Writing Workshop Physiotherapy Year 2 Íde O’Sullivan and Lawrence Cleary Regional Writing Centre Regional Writing Centre

Writing WorkshopWriting WorkshopPhysiotherapy Year 2Physiotherapy Year 2

Writing WorkshopWriting WorkshopPhysiotherapy Year 2Physiotherapy Year 2

Íde O’Sullivan and Lawrence Íde O’Sullivan and Lawrence ClearyCleary

Regional Writing CentreRegional Writing Centre

Regional Writing Centre 2

Workshop outline• Getting started: Motivation and time

management• Key consideration:

– The writing process– The rhetorical situation – Academic writing style

• Critical appraisal• Structuring your paper• Scientific style• Strategies to develop writing: Peer review

Getting Started Getting Started Writing and Keeping Writing and Keeping

GoingGoing

Getting Started Getting Started Writing and Keeping Writing and Keeping

GoingGoing


Anxieties and fears• What do you worry about or

struggle when faced with a writing task?

• How will you overcome these anxieties and fears?


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


It is not too late• Take stock of where you are now• Outline your research project • Make plans based on the time that is

left• Organise your time accordingly• Get writing• Keep writing• Get a writing buddy• Allow time for revision and to put it all

together• Let family and friends know• Be selfish with your time


Where am I?

• What writing have you done and what writing do you need to do in order to complete your paper for PY434 on time?

• Keep writing non-stop for 5 minutes.• Write in sentences.• Do not edit or censor your writing.• Private writing -- no one will read it.• Discuss what you have written in pairs.


Getting started• Where and when do you write?• Why are you not writing?

– “I don’t 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


Outlining (Murray 2006)

• Title and draft introduction• Level 1 outlining

– Main headings

• Level 2 outlining– Sub-headings

• Level 3 outlining– Decide on content


‘Writing in layers’ (Murray 2006:125-27)

• Outline the structure: write your section heading for the research paper.

• Write a sentence or two on the contents of each section.

• List out sub-headings for each section.• Write an introductory paragraph for

each section.• At the top of each section, write the

word count requirement, draft number and date.

Key ConsiderationsKey ConsiderationsKey ConsiderationsKey Considerations


Key stages in the process

• Pre-writing

• Drafting

• Revision

• Editing and Proofreading


The rhetorical situation

• Occasion

• Topic

• Audience

• Purpose

• Writer


Organising principles

• Research question

• Thesis

• Hypothesis


Stylistic differences that mark academic writing

• Complexity• Formality• Objectivity• Accuracy

• Precision• Explicitness• Hedging• Responsibility

(Gillet 2008)


Academic writing style

• Hedge. Distinguish between absolutes and probabilities. Absolutes are 100% certain. Probabilities are less than 100% certain.

• Be responsible. Provide traceable evidence and justifications for any claims you make or any opinions you have formed as a result of your research.


Persuasion and truth in academic writing

• Because they are argumentative, academic writing tends to be persuasive.

• An argument should be persuasive, but don’t 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.


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


Cracking the codes• Analysing the genre/text and modelling• Generate a list of the important criteria

which will make your writing more effective

• Ask yourself the following questions:– How is the paper structured?– How is the contribution articulated?– What level of context is provided?– What level of detail is used? – How long are the different sections?


Cracking the codes• What organisational features/patterns are

in evidence? • How are arguments and counterarguments

presented and structured?• What types of evidence are important?• What stylistic features are prominent?• Is the text cohesive? How does the author

achieve such cohesion?• What kind(s) of persuasive devises does

the author employ?• Voice?

Critical AppraisalCritical AppraisalCritical AppraisalCritical Appraisal


Reporting the work of others

Making use of the ideas of other people is one of the most important aspects of academic writing because

• it shows awareness of other people’s work;• it shows that you can use their ideas and

findings;• it shows you have read and understood

the material you are reading;• it shows where your contribution fits in;• it supports the points you are making.

(Gillet 2008)


Reporting the work of others

• We report another author’s ideas by using paraphrase, summary, synthesis and quotation, and we use introductory phrases and reporting verbs to communicate our relationship to the ideas that we are reporting.

• Compare, for example: – Brown (1983: 231) claims that a far more

effective approach is ...– Brown (1983: 231) points out that a far

more effective approach is ...– A far more effective approach is ... (Brown

1983: 231)


Critical thinking• McPeck (1981:8 cited in Borg 2008:13) defines critical

thinking as– “the prosperity and skill to engage in an activity with

reflective scepticism”. • “Critical thinking:

– is clear, precise, accurate, relevant, logical and consistent

– integrates a controlled sense of scepticism or disbelief about claims, assertions and conclusions (i.e. not taking information and positions at face value

– involves interrogating existing information for strengths, weaknesses and gaps

– is deliberately and demonstrably free from bias and prejudice.”

(Paul and Elder 2006 cited in Borg 2008:13)


Good reasoning• Key features of good reasoning• “Reasoning:

– has a purpose– is shaped by and expressed through concepts and

ideas– is based on data, information and evidence– involves making inferences and interpretations

based on the data and evidence in order to draw conclusions

– is based on assumptions that are explicit and clear– is carried out from a particular point of view– has consequences and implications.”

