Writing Strategies for Non-Native Writers of English

1. Writing Strategies for Non-Native Writers of English Danielle Cunniff Plumer Graduate Writing Project Consultant Spring 2003

2. English as a Second Language • English as a Second Language (ESL) is a phrase used to describe both nonnative speakers of English and their writing problems. • Of course, not all ESL students and problems are alike!

3. ESL Resources • Grammar and mechanics: • Dodds, Jack. The Ready Reference Handbook: Writing, Revising, Editing. 2nd ed. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon, 1999.

4. ESL Resources • Dictionaries of Usage: • Longman Advanced American Dictionary. Pearson ESL, 2002. • Swan, Michael. Practical English Usage. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1995.

5. ESL Resources • Online Writing Labs (OWLs) • Purdue University http://owl.english.purdue.edu • Washington State Universityhttp://owl.wsu.edu • University of Texas at Austinhttp://uwc.fac.utexas.edu

6. ESL Resources • Swales, John M., and Christine B. Feak. Academic Writing for Graduate Students: A Course for Nonnative Speakers of English. Ann Arbor: U of Michigan P, 1994.

7. Academic Writing in the U.S. • Cultural components: • Intellectual property • Deductive logic • Rhetorical style • Originality & individuality • Communities of discourse

8. Intellectual Property • Every idea and original expression is the property of its creator. • It is both respectful and appropriate to quote someone else’s words. • It is disrespectful and unethical to steal someone else’s words or to use them without a citation.

9. Deductive Logic • Western logic is linear and deductive. • If the premises are true, the conclusion must be true. • In writing, the conclusion is usually presented as a thesis at the beginning of the paper.

10. Rhetorical Style • Rhetoric is the art of persuasion through language. • Originally used for oration, now used for written communication. • Audience and purpose • For whom are you writing, and why?

11. Originality & Individuality • Academic writing in the U.S. generally values originality and individuality. • Depending on the discipline of study, it may be appropriate to use “I” or “We.” • Don’t hide your light under a bushel!

12. Communities of Practice • Different communities have different standards of written communication. • Science & Engineering • Humanities • Social Sciences • The major style manual in each field will offer guidance.

13. The 5-Paragraph Paper • Sometimes called the “keyhole” approach: Introduction (General-to-specific) Body paragraphs Conclusion (Specific-to-general)

14. Thesis Sentence • The main point or conclusion of the paper. • Generally, the last sentence of the introductory paragraph. • Useful phrasing: • “In this paper, I will argue that…”

15. Writing the 5-Paragraph Paper • Each paragraph has a separate point, or topic. • Each topic must support the overall thesis of the paper. • Focus on persuasive arguments & deductive logic. • Highly scalable.

16. Conclusions • Last paragraph can function as a summary of the entire paper. • “In this paper, I have shown that…” • Conclusion can also pose questions for future research.

17. Grammar Pitfalls • Articles: • a, an, the • Quantifiers: • a few, many, some, etc. • Prepositions: • at, in, on • to, from, with

18. Articles • Counting and noncounting • Use “a” or “an” with count nouns (but not plurals) • Generic or specific • Use “the” with specific noun phrases and particular singular or plural nouns

19. Contact Us: SZB 454 • Carla Darocy Hultberg cdarocy@mail.utexas.eduOffice hours: Tuesday 1-3 p.m., Wednesday 3-5 p.m. & by appt. • Danielle Cunniff Plumer dcplumer@gslis.mail.utexas.eduOffice hours: Monday 2-4 p.m., Tuesday 4-6 p.m. & by appt.