Thursday, May 16, 2013
An Approach to Academic Writing
An
approach to academic writing and
Where writing begins motives and audience
Academic writing is a product of
many considerations : audience, purpose, organization, style, flow and
presentation.
Audience
An
audience is a group of readers who reads a particular piece of writing. As a
writer, you should anticipate the needs or expectations of your audience in
order to convey information or argue for a particular claim. Your audience
might be your instructor, classmates, the president of an organization, the
staff of a management company, or any other number of possibilities. You need
to know your audience before you start writing.
Even
before we write, we need to consider our audience. The audience for most
graduate students will be an instructor, who is presumably quite knowledgeable
about the assigned writing topic. To be successful in our writing task, we need
to have an understanding of our audience’s expectations and prior knowledge,
because these will affect the content of our writing.
Why the Audience is Important ?
To
be an effective writer, you must use language that is audience-centered, not
writer-centered.
In writing, the audience is the group of people who
will read our writing. If there is no audience, our writing is nothing. Think
carefully about our audience before we begin will make our writing be clear and
has a goal. Knowing our audience is about understanding their knowledge, but
also their attitudes and opinions. It is about understanding their level of
reading comprehension, and the academic setting (i.e. how formal to be in our
diction, how complex to make some sentences, how long to make paragraphs etc.).
We even need to think about their level of interest.
Who is the Audience ?
When
writing an academic paper, we must not only consider what we want to say, we
must also consider to whom we are saying it. In other words, it is important to
determine not only what we think about a topic, but also what our audience is
likely to think. Having identified the audience, we will want to consider how
familiar they are with the subject matter.
http://writing.colostate.edu/guides/page.cfm?pageid=326
Purpose
and Strategy
The
Purpose of Academic Writing
When we write letters to friends, our main purpose is often to let them know that we are thinking of them. When we write a book report, our purpose is often to give our opinion of it. If we write a funny story, the main purpose is usually to entertain the reader. Academic writing also has a main purpose, one that is sharp and clear. The main purpose of academic writing is to search for a truth based on objective evidence. We must exercise a constant vigilance against confusing objective evidence with personal opinion.
Strategies for Academic
Writing
How to Respond to Writing
Assignments
·
If the
assignment was given orally, write it out and read it until you're thoroughly
familiar with it.
·
Look for key words. Pay particular attention
to the thought process your instructor expects you to use, which is often
captured in a single or set of key
words.
Time Management
Every writer follows a different process. And
every paper does the same. The amount of time needed to write a satisfying
paper varies from person to person and paper to paper. And, the length of time
required to write a paper isn't just a matter of what kind of paper it is. Some
papers seem to write themselves; others that we thought would be easy take what
seems like forever. One generalization that might be safe is that it's never a
good idea, no matter how simple an assignment might seem, to write it at one
sitting. All papers benefit from the distance a writer gains by putting a paper
down for a few hours or, preferably, longer. A good night's sleep can be more
productive than three agonizing hours of trying to get a piece of writing
right.
Dealing with Writer's Block
Students often report that their biggest
problem with a writing assignment is getting started. What causes writer's
block -- fear of the empty expanse of white paper in front of you -- and what
can a person do about it? Writer's block
is caused primarily by judging your writing before or as you write. If you have
perfectionist tendencies, writing may be particularly difficult for you. What
is essential to keep in mind is that writing is a process, and a process takes time.
Organization
Information is presented to readers is a
structured format. Even short pieces of writing have regular, predictable
patterns of organization. An organization is defined by the elements that are
part of it (who belongs to the organization and who does not?), its communication (which elements communicate and how do they
communicate?), its autonomy (which changes are executed autonomously by the
organization or its elements?), and its rules of action compared to outside
events (what causes an organization to act as a collective actor?).
By coordinated and planned cooperation of the
elements, the organization is able to solve tasks that lie beyond the abilities
of the single elements. The price paid by the elements is the limitation of the degrees
of freedom of the elements. Advantages of
organizations are enhancement (more of the same), addition (combination of
different features) and extension. Disadvantages can be inertness (through
co-ordination) and loss of interaction.
One very common strategy in academic writing is to organize
information in terms of problem solution (Hoey 1983). This pattern usually has
four parts :
1.
Description of a situation
2.
Identification of a problem
3.
Description of a solution
4.
Evaluation of the solution
In addition to the problem-solution structure, some other
ways of organizing information include the following.
