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ACADEMIC WRITING

Language Focus:
Formal grammar & Style
1. Avoid Contractions
We’ve completed the project successfully. X
We have completed the project successfully.√

They’re going to finance the construction. X


They are going to finance the construction. √

Exporters won’t pay the tax. X


Exporters will not pay the tax. √
Language Focus:
Formal grammar & Style
2. Use the more appropriate formal negative form
The analysis didn’t yield any new results. X
The analysis yielded no new results. √

The problem doesn’t have many viable solutions. X


The problem has a few viable solutions. √

The government didn’t allocate much funding. X


The government allocated little funding . √
Language Focus:
Formal grammar & Style
3. Use the passive voice (avoid “you” and “I”)

You can see the results in Table 1.


The results can be seen in Table 1.

We did the research under the supervision of


WHO.
The research was done under WHO’s supervision.
III. Language Focus:
Linking Verbs and Phrases
Exercise 3: Use linking words or phrases to
combine these sentences

 Nuclear accidents can happen. Nuclear


power plants must have strict safety
controls.
 Solar heating systems are economical to
operate. The cost of installation is very
high.
 Ecologists know that burning fossil fuels
causes holes in the ozone layer. People
continue to do it.
IV. Language Focus:
References
Writers often use pronouns when they do
not want to use the same noun more than
one time in a sentence.
 People go to libraries when they need
information.
 Some families have long histories, while
others knows very little about their
ancestors.
Language focus:
this + summary word
 Lecturers know that students need to
understand the difference between formal
and informal language. However, this
understanding cannot usually be acquired
quickly.
 In recent years the number of students
applying to Ph.D. programs has increased
steadily, while the number of places
available has remained constant. This
situation has resulted in intense
competition for admission.
PRINCIPLES OF
PARAGRAPH WRITING (1)
A paragraph is a series of sentences
concerning one idea called the topic.
Usually a paragraph begins with a general
sentence that introduces the topic. This
sentence is called the topic sentence.
The topic sentence tells the reader what
the paragraph is about.
The function of the topic
sentence:
 Introduce the topic
 State the main idea of the paragraph
 Focus the paragraph
Example of topic sentence:
Computers can make some jobs easier.
(What jobs? How do they make them
easier)
Topic sentence?
 Bill Gates owns Microsoft.

 Thanksgiving is celebrated on the last Thursday


in November.
?
 Bill Gates has not only made himself rich but
also has provided employment for many people.

 Although thanksgiving is celebrated on the last


Thursday in November, when exactly this
tradition started is not known.
PRINCIPLES OF
PARAGRAPH WRITING (2)
Supporting sentences

To add details to the topic sentence that are
relevant to the topic sentence

 Facts
 Examples
 Physical description
 Personal experience
PRINCIPLES OF
PARAGRAPH WRITING (3)
Patterns of Organization
 Comparison/Contrast
 Cause/Effect
 Classification
 Process
 Definition/Clarification
 Argumentation
PRINCIPLES OF ESSAY WRITING (1)
Thesis statement
 Generally located at the end of the
introduction, the thesis statement is the
most general, most important sentence in
the essay. It is usually one sentence that
gives the purpose of the essay.
Describing trends
Trends: changes or movements
Numerical items:
 costs
 production volume
 growth
Trends
Three basic trends:
upward downward stable/constant
Bar Graph
Pie Chart
Line Graph
Language of trends
Describing the degree of change
Describing the speed of change
Adjective or Adverb?
Adjective Adverb

slight slightly

sharp sharply

dramatic dramatically

steady steadily

constant constantly

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