The Do…
academic Voice: Do not …
● Use the 3rd Person
● Use the pronoun ‘The
Reader/Viewer’ if a
pronoun is required
● Use the present tense
● Use a sophisticated,
critical vocabulary
● Write in a detached,
impersonal style.
● Use Formal connectives
such as ‘however / thus /
whereas / moreover
● Integrate your quotations
● Strive for accuracy
● use contractions (Can’t
isn’t)
● Use abbreviations
● Use colloquial/chatty
language
● Use clichés (Common
sayings)
● Use slang (Unless in
quotation)
● Use Phrasal Verbs – Get
out, turn around
● Use metaphor, analogy
But don’t over do it …
Not so good …
Re-write this paragraph to give it an academic voice
• Beatrice and Benedick are two of Shakespeare’s
characters I found to be really funny; neither ever lets the
other get a word in. One way they gave each other a hard
time is with their comebacks. When Benedick calls
Beatrice a “rare parrot-teacher,” Beatrice says, “A bird of
my tongue is better than a beast of yours.” Benedick
comes back with, “I would my horse had the speed of your
tongue.” It’s as if each knows what the other one will say.
This language contributes to the understanding of
character by the way it shows how funny they can both
be.
Not so good …
• Beatrice and Benedick are two of Shakespeare’s
characters I found to be really funny; neither ever let the
other get a word in. One way they gave each other a
hard time is with their comebacks. When Benedick calls
Beatrice a “rare parrot-teacher,” Beatrice says, “A bird of
my tongue is better than a beast of yours.” Benedick
comes back with, “I would my horse had the speed of
your tongue.” It’s as if each knows what the other one will
say. This language contributes to the understanding of
character by the way it shows how funny they can both
be.
Better
• Beatrice and Benedick are perhaps Shakespeare’s most remarkably
witty characters; neither ever lets the other say anything without
countering it with a pun or criticism. One notable characteristic of their
attacks upon each other is their ability to extend a metaphor
throughout lines of dialogue. When Benedick calls Beatrice a “rare
parrot-teacher,” Beatrice responds, “A bird of my tongue is better than
a beast of yours.” Benedick continues the reference to animals in his
response, saying, “I would my horse had the speed of your tongue.” It
is as if each anticipates the other’s response. This language
contributes to the understanding of character by the way their insults
are sharp but their ability to maintain such clever, interconnected
sparring seems to illustrate the existence of a strong bond between
them
Romeo and Juliet - Some
background Reading
Read the following, and copy three phrases
into your notes which you think are written
effectively.

http://www.studentpulse.com/articles/236/baz-
luhrmanns-romeo-juliet-compared-with-
shakespeares-original-work
One of the most powerful parts of the scene retribution at twilight was the
close up shot of Romeo’s gun, once he dropped it after shooting Tybalt.
Immediately after Romeo dropped the gun it begins to rain, and all the
audience can hear is the diegetic sound of the thunder and rain. This seems
to give a peculiar effect, as the audience you start to feel a type of peace over
the scene. Which is the opposite to what you would think is that it is a very
unpeaceful as tybalt has just been shot! To reinforce the feeling of peace
Luhrmann uses the previous motif of water, which has been used many times
previously in the play, for example when Romeo and Juliet first meet, they
meet through the fish tank (a peaceful moment). This constant reinforcement
of the motif of water gives the feeling of peace to the audience. Another
interesting aspect to the shot is the picture of an angel on the gun itself. This
is also a common motif, religious icons. This gives a feeling of fate and that it
was always God’s intention for Romeo to kill Tybalt. So this one shot
reinforces recurring themes throughout the play and emphasizes the
importance of the scene.
Frankenstein - Some Background
Reading
Read ONE of the essays on the following, and
copy three phrases into your notes which you
think are written effectively.

http://andyrantsandraves.blogspot.co.nz/2010/
03/eight-essays-on-mary-shelleys.html
 When Victor Frankenstein abandons his monster we see
his disgust in what he has just created. “I beheld the
wretch, the miserable monster whom i had created.” After
Frankenstein abandons his creation the monster is forced
into fending for himself and learning the ways of the
humans. It could be likened to leaving someone as a child
growing up learning about how humans work. This is where
the creation does not change, but grows into hating his
creator which ultimately leads on with the plot of the
creature making Frankenstein’s life a misery because of his
abandonment. The monster grows into disliking humans
from the start because of been abandoned by his creator
Frankenstein.
Mean Creek

Read ONE of the essays on the following, and

copy three phrases into your notes which you
think are written effectively.

http://www.ifi.ie/downloads/meancreek.pdf
Marty from Mean Creek
Marty is the leader of the group in a lot of ways. He is a
bit of a bully because he forces the other characters to do
what he wants them to do. All of the other characters let
him control them during a lot of the film. This shows that
they are young and innocent because they admire him
because he is tuff and he takes risks like drinking alcohol
and smoking weed. At the end though, after Marty makes
everyone bury George, they all turn their back on him and
confess to the crime they did. This shows that they have
grown up because they become responsible and won’t be
lead by someone who is a poor leader.
BEAUTIFUL ESSAY LANGUAGE
• The connotations of the phrase evoke a powerful sense of ...
• Through this, the author impresses upon us that ...
• As the text reaches its denouement we are imbibed with a growing
sense that ...
• Here, the perceptive reader will observe that the writer is ....
• One cannot but be moved by this - the poignancy is palpable.
• The writer’s central concern is clearly evident here, he wishes us to
consider just how ...
• The significance of this is profound; one cannot help but appreciate
that ....
• Undoubtedly, this is powerful and moving; but the true wonder of it
comes from the way that we are invited to question ....
• This phrase here is an echo of a refrain repeated throughout the
text ...
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