·
Comparison-contrast
·
Cause-effect (focusing on one cause and multiple effects as in an
earthquake or describing multiple causes and one effect as in global warming)
·
Classification (categorizing as suggested by the following example
:”Earthquake effects on underground structures can be grouped into two
categories : 1. Ground shaking and 2. Ground failure such as liquefaction,
fault displacement, and slope instability”. Note the cause-effect aspect of
this as well).
Advantages of organizations are enhancement (more of
the same), addition (combination of different features) and extension.
Disadvantages can be inertness though co-ordination) and loss of interaction.
Organization
is a continuous process. Organization is important for two reasons. Not only
does it help your readers understand the connection between the details of the
essay and your thesis, but also organization itself can help you write the
essay in the first place. Planning on a method of organizing your essay
will help you determine how to write it. A clear thesis will give your essay
purpose and direction, but choosing a pattern of organization before you draft
will ensure that every part of your essay works to support and develop that
thesis.
Style
Academic writers need to be sure that
their communications are written in the appropriate style. The style of a
particular not only be consistent but must also be appropriate both for the
massage being conveyed and for the audience. One difficulty in using the
appropriate style is knowing what is considered academic and what is not.
Finally, academic style is not used in all academic settings
http://www.une.edu.au/tlc/aso/aso-online/academic-writing/academic-style.php For
most academic essays, you are expected to use a formal writing style. You need to learn about the DOs and DON'Ts of this
style so that you can edit your work effectively. This style may vary if you
are asked to write in an informal style.
Capital is a complex
nation. There
are ( use of impersonal constructions /avoidance of
personal language) many definitions of the words itself, and capital as applied
in accounting can be viewed( use of model verbs, use of the passive
voice) conceptually from a number of standpoints; that is, there is legal
capital, financial capital, and physical capital (use of technical
language).The application of financial and physical concepts of capital ( use
of the use nominalizations and complex noun (or nominal) groups) is not
straightforward as there are(use of impersonal constructions /avoidance of
personal language) various permutations of these
concepts applied in the business environment.
In the second example
paragraph, grammatical features such as the use of everyday language, personal language,
contractions, the active voice and phrasal verbs contribute to the more
informal and personal nature of this paragraph. Although there are distinct
differences apparent in different types of writing in the various university
disciplines (i.e. writing in the sciences as compared to writing in a
humanities based discipline), the language features evident in the first
example contribute to an appropriate academic style. Finally, academic style is not used in
all academic settings.
Flow
What Is “Flow?”
Flow is
simply writing that moves fluently from one idea, phrase, or sentence to the
next. Flow enables the experienced reader to grasp concepts and images along a
continuum and provides a stimulating encounter with words and phrases, not
unlike listening to music. However, novice writers commonly confuse the misuse
of language or ignorant mistakes with “flow.” We specified transitions sentence
to sentence, paragraph to paragraph, idea to idea, and topic to topic.
http://suite101.com/article/how-to-make-your-writing-flow-a103907
Flow
·
Make sure you move
continuously from one thought to another. Try not to break up the discussion of
a single idea with a random remarks or thoughts that will actually be discussed
in more detail later. Slow down! Take one thought at a time, explain yourself
fully, and then move on.
·
Try to connect ideas
together. Just like paragraphs needs traditions, so do ideas within a
paragraph. You can try to use adverbs ( however, although, etc), introductory
clauses or phrases that link the previous thought to the new one ( in this way,
for this reason, for this purpose, towards this goal, etc).
·
Try to make sentences flow in
the direction of old idea to new thought. Passive construction can sometime be
useful here. Also, as said above, introductory clauses and phrases can be
useful.
Presentation
In addition, our
presented work is more likely to receive a positive response if we perform the
following tasks.
Considered the overall format of your written before your written work
– Does the paper look clean and carefully prepared?
– Are there clear paragraphs?
– Is the line spacing appropriate?
– Use of white space?
– Standard fonts and sizes?
www.slideshare.com
Errors
that could have been avoided by careful proofreading are generally considered
less acceptable.
These include :
Grammar
Article
The
capital letters
Punctuation : Full Stop ( . ), Comma ( , ), Semicolon ( ; )
Ethnography of Speaking (Sociolinguistic Subject)
Ethnography of Communication has been considered a "qualitative" method by some in the field of communication. However, it is more than just a methodology. This program of study demonstrates a commitment to learning about and expressing the various and particular ways people communicate by closely attending to the ways they use language.
What we do ?
