Performance Studies: Introduction to Writing

1
Performance StudiesIntroduction to Writing

• Íde OSullivan and Lawrence Cleary
• Regional Writing Centre
• www.ul.ie/rwc

2
Workshop outline

• Anxieties and fears of writing
• Key considerations
• The writing process
• Essay structure and organisation
• Developing an argument
• Features of academic writing
• Strategies to boost writing skills
• Motivation

3
Anxieties and fears

• Freewriting
• What I worry about and struggle when faced with a
  writing task.
• Keep writing non-stop for 5 minutes.
• Write in sentences.
• Do not edit or censor your writing.
• Private writing no one will read it.

4
Anxieties and fears

• Reflection
• What impact did the previous exercise have on
  you?
• How might this type of writing activity be
  useful?
• Discussion
• What do you worry about or struggle when faced
  with a writing task?
• How will you overcome these anxieties and fears?

5
Difficulties associated with writing

• Anxiety and fear of writing
• Lack of confidence and motivation
• Fear of making your writing public
• Cracking the codes of academic writing
• Getting started
• Getting stuck writers block
• Lack of guidance, practice and feedback
• Misconceptions of writing
• Good writing skills are innate X
• Think first, then write X

6
Anxieties and fears

• Dealing with these anxieties and fears
• Readings How to be a Student (Moore and Murphy,
  2006)
• 66 Playing to your strengths
• 68 Controlling worry
• 99 Believing in yourself
• Focus on your strengths as a writer What are
  these strengths?
• Are there areas where you need to improve as a
  writer?

7
Key Considerations
8
Key tasks for academic writers

• Participating in academic conversations
• Developing and advancing balanced arguments
• Exploring your personal writing process
• Developing strategies that work for you

9
Key stages in the writing process

• Pre-writing
• Drafting
• Revision
• Editing and Proofreading

10
Example Pre-writing

• Planning
• Analysing the assignment question
• Evaluating the rhetorical situation, or context,
  into which you write
• Choosing and focusing your topic
• Establishing an organising principle
• Gathering information
• Entering the discourse on your topic
• Taking notes as a strategy to avoid charges of
  plagiarism
• Evaluating sources

11
Rhetorical situation

• Occasion
• Topic
• Audience
• Purpose
• Writer

12
Establishing an organising principle

• What is the question that you are trying to
  answer?
• What claim are you trying to defend?
• What problem are you trying to solve?
• What hypothesis are you attempting to affirm or
  negate?
• Everything that follows will inform the answer,
  the defence, the solution or the affirmation or
  negation.

13
Organising principles

• When the thesis is
• a question, the rest of the paper is structured
  around the answer.
• a problem, the rest of the paper is structured
  around the solution.
• a claim, the rest of the paper is structured
  around the defence.
• a hypothesis, the rest of the paper is
  structured around the attempt to affirm or negate
  that hypothesis.

14
Example Thesis statement

• The status of women in Xanadu has
• improved remarkably in recent years in
• the areas of economic independence,
• political rights, educational
• opportunities, and social status yet,
• when compared to the status of women
• in developed countries, it is still pretty
• low (Oshima and Hogue, 2006105).

15
Essay structure

• Organise the essay so that the argument unfolds
  in a clearly stated, detailed, logical, linear
  progression and arrangement of ideas.
• Introduction present the thesis, hypothesis, or
  question that you will try to defend, prove or
  disprove, or answer.
• Sections to support the thesis
• Conclusions

16
The introduction

• In academic writing, an introduction, or opening,
  has four purposes
• To introduce the topic of the essay
• To indicate the context of the conversation
  through background information
• To give some indication of the overall plan of
  the essay
• To catch the readers attention, usually by
  convincing the reader of its relevance.

17
The introduction

• The introduction has two parts
• General statements.
• General statements attract a readers attention,
  and give background information on the topic.
• A thesis statement
• States the main topic.
• Sometimes indicates sub-topics.
• Will sometimes indicate how the essay is to be
  organised.
• Is usually the last sentence in the introduction.

