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Writing by Numbers:
becoming an active reader
Hilary Glasman-Deal 2015
Good prose is like a window pane. (George Orwell)
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THE TEMPLATE-BASED APPROACH:
IMRaD
HOW TO WRITE AN INTRODUCTION
LANGUAGE AND WRITING ISSUES:
INFORMAL LANGUAGE AND BABY LANGUAGE
ACADEMIC VOCABULARY ORGANISING INFORMATION
GRAMMAR
GENERAL WRITING TIPS
OVERVIEW
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Analyse target texts to create template models. Use their structure, grammar and vocabulary as your
writing input.
Good organisation helps to compensate for language
errors.
Informal English cannot convey precise meaning.
You dont need to learn much English .
Do not plagiarise.
Writing is much easier than it looks!
KEY MESSAGES
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THE TEMPLATE-BASED APPROACH: ARECOGNISABLE FACSIMILE
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painting by numbers guaranteesimmediate success
and gratification, encouraging the painter to try untilfeeling secure and confident enough to discard the
training wheels of Paint by Numbers and (go) "solo"
for the first time.
http://www.hofcraft.com/paintbynumbersets.htm
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THE TEMPLATE-BASED APPROACH
http://www.hofcraft.com/paintbynumbersets.htmhttp://www.hofcraft.com/paintbynumbersets.htm7/24/2019 Madrid Writing by Numbers by H.G
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IMRaD
Results
Method
Abstract
Discussion
Introduction
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Text organization of published articles in the British Medical Journalfrom 1935 to 1985
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IMRaD Adoption
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1 ESTABLISH THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TOPIC
PROVIDE BACKGROUND FACTS AND INFORMATION
PRESENT THE GENERAL PROBLEM AREA
2 EXISTING RESEARCH : THE RESEARCH MAP
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LOCATE A GAP IN THE RESEARCH and/or DESCRIBE THE
PROBLEM YOU WILL ADDRESS and/or PRESENT APREDICTION/HYPOTHESIS
4 DESCRIBE YOUR PAPER/STUDY
WRITING AN INTRODUCTIONHow do I start the Introduction? Whatshould I include? How do I finish it?
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EXTEND YOUR RANGE OF LITERATUREREVIEW VERBS.
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achieveaddress
adopt
analyse
apply
argue [that]
assumeattempt [to]
carry out
challenge
choose
claim [that]
classifycollect
compare
confirmconsider
contradict
deal with
debate
define
demonstratedescribe
design
detect
determine
develop
discoverdiscuss
enhance
establishestimate
evaluate
examine
explore
extend
findfocus on
generate
identify
imply
improve
indicate [that]interpret
introduce
investigate
maintain [that]modify
note
observe
offer
overcome
perform point out
predict
present
produce
propose
proveprovide
put forward
realise
recogniserecommend
record
report
reveal
revise
review show
solve
state [that]
study
support
suggesttest
use
verify
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INTRODUCTION AND DISCUSSION
Introduction
Discussion
Revisit your work
Response to the gap
Map to existing research
Contribution to the field
Importance of the
field/topic
Existing research
Locate a gap
Describe your work
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AVOID SIMPLE VERBS make/go/get/put/thing/interesting/proper/big/special/lots/spread/pick
get = obtain, achieve, reach
pick = select, choose
keep = retain, maintain
AVOID EMPTY PHRASES
many people in the world/most people in the world . where else?
special, interesting.. in what way?
AVOID SPOKEN ENGLISH IT SUGGESTS A BROKEN LINK TO YOUR READING
Loads of information can be found on the internet. (A great deal of information)
AVOID EMOTIONAL/DRAMATIC LANGUAGE AND JOURNALESE
there is still a spark of faith
INFORMAL LANGUAGE AND BABYLANGUAGE
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ACADEMIC VOCABULARY ISSUES
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THESAURUS USE: the thesaurus is NOT YOUR FRIEND!
noticeable is not the same as conspicuousand
notoriousis not the same as well-known.
KEEP TERMINOLOGY CONSISTENT. A toolshould not
become a strategyand then a device and then an
approach and then a technique.
