Transcript Slide 1

Academic Writing for
FYP Students (LCS)
Seminar 2
Íde O’Sullivan
Regional Writing Centre
Plan of seminars
• Seminars: Weeks 3, 4, 5
– Tuesday 12:00 – 14:00 (HSG025)
– Tuesday 15:00 – 17:00 (LG011)
• Drop-in/One-to-one sessions:
Weeks 7, 8, 9
– Tuesday 12:00 – 13:00 (HSG025)
– Tuesday 15:00 – 16:00 (LG011)
Plan of seminars
• Seminar 1 (Week 3):
– Layout/presentation/structure
– Academic writing style
– Referencing
• Seminar 2 (Week 4):
– Developing and sustaining an argument
– Writing an effective abstract,
introduction and conclusion
• Seminar 3 (Week 5):
– Editing and proof reading
Contents
• Writing an effective abstract
• Writing an effective introduction
• Writing an effective conclusion and
discussion
• Developing and sustaining an argument
• Some helpful websites
• Final words
Writing an effective abstract
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What is an abstract?
Types of abstracts
Why are abstracts important?
What should I include in the abstract?
What should I not include?
Qualities of a good abstract
Style
How to write an abstract?
What is an abstract?
• Term often interchanged with
summary
• It is a brief, factual account of the
content of a report or article
• Highlights ‘the major points covered,
concisely describes the content and
scope of the writing, and reviews the
writing’s content in abbreviated form’
(Literary Education Online: Writing
Abstracts)
Types of abstracts
• Descriptive abstract
• Informative abstract
Descriptive abstract
• Often used in electronic databases to
facilitate keywords searches – abstracts
therefore often contain key terms
• Indicates key areas to be covered in the
report
• Is an extended statement of the scope or
purpose of the report
• Articulates the paper’s organisation,
rather than its content
• 50-75 words
Descriptive abstract
Example:
“This article examines the economic,
political and social forces at work in
the Georgia wheat-producing region
prior to the break-up of the USSR.
The causes for failing birth rates in
Georgia are explored, and the links
between this problem and the
collapse of the Soviet system are
analysed”.
Descriptive abstract
• Written in present tense
• Lists topics but does not explain
what article says about the topics
• Does not give results, conclusions or
recommendations
• Reader needs to find more by reading
the text
Informative abstract
• Kirkman (1992) believes this type is best
and more useful to readers in most
circumstances
• Summarises the entire report
• Gives the reader an overview of the facts
that will be laid out in detail in the paper
itself
• Varies in length (200 – 300 words)
• Is rarely longer than one page and should
never exceed 10% of the length of the
entire report
University Writing Center, George Mason University)
Why are abstracts
important?
• They give the reader the idea of
what the report / article contains.
• They are needed for keyword
searches in electronic databases.
What should I include
in the abstract?
• A clear concise summary of the entire
report (not more than one page in length)
• The aim of the study and a brief
justification for the investigation into the
problem
• A brief description of how the problem
was approached and a justification for
that approach
• A summary of the outcomes and whether
they confirm those that had been initially
anticipated
• The main results, conclusions and
recommendations
What should I not
include?
• Lengthy historical summaries and
background information
• Personal judgements: “I feel this thesis
does an excellent job of…”
• Overstatements of the results: “This
thesis proves…”
• Lengthy examples and supporting details
• “[…] extraneous information and terms
which don’t support the content”
(Consortium for International Earth
Science Information Network)
Qualities of a good
abstract
• Provide essential message (thesis, findings,
important names, conclusion)
• Non-technical style
• Can be used independently of the main
document
• Does not contain personal judgments
• Contains one or more well developed
paragraphs
• No new information (information not
included in the report)
• Present tense? - Be consistent!!!
Style
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Avoid the use of ‘I’
Use short simple, active sentences
Use correct English
Suit style to readers
Ensure it reads fluently – not just a
collection of unconnected sentences
• Use transitions (however, consequently,
therefore, in addition to) to link sentences
and make connections clear
• Hedge
How to write an abstract?
1. Read text to be summarised – get
general gist (what’s the purpose etc.)
2. Read again and mark and number
important points
3. Write single sentences about each
important point
4. Write a sentence to answer ‘what is
this text about?’ – try to get an
overview of the text’s central idea
How to write an abstract?
5. Write first draft by combining
overview sentence with important points
– avoid repetition
6. Check draft against original – does
anything need to be added? Is it
accurate and complete?
7. Revise abstract, add transitions and
aim for a coherent, unified piece of
writing
Introduction
• What is an introduction?
• Purpose of an introduction
• What should I put into the
introduction?
• Summary
What is an introduction?
• Usually has two parts:
• 1. General Statement – to attract the
reader’s attention and give
background info to the topic
• 2. Thesis Statement – to state the
main topic, may indicate sub-topics,
may indicate how the essay is to be
organised, usually the last sentence
in the introduction
Purpose of an introduction
In academic writing, an introduction has
four purposes:
1. To introduce the topic
2. To indicate the context through
background information
3. To give some indication of the overall
plan of the essay
4. To catch the reader’s attention, usually
by convincing the reader of its relevance
What should I put into
the introduction?
• Identify the domain and the topic
• State the problem - claim, hypothesis,
or question - to be investigated
• Gives the problem context and
significance within the research
community
• State the objectives and outline the
plan
• Give a detailed description of what will
follow in subsequent chapters
What should I put into
the introduction?
• May mention why this research is relevant
and important
• May elaborate on the method of inquiry,
which may include a statement on the
ethical aspects of the research
• May delineate the scope of the research
• May include a definition of terms
• Should tell reader what to expect and look
for
Check with your supervisor!
