Writing DescriptivelyPart 1 - Introduction, defining and describing things

zondag 2 juni 2013

IntroductionIn academic writing many different genres exist. Depending on the subject you are studying you could be asked to write:

• an essay

• a lab report

• a case study

• a book review

• a research proposal

• etc.

zondag 2 juni 2013

Introduction

All genres can be constructed from these text types.

• Descriptions

• Reports

• Explanations

• Arguments

zondag 2 juni 2013

IntroductionDescriptions - this can include defining a topic, describing an object, system, or a process. It also includes categorizing and classifying.

Reports - this is a description of a past activity, something you did or something that happened.

Explanations - this is why or how something happens or happened. It includes giving reasons and explanations and writing about cause and effect.

zondag 2 juni 2013

Introduction

Arguments - this includes giving opinions or holding positions for or against an issue or advantages and disadvantages. It involves evidence to support an argument as well as making decisions or recommendations and justifying the action.

zondag 2 juni 2013

IntroductionEvaluate possible solutions to the problem of international brand management.

If you were asked to write an essay to answer the above-mentioned question you could answer it in the following way:

• You could start by defining brand management,saying what it is and giving an example.

• You might then explain why international brand management is a problem in business today, and support your explanation by evidence from your reading.

zondag 2 juni 2013

Introduction• After that you would describe some possible solutions to the

problem of brand management, again supporting your suggestions with evidence from your reading.

• Next you would evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of each of the possible solutions.

• Finally, you would decide which solution you would prefer and give reasons.

zondag 2 juni 2013

Introduction

So in order to answer the essay question you need to be able to write texts that do the following:

zondag 2 juni 2013

Introduction• define

• give an example

• explain why

• support your explanation with evidence

• describe a solution

• describe advantages and disadvantages

• evaluate

• choose

zondag 2 juni 2013

IntroductionAgain, for everything you needed to do to be able to answer the before-mentioned essay question, you used one of these text types.

• Descriptions

• Reports

• Explanations

• Arguments

zondag 2 juni 2013

Defining

In academic writing it is usually necessary to define your terms. Many words have several different meanings and in your subject they may be used in very specific ways. It is important to show that you understand the terms that you are using and exactly the sense in which you are using them.

zondag 2 juni 2013

DefiningIn the following text ʻadvertisingʼ is being defined. Notice how the definition is organized and what language is used.

Advertising is defined as any paid form of non-personal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods or services through mass media such as newspapers, magazines, television or radio by an identified sponsor.

zondag 2 juni 2013

DefiningHere ʻmortgageʼ is defined.

A mortgage is a form of loan that is secured on an asset, typically land. Financial institutions such as banks, insurance businesses and pension funds are often prepared to lend to businesses on this basis. The mortgage may be over a long period.

zondag 2 juni 2013

DefiningTwo typical ways of writing definitions that you might like to uses are:

A mortgage is a form of loan that is secured on an asset.

or

A form of loan that is secured on an asset is called a mortgage.

zondag 2 juni 2013

DefiningYou will notice that these sentences were written in the form:

X is a Y that ...

AY that ... X.

zondag 2 juni 2013

DefiningOther language that youʼll find useful in writing definitions is:

X is ...

X is called ...

X is known as ...

X may be defined as ...

X is a type of Y that/which ...

A type of Y is ... X.

zondag 2 juni 2013

DefiningNote:

Make sure that you define rather than just describe or give examples. For example, in the following text, the writer has failed to define and is simply giving an example of what a mentor does.

The mentor supports and helps you with any school based problems.

zondag 2 juni 2013

DefiningSometimes definition sentences are followed by more detail. In these cases. the short definitions often form topic sentences and are often followed by more descriptive detail, as in the following example:

Hire purchase is a form of credit that is used to acquire an asset. Under the terms of a hire purchase agreement a customer pays for an asset in installments over an agreed period. Normally, the customer will pay an initial deposit (downpayment) and then make installment payments at regular intervals (perhaps monthly) until the balance outstanding has been paid. The customer will usually take possession of the asset after payment of the initial deposit, although legal ownership of the asset will not be transferred until the final installment has been paid.

zondag 2 juni 2013

Describing thingsIn your writing , you will often have to describe something: an object, a system, an organization or a process.

