1. Academic Writing for FYP Students: Applied Languages
The Writing Centre, UL
Academic Writing for FYP Students: Applied Languages
Seminar 3
Íde O’Sullivan, Lawrence Cleary
Regional Writing Centre

2. Plan of Seminars Seminars: Weeks 5, 6, 7 Wednesdays 2–3 pm A1-052
One-to-One Sessions:
visit our website ( to check out our tutors and make an appointment

3. Plan of seminars Seminar 1 (Week 5): Getting started
Layout/presentation/structure
Referencing
Seminar 2 (Week 6):
Writing an effective abstract, introduction and conclusion
Developing and sustaining an argument
Seminar 3 (Week 7):
Academic writing style
Editing and proof reading

4. Academic Writing Style

5. Academic writing style
Academic writing is clear, concise and comprehensive
Clarity of expression
‘Clear writing is direct, orderly, and precise’ (Ebest et al., 1997).
Logical method of development
Effective transition signals
Good signposting
Coherent
Consistent point of view
Conciseness (careful word choice)
The importance of clear and fluent expression.
Ebest, Sally B., Gerald J. Alred, Charles T. Brusaw, and Walter E. Oliu. Writing from A to Z: The Easy-to-Use Handbook, 2nd Edition. Mountain View, California: Mayfield Publishing Company.
Clarity:
‘A logical method of development and effective transition signals given your writing coherence, enabling the reader to connect your thoughts without conscious effort and to concentrate solely on absorbing your ideas. Techniques of emphasis and subordination distinguish the key ideas from those of less importance. A consistent point of view establishes through whose eyes, or from what vantage point, the reader views the subject. Conciseness contributes to clarity and saves your reader’s time. Careful word choice helps you avoid vagueness and ambiguity (Ebest et al. 97).

6. Academic writing style
Clarity of expression
Avoid repetition of words
Avoid repetition of ideas
Delete redundant words
Be direct: avoid using too many words
Avoid ambiguity
Avoid unclear pronoun reference
Choose strong active verbs
Use parallel constructions

7. Academic writing style
What is wrong with the following?
“In Florida, where the threat of hurricanes is an annual event, we learned that it is important (1) to become aware of the warning signs. (2) There are precautions to take, and (3) deciding when to take shelter is important.”
(Purdue OWL 2006)

8. Academic writing style
Formality/register:
Academic writing uses a formal style
Avoid informal language especially colloquial expressions, idioms and slang.
Do not use contractions (don’t, can’t).
Avoid subjective language (“I heard it said…”)
Appropriate language
Use bias-free language.
Avoid language that privileges one race, colour, gender, persuasion, or religion over another.

9. Academic writing style
Voice:
Replace personal references, e.g. "I aim to" with passives, e.g "the aim of the project is". Use language that emphasises the subject, rather than the writer.
Vocabulary
Academic writing conventionally uses a more lexically dense, varied vocabulary.
Academic writing uses more subordination and passives than other genres.

10. Academic writing style
Tense
Do not mix verb tenses in compound predicates
Be consistent
Check for subject verb agreement
Use verbs to emphasise the subject, not the writer
Avoid
Repetition
Unfinished ideas

11. Academic writing style
Be sure that sentences express a complete idea.
Arrange ideas logically in paragraphs, logically dividing your ideas and presenting them linearly.
Grammar, spelling, capitalisation and punctuation should be according to conventions.
Do not use contractions.
Be explicit; use signals.

12. Academic writing style
Hedge. Distinguish between absolutes and probabilities. Absolutes are 100% certain. Probabilities are less than 100% certain.
Be responsible. Provide traceable evidence and justifications for any claims you make or any opinions you have formed as a result of your research.

13. Editing and Proof Reading

14. Editing and proofreading
What is editing?
Macro and micro edits
Types of edit
Becoming the editor
Traps – spelling, grammar, punctuation
Common errors
Tips for editing

15. What is editing? Editing a document is revisiting it for publication
It is ‘sharpening a thought to a gemlike point and eliminating useless verbiage’ (Leedy, 2001: 54)

16. Types of edit Policy edit Integrity edit Screening edit Format edit
Mechanical style edit
Language edit
Substantive edit
Policy edit: FYP booklet (cover page/title page/abstract)
Integrity edit: Do all the parts of the publication match (TOC, page numbers, figures/tables)
Screening edit: Editorial standards laid out in the FYP booklet
Format edit: Margins, font pagination
Mechanical style edit: capitalisation, abbreviation
Language edit: fluency, spelling, grammar, punctuation
Substantive edit; meaningful content / coherence

