Communication for Academic Purposes PDF

ACADEMIC WRITING The term "academic writing" describes the kind of language that researchers employ to delineate the specific areas of knowledge and the conceptual limits of respective subjects. It is intended to “IF YOU WANT TO BE A WRITER...

ACADEMIC WRITING The term "academic writing" describes the kind of language that researchers employ to delineate the specific areas of knowledge and the conceptual limits of respective subjects. It is intended to “IF YOU WANT TO BE A WRITER YOU MUST DO TWO THINGS ABOVE provide a group of academic experts with ALL OTHERS: READ A LOT AND a consensus-based understanding of WRITE A LOT.” complicated ideas or concepts. - STEPHEN KING STYLISTIC ELEMENTS OF GOOD ACADEMIC WRITING  OVERALL VIEW It is important to take note of the following points: The paper must be cohesive and possess a logically organized flow of ideas this suggests that the various parts are connected to form a unified whole. There should be transitional devices or narrative links between sentences and paragraphs so that reader will be able to follow your argument. The introduction should be include an explanation of how the rest of the paper is organized and all sources are properly cited throughout the paper. LANGUAGE The key to excellent writing centers on the levels of formality and conciseness emphasizes writing in a style that is expected by your audience and appropriate for the purpose. Clear topic sentences and well-structured paragraphs make it easy for readers to follow your argument. Avoid employing jargon or specialized terminology that is utilized by groups of people who share similar interests. Never use jargon with a wide audience without first explaining it. Avoid using or idomatic expression in general academic writing. Avoid using euphemisms or words that veil the truth and other deceitful language. Avoid using biased language (ex. language with racial, ethnic group, or gender bias or language that is stereotypical. ACADEMIC TONE Things need to consider when writing an academic tone: Present the arguments of others objectively and with an appropriate narrative tone. Describe these arguments accurately and without biased or loaded language whenever you present an argument or a position that you disagree with. Investigate the research problem from an authoritative perspective. ACADEMIC TONE Things need to consider when writing an academic tone: State the strong points of your arguments confidently by using language that is neutral, not dismissive or confrontational. Avoid making broad generalizations, using over-sweeping adjectives, adverbs, qualifiers, emotional language and inflammatory language. ACADEMIC DICTION Take note the following points: Awareness of the words you use is vital because words that have almost the same denotation or dictionary definition can have very different connotations or implied meanings. ACADEMIC DICTION Take note the following points: Use concrete and specific words that convey precise meaning. Explain what you mean within the context of how that word or phrase is used within a discipline. ACADEMIC DICTION Take note the following points: Be consistent with your labels. Call people what they want to be called. Use gender inclusive language. Avoid placing gender identifiers in front of nouns. Use personal pronouns carefully. Generally, you also want to avoid using the personal "I" in an academic paper unless you are writing a reflection paper or a reaction paper. Writing from the third-person point of view is important in academic research writing because it makes your paper sounds more assertive, more professional and credible. ACADEMIC DICTION Avoid the use of the following: Slang expressions (very informal language that is usually spoken rather than written, used especially by particular groups of people) Cliché phrases (ideas or expressions that have been used too often and are often considered a sign of bad writing or old- fashioned thinking) ACADEMIC DICTION Avoid the use of the following: Metaphors or figures of speech (words or phrases used in a non- literal sense for rhetorical or vivid effect) Colloquialisms (common words or phrases used in a nontraditional and informal way) ACADEMIC DICTION Jargons Avoid the use of the following: Jargons (special words or expressions used by a particular profession or group and are difficult for others to understand) Big words (difficult words or phrases used for the sake of sounding scholarly) Meaningless words (words or phrases that hold little meaning when you consider the potentially diverse backgrounds of your reading audience) ACADEMIC DICTION Avoid the use of the following: Platitudes (clichés that also pretend to offer advice, lessons, or moral guidance) Pejoratives (words or phrases that express the bias of the author) Contractions (words made by shortening and combining two words) and text messages, or short message service (SMS) spellings PUNCTUATION a set of symbols that separates and gives meaning to words. it tells the readers where to pause, what words are quotations, and more. SEMI-COLONS used to connect closely two related independent clauses in a single sentence when discussing the same topic or contrasting two similar ideas. 