Academic Writing 1: Introduction to Academic Discourse

Study Notes

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)

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'

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

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

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

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)

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'

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

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

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