Academic English Drop In Workshops

1
Academic English Drop In Workshops

• Materials sourced from Jonny Wells (ELSSA 2009)
  
• Morley-Warner, T., 2007, Academic Writing is a
  guide to writing in a university context, CREA
  Publications.
• Hall, B. 2206, The Night Before Essay Planner,
  The Research Den

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ELSSA Centre

• What do we do?
• Provide workshops in Faculties throughout
  semester
• Provide one-to-one appointments
• Where are we?
• Level 18, Building 1
• ? www.elssa.uts.edu.au
• ?Phone [phone]
• ?Email elssa.centre_at_uts.edu.au
• ? MaryAnn McDonald MaryAnn.McDonald_at_uts.edu.au

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Academic English Drop In Workshops

• Week 4
• Analysing an assignment question
• Planning your assignment

4
Groups discuss

• How soon do you start your assignments? Are you
  an early starter or leave things to the last
  minute?
• Do you always fully clarify the assignment task
  with the lecturer? If not, why not?
• How do you plan before writing? Do you have a
  good strategy? If so, please describe it.
• How many drafts of an assignment do you do before
  you hand it in?
• How do you proofread your work? What are some
  important things to look out for?

5
For every assignment you need to

• Understand the question
• Brainstorm ideas
• Read relevant, reliable information.
• Read enough information in order to answer the
  question properly.
• Have a structure for your assignment
• Know your main ideas or arguments and
• Know how to support your main ideas or arguments
• Edit your writing for coherence and unity
• Proofread for grammar, punctuation and spelling
  mistakes
• Allow enough time for each of these !

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What type of assignment is it?

• What type of assignments have you written so far?
• What other type of assignments might you be asked
  to write whilst studying at university?

7
What type of assignment is it?

• Essays discuss/contrast/compare/argue
• Case Studies
• Reports
• Technical Reviews
• Literature reviews
• Journals/Personal Experience
• Critical reviews
• Thesis

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Analyse the question

• Look at the question.
• What are the key words?
• Look at the direction words eg. analyse,
  describe, discuss, evaluate, suggest, consider -
  do any of these words limit what you need to do?
• Clarify any uncertain terms/unfamiliar vocabulary

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Sample question

• In analysing the writing process, the research
  of both Bloggs (1997) and Smith and Jones (1998)
  has indicated the crucial role of metacognition.
  Discuss this claim in the light of your own
  experience as a first year university student.
• What are the key concepts to be researched?
• Morley-Warner, T., 2007, Academic Writing is a
  guide to writing in a university context, CREA
  Publications.

10
Sample question

• In analysing the writing process, the research
  of both Bloggs (1997) and Smith and Jones (1998)
  has indicated the crucial role of metacognition.
  Discuss this claim in the light of your own
  experience as a first year university student.
• What are the key concepts to be researched?
• The writing process
• The research of Bloggs, Smith and Jones
• Metacognition
• Your first year of university experience -
  Briefly describe your relevant experience and
  analyse it to test if the claim is justified.
• Evaluative term crucial
• (other eg. More, most, major, all, some, few,
  least, better, best, almost, every)
• Morley-Warner, T., 2007, Academic Writing is a
  guide to writing in a university context, CREA
  Publications.

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How does analysing the question help?

• By fully analysing the question first you will be
  sure to
• Give relevant info in your writing
• Give good supporting arguments
• Provide relevant references and examples
• ANSWER THE QUESTION that has been set!
• If youre unsure
• Compare your analysis of the question with a
  friend
• Ask your lecturer

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What if you still dont understand?

• Ask in class
• Go see your lecturer personally
• Go see another member of faculty
• Ask peers/classmates
• Email lecturer for help
• See ELSSA tutor
• ALWAYS seek help if you need it!!

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So before you research

• Understand what type of assignment is required.
• Understand the question fully

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Brainstorming

• Everything you already know (lectures,
  experience).
• Write down ideas without stopping for 5 mins.
• Dont think about what you have written.
• Free thought it works! It generates ideas.
• Some of what you brainstorm will be useless but
  some of it will be very useful.
• Draw pictures, diagrams, write in point form,
  write single words or talk out loud.
• Ask yourself
• What is relevant/interesting about this topic?
• The answer to this question can become your
  introduction.

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Put your ideas into groups

• If you group your thoughts it will save time at
  the library. You can make lists or use a mind
  map whatever you prefer.
• It helps to know what topics you want to research
  before you go to the library.
• It also helps you to make sense of your
  brainstorm and consider how your ideas are
  related.
• Try and identify 3-5 groups of ideas to take to
  the library. Dont worry if you dont have
  enough ideas you will get more once you start
  researching.

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Example Bubble Plan
Source studyskills.com
17
Back to first question what would your
brainstorm look like?

