Using academic vocabulary I : connecting ideas & learning conventions of your discipline

Using academic vocabulary I : connecting ideas & learning conventions of your discipline Week 2 Jan. 26

Agenda • Conventions • By writing type • By discipline • Connecting ideas • Linking words • Summary vocabulary

Conventions by writing type • Often given by an instructor or journal • Published Book Review (e.g., LinguistList) • Journal article (differs by journal and by discipline) • Thesis/dissertation (differs by journal and by discipline)

Overall shape of a research paper (such as journal article) General Introduction Specific Let’s look at what you brought. Does it follow this? Methods Results Specific Discussion General (From Swales & Feak, 2012, p 285)

Introduction • This paper deals with… • The novel feature of our study… • The central issue in… • It is reasonable assume… • There are many ways of measuring… • The reason is….

Methods • We collected… • The characterization of…. • Our specific sampling… • Participants…. • This instrument consists of… • For the analysis of….

Results • (Figure 1 shows…) • Most importantly… • Our findings show that…. • Significantly,… • On the other hand, … • The aims of the study were… • *Finally, we would like to conclude….

Discussion • The analysis suggests… • The findings are as follows… • The demonstration shows that… • First…. Second… Third… • The comparison between….and…. • By using this model system for analyzing ….

Conventions by discipline • Critiques—purposes are often different by discipline • What do critiques accomplish: • Shows the writer’s opinion • Create a niche • Express evaluation by the field’s standard of judgment • Be fair and reasonable • What reasons for using critique have you encountered, and in what genre (book review, etc.)? • Where is critique often found in academic writing? (it will differ by type of writing)

Conventions by discipline • Standard of judgment differences by discipline: • Humanities: may focus on how “interesting” the arguments are • Social sciences: may focus on the methodology • Science and engineering: may focus on results and implications for the real world • In the article you brought: • Identify the type of writing (e.g., book review) • Locate some element of critique; what section is it in? what does it focus on?

Example of Language by discipline (In Swales & Feak, 2012, p 265, from Becher, 1987) • Differences by discipline: • Science and medicine: “simple” can be positive, “well planned” • Social sciences: “simple” is negative, “unsophisticated”

Applied • Looking at the example of critique you already identified, how does the writer indicate: • good work? • average work or limitation? • poor work or severe restriction?

Break time! • Connecting Ideas, when we return • Workshop Feedback—please return before you leave today, even if you want to wait until after workshopping today. Workshop Feedback HO

Old-to-new connections What transitions tie the sentences together? Yesterday, Ronny took me to a Dave Matthews concert in Phoenix. When we got to Sun Devil Stadium, he realized that he had left the tickets back in Tucson, so he drove back to get them. While he was gone, I sat on the curb next to some scalpers. One of them started hitting on me, so I flirted with him for a while to see if I could get free tickets.

Old-to-new connections • Take a look at the following sentence: • (a) Some astonishing questions about the nature of the universe have been raised by scientists exploring the nature of black holes in space. • Which of the sentences below better follows the one above? Why? • (b) The collapse of a dead star into a point perhaps no larger than a marble creates a black hole. • (c) Each black hole is created by the collapse of a dead star into a point perhaps no larger than a marble.

Connecting Ideas • Old-to-new, another use! • Put new information at the end of the sentence • Weak ending: • Women often feel silenced by men, according to one researcher. • Revised: • According to one researcher, women often feel silenced by men.

Consistent subjects/Topic Chains • Jarring shift • Memoirs are becoming increasingly popular. Readers of all ages are finding them appealing. • Topic Chain • Memoirs are becoming increasingly popular. They appeal to readers of all ages. • Old-to-new: • (a) Some astonishing questions about the nature of the universe have been raised by scientists exploring the nature of black holes in space. • (c) Each black hole is created by the collapse of a dead star into a point perhaps no larger than a marble.

Connecting Ideas Topic Shifts HO • Frequent topic shifts: • I have lived all my life in Brooklyn, New York. Park Slope is a neighborhood that has many different ethnic cultures. Harmony exists among the people, even though it does not in many other Brooklyn neighborhoods. The Slope has been…. • Many articles in the press have praised the Slope for its ethnic variety. • Revised: • Park Slope neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York has many different ethnic cultures. Its diversity and harmony among them has been praised in many articles in the press. • I have lived all my life in Brooklyn, New York. As its neighborhood Park Slope has many different ethnic cultures, where harmony exists among

Connecting Ideas Topic Shifts HO • Frequent topic shifts: • I have lived all my life in Brooklyn, New York. Park Slope is a neighborhood that has many different ethnic cultures. Harmony exists among the people, even though it does not in many other Brooklyn neighborhoods. Many articles in the press have praised the Slope for its ethnic variety. • Revised with topic chain (consistent subjects): • Many different ethnic cultures flourish in Park Slop, Brooklyn, where I have lived all my life. These different cultures live together harmoniously, even though they do not in many other Brooklyn neighborhoods. In fact, the ethnic variety of the Slope has often been praised in the press.

Connecting Ideas On a single paragraph from your writing, look at the connection between sentences. Look for one place where you use old-to-new or COULD use old-to-new. Look for one place where you use a topic chain or COULD use a topic chain.

Summary words to connect • “this/these + noun” can establish a good old-to-new flow of information • Writing instructors know that students need to understand the differences between formal and informal language. This understanding can help students make strategic choices in their writing. • What does “This understanding” refer to?

Summary words to connect • In recent years, the number of students applying to PhD programs has increased steadily, while the number of places available has remained fairly constant. This situation has resulted in intense competition for admission. • What does “This situation” refer to? • “This/these” does not always need a noun, but the risk is misunderstanding. P37,39 HO P45-46 HO

Applied, if time… • Look in your writing for this connection: • Using “this/that” + noun (or no noun) • Is it clear what the summary word refers to? • Is there a better summary word?

Homework • Bring one to two articles from a journal or database in your discipline, similar to what you are writing (hard copy or on your computer) • Workshop Recommendation: exchange emails or contact so that you can ask questions during the week if you both are willing

Quick workshopping feedback • Did you have any difficulty giving feedback to your partner last week? • Any easy changes we can make this week to make it go smoother? • Would it help to exchange emails to be able to communicate during the week?

Workshop • Keep the same partner as last week • Use the same workshopping instructions • This week’s global issue to consider: • Where critiquing is appropriate • This week’s local issue to consider: • Transitioning and connecting language • Two have signed up to meet me today. • Return Workshop Feedback before you leave.

If time (From Liu & Hansen, 2002, p 138)

Using academic vocabulary I : connecting ideas & learning conventions of your discipline