18
Organising paragraphs

• Build upon the claims made in the introduction,
  develop your topic and prove your points
• The purpose of your argument will dictate how you
  organise your paragraphs
• General ? specific information
• Weakest claims ? strongest claims
• Address/offer counterarguments as you develop
  main points or after you have made your main
  claims

19
Academic ethos and structure

• Arguments are inter-textual other people who
  talk about this question (problem/
  claim/hypothesis) use evidence to support their
  conclusions. That evidence and those arguments
  serve as support for your conclusions also.
• Arguments are balanced. All sides need to be
  accounted for. Truth is established by a
  consideration of all of the evidence.
• Your conclusion should be a defence of the
  evidence that supports your position.

20
Advancing the argument

• Advance your argument by giving evidence which is
  valid and reliable.
• Evidence can consist of facts or reliable
  statistics, examples, educated opinions in the
  form of quotations, or summaries and paraphrases
  of ideas, from knowledgeable sources.
• When referring to the opinions of those you have
  read, be clear that you defer to the opinion, or
  that you object to it (be critical but polite).

21
Advancing the argument

• Anticipate and address counterarguments or
  objections in order to strengthen your argument.
• Present each argument fairly and objectively.
• Show the reader that you have considered other
  sides of the argument.
• Leave your reader with a sense that your argument
  is stronger than opposing arguments.

22
Persuasion and truth in academic writing

• Because they are argumentative, academic writing
  tends to be persuasive.
• An argument should be persuasive, but do not
  sacrifice truth in favour of persuasion.
• Academic inquiry is a truth-seeking pursuit.
• facts are distinguished from opinions.
• relative truths are distinguished from absolute
  truths.
• The integrity of the conclusions reached in an
  academic essay or report is based on its honest
  pursuit of truth.

23
Tips

• Leedy (2001183) cites Marius (1989) in
  highlighting 4 rules for an argument
• state your arguments early in the game
  present and interpret data
• provide examples to support any assertion you
  make
• give the fairest possible treatment of any
  perspectives different from your own may
  support or disagree with them
• point out the weaknesses of your own argument
  by doing this you show objectivity as a
  researcher.

24
Tips

• Pursue your argument logically.
• Do not only describe, but evaluate and interpret
  also.
• Establish your argument in the introduction in
  a thesis statement.
• Advance your argument by giving evidence.
• Do not reiterate evidence already provided, but
  refer back to something you have already stated.
• Lines of argument should flow linearly.
• Paragraphs carry arguments.

25
Flow

• Logical method of development
• Effective transition signals
• Good signposting
• Consistent point of view
• Conciseness (careful word choice)
• Clarity of expression
• Paragraph structure
• Unity
• Coherence

26
Paragraph structure

• What is a paragraph?
• Series of sentences
• Coherent (introduction, middle, end)
• Common theme
• Every sentence in a paragraph develops one topic
  or idea.
• Paragraphs signal the logically organised
  progression of ideas.
• The flow of information should be organised
  around themes and comments.
• The main idea in one paragraph should flow
  logically into the next.
• Shifts in the argument or changes in direction
  should be accurately signalled using appropriate
  adverbials, conjunctions, and prepositions.

27
Paragraph structure

• Just as an essay is guided by a thesis statement,
  a paragraph is organised around its topic
  sentence.
• A topic sentence informs the reader of the topic
  to be discussed.
• A topic sentence contains controlling ideas which
  limit the scope of the discussion to ideas that
  are manageable in a paragraph.

28
Paragraph structure Supporting sentences

• The sentences that follow expand upon the topic,
  using controlling ideas to limit the discussion.
  The main idea is supported by
• Evidence in the form of facts, statistics,
  theoretical probabilities, reputable, educated
  opinions,
• Illustrations in the form of examples and
  extended examples, and
• Argumentation based on the evidence presented.
• Qualifying statements indicate the limitations of
  the support or argument.

29
Paragraph structure Concluding sentences

• Not every paragraph needs a concluding sentence.
• Concluding sentences can either comment on the
  information in the text, or
• They can paraphrase the topic sentence.

30
Paragraph structure Unity

• Paragraphs should be unified.
• Unity means that only one main idea is discussed
  in a paragraph. The main idea is stated in the
  topic sentence, and then each and every
  supporting sentence develops that idea (Oshima
  and Hogue, 1999 18).