4 GRAMMATICAL USES OF SEMI-COLONS 1. Expanding or explaining the first clause 2. Describing a sequence of actions or aspects 3. Connecting clauses with conjunctive adverbs 4. Marking off a series of phrases or clauses with commas 4 GRAMMATICAL USES OF SEMI-COLONS 1. Expanding or explaining the first clause Example: The storm ragedd for hours; the wind howled and the rain beat against the windows.  4 GRAMMATICAL USES OF SEMI-COLONS 2. Describing a sequence of actions or aspects Example: The hikers packed their gear; they checked their maps; they set off on the trail.  4 GRAMMATICAL USES OF SEMI-COLONS 3. Connecting clauses with conjunctive adverbs Example: The team lost the game; nevertheless, they remained optimistic about the season. 4 GRAMMATICAL USES OF SEMI-COLONS 4. Marking off a series of phrases or clauses with commas Example: The guest included the Mayor, who was known for his wit; the Governor, who was renowned for his political savvy; and the Senator, who was admired for her eloquence.  COLONS Colons should be limited to introducing, announcing or directing attention to a list, a noun or noun phrase, a quoation, or an example/explanation; joining sentences; and expressing time, in titles, and as part of other writing conventions.  COLONS Lists Example: We need to pack the following: a tent, sleeping bags, food, and water. Nouns or Noun phrases Example: The team had one goal: victory. Quotations Example: The teacher said: “Please turn in your assignments by Friday.”  COLONS Expressing Time Example: The meeting is scheduled for 10:00 AM. Titles Example: The Art of Storytelling: Techniques for Engaging Audiences  HYPENS Hypens should be limited to connecting prefixes to words like “multi-disciplinary” or when forming compound words or phrases like “on-site” and “right-of- way”. Examples: 1. The most-loved menu items are on the back. The most loved menu items are on the back.  DASHES Dashes are used to separate groups of words, not to separate parts of words like a hypen does. Common types of dashes are: the em dash, and the en dash.  DASHES em dash Examples: After a split second hesitation, the second baseman leaped for the ball (or, rather, limped for it) After a split second of hesitation, the second baseman leaped for the ball—or, rather, limped for it. He is afraid of two things: spider and snakes. He is afraid of two things—spider and snakes.  DASHES en dash Example: The teacher assigned pages 101–181 for tonight’s reading material. Example: The scheduled hours for the cable installation is 1–3 p.m. EXCLAMATION POINT Exclamation points are rarely used to express a heightened tone because it can come across as unsophisticated or over-excited. Example: Guess who I saw at the grocery today store today? A celebrity! I couldn’t believe it. ACADEMIC CONVENTIONS Fair use means that you legitimately use brief excerpts from source material to support and develop your own ideas. However, quoting or paraphrasing another’s work at excessive length, to the extent that large sections of the writing are unoriginal, is not fair use.  ACADEMIC CONVENTIONS When considering academic conventions, you must take into consideration the following points: It is essential to always acknowledge the source of any ideas, research findings, data, paraphrased, or quoted text that you have used in your paper as a defense against allegations of plagiarism. With reference to academic writing purposes, the guidelines for fair use are reasonably explicit. This means that you may quote from or paraphrase material from previously published works without formally obtaining the copyright holder’s permission. ACADEMIC CONVENTIONS When considering academic conventions, you must take into consideration the following points: Rules concerning precise word structure and excellent grammar do not apply when quoting someone. To set off and represent exact language either spoken or written that has come from somebody else is the primary function of quotation marks. Direct quotations involve incorporating another person's exact words into your own writing. EVIDENCE-BASED REASONING Evidence-based reasoning is the process of using credible and relevant evidence to support claims, arguments, or conclusions in academic writing. It involves gathering reliable sources, analyzing and interpreting data, and presenting it logically to validate ideas. EVIDENCE-BASED REASONING Here are key takeaways and guidelines for incorporating evidence-based reasoning in your academic writing: Define the purpose Identify relevant sources Evaluate source Organize evidence Use Evidence to support claims Analyze and Interpret evidence Address counterarguments Use multiple types of evidence Cite sources properly Reflect on Limitations EVIDENCE-BASED REASONING Types of Evidence Best Practices Primary sources Use evidence to Secondary sources support claims, not Expert testimony replace them Statistical evidence Contextualize Case studies evidence Avoid cherry-picking Be transparent about methodology  THESIS-DRIVEN Academic writing is "thesis driven." This implies the following: The starting point is a particular perspective, idea, or position applied to the chosen topic of investigation, such as, establishing, proving, or disproving solutions to the research questions posed for the topic. A problem statement without the research questions does not qualify as academic writing because simply identifying the research problem does not establish for the reader how you will contribute to solving the problem, what aspects you believe are most critical, or suggest a method for gathering data to better understand the problem.  