Workshop 3 Features Academic Writing
Workshop 3 Features Academic Writing
Workshop 3 Features Academic Writing
B: Much better
This paper will discuss the current health status of Indigenous communities as a product of history. Three things will be emphasised: first, Aboriginal health is
Fish make excellent pets. A. Economical to feed B. Quiet C. Well-behaved Because of these three qualities alone, fish make outstanding pets (Bardos, 2009).
10
Semi colon
Between closely related sentences Tom is going to CSU; Bill will be attending Monash.
Colon
Preceding a list: I must buy the following at the shop: eggs, milk, and coffee. Introducing a quotation: We quote from the address: It now seems appropriate Preceding an explanation: There was a simple reason for her failure: he did not do enough study.
Quotation Marks
To identify a direct quotation I didnt do it, said O.J. Simpson. To identify words used in a special sense: Teachers often refer to artworks as texts to be analysed. To identify the title of a short work: In the article Symmetry is Beauty, Smith argues that . . .
To introduce a subtitle The name of an article for Sydney Morning Herald is Space Stations: Dream or Reality? 11
English
Cohesion: pronouns and referencing
English has almost become an international language . Except for Chinese, most people speak it more than any other language. Spanish is the official language of many countries in the world but more countries have it as their official or unofficial second language. More than 70 % of the worlds mail is written in it. In international business, it is used more than any other language and it is the language of airline pilots and air traffic controllers all over the world. Moreover, although French used to be the language of diplomacy, it has displaced it throughout the world. Therefore, unless you plan to sped your life alone on a desert island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, it is a useful language to know.
12
Result or effect
Comparison Concession Strong contrast
2. Choppy text
E.g. We must find new sources of energy. The earth's natural sources are dwindling. Solar energy is promising to be a new source of energy. Solar energy is from the suns radiation.
3. Run-on sentences
Getting married is easy staying married is a different matter.
14
Avoiding absolutism
Consider the following two arguments:
1. Everyone in Australia agrees that gay couples should have the right to get married. No-one can disagree with this argument because gay people are humans, like all of us. Therefore, the law has to change to allow for gay marriage. 2. According to a recent poll, 57% of Australians appear to be in favour of allowing gay couples to marry, which they are at present prevented from doing by law . One of the most potent arguments in favour of such a change in legislation is based on the right of every person to enjoy equality. Equality, it is argued, should and must extend to marriage and not just be limited to material issues such as property rights or inheritance.
15
Active or passive?
The terms active or passive voice refer to the way ideas are organised grammatically to place the focus of responsibility for actions in language. Consider the two following examples: 1. (Active) We encourage students to develop their understanding of the role of grammar in the creation of more formal academic writing. 2. (Passive) Students are encouraged to develop their understanding of the role of grammar in the creation of more formal academic writing.
Question:
When should we use active or passive voice in our writing?
16
17