Academic Reading and Writing

Academic Reading and WritingM.Sc. Lourdes Aguasmaguas302@puce.edu.ecClassroom rulesPunctuality: Once the door is closed, students will not be allowed in the classroomAttendance : It is the students responsibility to be up-to-date/informed.Watch out: absences towards the end of the semesterRespect:To be present in mind and bodyNo cell-phones, laptops and tabletsBibliographic referencesPower point presentations (once a Unit is finished)Essays: 1) Time to write; 2) Quality not quatity

The importance of reading and class participation - workshopAcademic dishonestyStudents work submission = paper + digitalGrade + observations on paperDeadlines cannot be changedStudents representative Photocopies and materialBook and a folder with photocopies (some of the photocopies are used for different exercise)

Classroom rulesRequired bibliographyAlice Oshima and Ann Hogue (2006): Writing Academic English. Pearson, Longman. Fourth Edition.Chapters: 1 9

When the time comes it is mandatory to bring the book to class

Other bibliographyRuth Spack (2000): Guidelines. A cross-cultural reading/writing text. Cambridge University Press. Second edition.Ilona Leki (2000): Academic Writing. Exploring Processes and Strategies. Cambridge University Press. Second edition.Kathy Cox and David Hill (2011): English for Academic Purposes. Pearson, Longman. Second Edition. Academic reading and writingAcademic = From Ancient Greek (Akadmia)The place where Plato taught.The school for advanced education.A society of learned persons organized to advance art, science, or literature.

Your contribution to a larger conversation

Academic reading and writingAnalyze and evaluate academic texts with comprehension and critical attention.Express information and ideas in academic writing clearly, relevantly and logically.

I am not a good writerIt is so hardIt is so frustrating

Its about working on it (time and attention) Pleasure in the craft

Introducing ourselvesMention 1 example of a good piece of writing author(s) of: an article, a book, an essay, etc

What interests me about a piece of writing?

Unit 1: Academic reading Reading/Writing strategiesSpack (2000): Guidelines. A cross-cultural reading/writing textSydney Harris What true education should do American Journalist, Lecturer, Scholar and member of the Panel of American Heritage Dictionary.(1917-1986)His articles were sold to a number of newspapers for simultaneous publication (US and Canada)Aphorism use A short saying expressing a general truthE.g. Easier said than done

Sydney Harris (1964) What true education should do

Before reading, write for several of minutes about the following topic:

What does true education mean to me?

Share what you think with your classmatesAcademic Reading Speed-reading techniques.SCANNINGIt is a reading method where you look over a text and search for certain and specific information. You do not try to read every word.You look (scan) for words you need. SKIMMING

It is a method of rapidly moving the eyes over text with the purpose of getting only the main ideas and a general overview of the content. Pre-reading: general pic.ReviewingReading quickly

Steps in skimming an article

Read the title (shortest possible summary of the content)Read the introduction or lead-in paragraph. Read the first and last paragraph completely. If there are subheadings, read each one, looking for relationships among them. Read the first sentence of each remaining paragraph. a. The main idea of most paragraphs appears in the first sentence. b. If the author's pattern is to begin with a question or anecdote, you may find the last sentence more valuable.

Dip into the text looking for:Clue words Proper nouns c. Unusual words, especially if capitalized d. Enumerationse. Qualifying adjectives (best, worst, most, etc.)f. Typographical cues--italics, boldface, underlining, asterisks, etc.

Steps in skimming an article

Speed-reading exerciseJ. Harris (1994): What true education should doTime: 2:15 to read the entire text

Scanning: 30 secWhy is Socrates mentioned in the article?

Skimming: 1 :30 minWhat is the article about?What does the author stress the most?

Guidelines for a first readingUse fast reading techniques: read only enough of the material to give you the ideas or information you want or need.Scanning: something specific to look for. E.g. a particular quotation in a book, or specific facts and numbersSkimming: get thegist of an article. E.g. sample a book in the library before deciding to take it out. You alternate read and glance, and your goal is to obtain an impression of the whole.

Reading criticallyReading not only to increase your knowledge but also to develop your own perspective toward the subject discussed in the text.The challenges of reading critically include identifying the authors key points, raising questions about what you have read, and determining your own point of view.

