Stance and Academic Writing

1. Stance and Academic Writing

2. Before we begin ... Please jot down 3-5 words or phrases that you associate with taking an “academic stance” in writing. An “academic stance” means adopting a stance in your writing that is _______, ________, and __________.

3. What makes academic writing academic? (Thaiss & Zawacki, 2006) • Clear evidence in writing that the writer(s) have been persistent, open-minded, and disciplined in study • The dominance of reason over emotion or sensual perception • An imagined reader who is coolly rational, reading for information, and intending to formulate a reasoned response.

4. Stance … “… the ways writers present themselves and convey their judgments, opinions, and commitments. It is the ways that writers intrude to stamp their personal authority onto their arguments or step back and disguise their involvement.” (Hyland, 2005, p. 176)

5. First-year university student As technology continues to develop, there is absolutely no doubt that social media will become a resource for people to collaborate on ideas and organize protests. However, it will never cause a revolution because …

6. Fourth-year Bio major It is difficult to conclude from these two studies if the mating system of Sarasota dolphins is polygynous, promiscuous, or possibly something else. Evidence is supported for both a polygynous and a promiscuous mating system. It might be possible that two alternative strategies exist in this population, such as in the eastern Pacific spinner dolphins. Alternatively, …

7. Stance and judgement “To judge whether a student fulfills motive, teachers respond to the writer’s presence in a text; the quality of this presence helps them decide whether a student has learned something in the course.” Mary Soliday, Everyday Genres (2011, 36)

8. Examples from Economics course • Taken in whole, the economic evidence for grocery retailers in the decades after the Von’s decision suggests that increased concentration is pro-competitive and good for consumers, running contrary to the fears proposed by the Court. • Using an ex post analysis of share prices and product prices,I was able to show that the Supreme Court decision had negligible effects on the industry, and therefore a better outcome could have been achieved.

9. Cautious judgments Moving toward a recommendation However, this case is not without concerns. There is the possibility for abuse ifthe producer sets different maximum prices for different retailers, allowing some to reap higher profits. There is also a possibilitythat for new retailers to enter the market they would have to charge higher prices initially, in which case a maximum price coulddeter competition. It appears, then, that maximum price fixing does the greatest harm when set below a competitive level. In Case 4 it could potentially do harm to small retailers trying to enter the market, but does so for the benefit of consumers and the producer. Based purely on the models, it appears that, at the very least, maximum prices deserve a Rule of Reason approach to evaluate their cost and benefits. (Mike, HG2, S69-74)