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

2. Characteristics include:
- A formal tone
Use of the third-person rather than first-person perspective
Clear focus on the issue or topic rather than the author’s opinion
Precise word choice
Use transitional markers
Using tentative statement

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

4. Why is the following text not a good example of academic style?
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?
Give students handout

5. Answer
The number of deaths per year attributable to obesity is roughly 30,000 in the UK and ten times that in the USA, where obesity is set to overtake smoking in 2005 as the main preventable cause of illness and premature death.

6. Avoid abbreviations and contractions
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’.
Can you think of further examples?

7. Avoid slang words and verb phrases
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.’

8. 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”

9. 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”

10. 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.

11. 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?

12. Avoid conversational terms
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’

13. Avoid vague terms 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’

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

15. Writing in the first person
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)

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

17. Which do you think is more formal?
Formal Grammar Style
Which do you think is more formal?
Stand to either the left or the right side to indicate your choice.
Remain in the middle if you have absolutely no clue!

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

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

20. Use formal negative forms
A The analysis yielded no new results. B
The analysis did not yield any new results.

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

22. Avoid run-on expressions like “etc.” or “and so forth”
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.

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

24. Direct Questions A What can be done to lower costs?
B We now need to consider how costs may be lowered.

25. Place adverbs within the verb
A Very little is actually known about the general nature of scientific dishonesty.
B Actually, very little is known about the general nature of scientific dishonesty.

26. Place adverbs within the verb
A This model was developed by Krugman originally.
B This model was originally developed by Krugman.

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

28. The use of “I” &”we”
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.

29. Transitional words Joining words Comparing words Contrasting 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

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

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

32. 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.

33. Edit
Another pair of eyes Bottom line…. You have to communicate with the marker you do not get to sit next to them.