Academic Writing

ACADEMIC WRITING Presenters: Truong Hai Ha Tran Kieu Hanh Nguyen Thi Thinh Truong Thi Phuong

ACADEMIC WRITING •I. Academic writing style •II. Academic writing tips

I. ACADEMIC WRITING STYLE 9 characteristics: • Tentative statements • Full forms of words • Nationalized phrasing • Passive voice • Third person pronouns • Few direct questions • Formal negative forms • No clichés, redundant words or colloquialisms • Referencing other writers' work

1. Use tentative statements (tends to, appears to, suggest that…) rather than direct, categorical ones that over generalize. Write: This tends to occur whenever there is a downturn in commodity prices. Not: This occurs whenever there is a downturn in commodity prices.

2. Use only the full forms of words, not contractions Write: Unemployment figures will not improve until the economy is stronger. Not: Unemployment figures won’t improve until the economy is stronger.

3.Has more nouns (naming words) than verbs (action or being words). Write: The rapid increase in crime is causing concern. Not: Crime is increasing rapidly and causing concern.

4. When describing processes, use the passive voice. Write: The test-tubes were prepared by heating them. Not: I prepared the test-tubes by heating them.

5. To write in an objective manner, use third person pronouns such as they, he, she, and it, not I, we or you. Write: It is recommended that… not I recommend that… Write: It was found that… not I found that…

6. Generally avoid direct questions. Write: The department needs to consider how costs can be lowered. Or: Consideration needs to be given to the ways in which costs may be lowered. Not: What can be done to lower costs?

7. Use more formal versions of negative forms Write: no Not: not…any little much few many

8. Some words and expressions have lost their effectiveness through overuse (clichés) or include redundant words (tautologies). in recent years (recently) with a high degree of certainty (certain) at this moment in time (now)

9. Must always clearly identify the work and ideas of others in your writing

II. ACADEMIC WRITING STYLE TIPS • Be clear, concise and precise. • Be Formal: Avoid using contractions, colloquialisms or slang, and bulleted lists… • Be Impersonal: Use passive voice. • Be Cautious: Avoid overgeneralization, use: It appears that... It may be that... It seems as though... It is likely that... This suggests that... It is possible... Arguably, • Be Honest: Use clear reference the work of others. • Be Objective: Avoid using "I" or "we".

 be FOCHI

Practising Exercises Academic Writing Style

Exercise 01: Which of the two alternatives in bold do you think is more appropriate in academic writing?

• The government has made considerable/great progress in solving the problem. • We got/obtained excellent results in the experiment. • The results of lots of/numerous tests have been pretty good/encouraging. • A loss of jobs is one of the consequences/things that will happen if the process is automated. • The relationship between the management and workers is extremely/really important. • Some suggestions springing up from/arising from the study will be presented.

Answer keys • • • • • •

Considerable Obtained Numerous - encouraging Consequences Extremely Arising from

Exercise 02: Here are two paragraphs that have problems with the writing style. Identify the problems and rewrite them so that they are more suitable for academic style.

Paragraph 01 The questionnaire will be carried out in the pubic space next to the town hall, were local residents can be found and stopped. If we can't find enough local people to answer our survey, we'll do down the street and see if we can find some more in the shopping centre as there tends to be local youths hanging around their who we could ask.

Paragraph 02

Given the general knowledge of the health risks of smoking, it’s no wonder that heaps of smokers have tried at some time in their lives to quit. However, in most cases, their attempts are unsuccessful. People begin smoking, often when they’re adolescents, for lots of reasons, including the example of parents and pressure from peers. If others in one’s group of friends are starting to smoke, it can be hard to resist going along with the crowd. Once people start smoking, they’re likely to get hooked. The addiction to smoking is partly physiological; smokers become used to the effects of nicotine and experience painful withdrawal symptoms when they give it up. In addition, people become psychologically dependent on smoking as a way of reducing anxiety and coping with particular situations.

Answer Keys

Paragraph 01

This extract has not been proofread carefully as shown by the use of "pubic" instead of "public", "were" instead of "where", and "their" instead of "there".  The style is too informal, as there are colloquial expressions from everyday speech ("go down the street") and also contractions of words ("can't" instead of "cannot").  Also the method is not very scientific and it would be better to explain why more residents and another location needs to be found.  The writing style is also personal ("If we can't find..."), so it may be more appropriate to rephrase it in the third person. 

The questionnaire will be carried out in the pubic space next to the town hall, were local residents can be found and stopped. If we can't find enough local people to answer our survey, we'll do down the street and see if we can find some more in the shopping centre as there tends to be local youths hanging around their who we could ask.

A better version: The questionnaire will be carried out in the public space next to the Town Hall, where local residents can be found and stopped. If there are not enough residents to complete the required sample, an alternative location will be found where there are more passing residents, for example in the shopping centre.

Paragraph 02: Given the general knowledge of the health risks of smoking, (1)it’s (2) no wonder that (3) heaps of smokers have tried at some time in their lives to (4) quit. However, in most cases, their attempts are unsuccessful. People begin smoking, often when (5) they’re adolescents, for (6) lots of reasons, including the example of parents and pressure from peers. If others in one’s group of friends are starting to smoke, it can be hard to resist (7) going along with the crowd. Once people start smoking, (8) they’re likely to get (9) hooked. The addiction to smoking is partly physiological; smokers become used to the effects of nicotine and experience painful withdrawal symptoms when they (10) give it up. In addition, (11) people become psychologically dependent on smoking as a way of reducing anxiety and coping with particular situations.

• 1. Contracted forms should not be used – it should be ‘it is’ • 2. This is conversational language – replace with ‘to be expected’ • 3. This is too informal – replace with ‘many’. It also needs backing up with evidence. • 4. This is too informal – replace with ‘stop smoking’ • 5. Another contraction – replace with ‘they are’ • 6. Too informal – replace with ‘many’ • 7. Conversational language – replace with ‘behaving in a similar manner’ • 8. Another contraction – replace with ‘they are’ • 9. Too informal – replace with ‘addicted’ • 10. Conversational language – replace with ‘stop’. • 11. Too definite – suggest a more tentative ‘many people’. It also needs backing up with evidence.

• A better version:

Given the general knowledge of the health risks of smoking, it is to be expected that many of smokers have tried at some time in their lives to stop smoking . However, in most cases, their attempts are unsuccessful. People begin smoking, often when they are adolescents, for many reasons, including the example of parents and pressure from peers. If others in one’s group of friends are starting to smoke, it can be hard to resist behaving in a similar manner. Once people start smoking, they are likely to get addicted . The addiction to smoking is partly physiological; smokers become used to the effects of nicotine and experience painful withdrawal symptoms when they stop. In addition, many people become psychologically dependent on smoking as a way of reducing anxiety and coping with particular situations.