Writing Research Proposals Academic Language

What is academic language? Academic language is: the language used in the classroom and workplace the language of text the language of assessments the language of academic success

Social language vs. academic language When using social, or informal, English in daily conversation, it’s possible to communicate by using slang and without using English in a grammatically correct way You can be understood without using: articles prepositions sophisticated vocabulary pronoun reference

Recognizing social vs. academic language Informal Language Academic Language repetition of words variety of words, more sophisticated sentences start with “and” or but” sentences start with transition words, such as “however”, “moreover”, and “in addition” use of slang such as “whatever” and “like” replaces slang with accurate descriptions appropriate for use in casual, social settings appropriate for use in all academic and work places settings can vary greatly by ethnicity, region, gender, age common language register for all (K. Kinsella, 2007)

Qualities of Academic Writing Academic writing is Formal No exaggeration (Not: extremely important) Impersonal (no use of “I am”) Direct to the meaning No final judgment!! Always allow for arguing and accepting other opinions!!

Impersonal? Average frequency of personal pronouns per research paper in different disciplines (Hyland, 2002) SUBJECT I WE Marketing 1.6 36.5 Physics 17.7 Mech eng 2.6

Not 1st person (I and my). 3rd person only– ‘this writer’ believes that’… ‘this student’s experience has been’… It is believed… Many researchers have noted… Some writers have stated.. The research suggests… The evidence indicates... It will be argued that … This essay will critically examine the process leading to…. FJ Sept. 2008

Focus on the issue, not the writer    Keeping your writing objective and impersonal can make it more convincing.  It will be argued that the benefits of sales promotion outweigh the disadvantages. I will argue in this essay that ...

Make your claims tentative rather than definite This leaves the door open for further discussion and/or research. After all, it’s unlikely that you’ve reached the only possible conclusion!(Words which signal tentativeness include: may; might; possibly; in some instances; often; in many cases). 1. Television viewing causes reading problems in childhood. 2. Excessive television viewing may be a contributing cause of some cases of reading problems in childhood.  

Choose words with precise meanings Avoid words with vague meanings Compare:  The writer looks at the issue  with  The writer examines the issue.  The second option is more formal. Formal choices: He states … maintains … argues Informal choices: He says … talks about …

Before you write: Read sources critically Read studies similar to what you want to write Professional journals, master’s theses, Google scholar Abstracts Literature Reviews Conclusions/Discussion Recommendations for Future Study Take notes (don’t highlight!) Summarize/paraphrase passages

The Art of the Paraphrase You are writers, not re-typers. Instances of plagiarism: “Failure to use quotation marks when quoting directly from another, whether it be a paragraph, sentence or part thereof Copying phrases or ideas from a book, magazine, or other source without giving credit to the author Turning in a paper or computer program that is the work of another individual”

Qualities of Good Academic Writing clear - it avoids unnecessary detail; simple - it uses direct language, avoiding vague or complicated sentences. Technical terms and jargon are used only when they are necessary for accuracy; impartial - it avoids making assumptions (Everyone knows that ...) and unproven statements (It can never be proved that ...). It presents how and where data were collected and supports its conclusions with evidence; structured logically - ideas and processes are expressed in a logical order. The text is divided into sections with clear headings; accurate - it avoids vague and ambiguous language such as about, approximately, almost; objective - statements and ideas are supported by appropriate evidence that demonstrates how conclusions have been drawn as well as acknowledging the work of others.

Bad Habits to Avoid in Academic Writing Second person “you” Inconsistent person Inconsistent tense Abbreviations Do not use: ya, thru, wanna, gonna Do not use: etc., & Avoid ending verbs with “en” or “in” instead of “ing”: waitin, watchen

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Paragraph Structure Gold Gold, a precious metal, is prized for two important characteristics. First of all, gold has lustrous beauty that is resistant to corrosion. Therefore, it is suitable for jewelry, coins, and ornamental purposes. Gold never needs to be polished and untarnished today as the day it was minted twenty-three centuries ago. Another important characteristic of gold is its usefulness to industry. The most recent use of gold is in astronauts’ suits. Astronauts wear gold-plated heat shields for protection outside spaceships. In conclusion, gold is treasured not only for its beauty but also for its utility.

