ENGLISH III:ASPECTS OF ACADEMIC WRITING

MANECLANG, WENN JOYRENZ U. 2NUR-6

ASPECTS OF ACADEMIC WRITING Argument
What would be convincing?
Determine your audience What kinds of evidence are normally
The writer should try to answer the used for this type of audience?
following: Statistics
To whom will I be writing for? Previous studies
- 1 person? Case studies
- Several people? Shared experiences
What do I know about my readers Documentaries
professional background? Word Choices
What do I know about their personal Should you use jargons, slang, or formal
preference? professional language?
What will the readers be doing with the Sentence type/length
document? Can you use fragments (used in
Audience will influence the way you posters/brochures)
produce the material Can you use long, complex sentences?
Who are my target readers? How about shorter ones?
PARTICULAR Can you use a combination of short and
Homogenous group long sentences?
with similar background
Common and familiar TONE & STYLE
terms and concepts for
Tone in writing refers to the writers
this group
attitude toward the reader and the subject of
E.g. audience with an
the message. The overall tone of a written
academic background;
message affects the reader just as ones tone of
se of jargons
voice affects the listener in everyday exchanges
GENERAL
(Ober,1995)
Diverse audience
Different background TONE
and different levels of
knowledge Personal
Simple terms Friendly
Avoidance of jargons Distanced, etc

Audience affects the features of the text Avoid judgmental language

you se
I believe
Message I feel
What do readers care about? Conclude
What are they likely to act upon? I thinks
Will they read it? It seems

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 ENGLISH III:ASPECTS OF ACADEMIC WRITING
MANECLANG, WENN JOYRENZ U.
Avoid emotional language (It should be
impersonal and objective)
Flowery
Loaded with feelings and emotions
E.g. I first saw the light of day (which
Vague
means that I was born in.)
STYLE
A writers way of writing
A manner of which he expresses his
thoughts and feelings
How a material is written
Avoid sentence which are
Wordy
Wordy: The patient has difficulty of
breathing
Concise: The patient has dyspnea
Wordy: to the best of my
knowledge, the team did all they
could do for the patient
Conscise: The team did their best
for the patient
Wordy: We received the balance In
full amount
Concise: We received the balance in
full
Unparallel
Unparallel: water skiing is as
challenging as to dive
Sentences with misplaced
Parallel: Water skiing is as
challenging as diving
Redundant
Redundant: Please repeat the
sentence again
Improved: Please repeat the
sentence
2NUR-6
Redundant: A pleasant afternoon
top each and everyone
Improved: A pleasant afternoon to
everyone
Vague: the patient was not feeling
well
Specific: the patient complained of
abdominal pain. His skin was cool,
pale and moist
Fragmented (do not express a complete
thought)
Involuntary shaking
Run-on (when a comma/ semicolon is
used between two sentences instead of
period)
Run-on: Chart notes are informal or
formal: physicians take them when
they see a patient.
Improved: Chart notes are informal
and formal and physician take them
when they see a patient.
Sentences with dangling
modifiers (beginning or end of a
sentence with no grammar)
Although bored by the speaker the
speech was meaningful
Correct: Although the audience
were bored ny the speaker, he find
the speech meaningful
modifier
Misplaced: the father is usually a
man of few words in the Filipino
family
Improved: In the Filipino family, the
father is usually a man of few words
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 ENGLISH III:ASPECTS OF ACADEMIC WRITING
MANECLANG, WENN JOYRENZ U. 2NUR-6
THE LANGUAGE OF RESEARCH At the present time
Now
ACTIVE VOICE Personal friend
Friend
Doer of the action
Attached hereto
Used for conciseness and objectivity
Attached
(direct)
Duties & responsibilities
More factual
Duties
E.g. responsibilities
Passive: Instruction will be given to you by the Destroyed by fire
doctor. burned
Active: The doctor will give you the Rise up
instructions rise
In this day and age
PASSIVE VOICE Today
Clarity
Useful when the user doesnt need to
Organized clearly; no hedging words
name the doer of the action in the
(seems, like. somehow, more or less)
sentence
Impartiality
Sensitive situations that require tact
Take sides
and diplomacy may dictate the use of
Formality
passive voice
FORMAL INFORMAL
E.g. Active: The engineers created the Opportunity Chance
defective plane parts Deficiency Lack
Therefre So
Active: The plane parts were created
On and off/ now &
defectively. Intermittently
then
What are the significant features of language Immediately At once
State/inform Tell
in research?
Repeatedly Again & again
Brevity Obtained Get
Complete Whole
Direct to the point; not beating around
Fortunate Lucky
the bush; brief/short
Responsible In charge
E.g.
This morning at 10:00 am Accuracy
At 10:00 am Correct or proper
Small in size Use of passive/ active voice
Small Free from colloquial words and jargons ( in
Of great importance certain conditions)
Important Non-usage of acronyms, abbreviations &
Call up on the plane contractions
Call up

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 ENGLISH III:ASPECTS OF ACADEMIC WRITING
MANECLANG, WENN JOYRENZ U. 2NUR-6
Eliminating Informal words/ expressions

Informal: After 6 months, the dieter is

behaving according to all twenty-six
goals and she has achieved a big
reduction in sugar intake
Formal: After 6 months, the dieter is
behaving according to all twenty-six
goals and she has achieved a
considerate reduction in sugar
consumption.
Informal: Modern houses have so many
labor-saving things that it is difficult for
the person at home.
Formal: Modern houses have so many
labor-saving devices that it is difficult
for the person at home.
Informal: Adequate exercise by doing
chores, cooking and looking after the
family.
Formal: Adequate exercise by doing
routines, cooking and taking care of the
family.
Doesnt lie lies not
Looked into investigated
Carry out conduct