17. Macro and micro edits Macro Issues content and organisation
logical sequence of ideas
audience adaptation
purpose
Micro Issues
grammar
style
format
Only edit one thing at a time

18. Revision Revising the structure Introduction A clear logical structure
Your arguments / evidence
Conclusion
Revising the research methodology/design and methods
Revising the content
Accuracy
Style
Use of words
Step back - become the editor
See revision as a distinct stage in the writing process
Don’t attempt to revise everything at once – revise a number of times checking something different each time
Structure:
Read through quickly - reassurance
What is good
What needs to be improved on?
What is clearer now that you have finished writing the draft?

19. Revising the structure
Introduction
Have you stared what you are doing and why?
Have you outlined the structure?
Have you mapped the plan?
A clear logical structure
Did you lead the reader clearly through the essay/FYP?
Did you follow the map outlined in the introduction?
Did you give directions to the reader? (check coherence, topic sentences and transition signals)
Have you delivered on all your promises?
Check your topic sentences in each paragraph
Check your transition signals

20. Revising the structure
Your arguments / evidence
Is each argument developed sufficiently?
Do you give enough evidence to support your argument?
Do you use the appropriate language to reflect the evidence?
Is the content of each paragraph relevant?
Does irrelevant information get in the way?
Conclusion
“Show not tell” (Greetham, 2001:265)

21. Revising the research methodology
Is the methodology appropriate?
Are the following clear and appropriate?
Sampling strategy
Data collection
Data analysis
Are the findings presented clearly?
Are the findings supported by sufficient data?
How important are the findings?

22. Revising the content Accuracy Facts: Is the content accurate?
Quotations: Is it clear which ideas are mine / those of others?
Are all sources and references acknowledged?
Is everything in the bibliography?

23. Revising the content Style / use of words Final read
Are there words, phrases, sentences or paragraphs that are unnecessary?
Will the reader get lost in long sentences?
Are there any obscure / ambiguous words?
Is the appropriate voice used?
Are there unnecessary modifiers?
Final read
Does it flow smoothly / read well?
Is it interesting?
Is the pace / rhythm appropriate?
Does it look neat and professional?
Style: simplicity and economy of words
Logical
Interesting
Brevity
State things as clearly as you can
Do not overcomplicate / undercomplicate things
Clear/strong verbs: thinking suspiciously vs suspecting
Pin down your ideas with the right words
Words are the vehicels for your ideas

24. Copyediting / Proofreading
This is the careful editing of each line and each graphic to ensure that the material is expressed in simple, clear correct English
Checking errors in spelling, punctuation, grammar, format, sentence structure
Proofreading is not editing in the broader sense – it is an effort to achieve correctness in the elements mentioned above
Correctness is the most important criterion of excellence

25. Spelling
Make sure to set the language to BrE or AmE but stick to one (-ise/-ize)
Standard forms
Double letters
Don’t rely on spell check – it doesn’t catch everything
- for foe
- form from
- quiet quite
- practice practise
- affect effect
Grammer – grammar - grammatical

26. Grammar Sentence structure Complete sentences Agreement Tense
Grammar check is not always correct
- passive sentences
- defining and non-defining clauses
The woman who lives in apartment No. 34 has been arrested. Mrs. Jackson, who is very intelligent, lives on the corner.

27. Punctuation Commas, semi-colons, full stops Apostrophe its Vs it’s
Possessives
The dog’s bone
The dogs’ bone
The horses’ mouths
Seamus’ car
Capitalisation

28. Tips for editing
Set it aside for a few days and come back with a fresh eye
Get someone else to proofread it as well as you
Use the print preview button to check layout before you print
Always proofread on hardcopy
Hold paper below the line you are proofreading
Use the find button to make changes
Be consistent!!
Editing a reference list is separate

29. Editing a reference list
Check that in-text dates and page numbers match reference list
Only enter names in reference list that you have mentioned in your text – it’s not a bibliography
Make sure that if a name is mentioned in the document that is in included in the reference list
Do a separate edit of your reference list, checking everything matches, everything is included and it is consistent

30. Common errors Consistency of layout Spelling, punctuation and grammar
Syntax
Correct font and spacing
Word or letter substitution
Transposition of letters
Omission of a line or lines, which does not outwardly affect the meaning
Check finished work with original
Dates, proper names and place names, and figures
Complete labelling of diagrams, tables, graphs, etc