Subsequent readings You may achieve a fuller understanding of a reading simply by reading ir more than once. You may be able to generate meaning by making notations as you reread.Defining unfamiliar words: Underline them Try to determine whether the word has a positive or negative connotationConsider how the word fits into the whole readingLook for the definition in a dictionaryRereadingWho is Socrates?Classical Greek philosopherKnown by the writings of his students (E.g. Plato basis of academia)The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.Who is William Ernst Hocking?American philosopher (Harvard University)An individual should develop the powers that are in him.Who is Edith Hamilton?German-American educator It has always seemed strange to me that in our endless discussions about education so little stress is laid on the pleasure of becoming an educated person, the enormous interest it adds to life ()

Defining unfamiliar wordsFor instance: Kindle: in the context?To start a fireFutile: positive or negative connotation?unable to produce any resultDunce: positive or negative connotation?a dull-witted or ignorant person.Sift: examine closely, as by separating and looking at each part carefully

Recommended online dictionarieswww.oxforddictionaries.comhttp://www.wordreference.com/http://www.etymonline.com/http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org/

Annotating Express any emotion you feel in response to what you have just read (E.g. pleasure, surprise, anger, confusion)Recall personal associations Make connections with something else you have read, heard or seenCreate headings to identify each section (E.g. Summary/Reaction)Mark a certain significant passageWrite definitions of unfamiliar wordsAsk questionsCreate headings to identify each sections (E.g. Summary/Reaction)

Making double-entry notes to reveal a double perspective on the reading:SummaryReaction/Opinion (Agree/Desagree)

Obj: Separate what you perceive the author is saying (summary) from what you think (opinion)

Double-entry notesAnother example:

Source: University of Hartford, Department of Rhetoric, Language and Culture(2014): How Can I Retain Information From My Sources? - Using Double-Entry Notes Available Online: http://uhaweb.hartford.edu/rlc/usingdoublenotes.html

Double-entry notes encourage you to do more than just copy down information. Instead, they encourage you to consider the significance of the facts and ideas immediately

Ballenger, 2011Your reaction can be written roughly, but it should answer some of the following questions: How does this info help you understand your topic better?How does this particular idea relate to the author's main point?Why do you agree or disagree with the author's perspective?How does this information complicate your viewpoint?What connections can you make to previous research?What directions for further research does this information suggest?

ActivityWork your own double-entry notesRead the annotated version of the essay (p.6 p. 7) and compare the students impression of the essay with your own.Discuss your responses with the classDouble entry-notes

Clustering ideas from the reading Creating a visual pattern in order to show significant relationships among the ideas and details in a reading section.

J. Harris (1994): What true education should doOne example

Journal Entries

One example

Use a pseudonym: Peer - reviewPeer Assessment exercisePeer feedback is crucial to our work as writers: it helps the writer improve his or her draft and grow as a writer, but it also helps you, as a responder, improve your draft and advance more generally as a writer. Respond to one draftLearning Objectives:Question, analyze, evaluate the text;Argue and support a position.Quote.Include an effective title.Revise deeply and edit carefully.Ask at least one question to the reader at the end of your writing.Length: 600 800 words.

Peer Assessment exerciseRespond to the writers Note to Readers: My QueriesWhat is the main idea that your classmate is trying to communicate? Is that description sufficient to convey the important features of the topic to readers who may not be familiar with it?Are there so many unconventional features in the writing (spelling, sentence structure, vocabulary, and so on) that you found them interfering with your reading? If so, identify these features by underlining them so the writer can focus on it for his or her revision. Use the following abbreviations:P for Punctuation mistakesT for Typing mistakesG for Grammar mistakesO - Other types of mistakes. 4. What did you like best about this essay?

Kaplan R. (1966): Cultural Thought Patterns in Intercultural EducationPop quizTrue / FalseKaplan states that if you master the mechanics of a language (grammar; vocabulary; sentence structure) you can write effective essays.Kaplan believes that rhetoric is universal. Kaplan states that each language and each culture has a paragraph order unique to itself.

Robert D. KaplanAmerican applied linguist Started research in 1960sContrastive rhetoric: the study of how a person's first language and culture influence his or her writing in a second language.