TOPIC 3 REFINING ACADEMIC WRITING FOUR KEY AREAS: CLEAR WRITING EXCELLENT GRAMMAR CREDIBLE AND SCHOLARLY SOURCES CONSISTENT STYLISTIC APPROACH  CLEAR WRITING The act of thinking about precedes the process of writing about. Good writers spend sufficient time distilling information and reviewing major points from the literature they have reviewed before creating their work. Writing detailed outlines can help you clearly organize your thoughts. Effective academic writing begins with solid planning, so manage your time carefully.  EXCELLENT GRAMMAR To effectively convey ideas in academic writing, professionalism, accuracy, and clarity are essential. Excellent grammar enhances a well- written academic article, ensuring readability and credibility, while content and structure serve as its foundations. Grammatical errors may confuse meaning, lower the work's perceived quality, and divert readers' attention from the main idea.  IMPORTANCE OF EXCELLENT GRAMMAR IN ACADEMIC WRITING ENHANCES CLARITY Sentences with proper grammar are clear and straightforward. Readers may become confused and lose sight of the intended meaning if there are misplaced modifiers, improper punctuation, or subject-verb disagreements. Example: "Students who failed their exams often blame teachers." "Students who failed their exams often blamed teachers."  IMPORTANCE OF EXCELLENT GRAMMAR IN ACADEMIC WRITING ESTABLISHES CREDIBILITY There are high expectations for academic writing. Errors in grammar can damage a writer's credibility and professionalism.  IMPORTANCE OF EXCELLENT GRAMMAR IN ACADEMIC WRITING IMPROVES READABILITY Writing with proper grammar flows naturally and simplifies difficult concepts. It enables readers to concentrate on the information without being distracted by mistakes.  KEY COMPONENTS OF EXCELLENT GRAMMAR IN ACADEMIC WRITING 1. SENTENCE STRUCTURE: AVOID OVERLY COMPLEX OR FRAGMENTED SENTENCES. MAINTAIN SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT AND LOGICAL SENTENCE ORDER. Example: Incorrect: While reviewing the results. Correct: While reviewing the results, the researcher noticed an error.  KEY COMPONENTS OF EXCELLENT GRAMMAR IN ACADEMIC WRITING 2. PUNCTUATION PROPER PUNCTUATION ENSURES SENTENCE MEANING IS NOT DISTORTED. Example: "Let’s eat, Grandma!" versus "Let’s eat Grandma!"  KEY COMPONENTS OF EXCELLENT GRAMMAR IN ACADEMIC WRITING 3. CONSISTENCY IN TENSE AND VOICE: ACADEMIC WRITING OFTEN REQUIRES A FORMAL TONE, WITH CONSISTENCY IN TENSE (COMMONLY PAST OR PRESENT) AND VOICE (PREFERABLY ACTIVE). Example: Incorrect: The participants completed the survey and analyze the data. Correct: The participants completed the survey and analyzed the data.  KEY COMPONENTS OF EXCELLENT GRAMMAR IN ACADEMIC WRITING 4. VOCABULARY AND WORD CHOICE: AVOID REDUNDANCY AND OVERLY COMPLEX JARGON UNLESS NECESSARY. PREFER CONCISE, PRECISE WORDING. Example: Incorrect: The final conclusion of the study was conclusive. Correct: The study reached a conclusion.  KEY COMPONENTS OF EXCELLENT GRAMMAR IN ACADEMIC WRITING 5. SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT: SINGULAR SUBJECTS REQUIRE SINGULAR VERBS; PLURAL SUBJECTS REQUIRE PLURAL VERBS. Example: "Each of the students are responsible" → "Each of the students is responsible."  CREDIBLE AND SCHOLARLY SOURCES Credibility is defined as the quality or power of inspiring belief. Credible sources, therefore, must be reliable sources that provide information that one can believe to be true. It is important to use credible sources in an academic research paper because your audience will expect you to have backed up your assertions with credible evidence.  CREDIBLE AND SCHOLARLY SOURCES The five best resources to help you in writing a research paper include: 1. University’s Library 2. Google Scholar 3. RefSeek 4. Internet Public Library (ipl2) 5. Education Resources Information Center (ERIC)  CREDIBLE AND REFSEEK SCHOLARLY SOURCES INTERNET PUBLIC LIBRARY (IPL2) CREDIBLE AND SCHOLARLY SOURCES  EDUCATION RESOURCES CREDIBLE AND INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) SCHOLARLY SOURCES  CREDIBLE AND SCHOLARLY SOURCES According to Carlton (2024) the 10 Best Online Academic Research Tools and Resources are: 1. Google Scholar 2. JSTOR 3. Library of Congress 4. PubMed Central 5. Google Books 6. Science.gov 7. Digital Central Networks 8. ResearchGate 9. WorldCat 10. University’s Library  CREDIBLE AND SCHOLARLY SOURCES 1. Google Scholar Google Scholar helps you find related works, locate full documents at your school library, and access scholarly research. While Google created Google Scholar, it’s very different from