Read a description of the brain from a psychology textbook. Notice the way the description is organized and the language that is used. You will see that if you were writing about the brain, you could describe:

• what a brain looks like

• how much it weighs

• how important it is

zondag 2 juni 2013

Describing things

The brain looks like a lump of porridge and has the consistency of blancmange. This organ, weighing an average 1400g in an adult human, is the most important part of the body. It contains an estimated 10 to 100 billion nerve cells and about as many supporting cells, which take care of important support and ʻhousekeeping functions. The brain contains many different types of nerve cell which differ in shape, size and the kind of chemicals they produce.

zondag 2 juni 2013

Describing thingsThe following text continues describing the brain by describing its function, what it does. You would start by describing the number of functions it has and then give some detail about each function.

The brain has two roles: controlling the movements of the muscles and regulating the physiological functions of the body. The first role looks outwards towards the environments and the second looks inwards. The outward-looking role includes several functions: perceiving events in the environment, learning about them, making plans, and acting. The inward-looking role requires the brain to measure and regulate internal characteristics such as body temperature, blood pressure and nutrient levels.

zondag 2 juni 2013

Describing thingsIf you are writing a description of an object, you might include for example:

• physical description• weight• size

• color• structure• material

• shape• properties• functions

zondag 2 juni 2013

Describing thingsAs well as describing simple objects, you may need to describe an organization or a system. The following description of the European commission, from a law textbook, gives you an example of how you could do this. Notice that the paragraph describes:

• how the commission is made up

• what its function is

zondag 2 juni 2013

Describing thingsThe commission is composed of 27 members, called commissioners, who are each appointed by the member states for five years. The must be nationals of a member state, and in practice there tend to be two each from the largest states- France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK - and one each from the rest. However the commissioners do not represent their own countries: they are independent, and their role is to represent the interests of the EU overall. The idea is that the commissionerʼs commitment to furthering the EU interests balances the role of the counsel, whose members represents national interests.In addition to its part in making EU legislation, the commission is responsible for ensuring that the member states uphold EU law, and has powers to investigate breachers by member states and, where necessary, bring them before the Court of Justice. It also plays an important role in the relationship of the EU with the rest of the world, negotiating trade agreements and the accession of new members, and draws up the annual draft budget for the EU. It is assisted in all these functions by an administrative staff, which has a similar role to that of the civil service in the UK.

zondag 2 juni 2013

Describing thingsSo when you are describing objects, systems or organizations, you might want to describe physical characteristics, such as:

• position

• structure

• size and weight

• shape

• function

zondag 2 juni 2013

Describing thingsPosition

As is

oppositeon the right ofdiagonally abovevertically below

B.

As is betweenequidistant from B and C.

The pivot is vertically above the base.

zondag 2 juni 2013

Describing things

Structure

X

is connected to Y by Z.

X consistsconsists ofY and Z.Y and Z.Y and Z.

Xcontainsincludescontainsincludescontainsincludes

Y and Z.Y and Z.Y and Z.The brain contains many different types of nerve cells.

zondag 2 juni 2013

Describing thingsSize and weight

X weighshas a weight of

6 cm long.high.wide.in length.in height.

X is 6 cm

long.high.wide.in length.in height.

The voltmeter is 4 cm wide and 12 cm long.

The adult brain weighs approximately 1400 grams.

zondag 2 juni 2013

Describing thingsShape

X is

squaresemi-circularhexagonalelliptical

in shape. The brain is roughly elliptical in shape.

zondag 2 juni 2013

Describing thingsFunction

The AOne

is

functionpurposeaimobjectiverole

of thethermometertripodbrain

measure the temperature.hold the beaker.

zondag 2 juni 2013