Paragraph Structure Three major parts A topic sentence State the main idea of the paragraph Topic Controlling idea Supporting sentences A concluding sentence

Paragraph Structure Gold Gold, a precious metal, is prized for two important characteristics. First of all, gold has lustrous beauty that is resistant to corrosion. Therefore, it is suitable for jewelry, coins, and ornamental purposes. Gold never needs to be polished and untarnished today as the day it was minted twenty-three centuries ago. Another important characteristic of gold is its usefulness to industry. The most recent use of gold is in astronauts’ suits. Astronauts wear gold-plated heat shields for protection outside spaceships. In conclusion, gold is treasured not only for its beauty but also for its utility.

Paragraph Structure Three major parts A topic sentence Supporting sentences Develop the topic sentence A concluding sentence

Paragraph Structure Gold Gold, a precious metal, is prized for two important characteristics. First of all, gold has lustrous beauty that is resistant to corrosion. Therefore, it is suitable for jewelry, coins, and ornamental purposes. Gold never needs to be polished and untarnished today as the day it was minted twenty-three centuries ago. Another important characteristic of gold is its usefulness to industry. The most recent use of gold is in astronauts’ suits. Astronauts wear gold-plated heat shields for protection outside spaceships. In conclusion, gold is treasured not only for its beauty but also for its utility.

Paragraph Structure Gold Gold, a precious metal, is prized for two important characteristics. First of all, gold has lustrous beauty that is resistant to corrosion. Therefore, it is suitable for jewelry, coins, and ornamental purposes. Gold never needs to be polished and untarnished today as the day it was minted twenty-three centuries ago. Another important characteristic of gold is its usefulness to industry. The most recent use of gold is in astronauts’ suits. Astronauts wear gold-plated heat shields for protection outside spaceships. In conclusion, gold is treasured not only for its beauty but also for its utility.

Paragraph Structure Three major parts A topic sentence Supporting sentences A concluding sentence Signal the end of the paragraph Leave the reader with important points to remember

Paragraph Structure Gold Gold, a precious metal, is prized for two important characteristics. First of all, gold has lustrous beauty that is resistant to corrosion. Therefore, it is suitable for jewelry, coins, and ornamental purposes. Gold never needs to be polished and untarnished today as the day it was minted twenty-three centuries ago. Another important characteristic of gold is its usefulness to industry. The most recent use of gold is in astronauts’ suits. Astronauts wear gold-plated heat shields for protection outside spaceships. In conclusion, gold is treasured not only for its beauty but also for its utility.

Unity and Coherence Unity Coherence Discuss only one main idea in a paragraph Coherence Easy to read and understand Supporting sentences are in some kind of logical order Appropriate transition signal

“What does unity mean to you?” When a paragraph has unity, all the sentences relate directly to the main idea. If there is a sentence off topic at all, this begins to create confusion for your reader. Use only the most important details!

Find the sentence in the paragraph that destroys the unity and doesn’t belong. The disappearance of Amealia Earhart remains a mystery. Earhart, who was the first woman pilot to fly across the Atlantic Ocean, crashed into the Pacific Ocean while attempting to fly around the world. She was born in Atchison, Kansas, in 1897. Some researchers believe that she survived the crash into the Pacific, because radio distress calls were received. An intensive search for the source of the signals was made. Searchers were not able to find her, however. Finally, the distress signals ceased. In spite of continued searches by airplane and ship, no clue about what became of Amelia Earhart has yet been found. She was born in Atchison, Kansas in 1897. = Doesn’t relate directly to main idea.

Coherence Every good paragraph in a composition must have coherence. One way to achieve coherence is through the use of transition signals. Transition signals are words and phrases that connect the idea in one sentence with the idea in another sentence. They make the movement between sentences in a paragraph smooth, so the reader does not have problems understanding the writer’s ideas.

Here are some examples of transition signals: To list ideas in time order or order of importance: first, first of all, then, next, finally… To add another idea: and To add an opposite idea: but, although, even though… To give an example: for example, for instance. To give a reason: for, because, since, as… To give an effect: so To add a conclusion: in brief, all in all, indeed, in other words, in short, in the end…

Paragraph Structure A well-written paragraph contains five elements A topic sentence Supporting sentences A concluding sentence Unity Coherence

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