Variation in Writing

Variation in Writing

English Writing Workshop

Bioforsk, Ås

Spring 2009

Agro Lingua Karl Kerner - Måltrostvn 1A - 3142 Vestskogen - [email protected]

Warm-up

Ty to re-write this sentence:

The biggest coincidence that day happened when David and I ended up sitting next to each other at the football game.

2009 Agro Lingua - Karl Kerner

Variation – Different levels

Word (use of synonyms / phrases) Sentence (structure, length, modifiers) Paragraph (transitions, pointers, etc.)

An important part of paraphrasing

Why vary your writing?

Tiger Woods is the name of an American golfer. He set a record in the 1997 Master's Tournament. He surprised all the veterans.He was 22 at the time.

An American golfer, Tiger Woods, was only 22 when he surprised all the veterans and set a record in the 1977 Master's Tournament.


Variation - Words

Synonyms (same or similar meaning) Phrasal verbs (carry out, go through, etc) Metaphors and idioms (shed light on) Fixed expressions (a wide range of)


Varying words - Synonyms

Thesaurus!Be careful when using words you don’t know.

”Investigate” has many synonyms, e.g.:Examine, look into, interrogate, explore…

Which one of these would not fit in an academic paper?


Varying words – Phrasal verbs

Phrasal verbs (usually more informal) often have 1-word synonyms (more formal). Use both to vary your language.

Put forward (an idea) – presentCarry out – conductSet out (to do sthg.) – aimGo through – check

(See handout, Chap. 6)


Varying words – Metaphors/idioms

Light and darkness:Shed light on, elucidate, remains in the dark, etc.

War and conflict:Oppose, attack, bombard with, etc.

Metaphors: original meaning intact (shed light on)Idioms: original meaning lost (a piece of cake)

(See handout Chap. 9)


Varying words – Fixed expressions

Frequently occurring ”chunks of language”

In a variety of ways, to some extent, In addition to, etc..

Can you name some more?


Variation - Sentences

Sentence openings (avoid repetition) Sentence length (combine /split = vary!) Prepositional phrases (Early in the season,..) Conjunctions (however, as, although, etc.) Gerund (verb + -ing = noun) Modifier placement Active – passive voice (Passive ok at times!)


Varying sentences – Prepositional phrases

Standard ”openers”: At home, In the afternoon, During the 1990s, etc.

Vary their location:

With only an hour left to finish, I knew I had to focus.

I knew I had to focus, with only an hour left to finish.


Varying sentences - Gerund

We studied the data. They showed that…

We studied the data and found that…

By studying the data, we found that…


Varying sentences - Modifiers

Initial modifiersTo please her mother, Maria went to sleep.

Mid-sentence modifiersMaria, an obedient child, went to sleep.

Terminal modifiersMaria went to sleep, hoping to please her

mother.


Variation - Paragraph

Transitions and pointersRefer to and link parts of a paper. They are like

catalysts in writing: Often, they don’t look like much, but they can have a tremendous effect!

There are many such words and phrases, to:Add, compare, prove, repeat, summarise, etc.

See http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/574/02/


Paraphrasing – requires vraiation skills

A paraphrase is... your own rendition of essential information

and ideas expressed by someone else, presented in a new form.

one legitimate way to borrow from a source. a more detailed restatement than a summary,

which focuses concisely on a single main idea.


Effective Paraphrasing – 6 steps

Reread the original passage until you understand its full meaning.

Set the original aside, and write your paraphrase on a note card.

Jot down a few words below your paraphrase to remind you later how you envision using this material.


Effective Paraphrasing – 6 steps (cont.)

Check your rendition with the original to make sure that your version accurately expresses all the essential information in a new form.

Use quotation marks to identify any unique term or phraseology you have borrowed exactly from the source.

Record the source (including the page) on your note card so that you can credit it easily if you decide to incorporate the material into your paper.


Documents

Variation in Writing