Chapter 1 - Nature of Academic Texts

Question 1

• is a formal style of writing with a purpose to present information in order to display a clear understanding of a particular subject
• is a process that starts with posing a question, problematizing a concept, evaluating an opinion, and ends in answering the question posed, clarifying the problem, or arguing for a stand
• grammar and tenses
• uses formal language but not pretentious
• consider the background of the audience
• back up your statement with strong and valid evidences

Answer 1

Academic Writing/Text

Question 2

3 Specific Purposes of Academic Writing

Answer 2

1. to inform
2. argue a specific point
3. to persuade

Question 3

3 Examples of Academic Text

Answer 3

1. Essays
2. Research papers
3. Dissertation and thesis

Question 4

• a fairly short, self-contained argument, often using sources from a class in response to a question provided by a teacher

Answer 4

Essay

Question 5

• a more in-depth investigation based on independent research, often in response to a question chosen by the student

Answer 5

Research paper

Question 6

• the large final research project undertaken at the end of a degree, usually on a topic of the students choice

Answer 6

Dissertation/Thesis

Question 7

4 Examples of Non-Academic Text

Answer 7

1. Memoirs
2. Magazine articles
3. Novels
4. Personal or Business letters

Question 8

7 Features of Academic Writing

Answer 8

1. Formal
2. Objective
3. Precision
4. Explicitness
5. Caution/Hedging
6. Responsibility
7. Organization

Question 9

• Tone should not sound casual or conversational
• Avoid using colloquial, idiomatic, or slang
• Use full words instead of contractions

Answer 9

Formal

Question 10

• Based on facts and evidence
• Unbiased style of writing
• Avoid emotional language

Answer 10

Objective

Question 11

• In academic writing you need to be precise when you use information, dates, or figures
  - a lot of people = 50 million people

Answer 11

Precision

Question 12

• is the responsibility of the writer in English to make it clear to the reader how the various parts of the text are related
• Using different signaling words
  
  • Comparison/similar ideas
    ex: similarly, in the same way
  • Contrast/opposite ideas
    ex: but, however, on the contrary
• Citing/acknowledging sources of ideas
  ex: Suicide is a serious public health issue (Mann et
  al, 2005)

Answer 12

Explicitness

Question 13

• Concept of cautious language, often called “hedging” of “vague language”
• It is needed to avoid sweeping generalizations

Answer 13

Caution/Hedging

Question 14

3 Hedging Languages

Answer 14

1. Adverb of frequency
2. Modal verbs
3. Modal adjectives

Question 15

• Often, always, usually, sometimes, rarely, never
  ex: It is often stated that population growth will peak
  in the twenty years.

Answer 15

Adverb of frequency

Question 16

• Could, must, shall, will, should, would, can, could, may, and might.
  ex: Scientists believe that population growth could
  peak in the next twenty years.

Answer 16

Modal verbs

Question 17

• Probable, maybe, perhaps, possibly, certainly, definitely
  ex: It is probable that population growth will peak in
  the next twenty years.

Answer 17

Modal adjectives

Question 18

• In academic writing, you are responsible for demonstrating and understanding the source
• Acknowledge the source and provide a citation

Answer 18

Responsibility

Question 19

• Academic writing is well organized. It flows easily from one section to the next in a logical fashion.
• Once you have decided on the genre, the structure is easily determined

Answer 19

Organization

Question 20

5 Genres

Answer 20

1. Essays
2. Research proposal
3. Book review
4. Reflective writing
5. Research dissertations and theses

Question 21

The set of rules in Academic Writing: Mechanics (3)

Answer 21

1. Punctuation
2. Orthography
3. Capitalization