1. Academic Communication Lesson 7
Please pick up two handouts
from the front desk.
Please sit in pairs.
Each person needs one partner. (

2. Careful Description of 6 Differences
Presenting science involves describing things carefully, sometimes very carefully.
Vocabulary Exercise
Using only English, find and describe 6 differences between the 2 pictures.
PLEASE Do Not Draw on the Cards!!
Put your pen down – point with finger only
Watch for angles: 30º angle vs. 45º angle

3. Explain differences to another pair
Use good vocabulary
Use good sentences
(Do not use Chinese!)

4. Now… the hard way Look only at your half of the card
Describe what you see
Ask each other questions
Find all six differences… if you can
Please do not write on the cards!
Remember, this is an exercise for your vocabulary – Describe things well!

5. Please give back the 6-difference cards during the break today

6. Pronouncing Math and Chemistry
Principle 1: Unless it’s really simple, show it on a PowerPoint slide
Principle 2: Have an easy way to refer to it
Principle 3: Know vocabulary to discuss interesting parts individually

7. Example from Spring 2009

8. Note Particularly! 𝑑𝑓 𝑑𝑥 : “dee f by dee x” is a good short form
(“dee f over dee x” ok but not as good)
x=5 : “x equals 5” or “x is equal to 5”
not “x equals to 5”
a 2x3 matrix 𝑐 𝑎 3 12 𝑑 𝑎 : say “2 by 3”
not “2 times 3”
1.75 : say “one point seven five”
But $1.75 is “one seventy-five” (money)
For “Fig. 3” or “Tab. 4” (written) say “Figure 3” (not “fig 3”) or “Table 4” (not “tab 4”)

10. Describing a Figure Overview: State simply what the figure is
Figure = graph, diagram, picture, table, …
Communicates much information quickly
“Jia you”  you=oil  O – I – L
Overview: State simply what the figure is
Interpret Interesting parts: Point out what to notice and interpret it, i.e. say what that tells us
Link: State how this relates to your overall goal
For your exam: It is better to do one figure well than to do several in a weak way.

11. Graph Vocabulary Examples
Be sure you understand the examples on the handout sheets.
Be familiar with vocabulary like this
so you can use it freely in your explanations

12. Graph Vocabulary & Sentences
Many words are both noun and verb
Get syllable emphasis correct
but “increase” or “increase” ? Both ok.
Verb form exceptions:
Today it falls; yesterday it _______
Today it rises; yesterday it _______
Common patterns:
verb+adverb adjective+noun
increased slowly a slow increase

13. Order of data is flexible
A: D: #farmers
B: sudden E: Europe
C: drop
EDCBA “In Europe, the number of farmers dropped suddenly from 1930 to 1940.”
BCAED “A sudden drop occurred from 1930 to 1940 in the number of European farmers.”
Almost any order will do, so use a variety!
Put the most important info near the front, or
Use stress (emphasis) to indicate importance

14. Describe graphs 1 (bar) and 2 (line) (Remember useful words from the other handout too)
Rise sharply = skyrocket
Rise sharply then fall sharply = spike
Very high or very low level: “off the chart”
Something unexpected = anomaly
Angle of line = slope
Trend = basically one slope but has anomalies
Patterns: saw tooth, sine wave, wavy, regular, cyclic, periodic
No pattern: irregular

15. Continue G1 & G2 but also state reasons for the graph features
due to <cause>
because of <cause>
the cause of <effect> is <cause>
the reason for…
<cause> caused <effect>
<effect> is ascribed to <cause>
this peak is assigned to <some element>
(in a spectrograph showing elements)

16. A triple line graph 3 graphs in one = efficient use of space
Have a look at this after class and fill in the blanks for practice.
Most blanks have several correct answers
E.g. Rise = Increase, gradual = slow
Look for sentence patterns you could use in your exam presentation!
It is a very good idea to describe a graph in your final exam, if you have any.

18. A graph of my life Graph your contentment and stress
over the past two years
and be ready to describe your graph
Contentment: happiness, joy, satisfaction with where you are and what you’re doing
Stress: amount of pressure, feeling over-worked, # problems in life or work

19. Homework Next class: You MUST bring to class
a printout of your transcript.
If you do not bring a transcript to Lesson 8, then Lesson 8 will be useless to you!
Must include for each slide:
A picture or printout of the slide
The exact words and sentences you will say while that slide is showing.
Exactly how long you plan to spend on that slide
(Check how long it takes you to read what you will say for that slide)