Academic vs Media Discourse

week 3B. Mitsikopoulou

Academic style(Jordan Unit 14)

Academic discourse is written in its own unique style which is easy to identify among different types of discourse

ACADEMIC VS MEDIA TEXTS

Reader (p. 48)The two texts are on the same topic reporting on the same research findings:

HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY

TEXT: THE ACADEMIC ARTICLE

Where is an academic article published?In an academic journalWhat is an academic journal?A scientific periodicalWho reads academic journals?Experts in a fieldWhere can you buy an academic journal?Order it from publishers usually through subscription

THE CONTEXT OF THE JOURNAL ARTICLE

Published in

Who writes?(author)

What?

To whom?(readers)

For what purpose?

The Breast Journal

A researcher doctor who specializes in breast cancer

An extensive academic article which describes research process and results

Other research doctors and generally doctors interested in breast cancer

To report research findings to the medical community

THE LANGUAGE OF THE ACADEMIC ARTICLE

Taking into account the context of the academic article (who writes what to whom and for what purpose), what assumptions can the author of the text make about the readers of his/her article?How do these assumptions affect his/her selection of lexico-grammatical choices?

LEXIS AND GRAMMAR OF THE ACADEMIC ARTICLE

- Research verbs such as calculate, report, find, associate, compare, detect, show are extensively used to report research results

- Adverbs indicating degrees of commitment: moderately, nearly, significantly, poorly, likely, unlikely

- Adjectives indicating comparison: slower, younger, similar, no larger, more aggressive, lower, earlier, equivalent, faster

- Passive voice is extensively used

INFORMATION ORGANIZATION OF THE ACADEMIC ARTICLE

- Review previous research and further investigate into the topic

- Reference to other research is mandatory as well as citation of full bibliographical details (at the end)

- Structure: sub-sections are necessary (with the exception of short abstracts): the topic is examined in terms of different aspects and this should be explicitly indicated in structure layout. Also reporting the different research stages.

TEXT: A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE

Where is a media article published?In a newspaper, magazine, etcWho writes a media text? A journalist Who reads a media text (e.g. newspaper article?)Anybody who buys the newspaper (unspecified audience)Where can you buy a newspaper?Everywhere, in a news agent

THE CONTEXT OF THE NEWSPAPER ARTICLE

Published in The Guardian (broadsheet newspaper)

Who writes?(author)

A journalist who specializes in medical report

What? A brief newspaper article

To whom?(readers)

Lay people, with no specialised knowledge

For what purpose?

To inform the general public about recent research findings concerning medical issues

THE LANGUAGE OF A (BROADSHEET) NEWSPAPER ARTICLE

Taking into account the context of the newspaper article (who writes what to whom and for what purpose), what assumptions can the author of the text make about the readers of his/her article?How do these assumptions affect his/her selection of lexico-grammatical choices?

LEXIS AND GRAMMAR OF THE NEWSPAPER ARTICLE

- Verb say is commonly used

- Use of active voice (to express immediacy and urgency)

- Time adverbials (setting the temporal perspective which is important for the presentation of news): yesterday, yet, in August, until recently, eventually, two or three years, for a decade or more)

- Emphatic modifiers (adjectives): sharp reduction, strongest attempt

INFORMATION ORGANIZATION OF THE NEWSPAPER ARTICLE

- Brief and comprehensive overview of relevant information from a variety of sources (MHPRA, Wyeth, European Committee, the chairman of the British Committee)

- Reference to other research is optional and citation of full bibliographical details is mostly rare

- Structure: sub-divisions/subheadings are not as common

Features of a magazine article

Lexicogrammatical features•Imperatives (e.g. don’t blame)•Questions (e.g. Does light bother you?)•Personal pronouns (e.g. you are suffering, your kid’s music)•Colloquial expressions (e.g. make you sick)•Short forms (e.g. they’re)•Direct speech reporting experts’ exact words•Phrasal verbs (e.g. fight off, pin down)•Active voice

Information Organization•Use of quiz in the form of list (1,2,3)•Several headings break the text into smaller parts •Format: short paragraphs

FEATURES OF INFORMAL STYLE

Colloquialisms (conversational expressions)Contractions (e.g. it didn’t, they’ve)Hesitation fillers (e.g. well, you know)Phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs

Formal Informalconduct carry outdiscover find outinvestigate look into

Euphemisms (less unpleasant and less direct words)e.g. to pass away (instead of to die)

Personal pronouns (I, you, we)

Task 5 (Reader p. 54-55)

HOMEWORK

TASK 3 (Reader p. 52)Re-write the academic extract below (and adapt accordingly) in a short paragraph (100-150 words approximately) for the purpose of appearing in Health magazine under the title: Immunity granted: You already know how to catch a cold. Now learn how to knock one out.