1. How to put your reading into your writing
Presentation by
UWE Library
Learning Services
2017 / 2018

2. Learning outcomes
At the end of the session we hope you will feel more confident about:
Summarising research
What synthesis is and why it is important
Identifying themes in your reading
Putting it all together into a structured paragraph
Academic skills are real world skills:
Developing strong analytical skills to explain the importance of an issue
Writing skills to create effective business documents

3. Activity 1: True or False?
What is summarising?
You have to summarise each point in the text
You should keep the points in the same order as the original
You can add your own opinions/emotion
You must write in Academic English style: impersonal and objective
You should illustrate any key points with your examples
You can change the meaning of the original slightly
You should never cite the author
Your summary should be shorter in length than the original

4. Activity 2: Summarising
Driverless cars
Which do you think is the best summary?

5. What is synthesis?
Synthesis is a skill which includes summarising and analysing evidence from your reading, weaving this into your writing and drawing a conclusion from that evidence.
Identifying themes
Organising themes and key points
Bringing it all together

6. Activity 3: Identifying themes
Imagine you are undertaking research for the following essay title:
‘Discuss the student experience of assessment in higher education’
Activity 3: Read the four paragraphs in the handout and write down any themes you can identify

7. Activity 4: Reporting verbs
… Jones (2013) did research into the phenomenon and found that assessments were a key factor in student stress. Similarly, a study done by Hamilton (2014) found that exams in particular caused a heightened stress reaction…
The Academic Phrasebank from the University of Manchester is a useful resource

8. Activity 4: Examples of reporting verbs
What they
did
What they found
said
e.g. Jones measured the exam results of…
e.g. Jones reported that…
e.g. Jones challenged the theory
measured
reported
challenged

9. Examples of reporting verbs
What they did
What they found
What they thought or said
measured
reported
challenged
informed
confirmed
denied
identified
observed
persuaded
studied
demonstrated
thought
used
showed
implied
evaluated
wrote
claimed
argued
recommended

10. Activity 5: Academic Phrasebank
Some ways of introducing previous research
Synthesising knowledge
As Smith (2013, p.24) argues…
Previous research from Smith (1960) and Jones (1972) has established that…
A number of authors have considered the effects of … (Smith, 2003; Jones, 2004)
In contrast to Smith, Jones (2013) argues…
This view is supported by Jones (2000) who writes… …
Surveys such as that conducted by Smith (1988) have shown that…
Commenting on assessment methods, Smith (2003) concludes: ‘… …’

11. Activity 5: Answers Some ways of introducing previous research
Synthesising knowledge
As Smith (2013, p.24) argues…
Previous research from Smith (1960) and Jones (1972) has established that…
Surveys such as that conducted by Smith (1988) have shown that…
A number of authors have considered the effects of … (Smith, 2003; Jones, 2004)
Commenting on assessment methods, Smith (2003) concludes: ‘… …’
In contrast to Smith, Jones (2013) argues…
This view is supported by Jones (2000) who writes… …

12. Bringing it all together
Read and take notes, summarising where appropriate
Organise notes into groups/themes
Write a topic sentence for each paragraph
Construct each paragraph – compare, contrast and link points
Draw a conclusion
Watch the SEE video

13. Activity 6: Writing a structured paragraph
Using:
one of the themes we identified in Activity 3:
stress/anxiety;
exams v coursework /assessment;
work-life balance; feedback;
and the reporting verbs and academic language from Activities 4 & 5
write a structured paragraph and link the ideas together.

14. Example of a structured paragraph
Concerns have been raised in the literature with regard to exams as a method of assessment. Shaw (2015) argues that exams are merely a test of memory and do not enable students to explore a subject in any depth. Furthermore, the process of sitting exams can cause excessive stress (Cooper, 2017; Jackson, 2008). Coursework however, can enable a student to develop lifelong skills of independent learning (Shaw, 2015). Cox (2010) suggests that students obtain higher marks when assessed by ongoing coursework, although this is not substantiated by evidence. The current literature suggests that assessment via coursework may be more beneficial for some learners, but further research is required in this area. S E
Example of a model paragraph. N.B this is not in the student activity pack as it was thought it may distract, but you can display as necessary and allow students to take a photograph of it.
Alternative example of a model paragraph supplied by New England University: : Bringing it all together
Transition in the topic sentence.!? E

15. Summary We hope that you now feel more confident about:
Summarising research
What synthesis is and why it is important
Identifying themes in your reading
Putting it all together into a structured paragraph

16. Further help Writing for University workbook Reading and Notetaking
Online advice and tutorials: Writing skills
Books and eBooks: Academic writing
Skills4Study: Linking words
Ask a Librarian

17. Other workshops