WATCH OUT FOR L1 TRANSFER.
ERROR:extorting the meaning
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The way you start a sentence helps the reader
to process the content.
CONNECTING SIGNALSConnect sentences using overlapping repeats, pro-forms or signalling connectors BUT
if you begin a sentence or clause with a connector like therefore, is it really a
consequence or result of the previous sentence?
If you begin a sentence or clause with in other words,is it really the same thing in
other words?
STRONG SENTENCE STARTUP
Try to avoid beginning sentences or clauses with -ing forms or prepositional adverb
phrases (especiallyfor and with).
ORGANISING INFORMATION
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ORGANISING INFORMATION
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PARAGRAPHING
Avoid clusters of single-sentence paragraphs and whole-page
paragraphs.
ORDER OF INFORMATION
Dont put the background needed to understand a statement
AFTER the statement.
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DETERMINERS (articles)
Check for singular countable nouns: I am English teacher
Check for so-called uncountable nouns that you are using countably, e.g., food,
environment, technology
Watch out for invisible errors : This effect may hide a/theconnection between X
and Y.
SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT, grammatical and logical.
Check singular/plural agreement
Check whether the subject can actually perform the action of the verb.
PARTS OF SPEECH
Check whether the word you are using is an adjective, adverb or noun: due to the
bore curriculum [in Spanish schools].
GRAMMAR
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REFERENCE Add a noun to This/These(e.g. This model/theory), especially if
more than one noun is possible.
Check that the referent of This at the start of a sentence is
clear. This result was significant and is in line with results inprevious studies. This suggests that swearing has a beneficial
effect on pain tolerance.
VERB TENSEVerb tense identifies the function of the information:
We found that x occurred.
We found that x occurs.
GRAMMAR
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PREPOSITIONS
Wrong preposition may = wrong meaning: evidence
of vs.evidence for
Consider replacing the preposition with real words With has a range of meanings; consider replacing it
with using, having, in combination with, together
with, as a result of
GRAMMAR
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The referent of you/one/weis not always clear:
This technique gives you/us the possibility to improve
the design of the app.
Agentless passives (was done, was studied) may
cause confusion about who did the verb, so identify
the agent. Here/in that study/in our model/in their
approach/in the method proposed here.
YOU/WE/ONE or a PASSIVE?
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IDENTIFY IMPORTANT INFORMATION/THE VALUE OF YOUR CONTRIBUTION
Clearly identify information that is highly relevant or important: It is
important to remember that/It should be emphasized that
PUNCTUATION
Dont use a comma before adding a new thought
Dont overuse parentheses
SENTENCE LENGTH AND DENSITY
STRENGTH OF CLAIM
Make sure that your statements are an accurate reflection of their truth.
Do theyprove/provide evidence of/demonstrate/confirm/ indicate/suggest/corroborate/support or show something?
Do you need a citation reference?
Watch out for hyperbole (the most dangerous problem for human beings
in the world nowadays is.)
GENERAL TIPS
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MAP THE ORGANISATIONAL PATTERNS OF THE REPORTS/RESEARCHPAPERS/TEXTS YOU ARE READING AND USE THEM AS MODELS.
IDENTIFY THE PARAGRAPH FUNCTIONS OF THE REPORTS/RESEARCH
PAPERS/TEXTS YOU ARE READING AND USE THEM AS MODELS.
LOOK AT THE VOCABULARY IN THE REPORTS/RESEARCH
PAPERS/TEXTS YOU ARE READING AND USE THAT VOCABULARY.
LOOK AT THE SENTENCE STRUCTURES IN THE REPORTS/RESEARCH
PAPERS/TEXTS YOU ARE READING AND USE THEM AS MODELS.
THE TEMPLATE-BASED APPROACH
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uses authentic academic input rather than relying on creativewriting madness
increases writing speed
means that conventional patterns can compensate for
language errors
reduces the effect of the gap between language ability and
intellectual ability
results in better reading as well as better writing
is reliable and has high face validity because it is descriptive
rather than prescriptive
creates a bridge between reading and writing that actively
feeds writing21
THE TEMPLATE-BASED APPROACH