Disorient : confusion/perplexity. To cause to lose ones way. Literally "to turn from the east. The safest point . Ej: the baluba (central african tribes) confuses traffic lights with totems

Language teachingMechanics: Prescription (instructions; rules)

Description (definitions)

Sentence level: grammar, vocabulary, sentence structure?Cultural varietyLogic

Diversity of languages leads to a radical relativism

Suma qamaaAymara world view "El Suma qamaa es el equilibrio material y espiritual del individuo (saber vivir) y la relacin armoniosa del mismo con todas las formas de existencia (convivir)"

Spirit of the people

Basis of rhetoric = LOGICLOGIC is evolved out of culture (not universal)

Rhetoric is not universalIt varies from culture to cultureIt varies from time to time within a given cultureFor example

English languageEvolved from the Anglo-European cultural pattern.Platonic-Aristotelian sequence of thought

SYSTEMBuilding blocks of research*52OntologyEpistemologyMethodologyMethodsSourcesWhats out there to know? How does it exist?Which data can we collect?Which procedures can we use to acquire it?What & how can we know about it?How do we acquire valid knowledge?* Grix, J., 2004 The Foundations of Research p. 6652Any attempt to eliminate our human perspective from our picture of the world must lead to absurdityWriting an adequate essay in my native language Writing an adequate essay in a second language.

Instructors comments: Topic out of focusLack of organization The foreign student Lack of cohesion employs a rhetoric and a sequence of thought which violate the expectations of the native reader

Writing in EnglishSequence of ideas dominantly linear in its developmentA paragraph usually begins with a topic sentence, each supported by examples and illustrations

Inductive reasoning: Paragraph begins with evidence or reasons leading to the statement of the writer's claim at the end of the paragraph. The topic sentence is not explicit at the beginning of the paragraph.I have been learning English for almost seven years. I have tried hard, and spent many hours on it, but I make little progress. I think this is because we have few opportunities to practice the new words in conversation. If we practised the new words for longer, then I would improve. Therefore, learning English is difficult.Writing in EnglishDeductive reasoning: Usually the topic sentence is stated at the beginning of the paragraphChinese people find learning English difficult for several reasons, the most important of which is that they rarely practice the new words that they have learned. Personally, I have been learning English for almost seven years but I do not improve because there are not enough opportunities to use the new language in conversation. Clearly I would have learned much faster if I had been able to have conversation practice with English people.Writing in EnglishWriting in EnglishDigression: Temporary departure from the main subject in speech or writing. Parenthesis. Intentional change of subject.

English is one of the most spoken and written languages in the whole world. Due to a variety of factors (including the British Empire in the 19th century and US influence in the 20th century), English is probably the primary global language of business and the internet, as well as being widely used all around the world in the media, science, education and diplomacy fields. The 'English' language isn't really English at all. It is a Germanic language brought to Britain by Northern European settlers in the 5th century AD.

Digression Significant contributions

Kaplans Field Research600 foreign students in the U.S.4 basic language groups compared with English:SemiticOrientalRomanceRussian

Arabic (300); Amharic (22); Hebrew (7); Tigrinya (7); Aramaic (half a million)

Romance languages(690 speakers)

150 speakersSemitic LanguagesParagraph: Complex series of parallel constructions. Parallelism = Figure of balance identified by a similarity in the syntactical structure of a set of words in successive phrases, clauses, sentences (Repetition) "Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty." John F. Kennedy (Inaugural Address)In English, maturity of style is gauged by degree of subordination rather than coordinationCoordinating conjunctions (CC) allow us to connect independent clauses of the same level of importance in a single sentence and avoid paragraphs composed of many short, repetitive simple sentences. 7 CC allow us to create distinct relationships between clauses: And- NorBut- SoYet- ForOr In English, maturity of style is gauged by degree of subordination rather than coordinationSubordinate clause: depends upon another clause, the independent clause, to complete its meaning.For this reason, the subordinate clause is sometimes called a "dependent" clause. Subordinate conjunction (SC) :After- Once- SinceAlthough- Whenever- BecauseBefore- So that- Etc Each SC establishes a specific relationship between the clauses. It creates movement and style in a piece of writing by directing the reader's attention ahead in anticipation of the main clause.E.g. Once Simone finishes the final exam, she will join us at the graduation party67Semitic LanguagesGrammatical complexity caused by the attempt to achieve an intricate parallelism.English lacks the necessary flexibility.Too many coordinating conjunctions Very little subordination

Oriental languagesApproach by indirectionParagraph development: Turning and turning in a widening spiralThe circles turn around the subject from a variett of tangential views, but the subject is never looked at directly.Things are developed in terms of what they are not, rather than in terms of what they are. English reader: unnecessarily indirect.