(Paul and Elder 2006 cited in Borg 2008:13)


Critical thinking• How can you bring a critical

orientation to your work?• What questions should you ask

when reading and writing in order to develop critical and analytical thinking skills?

Structuring your Structuring your paperpaper

Structuring your Structuring your paperpaper


Structure

Preliminaries

Main Text

End Matter


The main text• Introduction• Development • Conclusion

• How the writing is structured will depend on the genre, i.e. essay, literature review, reflection.

• UEfAP: Academic Writing <Genres


The main text: Essays• Purpose:

– Present a clear argument

• Structure– Introduction– Development of ideas– Conclusion


The introduction• In academic writing, an introduction, or

opening, has four purposes: To introduce the topic of the essayTo indicate the context of the conversation

through background informationTo give some indication of the overall plan

of the essayTo catch the reader’s attention, usually by

convincing the reader of its relevance.


The introduction• The introduction has two parts:

General statements.General statements attract a reader’s

attention and give background information on the topic.

A thesis statementStates the main topic.Sometimes indicates sub-topics.Will sometimes indicate how the essay is to

be organised.


In brief….• The introduction should be funnel shaped

• Begin with broad statements.• Make these statements more and more specific

as the writer narrows the scope of the topic and comes to the problem.

• Be sure that the question, hypothesis or claim is one that can be handled in a report of the length specified.

• This question, hypothesis or claim is your thesis statement.


The conclusion• How you conclude your paper, like

everything else in writing, largely depends on your purpose. Generally, though, a conclusion ends by reminding the reader of the main points of the argument in support of your thesis.

• Otherwise, you may end with a reflection, a call to action, an impact question (indicating, perhaps, that you see scope for future research), a quote, or advice.


Elements of a good conclusion

A conclusion should:Remind the reader of the main points of

your argumentBring ‘closure to the interpretation of the

data’ (Leedy 2001:291)Be clearBe logicalBe credible



• A summary of the investigation, the results and the analysis

• A summary of the conclusions drawn from the analysis and discussion of the data / results

• An account of whether the research has answered the research question

• An assessment of whether the hypothesis or claim has been proved, disproved, or partially proved



• A discussionion of the implications of the findings

• A demonstrable awareness of the limitations of the outcome

• Suggestions for future developments – Remember: A summary alone of what you have done is a weak conclusion

• A final, strong, positive statement


In brief…… ‘Whatever kind of conclusion you decide on, it should not introduce new topics, apologize for any real or perceived failings in the paper, or merely stop or trail off. Make sure your paper has a clear sense of closure’.

(Ebert et al. 1997:129)


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


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.

Microsoft Word Document


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.


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.


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.


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).


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)


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).

Scientific Writing Scientific Writing StyleStyle

Scientific Writing Scientific Writing StyleStyle


Stylistic features common to scientific and technical

writing• Sentences– Short v. long– Simple v. complex

• Vocabulary – Short vs long phrases– Ordinary vs grandiose– Familiar vs unfamiliar– Non-technical vs technical– Concrete vs abstract– Normal, comfortable idiomatic expression vs special, stiff

scientific idioms– Direct incisive phrasing vs roundabout, verbose phrasing

48




writing• Verb Forms

– Active vs passive– Personal vs impersonal– Informal vs formal

49




writing• Mechanics

– Spelling– Capitalisation– Punctuation: Careful use vs

casual, random use

50


Strategies to Strategies to Develop Writing: Develop Writing:

Peer Review Peer Review

Strategies to Strategies to Develop Writing: Develop Writing:

Peer Review Peer Review


Dialogue about writing• Peer-review• Generative writing• The “writing sandwich” (Murray

2005:85): writing, talking, writing• Writing “buddies” (Murray and Moore

2006:102)• Writers’ groups• Engaging in critiques of one another’s

work allows you to become effective critics of your own work.


Writing a ‘page 98 paper’

• My research question is … • Researchers who have looked at this

subject are … • They argue that … • Debate centres on the issue of … • There is work to be done on … • My research is closest to that of X in that

… • My contribution will be …

(Murray 2006:104)


Resources• Shannon Consortium Regional Writing

Centre, UL http://www.ul.ie/rwc/• Using English for Academic Purposes

http://www.uefap.com/index.htm• The Writer’s 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


Works cited• Elbow, P. (1998) Writing without Teachers (2nd edition).

New York: Oxford University Press.• Elbow, P. and Belanoff, P. (2003) Being a Writer: A

Community of Writers Revisited. New York: McGraw-Hill.• McPeck, J. (1981) Critical Thinking and Education, New

York: St. Martin’s 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.

• Paul, R. and Elder, L. (2006) The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking: Concepts and Tools, New York: The Foundation for Critical Thinking.

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Writing Workshop Physiotherapy Year 2 Íde O’Sullivan and Lawrence Cleary Regional Writing Centre Regional Writing Centre