研究生学术英语写作教程Unit 1 Understanding Academic English

Unit 1 Understanding Academic English
Objectives:
- Learn the purpose of this course
- Get to understand different voices that people often use in their communication - Understand features of academic English
- Build your learning ability via the Internet
- Meet your teacher and new classmates
Contents
-Teacher’s introduction
-Reading and discussion: How ’s your voice?
- Language focus: word choice, and structural complexity
-Writing practice: understanding different styles
- Rewriting practice: consolidating academic English writing skills
- Classroom extension: Internet survey on features of academic English
1. Reading Activity
1.1 Pre-reading Task
Do you know how to write a paper with an academic voice? Most Chinese students use only the casual voice for their daily life purposes, which does not fit the academic writing style. When you can learn to use an academic voice and a formal writing style, you will gain authority and respect for yourself as a researcher as well as a research writer.
Read the following three texts with different kinds of voice and tell what they differ in.
1.2 Reading Passage
HOW’S YOUR VOICE?
Casual Voice
Hey, dude, no way you can sit here!
Huzzah! We won! We beat ‘em! Ha! Blue Vampires. They think they’re so grea t. We showed‘em. Go Aardvarks!
Yuck! I hate broccoli with those nasty, stinkin’mush- rooms. Why do we gotta have these things again,
man?!
www, we gotta cancel the
Consultative Voice
You’re not allowed
to sit in this area,
because it’s a
safety concern.
I’m so glad for our
team,the great
Fighting Aardvarks,
and now together we
celebrate this victory.
I’d prefer not to have
this particular
vegetable again, if it’s possible.Does anyone really enjoy this combination of mushrooms and broccoli? It’s possible that our party might have to be postponed or canceled because of the Academic Voice
This area must be kept clear for foot traffic.
The Fighting Aardvarks claimed victory over the Blue Vampires in the final round tonight. Both teams competed well and the fans are enthusiastic.
Very few people enjoy this broccoli and mushroom dish. Therefore, it will not be served again within this calendar year, or the servers will be killed.
Due to the inclement weather, the Annual Tattoo Party will not
party‘cause it’s totally raining like crazy!
Sweeeet! I love those Indiana Jones movies! They ’re awesome with the whip and the bugs and stuff. Everyone loves those flicks!
bad weather that ’s threaten- ing our location.
Indiana Jones films are really very popular with your age group. Critics can’t decide why such an old character is so appealing.
take place this Thursday
at Finster Park. The planning committee will
reschedule the event and release information as soon as possible.
Hollywood is perplexed at the reasons that Indi- ana Jones is so favored by such young
audiences. The answer remains a mystery.
1.3 Reading Comprehension
1.3.1 Do you know in which situation these voices are appropriately used? And why?
For what purposes
Consultative
Academic
1.3.2 Read the passage carefully again and decide the differences among them. Casual voice Consultative voice Academic voice
Voice
Casual
2 Language Focus
2.1 Word Choice
Academic voice can be well expressed by choosing words. Here are some words to acquire:
Here are some words to avoid.
2.1.1 Can you match the formal and informal words and phrases?
just
such
frankly, truly,
fortunately, provocative
striking objection discourse
disapprove
poignant, compelling, proposal, insight,
investigate, look into get
very,
turn down,
go,
Verify
Try to find out Examine
Look at carefully
Demonstrate Make sure something is true Intend Show
Investigate Get rid of
Survive, penetrate Get through it
Discover Mean
Eliminate Look into
Conclusion A lot of
Numerous, myriad End
2.2 Structural complexity
‘Syntax’is the technical word that is used to describe sentence structure. It is extremely important that well-arranged sentences carry an academic voice, whereas choppy, simple sentences sound oral and colloquial. Sentences that are too short and poorly connected can be irritating to read. Conversely, sentences that are too long and rambling are difficult to follow and are likely to be confusing. Use a sentence length that allows your thoughts to flow clearly. Rewrite the following sentences into a text with well-ordered sentences and structural complexity.