Romance LanguagesFreedom to digressTo introduce extraneous material.Digression is common in philosophy

Russian LanguageSentence structure completely different Few sentences: Some very short and others extremely longParallel constructions Subordinate structures (many irrelevant to the central idea)Parenthetical amplifications

Each language and each culture has a paragraph order unique to itself.

Part of the learning of a particular language is the mastering of its logical system.To grasp the idea and structure in units larger than the sentence

Contrastive grammarContrastive RhetoricKaplans contrastive rhetoricA sentence rarely exists outside a context.Obj: to bring the student to a comprehension of the whole context Understanding the logic on which the context is basedMastering the syntax Mastering writing

Paragraph: artificial thought unit employed in written language to suggest a cohesion which commonly may not exist in oral language.Paragraphing and punctuation: written language.English paragraphs: Patterns/StructuresEach sentence contributes to the central thoughtPatterns of paragraphs in other languages are not so well established

Is this true?Simpson J. (2000).Topical Structure Analysis of Academic Paragraphs inEnglish and Spanish. Journal of Second Language Writing

http://web.ntpu.edu.tw/~ckliu/paper/paper3.pdf

Language and world viewOne's native language affects how that individual perceives the world.

Kaplan: every individual considers written works in his or her own language to be direct and uninterrupted in [their] flow of information.''

Study about coherence: based on topical structure analysis (TSA) that looks for patterns in repeated key words and phrases.

English: long history of teaching people how to writedirect stylelogical relationships between one idea and the subsequent ideahigh-quality essays - focused on fewer topicsPreference for:A more reduced sentence styleA more informationally oriented style.English vs. SpanishSpanish writers TOEFL- significantly longer sentences

Elaborate style: use of long sentences + with many additive clauses + flowery, poetic language.

Pieces of writingMexican students (9th grade)Run-on sentences: a sentence in which two or more independent clauses (i.e., complete sentences) are joined without appropriate punctuation or conjunction.

E.g. My car is out of gas we cannot reach town before dark.

One paragraph consisted of only one sentenceMontao-Harmon (1991): We can suggest the possibility that the Spanish-speaking adolescents and university students are not very well educated in composition skills.

Redaccin CompositionRedaccin:Correct use of verb formsSpellingAccentuationVocabulary buildingWriting practice based on literary modelsLack of pattern for paragraph organization.Composition:Etymology = Lat. Comporre to put together, to connect.Units of thought larger than a sentenceParagraphEssayDissertationFor exampleA paragraph is defined as a group of sentences forming a complete unit of thought and marked on a page of text by spacing or indentation. (Lackstrom et al. 1973).

Academic writing in English and Spanish A Comparative StudyAcabemic journals (written by experts in the field)Count the number of:WordsSentencesWords per sentenceClausesClauses per sentenceThe English paragraphs in this study are longer (more words) with more sentences, but the sentences are shorter than in the Spanish data (which show shorter paragraphs with fewer sentences).

The data from this analysis show that Spanish-speaking professional writers have a similar preference for the elaborate style.

In linguistics, the topic, or theme, of a sentence is what is being talked about, and the comment (rheme) is what is being said about the topic.A valued characteristic of composition in English, is to develop ideas by introducing them as the rheme of a sentence and later taking them up as the theme. = coherence + sophistication

ConclusionsThe English authors tend to have more repetition of key words and phrases in what a native reader may interpret as a direct line.The Spanish texts seem to have a number of different topical subjects within one paragraph, without much repetition of key words (Low quality writing)English demands more internal coherence. Texts, relationships between ideas are made explicit by repetition. For native speakers of English, the knowledge of the freedom of Spanish with regards to topical structure can be used to help students understand the flexibility and creativity of Spanish.

