What is academic writing? Academic writing refers to a particular style of expression.

2 - Formal tone - Use of the third-person rather than first-person perspective - Precise word choice Characteristics include:

3 Conversational & vague terms Questions Abbreviations & contractions Personal pronouns Slang and phrases Avoid using the following informal usage 3

4 Today being fat is totally bad for your health. About 30,000 fat people die every year in the UK and loads more fat people die in the USA. By 2005 more people will die of being fat than smoking and it doesn’t have to be this way, this could easily be prevented, couldn't it? Personal pronouns Question Contraction Slang phrases Conversational & Vague Abbreviation Why is the following text not a good example of academic style?

5 Being overweight can bring harm to one’s health. It shows through the number of deaths per year attributable to obesity which is roughly 30,000 in the United Kingdom (UK) and ten times higher in the United States of America (USA). It worsen when obesity is set to overtake smoking in 2005 as the main preventable cause of illness and premature death. Today being fat is totally bad for your health. About 30,000 fat people die every year in the UK and loads more fat people die in the USA. By 2005 more people will die of being fat than smoking and it doesn’t have to be this way, this could easily be prevented, couldn't it? Original VersionRevised Version

6  Abbreviations and contractions are informal, and are best avoided in academic writing. For example: › ‘Department’ should be used instead of the abbreviation ‘dept’. › ‘Is not’ should be used in place of the contraction ‘isn’t’. Avoid abbreviations and contractions

7 Compare the following:  ‘The individual was sentenced for nicking a bike.’  ‘The doctor looked kind of worried when he reviewed the case notes.’  ‘The individual was sentenced for stealing a bike’  ‘The doctor looked slightly worried when he reviewed the case notes.’ Avoid slang words and verb phrases

1. In Hong Kong there is one cell phone for just about every two people. › “just about” → “nearly” 2. We got encouraging results using structural bamboo rather than timber. › “got” → “obtained” Avoid slang words and verb phrases

3. There has been a lot of interest in how background sounds, such as music, affects an individual’s ability to concentrate. › “a lot of “→ “considerable” 4. Consumer interest in electronic billing and payment is getting bigger and bigger. › “getting bigger and bigger ” → “increasing” Avoid slang words and verb phrases

 Which one is more formal? › According to some biologists, coming up with clear proof of the decreasing numbers of frogs has been difficult. › According to some biologists, offering clear proof of the decreasing number of frogs has been difficult. Avoid slang words and verb phrases

 English often has two or more choices to express an action or occurrence.  However, there is a tendency for academic writers to use a single verb whenever possible.  Why? Avoid slang words and verb phrases

12  This totally changed people’s lives’ › Why is ‘totally’ there?  If it’s a ‘filler’ it can be omitted.  If it’s used for emphasis, a more appropriate word could be used, for example ‘significantly’ or ‘fundamentally’ Avoid conversational terms

13 Consider the following:  ‘The right thing’ would be better expressed as ‘the right action’ or ‘the right procedure’  ‘A nice addition to the collection’ would be better expressed as ‘A popular addition to the collection’ or ‘A prestigious addition to the collection’ Avoid vague terms

14  In many academic disciplines, writing in the first person is not acceptable as it is believed to be too subjective and personal. Be Impersonal

15  First person sentences use the pronouns ‘I’ and ‘we’. For example: › We have considered... › I suggest that... › I have observed...  These can be transformed into: (continued) Writing in the first person

16  Consideration has been given to...  The suggestion is made that...  It has been observed that... Impersonal sentences

Formal Grammar Style Which do you think is more formal?

18 A Export figures won’t improve until the economy is stronger. B Export figures will not improve until the economy is stronger. Avoid contractions

19 A The problem has few viable solutions. B The problem does not have many viable solutions. Use formal negative forms

20 A The government did not allocate much funding for the program. B The government allocated little funding for the program. Use formal negative forms

21 A These semiconductors can be used in robots, CD players, and other electronic devices. B These semiconductors can be used in robots, CD players, etc. Avoid run-on expressions like “etc.” or “and so forth”

22 A The results can be seen in Table 1 B You can see the results in Table 1. Avoid addressing the reader as “you”

23 A What can be done to lower costs? B Costs may need to be lowered. Direct Questions

24 A It may be difficult to make a decision about the method that we should use. B Choosing the proper method may be difficult. Aim for an efficient use of words.

25 A We have examined the surge of the international students in this school. B The surge of the international students in this school have been examined. The use of “I” &”we”

26  Joining words  Also, and, so, but, for, or  Comparing words  Similarly, in comparison, also  Contrasting words  Although, but, on the other hand, despite, even though, however  Adding information words  In addition, moreover, furthermore  Ordering information words  Before, since then, consequently, finally, first, after that, eventually, gradually Transitional words

Practice!  Look at the practice exercise on the 2 nd page of your handout (Formal Grammar Style) and take a few minutes to “formalize” the language.

Possible answers 1. This model can be used to analyze the effects of several parameter changes. 2. Coffee prices have fallen for many reasons. 3. The difference between these two approaches to designing underground subway stations can clearly be seen. 4. To date, no comprehensive study has examined the role of smiling in gaining the initial trusts of individuals.

Possible answers 5. Some studies have concluded that bamboo could be more widely used than it is now as a construction material 6. These special tax laws have been enacted in six mid- western states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio, Michigan, and Minnesota. 7. Little research has been done on the use of oil palm shell as coarse aggregate in the production of concrete.

30 Another pair of eyes Edit