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Academic Writing (English Language Focus) Caroline Malthus Te Puna Ako Learning Centre. Objectives. To clarify academic writing expectations at Unitec To explore the academic writing process. Session Plan. Introductions Your questions, lecturer expectations - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Academic Writing (English Language Focus)
Caroline MalthusTe Puna Ako Learning Centre
Objectives
• To clarify academic writing expectations at Unitec
• To explore the academic writing process
Session Plan• Introductions• Your questions, lecturer
expectations• Exploring question and marking
criteria• The writing process• Assignment structure• Key aspects of written academic
language
Introductions
• your name?
• What programme are you studying?
• Your comments on the text or image?
Your questions about academic writing?
e.g.• What are lecturers looking for?
How will I be marked?
Lecturer’s expectations• Put yourself in the shoes of the
lecturer
• Which do you think are the most important aspects of an assignment from the lecturer’s point of view?
• Rank from 1 = most important to 9 = least important
How will the assignment be marked?
• Content – Theory / Practice split?
• Research / Reading• Analysis • Presentation• Referencing
Steps in the assignment writing process
• Do research to get more ideas for your answer
• Brainstorm ideas• Make a plan to guide research• Proofread and edit• Analyse the question• Sort ideas by planning the essay
structure• Prepare references• Write drafts
Suggested process1. Analyse the question or task2. Brainstorm ideas3. Make a plan to guide research4. Do research to get more ideas for your
answer5. Sort ideas by planning the essay
structure6. Write drafts7. Proofread and edit• Prepare references from Stage 4
onwards
Assignment questionWith reference to the relevant literature, critically discuss the following statement: ‘Managers are not leaders’.
Briefly discuss the question….
Analysing the Question• Break it down – how many parts?• Consider task words, content
words, limiting words• Work out the balance between
description and analysis• Consider different perspectives on
the question
Analysing an assignment:• Task words
• Content words
• Condition / Limit words
14
Assignment questionWith reference to the relevant literature, critically discuss the following statement: ‘Managers are not leaders’.
What are the task, content and limiting words?
With reference to the relevant literature, critically discuss the following statement: ‘Managers are not leaders’.
Making Plans• Brainstorm based on what you
know• Make a one-page plan - show all
key ideas and start to prioritise • Include completion dates for
different stages• A handy planning tool
Introduction
Aspect 1:
Aspect 2:
Aspect 3:(etc.)
Final summary and conclusion
Background, definitions of key terms and concepts
Exercise: from analysing a text….
what are the key features of academic writing?
Structure: Introduction– Preamble: explain general context and themes– Then outline your plan for the assignment:
“This essay examines the statement that ‘Managers are not leaders’ by firstly defining the two concepts and then identifying some of the key differences between them in terms of their respective tasks, skills and functions. This is followed by a discussion of current theory on leadership and management. It is argued that the best approach involves a combination of management and leadership that is both timely and appropriate to the organisational context.
Body• Paragraph = key structure of
academic writing• Central idea• Explanations• Evidence• Links to previous paragraphs• Section / Paragraph Headings: to
use, or not to use?
The paragraph• The key structure in academic
writing
• Topic sentenceExplanationEvidenceExamples
Conclusion• Briefly summarises the main points• Restates the central argument• Refers back to the topic• May highlight implications• May make suggestions /
recommendations
Aspects of academic language• Use signposts to indicate where
you’re going• Give opinions in impersonal ways• Indicate degrees of certainty• Refer to authors in present,
regardless of dateALWAYS check specific guidelines to
see what’s appropriate for each assignment, lecturer and course.
Tentative languagePhysical fitness is the most important factor in athletic performance (Lardner, 2003; Newcastle & Lind, 2005).
There is some evidence to suggest that physical fitness may be one of the most important factors in athletic performance (Newcastle & Lind, 2005).
Presentation• Follows all presentation guidelines• Clear and easy to follow• Cover page included• In text references and reference
list• Checked for spelling, grammar and
punctuation
Referencing• What’s referencing?• Why do we need to reference?• How do we do it?
• Check programme handbook for guidelines on referencing system to follow
APA (6th ed.)referencing
style
In-text
Direct quotations Paraphrases
Reference list
Referencing – in textA manager is often portrayed as a procedural administrator/supervisor – an individual in an organisation with recognised formal authority who plans, coordinates and implements the existing directions of the organisation (Koontz, O’Donnell & Weihrich, 1986). A leader, on the other hand, is defined as someone who occupies a position of influence within a group that “extends beyond supervisory responsibility and formal authority” (Vecchio, Hearn & Southey, 1994, p. 504). These definitions make it clear that…
What’s the plus and minus here?Dickson (2004) maintains that television violence has a marked effect on child development. Brown (2010) comments that children who watch a great deal of televised violence could be affected for many years. The Broadcasting Tribunal (2009) recommends that we should “limit the number of hours per week of programmes showing violence” (p. 16).
Reference ListColvard, J. (2003). Managers vs
leaders. Government Executive. Retrieved from: http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0703/070703ff.htm
Koontz, H., O’Donnell, C. and H. Weihrich (1994). Essentials of Management. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Reports• Title page• Abstract / Executive Summary• Table of Contents• Introduction• Procedure / Methods• Body (Findings / Discussion / Results)• Conclusions• Recommendations• References• Appendices
Reports• Introduction,
body, conclusion structure
• Paragraphs – may use headings
• Respond to a set topic or question
• In-text references and reference list
• Often analyse a current situation
• Report structure depends on subject
• Numbered sections under headings
• May use bullet points
• In-text references and reference list
Essays
What should you do if…• You don’t understand some of the concepts
in the question • The question requires use of difficult (or
uninteresting!) reading material• You are required to complete the task in a
word length / time span that you think is unreasonable
• The assignment task is in the form of a question and you are not sure of the exact answer
• The format of the assignment is new to you
To help you work on writing• Lecturers for course-specific questions• Classmates for clarification• Te Puna Ako Learning Centre / Maia /
Pacific centre workshops and appointments
• Te Puna Ako Moodle site• Library staff for information search• Read examples of assignments
Objectives
• To clarify academic writing expectations at Unitec
• To explore the academic writing process