31
Paragraph structure Coherence

• Coherence means that your paragraph is easy to
  read and understand because
• your supporting sentences are in some kind of
  logical order
• your ideas are connected by the use of
  appropriate transition signals
• your pronoun references clearly point to the
  intended antecedent and is consistent
• you have repeated or substituted key nouns.
• (Oshima and Hogue, 2006 22)

32
Example (Meei-Fang et al., 2007 471)

• People with dementia are particularly vulnerable
  to malnutrition they have a decreased ability to
  understand directions and to express their needs
  verbally, are easily distracted from eating,
  prone to become agitated, and may use utensils
  incorrectly. Inability to feed oneself (eating
  dependency) is a major risk factor for
  malnutrition among older people living in
  long-term care settings (Abbasi Rudman 1994,
  Durnbaugh et al. 1996). When people with dementia
  can no longer take food voluntarily, assistance
  is required although, as the disease progresses,
  even taking food with assistance can become
  difficult and, in some instances, tube-feeding
  may be required to supply nutrition. This form of
  feeding can, however, cause distress and anxiety,
  not only for the person being fed, but also for
  caregivers (Akerlund Norberg 1985, Burgener
  Shimer 1993).

33
Paragraph structure Transition signals

• Transition signals do exactly what it says on the
  tin they signal. They can signal relationships
  between sentences, just as they can signal
  relationships between paragraphs.
• Example Finally, there have been numerous women
  altogether outside the profession, who were
  reformers dedicated to creating alternatives
  (Gillet, 2005).
• The signal indicates the final point in a series
  of points.

34
Sentence structure

• Vary your rhythm by using a variety of sentence
  types and patterns. Use a combination of
• Simple sentences
• Compound sentences
• Complex sentences
• Compound-Complex sentences
• Do not limit yourself to simple sentences or
  linking sentences using and/but.

35
Revision, Editing and Proofreading
36
Revising (Global)

• Global issues (organisation and structure)
• Does the text achieve your writing goals as
  established in your evaluation of the rhetorical
  situation (writing context) and by your thesis?
• Is there deviation, wander and digression?
• Does each paragraph treat in a controlled manner
  an identifiable idea, and does that idea follow
  logically the ideas expressed in previous
  paragraphs and do they allow readers to predict
  the ideas expressed in the paragraphs that follow?

37
Revising (Global)

• If the process of writing has changed your
  views, consider rethinking the thesis and
  reworking the paper (Ebest et al., 200414).
• How does the introduction fit in with the body of
  the paper? Did you address what you said you
  would address? Did you fulfil your promises?
• Does your conclusion take into account the
  discoveries made during your research and writing
  processes.
• Strategy Outline your paper, now that you have
  finished it.

38
Revising (Local)

• Local issues (editing and proofreading)
• Look at logical and grammatical relations as
  expressed within paragraph boundaries.
• Is the relationship between pronouns and noun
  substitutes and the things they represent clear?
• Verbs express relationships of time and indicate
  person, number and mood. Are those relationships
  consistent and appropriate?

39
Revising (Local)

• Is information logically arranged, and is the
  organisation of your text clear?
• Does each paragraph have a topic sentence and is
  the paragraph cogent, coherent and unified?
• Do your sentences express complete ideas, and do
  you vary your structures? Are they grammatical?
  What about the mechanics?

40
Checklists and Feedback

• Before flying, pilots go through a methodical
  check of their plane. Do you have a checklist for
  your assignments before you hand them in?
• How can you anticipate problems that you are
  unable to see? Get a peer to help.
• Ask for the feedback that you need and that is
  appropriate to the context.

41
Revising (Local)

• For example, this is an argumentative paper
  Were you convinced by my argument? Why? Or why
  not?
• I know I write poor introductions Could you
  identify my thesis? Or ...could you tell me how
  the introduction attempts to grab the readers
  interest?
• I know that my sentences tend to be long and
  difficult to understand Could you read my paper
  aloud so that I can listen to it and mark where
  you are having difficulties in reading?

