often preferred. Informal Writing Personal Language -Personal Pronouns are common. -Personal feelings and views are expressed. -Active voice is often preferred.

Characteristics of Formal Writing

Formal Writing is ACCURATE: -Precise evidence is presented. -Facts are distinguished from opinions and feelings. -Sources are carefully used and acknowledged. -Sentences are clear and constructed carefully. -Punctuation marks are accurately used.

Characteristics of Formal Writing

Structure and vocabulary are formal; -Full forms are used (What have, cannot...) -More formal, abstract words with Latin or Greek origins are often preferred.

Yet informal writing is...

OFTEN IMPRECISE; -A personal viewpoint is expressed. -Statements are not necessarily accurate. -Facts and opinions are not necessarily distinct. -Sources are used rarely and carelessly. -Sentences are shorter, and not so carefully constructed. -Dramatic punctuation marks (?, !, ...) are common.

Characteristics of Formal Writing

Formal writing is TENTATIVE; -There are few definite statements. -Quick conclusions are avoided.

Yet in informal writing;

Structure and vocabulary are informal; -Short forms and contractions (Ive, hes, cant...) are often used. -Shorter, less formal language is preferred (e.g. phrasal verbs, compound words, idioms, slang and colloquial language).

However, informal writing is ASSERTIVE;

-There are often definite statements and generalizations. -Conclusions may be drawn from insufficient evidence.

Formal Writing vs. Informal Writing

Formal Writing
DISTANT LANGUAGE

Informal Writing
PERSONAL LANGUAGE

ACCURATE

OFTEN IMPRECISE

FORMAL STRUCTURE and VOCABULARY TENTATIVE

INFORMAL STRUCTURE and VOCABULARY ASSERTIVE

The First Draft

(Study Pack p. 3-4)

The Short Research Paper In an academic context, students are required to write essays including references to other sources to support their thesis statements and main ideas.

The First Draft

(Study Pack p. 3-4)

To support their ideas, they need to research what authorities have to say about their topics and include relevant support from outside sources by - summarizing, - quoting, - or paraphrasing it.

The First Draft

(Study Pack p. 3-4)

However, you should always keep in mind that no one elses words are as important as yours!!! As a writer, you use summaries, quotes, or paraphrases from others only to strenghten your own points.

 Your instructor wants to see that you have researched authorities ideas and findings, and that you have integrated those with your own writing well.

Doing Research (Study Pack p. 1-2)

CONCRETE SUPPORT What is concrete support? - It is information from outside sources, such as - Books,
- Articles - and Websites
that you insert into your essay to add weight to your arguments and make them more convincing.

Doing Research (Study Pack p. 1-2)

Guidelines for Choosing a Piece of Concrete Support 1. Carefully consider the source; use well known newspapers and magazines you can aslo use online versions of the well known ones.

For Websites: Be extra critical and skeptical about the credibility of documents on the Web. Ask yourself these questions: a. What is the source? If you cannot find it, do not use the site. b. If you can find the source, is it trustworthy? i. University publications are usually trustwothy. ii. Government documents may or may not be. iii. Blogs, which are often free, written discussions of various topics, are not always reliable. Make sure the author is an expert in the field before using his or her opinions.

2. In general, do not use information that is older than five years. 3. Choose a passage that directly supports ypur point. 4. Do not take a passage out of context. 5. Do not use more than two pieces of concrete support in one paragraph. Most of the paragragh should be your own words. 6. Do not choose a passage that is too technical or field specific for your reader to understand (Above all, you need to understand it well in the firt place).