a general online search. Google Scholar brings together academic articles and ranks them based on the authors, publication location, and citation record. That means the top results generally represent the most reliable scholarship on your topic Link: https://scholar.google.com/  CREDIBLE AND SCHOLARLY SOURCES 2. JSTOR For journal articles, books, images, and even primary sources, JSTOR ranks among the best online resources for academic research. JSTOR’s collection spans 75 disciplines, with strengths in the humanities and social sciences. The academic research database includes complete runs of over 2,800 journals. Link: https://www.jstor.org/  CREDIBLE AND SCHOLARLY SOURCES 3. Library of Congress As the largest library in the world, the Library of Congress is an amazing online resource for academic research. Students can search its collections to access digital resources, videos, audio recordings, photographs, and maps. Link: https://www.loc.gov/item/lcwaN0003359/  CREDIBLE AND SCHOLARLY SOURCES 4. PubMed Central The National Library of Medicine, part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, runs PubMed Central. Founded in 2000, the database includes academic scholarship dating back to the 18th century. The resource connects college students with life sciences and biomedical academic Link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ sources.  CREDIBLE AND SCHOLARLY SOURCES 5. Google Books Whether you’re looking for a recent publication or an out-of-print book, there’s a good chance you’ll find it on Google Books. In 2019, Google announced that Google Books contains over 40 million books. You can enter any search term to find books that contain matches. And you can download the full text of any book in the public domain, which includes 10 million titles. Make sure to check publisher and author Link: https://books.google.com/ information when using Google Books.  CREDIBLE AND SCHOLARLY SOURCES 6. Science.gov If you’re looking for scientific research, Science.gov is a great option. The site provides full-text documents, scientific data, and other resources from federally funded research. Link: https://www.science.gov/  CREDIBLE AND SCHOLARLY SOURCES 7. Digital Commons Network University librarians curate the Digital Commons Network, which connects students with peer-reviewed articles. The site’s other resources include dissertations, book chapters, conference proceedings, and working papers. Link: https://network.bepress.com/  CREDIBLE AND SCHOLARLY SOURCES 8. ResearchGate ResearchGate has been described as social networking for research scientists. But ResearchGate is also a great option to find open-access academic sources. Scholars upload their work to ResearchGate, which makes it available to the public for free. Link: https://www.researchgate.net/  CREDIBLE AND SCHOLARLY SOURCES 9. WorldCat The database lists books and articles available at your local libraries, making it easier to find materials that are not available online. In addition to books, WorldCat contains music, videos, audiobooks, and scholarly articles. Link: https://search.worldcat.org/  CREDIBLE AND SCHOLARLY SOURCES 10. University Library When you’re conducting academic research, your university library can be one of your best resources. In addition to online databases, journal articles, and books, your campus library also has academic librarians who can point you to the best sources.  CONSISTENT STYLISTIC APPROACH means maintaining uniformity in the way you present your ideas throughout your work. CONSISTENT STYLISTIC APPROACH When your professor expresses a preference to use the American Psychological Association (APA) style, or the Modern Language Association (MLA) style or the Chicago Manual of Style, choose the suggested style guide and stick to it. Each of these style guides provide rules on how to write out numbers, references, citations, footnotes, and lists. Consistent adherence to a style of writing helps with the narrative flow of your paper and improves its readability CONSISTENT STYLISTIC APPROACH APA 6TH EDITION FORMAT ACADEMIC PAPERS  SOCIO- POLITICAL ANALYSIS PAPER A socio-political analysis paper can be defined as an analysis of the economic, social, and political factors that shape a particular country or situation and how these factors impact the lives and thoughts of the people. It is considered a powerful tool for understanding how countries work and what might be done to help them cope with their challenges in order to reform and to set their priorities in a way that make them more likely to succeed.  Clear Introduction. The paper should begin with introductory paragraphs that introduce your readers to the problem or question you are addressing; lay out the thesis statement; and provide them a “roadmap” on how you will defend your thesis. In the introduction, you may likewise present a general background information or provide your own motivation for writing.  The Problem The problem refers to the wider subject or question you are trying to address with your paper. You may situate your more specific argument within a broader problem that states why your paper is relevant economically, socially and politically.  