By engaging community members through participant/ observation, ethnographers of communication are able to learn about a range of relating through interaction. This range includes how people come to know one another, to how they demonstrate group membership, to the norms for acting, to the significant symbols that demonstrate deeply held beliefs. Therefore, ethnography of communication should be considered as contributing to both a theory of communication as well as a methodology for studying such communicative practices.
Learning Objectives
After participating in this online module, students will gain a basic understanding of the area of Ethnography of Communication by :
· Recognizing the components of Dell Hymes’ S.P.E.A.K.I.N.G. Model
· Using the model to examine a cross-cultural "speaking situation"
· Understanding how the S.P.E.A.K.I.N.G. model can be used to learn about different cultures, prevent misunderstandings, and avoid conflict.
· Reading about how to conduct ethnography of communication research.
· Examining the process of writing a research report.
This online module was designed to help you to learn how to study a culture or community and then extend this knowledge to cross-cultural situations by learning some terminology to explain these differences. In order to be prepared to apply this model to the S.P.E.A.K.I.N.G. activity, you should move through the sections of the website sequentially.
Teaching and Learning with Games in Website
Tutpup is an online mental maths and spelling game in which the children play against children around the world, in realtime. It is also free. This website was uniqueness, this website especially uses for children. The children can choose a colour, animal and then a number and that is their playername. They then need to create their own password – on a side issue password creation, remembering and retrieval is a skill that our children need so much now for their lives inside and outside of education, do we discuss this enough with others members.
Playing games with learning it is interesting. On these pages, we can look up the scores of the children in your class, individually. We can see what games they have been playing the most and which they aren’t. We can check that they are playing at an appropriate level, we can see when they last logged on, on by looking at the games they have played we can even see which questions they were asked and whether they got them correct or not.
We can uses more than easier, upon visiting the site, we will be given the option to either Login or Join Now; however, we can still play without doing either of these things. Simply click on one of the following categories: Maths 101, Maths Mix, Algebra, Times Tables, or Spelling. You can then specify the type (operation) and level (difficulty). Once you have selected the category, type, and level, your game will begin. We will be thrilled to see your icon and flag move closer to the finish line as you correctly answer the questions.
Demi Lovato - Skyscraper Lyric
Songwriters: KOIV, KERLI/GAD, TOBIAS/ROBBINS, LINDY
Skies are crying, I am watching
Catching teardrops in my hands
Only silence, has it's ending, like we never had a chance.
Do you have to make me feel like, there's nothing left of me?
You can take everything I have
You can break everything I am
Like I'm made of glass
Like I'm made of paper
Go on and try to tear me down
I will be rising from the ground
Like a skyscraper, like a skyscraper
As the smoke clears
I awaken and untangle you from me
Would it make you feel better to watch me while I bleed
All my windows, still are broken, but I'm standing on my feet
You can take everything I have
You can break everything I am
Like I'm made of glass
Like I'm made of paper
Go on and try to tear me down
I will be rising from the ground
Like a skyscraper, like a skyscraper
Go run run run I'm gonna stay right here
Watch you disappear yeah
Go run run run yeah it's a long way down
But I'm closer to the clouds up here
You can take everything I have
You can break everything I am
Like I'm made of glass
Like I'm made of paper
Ohh
Go on and try to tear me down
I will be rising from the ground
Like a skyscraper, like a skyscraper
Like a skyscraper, like a skyscraper
Like a skyscraper
Know you know you can know
Catching teardrops in my hands
Only silence, has it's ending, like we never had a chance.
Do you have to make me feel like, there's nothing left of me?
You can take everything I have
You can break everything I am
Like I'm made of glass
Like I'm made of paper
Go on and try to tear me down
I will be rising from the ground
Like a skyscraper, like a skyscraper
As the smoke clears
I awaken and untangle you from me
Would it make you feel better to watch me while I bleed
All my windows, still are broken, but I'm standing on my feet
You can take everything I have
You can break everything I am
Like I'm made of glass
Like I'm made of paper
Go on and try to tear me down
I will be rising from the ground
Like a skyscraper, like a skyscraper
Go run run run I'm gonna stay right here
Watch you disappear yeah
Go run run run yeah it's a long way down
But I'm closer to the clouds up here
You can take everything I have
You can break everything I am
Like I'm made of glass
Like I'm made of paper
Ohh
Go on and try to tear me down
I will be rising from the ground
Like a skyscraper, like a skyscraper
Like a skyscraper, like a skyscraper
Like a skyscraper
Know you know you can know
Teaching and Learning with Songs in Website
In
this website we can teaching and learning with song. Creative
teachers can use music to teach content across the curriculum to students of
all ages. Why I ask this website is uniqueness ? Especially
for children, they can learn with music to use hand motions with songs, further
increasing their interest, involvement and comprehension. Listen music can make
the children more active than usuall, as well make the children think more with
many kind activities to listen the music in this website. Remember the studies
that suggest that students learn and recall better when physiological states
are matched. If students learn material with a particular music in the
background, they'll also do better with it during the exercise or the test.