Chapter 1: Paragraph Structure:The three parts of a paragraph:The topic sentenceSupporting sentencesThe concluding sentencePractice

Writing Academic EnglishOshima Alice and Ann Hogue (2006)

Warm-Up One partner closes his/her eyes.The other partner chooses an object.Describe the object to the other person WITHOUT mentioning the name of the object.The person with eyes closed can only say, I need more details! until they can guess what the object is.

What is a paragraph?A paragraph is a group of related sentences that discuss ONE main idea. It should be long enough to develop the main idea clearly.In academic writing:Paragraph = to answer a test questionE.g. Define management by objectiveThe first word of a paragraph is indentedParagraph StructureGold, a precious metal, is prized for two important characteristics. First of all, gold has a lustrous beauty that is resistant to corrosion. Therefore, it is suitable for jewerly, coins, and ornamental purposes. For example, a Macedonian coin remains untarnished today as the day it was made 25 centuries ago. Another important characteristic of gold is its usefulness to industry and science. For many years, it has been used in hundreds of industrial applications, such as photography and dentistry. The most recent use of gold is in astronauts suits. Astronauts wear gold-plated heat shields for protection when they go outside spaceships in space. In conclusion, gold is treasured not only for its beauty but also for its utility. Writing technique questions:What is the topic of the paragraph?What two main points does the writer make about the topic?What examples does the writer use to support each point?Three parts of a paragraphTopic sentenceSupporting sentencesConcluding sentence

Three parts of a paragraphTopic sentence: states the main idea of a paragraph. It names the topic of the paragraphIt limits the topic to one specific area (controlling idea)

Gold, a precious metal, is prized for two important characteristics

TOPIC CONTROLLING IDEA 1.- Beauty and 2.- Utility

Writing Exercises Chapter 1Practice 1 Practice 3p. 6 p. 11Three parts of a paragraph2.- Supporting sentences: develop (explain/prove) the topic sentence. E.g.First of all, gold has a lustrous beauty that is resistant to corrosion.For example, a Macedonian coin remains untarnished today as the day it was made 25 centuries ago.Another important characteristic of gold is its usefulness to industry and science.The most recent use of gold is in astronauts suits.

Three parts of a paragraph3.- Concluding sentence: signals the end of the paragraph and leaves the reader with important points to remember. They are customary for stand alone paragraphs.Paragraphs that are parts of a longer piece of writing usually do not need concluding sentences.E.g.In conclusion, gold is treasured not only for its beauty but also for its utility.

Can the following sentences serve as a topic sentence?The Arabic origin of many English words is not always obvious.I went to the Grand Canyon this winter and to Mexico in the spring of 1994I am going to discuss Latin American Constitutions.Education is important in lowering crime rates.

Topic sentencesNOYESThomas Jefferson was born in 1743.Thomas Jefferson, born in 1743, made important contributions to American culture.I love my sister.I love my sister for her creativity and her kindness.George Lucas is a filmmaker.George Lucas is an influential filmmaker who has changed cinema in a few important ways.Ecuadors soccer team played in the world cup.?Yasun is a National Park.?Topic SentencesPosition:The topic sentence is usually the 1st sentence in a paragraph. Readers who are used to English way of writing want to know what they will read about as soon as they begin reading. Characteristics:Not too generalNot too specificEdit your journal-entryIncorporate the appropriate feedback from your peers.Improve your weaknesses Enhance your strengthsBeaware of the lengthWork with paragraph writing techniques. Make sure that you have: A valid topic sentence for each paragraph that you wrote.Supporting ideas (examples, descriptions, etc)Concluding sentence (s)

First gradeEdited Journal-Entry = 60% of the gradeThe final grade will include your first draft, your peer assessment and your final journal entry.Study the rubric very carefully before turning your work.Deadline (Monday 9am and Tuesday 3pm) Attach your first draft as well as the peer-assessment feedback report.Quiz. E.g. = 40% of the gradeReading techniques; Pre-writing techiques; Main ideas about Kaplans article + paragraph writing techniques.

Writing Exercises Chapter 1Practice 1 Practice 7p. 6 p. 17