Academic writing 1 The writing process

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Academic writing (1)The writing process
Keele UniversityInternational Postgraduate
Students Induction

• Dr Stephen Bostock FSEDA

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Summary

• Different ways of writing
• Writing as a process
• Prewriting reading and talking
• Planning
• Revising reviewing
• Editing

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Academic writing

• Writing is an essential part of much academic
  work, including assessed work.
• The product of other study activities like
  research, note-making, reflection, goal setting.
• There are different purposes and types of writing
  but
• All academic writing shares some features and
  writing processes.

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Your own writing process3

• There is no blueprint that works for everyone,
  every time.
• The diver writer
• The patchwork writer
• The grand plan writer
• The architect writer (Creme Lea, p.78)

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How do you write?

• How do you typically organize your writing? Do
  you use something like one of those methods?
• Describe it now, in writing.
• What do you think are the advantages and
  disadvantages of this method?
• Write two lists now.

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Practice writing in English

• Write privately in a learning journal
• To record important information
• To note ideas that you could use later
• To Do lists
• Write in sentences to
• Express reflections on things you learn and how
  you could apply them
• Practice paragraphs you can improve later
• Build a sense of yourself as a writer.

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The writing process a modelbased on Coffin,
chapter 22
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1. Prewriting1

• To find something to write about
• Understand, generate ideas
• Research, read, discuss
• Methods
• Brainstorming
• Freewriting
• Personal journal writing

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The academic essayResearch the topic

• Read the right
• Books
• Periodicals
• Internet

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Writing is not isolated
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Freewriting now
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2. Planning

• To clarify, focus, organize
• Methods include
• List
• Graphic organizers mind map, clustering
• Outline view (essay plan).

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Cluster diagram4
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Mind maps
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Outline
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3. and 4. Drafting and revision

• Whatever your process, good writing takes
• Time
• Work
• Revisions.
• Revisions can be made on the word processor
  screen or on paper.
• Leave time for revisions.

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Revision example
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Elements of writing

• Summarize
• Paraphrase
• Synthesize
• Analyze
• Evaluate

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Summarize
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Paraphrase
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Synthesize
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Analyze
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Evaluate
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Paraphrase or summary?

• Paraphrase To express the meaning in other
  words
• Summary or Abstract Containing the chief
  points or sum or substance of a matter with
  implication of brevity(Shorter Oxford English
  Dictionary)

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Exercise a summary

• Read the text provided and write a summary of
  less than 100 words.
• Do not include any of the original sentences or
  phrases.

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5. Peer review

• Peer review is an essential part of professional
  academic life.
• Anonymous peer reviews are necessary for journal
  publication and some books.
• Review by critical friends is common.

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Support the revision

• Swap pieces of writing in pairs.
• Write on the review form to give helpful advice
  to the author on their summary.
• Hand back the writing with the review form.

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In your own words 3

• Degrees are awarded to individual students for
  demonstrating their own knowledge of a subject,
  not just re-using existing knowledge.
• But you need to read what authorities think and
  compare your views with friends and colleagues.
• Use a critical friend. Be a critical friend.
• Then write in your own words but citing where you
  use someone elses ideas and quoting when you use
  someone elses words.

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Revise your summary

• Read the review form.
• Take note of its comments and address each one.
• Rewrite your summary on a new sheet
• Add your name at the top and hand it in at the
  end of the session.

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Tomorrow

• We will give general feedback.
• You will write a reflection on your summary and
  writing style.

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6. Editing

• Editing, proofreading polishing are to correct
  the surface features of the text.
• Appearance
• Formatting, fonts, footnotes, footers
• Linguistic accuracy
• Spelling, punctuation
• Sources, references, acknowledgements
• Citations correct, references complete

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Visual clarity - formatting

• You may be given format guidelines.
• If not, ask a tutor for advice. E.g. what
  spacing? What margins?
• Title page student number, title, date, module,
  course possibly word length.
• Font use Arial 11 point, unless specified
  otherwise headings sub-headings are a little
  larger bold or italic use sparingly.
• Footer page numbers, other information?

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References

• Derek Soles, 2003, Writing an academic essay,
  Studymates Coffin, C. et al. Teaching Academic
  Writing 2003 London Routledge
• In your own words is a web document by Mike
  Brough
• Further reading
• Stella Cottrell, 2003, The study skills handbook,
  second edition, Palgrave
• Creme, P. and Lea, R.L. 2003 Writing at
  university, a guide for students Second edition,
  Maidenhead Open University Press