A conjunction connects words, phrases, or clauses. It indicates the relationship between the elements. These elements connect. We oftenfind thefollowing thing. In only one single sentence a conjunction contains one or more ideas. These ideas may be equal or unequal in importance. Ideas are equal, and we call them coordinate ideas. For example, John studies electronics. Helen studies Computing. These two sentences can become a compound sentence. It shows the relationship between the two ideas. We want to maintain the equality of the ideas. We call the clauses in the new sentence coordinate clauses.
3. Writing Practice
3.1 Understanding different styles
Read the following texts and decide where they come from.
1
At AT & Bell Laboratories infrared lasers are being used to capture live microbes. Working like optical tweezers, the pressure of the laser light traps minute objects in its
focus point. Researchers are using the device to move around viruses bacteria, and other cells they are study under the microscope. After several hours, however, the focus light will heat up the microbes to a boiling point.
____________________________________________________________________
2
All we ask is that you spend two hours of your time attending a Barratt Sales presentation. There, you’ll discover the benefits of timeshare. At Barratt we call it Holiday Ownership because that’s why it really is. You’ll be under no obligation to purchase, but we think you may be tempted.
_____________________________________________________________________
3
There were only two Americans stopping at the hotel. They did not know any of the people they passed on the stairs on their way to and from their room. Their room was on the second floor facing the sea. It also faced the public garden and the war monument. There were big palms and green benches in the public garden. In the good weather there was always an artist with his easel. Artists liked the way the palms grew and the bright colors of the hotels facing the gardens and the sea.
4
Although many studies have already been done, more studies are needed to determine the effects of microcomputer-assisted instruction in various teaching situations.
____________________________________________________________________
5
The parents of a seven-year-old Australian boy woke to find a giant python crushing and trying to swallow him. The incident occurred in Cairns, Queensland and the boy’s mother, Mrs. Dryden said:“it was like a horror movie. It was a hot night. He suddenly started screaming. We rushed to the bedroom to find a huge snake trying to
strangle him. ”Mrs. Dryden and her husband, Peter, tried to stab the creature with knives, but the python bit the boy several times before escaping.
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3.2. Choosing appropriate styles
Now you are going to write an essay in class for your teacher’s assignments. Which of the following sentences you would like to use for your writing?
1. He couldn’t finish his work in the time given.
2. The first set of results were compiled and presented by the other group of students.
3. I would like to focus on the following areas of research: …
4. They argued that this methodology was unreliable.
5. In addition, the data was used to focus on the following hypothesis.
6. I enjoyed my English class with you and am having a good experience this semester.
7. At about twelve pm on August 21, 1984, she told us, I came out of the kitchen to toss out some water.
8. We, at any rate, will continue to keep an open mind.
9. Is the menu at that the French restaurant giving you trouble? Then you might need the Voice, a hand-held computer that translates spoken English into French, Spanish, German or Italian.
10. There is an emerging consensus that a concerted effort on a national level will be required to capture the glittering prizes that a new technology offers.
No. Y/N Reason(s) for your decision 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
3.3. Rewriting Practice
Rewrite the following passage into an academic one.
Why are there so many jams on the roads these days? One thing is that public transportation like trains, buses, etc., is so dear. A long time ago cars cost a lot but now, unfortunately, they’ve got a lot cheaper. Another thing is that driving is a lot nicer than waiting for a bus. The trouble is that if everyone buys a car the roads get packed.
4 Writing Project
The following is a checklist for writing in academic English. It is not complete. Use the Internet, books, textbooks and lecturers' expertise to find out what other conventions could be applied to using academic English. And make a list of these conventions and keep this for future reference.
Writing academic English
● Use academic voic e
● Write with structural complexity
● Avoid casual style
● Distinguish formal and informal words and phrase s
● …
5. Final Checklist
1. Know when to use I/we/us and when to use one/readers.
2. Use complex sentences. Do not be afraid of semi-colons!
3.Do not use contractions(don’t,can’t,isn’t,aren’t,doesn’t).
4. Know your diction! Be careful about using the thesaurus on your
computer. Do not use a word unless you know what it means. It is a
great tool when used well.
5. Do not end a sentence with a preposition; often you can simply
rework the word order.。