Computers can entertain, and in this website can provide a
media for learning and are filled with all the bells and whistles technology
has to offer. In no way will computers ever replace music teachers, but
teachers can supplement lessons to include websites designed to help students
gain skills while using the computer and the wonders of technology. It would
virtually be impossible to offer a comprehensive of, selected of websites in
internet that teachers might find helpful for lesson . One of interest website
for me to learn is this website, because this website make me feel motivate to
learn english especially with listen music.
This website can we uses more easy than other website, we can
choose the list of songs and we can listen it and learn about the songs or
about the vocabulary in that songs. Many kind of songs we can choose in this
website, include of mathemathic songs, science songs, early childhood songs,
languages songs, reading and language arts songs, social studies songs, seasons
and holiday songs, general education songs, and etcetera. For language learning
this website make learn english feel interest, because which this website we
can learn english with songs and create something to learn. After I read
educational research in internet, that shows that multi-sensory teaching
produces the best learning by music. When there is a difficulty learning
through one part of the brain, the other senses and learning modalities can
compensate, complement and enhance each other. Use of the correct music can
engage, motivate, focus, reward and provide the maximum environment for
learning. Moving to the right music can compliment and cement in the
skill/lesson/goal you are trying to teach and learn.
The Benefits of Blogs in Teaching and Learning
Like cultural practices, blogs are impacting teaching and learning with
their socio-technical nature. Internationally, blogs have received much public
attention, boasting more than five million bloggers. A blog is simply an online
journal that eases the process of publishing on the web and allows for virtual
interaction. Technology constructivists argue that such technological
developments, like blogs, and their impact are intrinsically social,
encouraging collaborative learning among users.
Blogs are educational technologies that align well with the social
constructivist perspective of learning, which maintains that culture and
context are critical in knowledge construction and understanding. Blogs, as
learning spaces, support the view that reality depends on socialization with
others; meanings are created through interactions; and learning is a highly
social and active process.
The potentials of blogs in education are endless
These include, but are not limited to, the following:
·
Although blogs are considered new forms of educational technology, the
concept of educational journals is not that new. Blogs merely replace
traditional diaries and journals, which have been very successful in the
instructional process.
·
A blog promotes the social practice of collaboration.
·
Blogs allow participants to share work with others beyond their classroom.
Hence, interactions become more open.
·
These educational technology tools provide opportunities for students to extend
learning beyond the walls of the classroom and to widen their social networks.
·
Through authentic activities, students become creators of information and
are answerable to a larger audience.
·
Blogging is not restricted by time. Bloggers can participate any time of
the day.
As a lecturer in instructional technology, I find blogs very useful in the
training of pre-service teachers. For example, I use blogs to communicate with
student-teachers during the practicum. Here, student-teachers get to share their
experiences from the many different schools in which they are placed. They also
share useful resources such as lesson plans and instructional media. This
allows supervisors and other practicing teachers to comment. It creates a
learning community for the pre-service teachers at a time that can be very
challenging for them. Individuals learn from both their mistakes and the
mistakes of others.
Despite the many potential benefits of blogs in education, there are many
challenges in implementing and using them. The following is critical for the
success of blogs in teaching and learning:
Their implementation is best approached gradually. That is, a step-by-step
manner, where everyone buys into the culture of public journals as opposed to
their previous private relations to teachers and peers.
·
Prior to the use of blogs in teaching and learning, everyone must be
properly introduced to the technology first.
·
Teachers’ role will change from that of a ‘sage on the stage’ to a ‘guide
on the side’. Teachers cannot approach blogs as hoarders of knowledge but as
facilitators of knowledge construction
·
Access to the required technology must be properly explored to ensure that
everyone benefits equally.
·
The objectives and expectations of the blog must also be made clear to the
students from early.
·
Feedback is critical in these online journals. With little or no follow-up
the blog will die. Students must be encouraged to participate.
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