The Thesis An argumentative thesis statement is not synonymous to the topic of the paper, nor a statement of fact, nor an observation about the text so obvious or general that no one would dispute it. Rather, it is an argument or a declaration of what you will accomplish in the paper. Typically, a thesis takes the form of one to two sentences placed towards the end of the introductory paragraph.  The Roadmap The roadmap is a plan that follows the thesis statement. It operates like a preview of the paper’s main points which is presented in logical order. Such a plan is highly encouraged on the account that it not only lends clarity to the structure of your argument, but also provides a check for the logical coherence of the points you make.  Well-organized Body The body of the paper follows the introduction. It is in this part where you develop your thesis and defend it with detailed evidence. The structure of the body should follow the roadmap that you have provided in the introduction. It must be structured logically so that each point and paragraph flows from the preceding one. START END  Strong Conclusion The last component of the paper is the conclusion. Here, you should restate the main ideas; summarize the main concepts or key arguments of the paper and reinforce it without repeating or rewording the introduction or body of the paper; draw a conclusion based on the information; and include suggested courses of action and possible solutions or recommendations. STRONG CONCLUSION The position paper aims to generate support on an issue. It describes the authors’ or organization’s position on an issue and the rationale for that position. It is based on facts that provide a solid foundation for the authors’ argument. In the position paper the authors should use evidence to support position, such as: statistical evidence or indisputable dates and events. validate position with authoritative references or primary source quotations. examine the strengths and weaknesses of the position. evaluate possible solutions and suggest courses of actions.  GUIDELINES IN WRITING A POSITION PAPER 1. Clear Introduction 2. Well-organized Body 3. Strong Conclusion  GUIDELINES IN WRITING A POSITION PAPER Issue Criteria To take a side on a subject, you should first establish the plausibility of a topic that interests you. Ask yourself the following questions to ensure that you will be able to present a strong argument: Is it a real issue, with genuine controversy and uncertainty? Can you distinctly identify two positions? Are you personally interested in advocating one of these positions? Is the issue narrow enough to be manageable?  GUIDELINES IN WRITING A POSITION PAPER Analyzing an Issue and Developing an Argument Listing out the pro and con sides of the topic will help you examine your ability to support your counterclaims, along with a list of supporting evidence for both sides. Supporting evidence includes the following: Factual Knowledge Statistical Inferences Informed Opinion Personal Testimony  GUIDELINES IN WRITING A POSITION PAPER In considering the audience, ask yourself the following questions: Who is your audience? What do they believe? Where do they stand on the issue? How are their interests involved? What evidence is likely to be effective with them?  GUIDELINES IN WRITING A POSITION PAPER In determining your viewpoint, ask yourself the following: Is your topic interesting? Can you manage the material within the specifications set by the instructor? Does your topic assert something specific and propose a plan of action? Do you have enough material to support your opinion?  GUIDELINES IN WRITING A POSITION PAPER Organization Your introduction should lead up to a thesis that organizes the rest of your paper. There are three advantages to leading with the thesis: 1. The audience knows where you stand. 2. The thesis is located in the two strongest places, first and last. 3. t is the most common form of academic argument used.  RESEARCH BASED A research-based documented essay is a piece of writing in which the authors incorporate information such as facts, arguments, and opinions taken from the writings of authorities in a particular field This type of paper presents and supports the thesis by relying on outside or secondary sources for development. It is similar to a review of literature on the account that the authors synthesize and identify the gaps in the writings of authorities n specific fields and then generate a new thesis statement out of them  BASIC STEPS IN WRITING A DOCUMENTED PAPER Here are the steps for writing a documented essay. 1. Peruse the article guidelines given by the course teacher. 2. Compose a blueprint of the paper as indicated by its motivation or contention. 1. Conduct Research 2. Avoid plagiarism 3. Write the rough draft according to the outline 4. Features of an Excellent Body for the Documented Write-Up 5. Start with an infectious opening statement that acquaints the exact focal thought with the reader. Keep an intelligible length 6. Arrange points logical 7. Recognize different creators 8. End the body of the archived paper appropriately