English for Academic Purposes Tutor : Paulina Sobinska Course administration – Jennifer Richards

Aims of the EAP course To ensure that students recognise the way academic English (especially scientific English) is written To provide students with advice and guidance on how to produce good, clear academic English

LSHTM requirements From the LSHTM Academic Writing Handbook ( book.pdf) If English is not your first language or you are not fully confident in your fluency, please be reassured that a 'high' standard of English is not a general requirement for assessed work. Rather, LSHTM assessments will normally ask you to produce readable and evidence-based commentary that puts your points across clearly.

LSHTM requirements Well-structured organisation (such as distinct main sections), clear presentation (such as uncluttered short paragraphs and sensible use of lists, bullet points or tables) and straightforward unambiguous phrasing (e.g. using short descriptive sentences) are all much more important than brilliant phrasing. Your use of language needs to demonstrate your knowledge of the topic, not your fluency in English, so you will not be marked down for minor imperfections.

Linear thinking and writing Robert B Kaplan, 1966, Cultural thought patterns in inter- cultural education

What do we mean by linear? Each part contributes to the main line of argument No digression or repetition Clear organisation, easy for the reader to follow ( Andy Gillett,

Characteristics Structurally structured logically – it tells the story: ideas and processes are expressed in a logical order. This order is made clear from the outset and the text is divided into sections with clear headings uses paragraphs to ensure logical flow – each paragraph describes one topic

Characteristics Grammatically uses verbs to describe action – (not the usage of verbs enables the description of action!) makes the main idea the subject of the sentence - (the patient’s symptoms did not change, not ‘the patient showed no change in symptoms) uses the active voice – (we interviewed mothers, not mothers were interviewed)

Characteristics Stylistically: clear - avoids unnecessary detail simple - uses direct language and avoids complicated sentences. Technical terms and jargon used only when absolutely necessary precise - avoids language such as ‘about’, ‘nearly’; reader centred –focuses on what reader needs to know – reader should not need to read more than once or read slowly, write to express not to impress less is more - every word is necessary

How do we do it – course content o Word choice Simple, accurate, necessary o Sentences and paragraphs Sentence length, position of subject, verbs or nouns? Topic sentences, connectives, parallel structures

How do we do it – course content o Grammatical features of academic writing o Organising the content – cohesion o Academic discussion o Avoiding plagiarism o How to paraphrase o Describing quantities and trends o Writing introductions and conclusions o Writing literature reviews o Writing abstracts

Textbooks and Websites Mimi Zeiger, Essentials of Writing Biomedical Research Papers, MacGraw Hill Tim Albert, Write Effectively, a quick course for busy health workers, Radcliffe, 2008 Hilary Glaman-Deal, Science Research Writing for Non-native speakers of English Nancy Fox, The Little Book of Science Writing www. phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk

Avoiding plagiarim Taster session

Source: Gimenez, J. (2011) Writing for Nurses and Midwifery Students. 2 nd edition. Palgrave Macmillan

How do we avoid it? Where any use or mention is made of the work of others, it should be acknowledged. A recognized citation system should be used. Quotations must accurately refer to and acknowledge the originator(s) of the work. Paraphrasing – using other words to express the ideas or judgments of others – must be clearly acknowledged. Work done in collaboration with others must appropriately refer to their involvement and input. Use of your own past work should be referenced as clearly as the work of others.

Quoting, summarizing and paraphrasing What are the differences? All three are crucial skills showing how effective you are working with sources.

When to summarize Summarize long sections of work, like a long paragraph, page or chapter; To outline the main points of someone else's work in your own words, without the details or examples; To include an author's ideas using fewer words than the original text; To briefly give examples of several differing points of view on a topic; To support claims in, or provide evidence for, your writing.

how to summarize Read a text carefully and make sure you understand it; Select relevant key information (discriminate between main points and additional information, e.g. examples, lists, details, illustrations) and underline/ highlight it; Make notes of the key points; Write a summary from your notes using your own words (paraphrase, change sentence structure); Compare your summary with the original passage to ensure the meaning is retained. (adapted from Bailey, S. Academic writing)