Rhetorical Functions in Academic Writing: Generalising

A common organistional principle in academic writing is the general-specific pattern. This

patterns involves general statement supported by specific examples or details.

Example

Look at the following examples involving generalisations. In some cases the

generalisations are supported by details or examples.:

It believed that the USA wanted a round-the-world air route with access to all countries
including the Soviet Union, China, the Middle East, and Africa, as well as the British
Commonwealth and Empire.

Marx and Engels followed their contemporaries in believing that the history of mankind
usually went through the same sequence of technological improvement. The sequence,
by and large, went like this: first gathering of plants and small animals, second fishing,
third hunting, fourth pottery, fifth pastoralism, sixth agriculture, seventh metalworking.

Throughout most of known human existence the processes, materials and tools of
production were available to individuals involved in both utilitarian and expressive
work. Since the Renaissance, however, the exponential growth and sophistication of
technology has made it impossible for the majority of artists to gain access to many
potential tools for expression.

Covert operations are different from espionage in that their main purpose is to influence
a foreign situation without the source of the influence becoming known. Such
operations may take the form of secretly financing, advising, or otherwise helping a
group which is trying to overthrow an unfriendly foreign government. They may take
the form of secret money subsidies or other assistance to a foreign political party or to a
particular faction of a foreign labour movement, or student organization, or similar
groups. They may take the form of psychological warfare - for example, the publication
of an underground newspaper or the operation of a clandestine radio station which,
according to the circumstances, may report the truth or spread unfounded rumours
calculated to destroy morale or to mislead. They may take the form of an outright bribe
of a foreign official to make a certain decision. They may take the form of infiltrating
one or more secret agents into positions of power in a foreign government or any
important foreign political, economic, or social group.

Pat Holt, United States policy and foreign affairs. Allyn & Bacon, 1972.

http://www.uefap.co.uk/writing/function/general.htm
Language

Plural nouns are often used for broad generalisions ("Covert operations are"). It is often
possible to be more specific about the generalisation that is being made by the use of:

Verbs
Percentage Quantity Frequency Certainty
100%
all/every/each always certain(ly) will
most definite(ly) is/are
a majority (of) undoubtedly must
many/much usual(ly) clearly have to
normal(ly) presumably
general(ly) probably/probable should
as a rule likely ought to
some on the whole
a number (of)
several often conceivably can
frequent(ly) possibly/possible could
a minority (of) sometimes perhaps may
a few/a little occasional(ly) maybe might

few/little rare(ly) uncertain

seldom unlikely
hardly ever could not
scarcely ever will not
cannot
0% no/none/not any never is/are not

Some of the probability qualifications can he further qualified, e.g.

fairly
certain
likely
very
quite probable
is possible
rather likely
It that …
unlikely
almost
quite unlikely
certain
seems
appears

Sometimes generalisations may be introduced or qualified in the following way:

http://www.uefap.co.uk/writing/function/general.htm
 the (vast) majority
of
a large number

In most cases, …
some
a few
(+ other “quantity” words)

http://www.uefap.co.uk/writing/function/general.htm