Summary
• Introduction should be funnel shaped
• Begin with broad statements.
• Make these statements more and more
specific as the writer narrows the scope
of the topic and comes to the problem.
• Be sure that the question, hypothesis or
claim is one that can be handled in a
report of the length specified.
• This question, hypothesis or claim is
your thesis statement.
Conclusion
• What is a conclusion?
• Elements of a good conclusion
• What should I include in the
conclusion
• Summary
What is a conclusion?
• ‘ A conclusion is a final result, a
judgment reached by reasoning, or
the summing up of an essay, book, or
other piece of writing’ (ABC of
Academic Writing)
Elements of a good
conclusion
• A conclusion should:
Remind the reader of the main
points of your argument
Bring ‘closure to the interpretation
of the data’ (Leedy, 2001: 291)
Be clear
Be logical
Be credible
Elements of a good
conclusion
 Demonstrate an awareness of the
limitations
 Discuss the implications of the findings
 Offer suggestions for future
developments – Remember: A summary
alone of what you have done is a weak
conclusion
 End on a positive note – final sentence
should be strong and positive
What should I include in
the conclusion?
• An introduction
• A summary of the investigation, the
results, and the analysis
• A summary of the conclusions drawn from
the analysis and discussion of the data /
results
• An account of whether the research has
answered the research question
• An assessment of whether the hypothesis
or claim has been proved, disproved, or
partially proved
What should I include in
the conclusion?
• A discussionion of the implications of the
findings
• A demonstrable awareness of the
limitations of the outcome
• Suggestions for future developments –
Remember: A summary alone of what you
have done is a weak conclusion
• A final, strong, positive statement
Summary
‘Whatever kind of conclusion you
decide on, it should not introduce
new topics, apologize for any real or
perceived failings in the paper, or
merely stop or trail off. Make sure
your paper has a clear sense of
closure’ (Ebert et al., 1997: 129)
Developing and sustaining
an argument
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What is an argument?
Qualities of a good argument
4 Rules for an argument
Persuasion and truth in academic
writing
• Some tips
The thesis and persuasion:
academic argument
‘In college, course assignments often ask
you to make a persuasive case in writing.
You are asked to convince your reader of
your point of view. This form of
persuasion, often called academic
argument, follows a predictable pattern in
writing. After a brief introduction of your
topic, you state your point of view on the
topic directly and often in one sentence.
This sentence is the thesis statement and
it serves as a summary of the argument
you'll make in the rest of your paper’
(UNC-CH Writing Center, 2004: Online).
Developing and
sustaining an argument
Your thesis is the basic stand you take,
the opinion you express, the point you
make about your limited subject. It’s
your controlling idea, tying together and
giving direction to all other separate
elements in your paper. Your primary
purpose is to persuade the reader that
your thesis is a valid one’ (Skwire, 1976:
3).
What is an argument?
‘An argument is the case that
someone makes, in a theory or in
their writing… you give reasons for
saying what you do, and present
evidence to support what you say’
(ABC of Academic Writing).
Qualities of a good
argument
• Pursue your argument logically
• Do not only describe, but evaluate
and interpret also
• Argument can be implicit or explicit
• Arguments need justifications for
their claims
4 Rules for an argument
• Leedy (2001: 183) cites Marius
(1989) in highlighting 4 rules for an
argument
1. ‘state your arguments early in the
game’ – present and interpret data
2. ‘provide examples to support any
assertion you make’ – makes it
stronger and more credible
4 Rules for an argument
3. ‘give the fairest possible
treatment of any perspectives
different from your own’ – may
support or disagree with them
4. ‘ point out the weaknesses of your
own argument’ – by doing this you
show objectivity as a researcher
Persuasion and truth in
academic writing
• An Argument should be persuasive – don’t
sacrifice truth for persuasion
• Academic inquiry is a truth-seeking pursuit
• facts are distinguished from opinions
• subjective truths are distinguished
from objective truths
• relative truths are distinguished from
absolute truths
• Claims are qualified
• Hedge
Persuasion and truth in
academic writing
• The integrity of the conclusions reached in
an academic essay or report is based on its
honest pursuit of truth.
• Its persuasive quality is based on the
quality of its appeals.
• Although largely dependent on logic,
proof, and method, academic texts do
appeal to the reader’s emotions and regard
for authority as well as to reason.
Some tips
• Establish your argument in the
introduction - in a thesis statement.
• Advance your argument by giving evidence.
• Do not reiterate evidence already
provided, but refer back to something you
have already stated.
• Present counter arguments and explain
both the strengths and weaknesses of the
arguments – arguments should be balanced.
Some tips
• Concede points, even when you know
that such a concession weakens your
argument. The goal is not to be right,
but to explore the question honestly
• Qualify your statements
• Expose questions that your opinion
begs
• Your concluding argument should be
strong and positive
Useful websites
• ABC of Academic Writing
http://www.mdx.ac.uk/www/study/gloess.h
tm
• Literacy Education Online: Writing
Abstracts
http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/bizwrite
/abstracts.html
• Writing Abstracts: Guidelines for
Metadata Development
http://www.ciesin.org/metadata/document
ation/abstracts/guidelines.html
Useful websites
• Summaries: An Introduction – University
of Victoria
http://web.uvic.ca/wguide/Pages/summari
esTOC.html
• Writing Summaries – Colorado State
University
http://writing.colostate.edu/guides/docum
ents/abstract/
Final Words
• Leave everything aside for a few
days and come back with a fresh
mind
• Allow sufficient time for editing