Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Outline
You as a Writer Planning and Preparation Actually Writing Plagiarism Writing Habits
Q&A
A 2
writer?
B 3
Getting to know yourself as a writer Can you classify yourself as one of these types of writer?
The Diver writer The Patchwork Writer The Grand Plan Writer
Getting to know yourself as a writer: Diver Writers Divers leap in and start
Patchwork writers work on segments (perhaps under headings) quite early in the process, and combine them with linking ideas and words later
Grand plan writers read and make notes, and do not write a plan or much else until they have an almost complete picture of the essay ready in their head
Getting to know yourself as a writer: Architect writers Architects have a sense of the structure (perhaps before the content) and could produce a complex plan or spider diagram early in the process
Which way of planning is most like your own? Can you classify yourself as one of these types of writer or as a writer do you mix styles?
B 9
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Make a wall/Gantt chart. Be realistic. Identify best work times and keep to a daily writing slot
Good Planning- Research & Writing Look at the following examples of timetables & Gantt charts:
Which timetables do you find most helpful? What level of detail do you need?
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Reading Habits
A 16
Date read Complete reference Useful quotes - with page numbers Own opinions
What you think of the reading? How it fits in with your own work? Identifying opinions
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Writing
Knowing What to Write Initial Writing Tasks Writing About Existing Research Organising Your Writing Writing Clearly Editing Referencing
A 19
A 20
Actually Writing
Other sessions in GSSE Initial Writing Tasks Writing about other peoples research Writing about your own research
21
Documenting reading Summaries Reading & synthesising background theory Critiques of other research Drafting & revising proposals Logging experiments/pilots/observations Sketching plan of work [Gantt chart etc] Explaining sequence of work [in sentences] Sketching structure of thesis Speculative writing: routes forward in project Design for progress or 1st year report
B
[MURRAY 2002]
22
Writing prompts in the middle stages to outline your work What can I write about -the context background
My research questions/hypotheses are e.g. [50 words] Researchers who have looked at the subject are [50 words] They argue that.[25 words] Smith argues that .[25 words] Brown argues that .[25 words] Debate centres on the issue of .[25 words] My research is closest to that of X in that .[25 words]
[slightly adapted from Murray 2002]
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To demonstrate to readers and examiners that we are familiar with the field and that we have been selective in reviewing relevant studies To provide an overview of current knowledge in a particular area of application and or/methodology To provide a context for our current study and to locate it within a specific field To review other studies critically To highlight a gap in knowledge, areas of application, etc To justify the use of a particular methodology, area of application, etc To support to data/facts
B 24
Rephrasing in our own words & adding an acknowledgement. This can be either through:
summary
or paraphrase
This is the norm for most writing in sciences & engineering. It also makes it easier for the writer to comment critically on the source text.
2. Direct quotation & acknowledgement: this method is
Integrating the source into your text When reviewing other studies, they need to be integrated into your own text, rather than read as a series of disconnected voices of other researchers [patchwork writing]. So when you refer to another writer, you should begin and end in your own voice, with the middle part consisting of paraphrase or summary of the source and the final part a commentary on the contribution of this writer. However, you will still need to adopt an impersonal scientific style* [See session 1]. Harvey (1998:) outlines 3 basic principles for integrating sources in academic writing: 1. Use sources as concisely as possibly so your own thinking isnt crowded out by your presentations of other peoples thinking, or your own voice by your quoting of other peoples voices To do this paraphrase is more effective than quotation.
B 27
Integrating the source into your text 2. Never leave your reader in doubt as to when you are speaking and when you are using materials from a source.
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B 29
10 of these that would most commonly used in your field verbs that would not be used in your field?
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shows signals states studies suggests tries to ident ify sums up underlines views wonde rs
found shows
concludes
claims neglects
POSITIVE
NEUTRAL
NEGATIVE/CRITICAL
Show can be seen as positive as it reports an observation or finding as a proven fact. At the other end of the scale, claims disassociates the writer from the position of the author cited. This allows the writer to establish a critical perspective and follow with a counterargument.
B 32
33
Accumulative
Overall Plan
A paragraph per chapter outlining the key points/arguments How each paragraph links together Can be revised Stick it on your office wall
35
Chapter plans
Experiments
36
Writing Clearly
Readability
Straightforward language Simple grammar
Writing Not-So-Clearly
Inaccessibility
Too much jargon Too parsimonious Long sentences
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A Good Paragraph
Good length
A topic sentence
The wrap
A Good Chapter
Interesting opening
High impact
Framing text
Linking opening to main points in chapter 1 paragraph - 4 pages
Effective signposts
A Good Chapter
Subsections
Chapter conclusions
At least 2 paragraphs long Gather key points (use section conclusions) Outline broader issues Point forwards to the next chapter
A 41
Editing
A 42
Editing
Different levels
Word level
misspellings, grammar mistakes, repetition of words How different sections link to each other Can your argument be strengthened? Can your links to previous research be strengthened?
