Academic Writing Unit 7: Formal Language

Study Notes

The language of a research paper should be formal, in contrast to casual writings like emails to friends or memos from companies.

Paraphrasing involves understanding an idea and expressing it in one's own words.
Effective paraphrases use different syntax and can be shorter or longer than the original.
Steps to paraphrase:
- Locate the central point.
- Express the central point in a new way.
- Introduce the paraphrase using useful expressions (e.g., "New research has shown that...", "It is believed that...").
- Include the author's name and year in parentheses.

Original: "Sugar is not an ideal fuel for the body..."
Paraphrased: "Eating too much sugar is one cause of premature death."
Final paraphrased sentence with author's name and year: "Recent research has shown that eating too much sugar is one cause of premature death (Kang, 2011)."

Voice refers to the relationship between an action and an actor or receiver.
Shifting from active to passive voice can change the emphasis in a sentence.
The passive voice is not inherently weak or incorrect, but it may be used when the actor is not important or unknown.

Connectors are words or phrases that help transition from one idea to the next.
Functions of connectors:
- Show sequence of events.
- Add more information.
- Show comparison or contrast.
- Signal a conclusion.
Examples of connectors:
- To show sequence: Finally, Furthermore, Next.
- To add more information: İn addition, Moreover, Therefore, Thus.
- To show comparison or contrast: Nevertheless, Similarly, Likewise, On the other hand, Although, However.
- To signal a conclusion: In conclusion, In summary.