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Academic reading and writing

Cambridge University Library. Academic reading and writing. Dr. Emma Coonan Research Skills Librarian, Cambridge University Library. Workshop content. Strategic reading technique Role of structure in academic writing Starting (and continuing) to write.

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Academic reading and writing

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  1. Cambridge University Library Academic reading and writing Dr. Emma Coonan Research Skills Librarian, Cambridge University Library

  2. Workshop content • Strategic reading technique • Role of structure in academic writing • Starting (and continuing) to write

  3. 5 minutes: what do you find challenging?

  4. “Academic language ... is no-one’s mother tongue” (Pierre Bourdieu)

  5. Strategic (structural) reading should help you ... • stay on top of sheer volume of reading • grasp the core of the argument quickly • assess and evaluate material • what does it have to offer you? • make better notes (futureproof) • capture your response, not just quotes • keep a critical distance from the work

  6. How to read strategically Focus on the ‘skeleton’ of the text: • Abstract • Figures/graphs • Intro/conclusion • Headings Don’t read consecutively!

  7. How to read strategically To engage more deeply with the text: • First sentence of each paragraph “It gives me an automatic mental framework to build the rest of the paper around if it is important enough to read more thoroughly.” http://www.literaturereviewhq.com/how-to-read-a-literature-review-paper-in-5-minutes-flat/

  8. Active notemaking

  9. 5 minutes: read your material

  10. Structure in academic writing External structure • basic foundation – intro, main body, conclusion • conventional divisions e.g. lit review, methods, findings, discussion Flow of your argument • presenting a compelling case for the validity and authority of your findings WHAT is your argument/claim? (research question)WHY does it matter? (research context)HOW will you prove it? (method)

  11. Structure in academic writing “the means by which the information and ideas you present are made to relate to one another to build a logical and persuasive argument” (http://skills.caret.cam.ac.uk/English/structure)

  12. Manchester academic phrasebank www.phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk/

  13. Getting started x

  14. 10 minutes: free writing 2 minutes (each): Tell the other person what you plan to achieve next time you sit down to write • 8 minutes: free writing • no stopping • no editing • no spellchecking • no rephrasing to sound more academic • no guilt!

  15. UCam writers’ groups http://schreiberin.de/writers • Meeting times • Mailing list • Facebook group • Twitter feed • Set-up

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