Paragraph level
Chapter level
Editing
Is the chapter structure good? Are the subheadings appropriate? Is the argument clear and logical? Are your paragraphs linked to each other? Does each sentence say what you want it to? Are there any sentences out of place? Is the language appropriate?
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Referencing
References should be listed alphabetically or numerically depending on the conventions adopted by your department. Double check that you have listed all the works you have used in the text. Some departments specify the style of a particular journal. See your postgrad handbook or website for format e.g. ES dissertation referencing guidelines:
http://www.es.lancs.ac.uk/studentshome/Masters/dissertations/Au
thorRefSheet.pdf
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body of the text, use the name and date form e.g.
... the texture of rock buns is akin to that of gabbro (Beaton, 1834), although Craddock (1975) has argued that they are nearer to diorite, and examples of Diserens et al. (1979) have been widely
likened to peridotite ..
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Citation-Web Referencing
Do not include URLs in the text! Simply give the author/body and date as with the citation convention detailed previously e.g. Two different Fluxnet (Baldocchi et al. 2001b) deciduous forest sites have been chosen for the illustration of the model development: Harvard Forest, Massachusetts (HF, 1994-1999, Wosfy & Munger 2003) and University of Michigan Biological Station, Michigan (UMBS, 19992001, Curtis 2003, Schmidt et al. 2003)
B 47
Web references in the reference list [author- year system] Curtis, P.S. (2003) UMBS Forest Carbon Cycle Research. UMBS research. Ameriflux network. UMBS data access. http://cdiac.esd.ornl.gov/ftp/ameriflux/data/ussites/preliminary-data/UMBS (data accessed on February 14, 2003) Wofsy, S.C., Munger, J.W. (2003) Harvard University. Atmospheric Sciences. Forest and Atmospheric Measurements. Data exchange. NIGEC data archive. http://wwwas.harvard.edu/data/nigec-data.html (accessed on June 23, 2003)
48
referencing, paraphrase & summary with exercises http://www.uefap.co.uk/writing/writfram.htm Try also http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_paraphr.html
B 49
Plagiarism
Plagiarism means using other writers ideas, words or frameworks without acknowledgement.
Copying a paragraph verbatim from a source without any acknowledgement. Copying a paragraph & making small changes - e.g. replacing a few verbs, replacing an adjective with a synonym; acknowledgement in the bibliography. Cutting and pasting a paragraph by using sentences of the original but omitting one or two and putting one or two in a different order, no quotation marks; with an in-text acknowledgement plus bibliography.
2.
3.
4.
Composing a paragraph by taking short phrases from a number of sources & putting them together using words of your own to make a coherent whole with an in-text acknowledgement + bibliography.
Paraphrasing a paragraph by rewriting with substantial changes in language & organisation; the new version will also have changes in the amount of detail used & the examples cited; citing in bibliography. Quoting a paragraph by placing it in block format with the source cited in text & bibliography.
[Carroll J. 2000 Teaching News November, 2000. Based on an exercise in Academic Writing for Graduate Students by Swales and Feak, University of Michigan, 1993] on http://www.ilt.ac.uk/resources/Jcarroll.htm Accessed 12/05/2003
5.
6.
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Writing Habits
Writing times
When? For how long?
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Potential Problems
Worried about feedback Bored and tired Lack of momentum Hard Lack of rewards Too high expectations Size Other pressures on your time
A 54
Just do something Talk through problems with supervisor Have a break from writing Set manageable goals
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Sources of Help
Thesis
in Progress
http://www.lancs.ac.uk/depts/celt/sldc/
courses/tip.htm
Student
Dunleavey, P. (2003). Authoring a PhD Murray, R. (2002) How to Write a Thesis. Sternberg, R. (2000). Guide to Publishing in Psychology Journals.
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Next week
Alistair Hetherington on Writing Grant Proposals Analysis of past dissertations/thesesplease read one and look at the questions before next weeks session
58
Good Luck!
Robert Blake
r.blake@lancaster.ac.uk
Andrea Cheshire
a.cheshire@lancaster.ac.uk
Any questions?
A 59
shows signals states studies suggests tries to identify sums up underlines views wonders