• In analysing the writing process, the research of
  both Bloggs (1997) and Smith and Jones (1998) has
  indicated the crucial role of metacognition.
  Discuss this claim in the light of your own
  experience as a first year university student.
• What are the key concepts to be researched?
• The writing process
• The research of Bloggs, Smith and Jones
• Metacognition
• Your first year of university experience -
  Briefly describe your relevant experience and
  analyse it to test if the claim is justified.
• Evaluative term crucial
• (other eg. More, most, major, all, some, few,
  least, better, best, almost, every)

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Using the library

• How have you used the library?
• How much time do you spend on research?
• What problems have you had?
• How can you solve these problems?

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How much research is required?

• Refer to specific requirements of your lecturer.
• Ensure you read the subject outline and marking
  criteria carefully.
• Stay within the word limit set by your lecturer.
  More is not always better, and can sometimes be
  worse!
• Look at todays handout and discuss with your
  partner if you think its a good guide.

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Using the library

• Plan how much time to spend on research. Its
  easier to read and make notes than it is to
  write! The writing process needs time to justify
  all the research youve done.
• You wont find everything you need the first
  time. You may need to go back to research and
  fill in gaps or re-read texts.
• Start with the suggested reading lists.
• Lecturers assume you will use databases and go
  beyond the readings supplied.

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Using the library

• Skim book (eg. textbook) or article and look for
  other articles in the bibliography or footnotes.
• Go to section in library eg. Mgmt in section 658.
  
• Start with most recent issues of a relevant
  journal and browse contents for relevant articles
• Avoid unpublished web references. Never quote or
  reference from Wikipedia!
• Limit the amount of time you waste (Google,
  email)
• Databases via UTS Library homepage access to
  synopsis or full text. Talk to your lecturer
  about the best database for your purpose).
• Sign up for a tour or speak to the librarians .
• Make sure you know how to properly conduct a
  literature search.

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Reading

• Have the question in mind as you read. Be a
  selective and critical reader.
• Develop a good note-taking system.
• Use only reliable information
• Keep asking yourself how will I use this info?
• What arguments or evidence have you discovered?
• What do you need to support these arguments?
• Remove all distractions. 30 mins of quiet
  reading better than 5 hours interrupted with
  phones, TV, music etc

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Collecting support for your arguments.

• You will probably be on one side of a debate.
  The more you read, the clearer your opinion will
  become.
• Look for opinions that agree or disagree with
  your own. Note the authors.
• Pay attention to the application of theory
• Pay attention to the references the authors
  mention this will help you find additional
  relevant information.
• Remember you are learning. Dont think you have
  to be an expert yet. You are reading in order to
  fully develop your point of view.
• Respect your own opinion! Find authors that
  support your view
• If you disagree with the majority of authors you
  read you have to back up your view with a good
  argument.

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A good way to focus and remember what you have
read ..

• Try to teach someone else.
• Explain or summarise an article to a friend.
• It sharpens your focus.

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Writing

• Put the following in the correct order
• 1. Proofread for spelling, punctuation and
  grammar mistakes, correct referencing and
  presentation.
• 2. Outline essay i.e. intro, paragraphs,
  conclusion
• 3. Write 2nd and 3rd drafts
• 4. Edit essay to make sure it is coherence and
  that your arguments are clear and supported.
• 5. Write final draft
• 6. Re-read and improve
• 7. Check references and reference list are
  correct
• 8. Write 1st draft

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The Planning Sheet
?? It helps to plan out the draft of your essay
on an A4 sheet of paper
(Monash University, 2009) www.monash.edu.au
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1st draft

• Develop your first draft
• Leave it for 24 hours then come back to it
• Re-read edit change improve
• Ensure clarity, cohesions and logical flow of
  ideas in your writing. Does each paragraph have
  a main idea or argument and is it well supported?
  Check transition signals youve used to link
  ideas.
• Move on to develop 2nd/ 3rd drafts

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Final Draft

• Here are some common grammatical problems. Which
  are yours? How can you improve?
• Correct tone
• Verb tenses
• Articles
• Sentences are they too long? Too short?
• Subject/verb agreement
• Singular/plural
• Vocab is it repetitive?

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Imagine

• If you wanted to drive from Sydney to Adelaide
• Youd need to know the direction to travel in
• Youd need to plan your journey
• Youd need a reliable up to date map/plan
• Youd need to start your journey early
• Youd need to ask for help if you didnt know how
  to get there
• Youd need to take breaks to relax and refresh
  yourself
• Youd need to ask for help if you got lost or
  lose direction
• Youd need to drive long and hard to get to your
  destination of 1300 kilometres
• Youd need to check that you had finally
  arrived at your destination
• This is the same for writing an assignment!

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Discuss in groups

• What are the most important points from todays
  session?

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MaryAnn.McDonald_at_uts.edu.auwww.elssa.uts.edu.a
uMaterials sourced from Jonny Wells (ELSSA
2009) Morley-Warner, T., 2007, Academic
Writing is a guide to writing in a university
context, CREA Publications.Hall, B. 2206, The
Night Before Essay Planner, The Research Den
thank you