Academic Writing 1: Introduction to Academic Discourse

Academic Discourse and Writing

• Academic discourse is a concept that includes academic writing, and it relates to education or scholarship
• It is a sort of "identity kit" that comes with the appropriate costume and instructions on how to act, talk, and write to take on a particular role that others will recognize (Gee, 2011, p. 7)
• Academic discourse constructs the roles and relationships that create academics and students, and sustain universities, the disciplines, and the creation of knowledge (Hyland, 2009, p. 1)

Features of Academic Writing

• Formality: avoids chatty, slang, or 'text messaging' language and emotionalism
• Defined structure: introduction, middle/Main section, and conclusion, each with its own structure
• Evidence/research-based: provides supporting evidence for arguments made with examples, citations, statistics, explanation, and references to authority
• Multi-voiced and referenced: illustrates an understanding of the subject by commenting on other people's ideas and 'pulling them together'

Forms of Academic Writing

• Argumentative: presents someone's perspective on a given topic, informed by evidence
• Expository: explains a concept or topic to help an audience understand
• Narrative: recounts an activity that has already happened or is ongoing
• Descriptive: presents a description of something or an activity

The Process of Academic Writing

• A step-by-step approach
• A series of activities: pre-writing, writing, and post-writing
• Following a plan of action
• Involves brainstorming, researching, planning, outlining, drafting, composing, proofreading, and editing

Discourse Communities

• A community of people who share common goals, intercommunication, participation, genres, lexis, and expertise
• Examples: School of Languages, Sociology, Political Science department, etc.
• To belong to a discourse community, one must write in ways acceptable to other members and read what has been produced by other members

Reading in Academic Discourse

• Four ways to read: scanning, skimming, close reading, and extensive reading
• SQ3R reading method: survey, question, read, recite, and review

Academic Discourse and Writing

• Academic discourse is a concept that includes academic writing, and it relates to education or scholarship
• It is a sort of "identity kit" that comes with the appropriate costume and instructions on how to act, talk, and write to take on a particular role that others will recognize (Gee, 2011, p. 7)
• Academic discourse constructs the roles and relationships that create academics and students, and sustain universities, the disciplines, and the creation of knowledge (Hyland, 2009, p. 1)

Features of Academic Writing

• Formality: avoids chatty, slang, or 'text messaging' language and emotionalism
• Defined structure: introduction, middle/Main section, and conclusion, each with its own structure
• Evidence/research-based: provides supporting evidence for arguments made with examples, citations, statistics, explanation, and references to authority
• Multi-voiced and referenced: illustrates an understanding of the subject by commenting on other people's ideas and 'pulling them together'

Forms of Academic Writing

• Argumentative: presents someone's perspective on a given topic, informed by evidence
• Expository: explains a concept or topic to help an audience understand
• Narrative: recounts an activity that has already happened or is ongoing
• Descriptive: presents a description of something or an activity

The Process of Academic Writing

• A step-by-step approach
• A series of activities: pre-writing, writing, and post-writing
• Following a plan of action
• Involves brainstorming, researching, planning, outlining, drafting, composing, proofreading, and editing

Discourse Communities

• A community of people who share common goals, intercommunication, participation, genres, lexis, and expertise
• Examples: School of Languages, Sociology, Political Science department, etc.
• To belong to a discourse community, one must write in ways acceptable to other members and read what has been produced by other members

Reading in Academic Discourse

• Four ways to read: scanning, skimming, close reading, and extensive reading
• SQ3R reading method: survey, question, read, recite, and review

This quiz introduces the concept of academic writing as part of academic discourse, exploring the language and scholarship involved. Learn the basics of academic writing and its significance in education.