42
Features ofAcademic Writing
43
Features of academic writing

• What distinguishes the writing in your discipline
  from other kinds of writing?
• Its purposes
• The evidence that support its claims
• Its features

44

• Our boys may be facing real war and I for one
  am scared
• By Kevin Myers Irish Independent, Wednesday
  October 31 2007
• Look, I'm not trying to rock the boat here, but
  I can't be alone in worrying about the Army's new
  mission in Chad. I don't worry about the
  capability of the Army itself, for it is composed
  of the best people in Ireland I admire
  patriotism, and the soldiers of the Army are true
  patriots who loyally serve their country and
  their flag.
• But who will they end up serving in Chad?
  Because it seems to me that a mightily complex
  command-chain is involved here. This, after all,
  is a UN-authorised EU operation, under the
  command of our own Major General Pat Nash.
  However, Pat will be based in Paris and the
  French have been involved in the region for over
  a century.

45
Stylistic differences that markacademic writing

• Complexity
• Formality
• Objectivity
• Accuracy

• Precision
• Explicitness
• Hedging
• Responsibility
• (Gillet, 2008)

46
Strategies to Boost Writing Skills
47
Writing to prompts

• Strategies that might help boost my academic
  writing skills
• Keep writing non-stop for 5 minutes.
• Write in sentences.
• Do not edit or censor your writing.
• Discuss what you have written in pairs.

48
Getting started

• Create time and space for writing
• Freewriting
• Writing to prompts
• What writing have you done for this assignment,
  what writing would you like to do
• The aim of this assignment
• Experiment with different types of writing

49
Keep writing

• Where and when do you write?
• Why are you not writing?
• I dont feel ready to write.
• Writers block
• Getting unstuck
• Writing to prompts/freewriting (write anything)
• Set writing goals
• Write regularly
• Integrate writing into your thinking
• Break it down into a manageable process

50
Keep writing

• Be patient
• Be creative
• Taking pleasure in writing
• Be proud of your writing
• Get stuck in

51
Cracking the codes

• Analysing the genre/text and modelling
• Generate a list of
• The most important features of academic writing
• Criteria to make your writing-strategies more
  effective
• The important conventions in your discipline
• What is/is not acceptable in your discipline
• Student handbooks and guides for written
  submissions

52
Writing time

• Dealing with issues of time
• Setting goals
• Binge and snack writing (Murray, 2005)
• Do I need a big block of time to write
  productively?
• Short bursts of productive writing (Murray and
  Moore, 200617)
• Outlining (Murray, 2005)

53
Dialogue as a social strategy

• Peer-review
• Generative writing
• The writing sandwich (Murray, 200585)
  writing, talking, writing
• Writing buddies (Murray and Moore, 2006102)
• Engaging in critiques of one anothers work
  allows you to become effective critics of your
  own work.

54
Motivation It is not too late

• Take stock of where you are now
• Outline your research
• Make plans based on the time that is left
• Organise your time accordingly
• Get writing
• Keep writing
• Allow time for revision and to put it all
  together
• Let family and friends know
• Be selfish with your time

55
(No Transcript)
56
Resources

• Shannon Consortium Regional Writing Centre, UL
  http//www.ul.ie/rwc/
• Using English for Academic Purposes
  http//www.uefap.com/index.htm
• The Writers Garden http//www.
  cyberlyber.com/writermain.htm
• The OWL at Purdue http//owl.english.purdue.edu/
• The Writing Center at the University of North
  Carolina at Chapel Hill http//www.unc.edu/depts
  /wcweb/handouts/index.html

57
Resources

• Elbow, P. (1998) Writing without Teachers (2nd
  edition). New York Oxford University Press.
• Moore, S. and Murphy, M. (2005) How to be a
  Student 100 Great Ideas and Practical Hints for
  Students Everywhere. UK Open University Press.
• Murray, R. (2005) Writing for Academic Journals.
  UK Open University Press.
• Murray, R. and Moore, S. (2006) The Handbook of
  Academic Writing A Fresh Approach. UK Open
  University Press.
• Oshima, A. and Hogue, A. (2006) Writing Academic
  English, 4th edition. New York Pearson
  Education.