... Answers 204
Sources 259
Academic Writing
A Handbook forInternational Students
Second edition
Writing essays and dissertations can be a major concern for overseas students
studying at English-medium ...
resource.
Stephen Bailey has taught English for Academic Purposes at the University of
Nottingham and the University of Derby for the past 10 years. Before that he taught
English to students in ...
2.13
Style
2.14
Synonyms
2.15
Variation in Sentence Length
2.16
Visual Information
This may be partly true, but. . .
Flooding results from heavy rain
The former. . ., while the latter. . .
His work is more interesting...
... a role for internet-based
courses to supplement teacher-taught ones, and certainly
for people with other commitments they will be the only
practical option. There is an urgent need for research ... applying for. Similarly, your
early education is unimportant.
e) Do not just give job titles but explain in detail what you
did.
f) Only give references if asked to do so.
3.
Prepare a CV for yourself. ...
produce another paragraph of your essay:
A further explanation for the failure of wealth to increase
happiness is the tendency for people to compare their
own position to that of their neighbours....
... different. The first uses very formal vocabulary
such as seeking, position and implement. The second uses
an informal tone, the pronoun you, the question form and
informal vocabulary such as dud ...
just before you go home.
b) Writing for publication can be both profitable and
enjoyable. It’s open to everyone, because you
don’t need any qualifications. In Britain there is a
huge demand for ... merchantability
and fitness for particular purpose.
c) The Creative Labs Inspire 6.1 6600 speaker set
matches up well with the Sound Blaster Audigy 2
sound card, which has support for 24 bit processing...
... sector, which
began in Britain in 1981 with British Telecom . . .
b) Background information helps to give a context for your
essay.
In recent years the privatisation of state owned
businesses, ... relevance.
cross-reference
2.5 Definitions
1.14 Introductions
An introduction is crucial, not just for what it says about the
topic, but for what it tells the reader about the writer’s style and
approach. Unless ... fulfil.
i) explain starting point for research
ii) state aims/goals
iii) refer to recent research in same area
iv) give results of research
v) provide background information
vi) concede limitations...
... meaning.
Word Category Detail Use
A lecture is a formal talk given to a large
group,
often used for
teaching.
An assignment is a task often given to
students
for teaching or
assessment.
2. Insert suitable ... codes are a for making mail delivery
more efficient.
3. More complete definitions may be written by adding
examples or extra information:
A mortgage is a type of loan (which is) used for buying ... conducted.
76
Elements of Writing
5. Note the variety of forms possible:
German letters are more expensive than French (ones/
letters). (least formal)
Letters in Germany are more expensive than (those)...
... favour of one
side. These may be called ‘discussion’, for and against’ or
‘argument’ essays. For example:
a) School uniforms – a step forward or a step back?
– discuss.
b) Discuss the advantages ...
assess the information and ideas they have collected in a
discussion section before the conclusion.
Discussion vocabulary
+–
benefit
advantage
a positive aspect
pro (informal)
plus (informal)
one ... of school uniforms
is . . .
drawback
disadvantage
a negative feature
con (informal)
minus (informal)
a serious drawback to state control
is . . .
2. There are two basic outlines for a discussion...
... During
5b Since
5c ago
5d recently
5e Currently
5f by
5g since
6a before
6b later
6c by
6d for
6e until
6f during
6g ago
3.18 Verbs – Formality
2 (Possible synonyms)
adapt = modify
arise = occur
carry ... was brilliantly painted by Picasso.
3d Pencils for all the students in the exam were helpfully provided.
3e Over 550 people were regularly tested for the disease (by doctors).
3f The percentages ... divided into
2f blamed for
2g believed in
2h rely on
4a derives from
4b consists of
4c added to
4d looked into
4e rely on/depend on
4f invested . . . in
4g Compared to
4h pay . . . for
4i rely on/depend...
... getting worse . . .
Informal
They say . . .
Use of pronoun informal
. . . going on . . .
Informal phrasal verb
. . . quite a long time.
Imprecise – how long is this?
I think . . .
Informal, personal ... positive aspects
i) Do not use question forms such as
What were the reasons
for the decline in wool exports? Instead use statements: There
were four main reasons for the decline
j) Avoid numbering ...
pp. 100–35.
Koutsoyiannis, A.P. (1963) ‘Demand function for tobacco’
in Wagner, L. (ed) Readings in Applied Microeconomics.
Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Mintel Database (2000), Retail Coffee...
... original form. Bus comes from omnibus,
which is never used in modern English, but refrigerator
is still better in written English than the informal fridge.
Public house is now very formal (pub ... academic
writing. They include:
cf. = compare
e.g. = for example
et al. = and others (used for giving names of multiple
authors)
Fig. = figure (for labelling charts and graphs)
ibid. = in the same ... (NATO), but others use lower case
(nimby). NATO stands for North Atlantic Treaty Organisation,
which is a real body, while nimby stands for not in my back
yard, which is a concept.
c)
Other...
... became the Beatles was formed in
1960 by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, with George
Harrison and Ringo Starr joining later. a). . . . . . . . . . . .
playing in small clubs for 2 years their first ...
available for rent?
How many rooms (C) are vacant next
month?
cross-reference
3.16 Singular or Plural?
148 Accuracy in Writing
NEGATIVES Not much/Little equipment (U) was
needed for the experiment.
Not ... caused anger among some of the
older holders of this award.
In 1966 the Beatles stopped live performances, i). . . . . . .
their music was becoming too complex to produce
on stage. A year later...
... increased steadily. There are several reasons
for this trend.
50 years c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . most women were
housewives, and cooked for their families every day.
But d) . . . . . ... the use of the following:
She went on a training course for 6 weeks. (with numbers)
The report must be finished by June 12th. (on or before)
He has been president since 1998. (usually with present ... with past)
The hotel is closed during the winter. (with noun)
Before writing he studied over 100 sources. (often
followed by -ing form; also after)
He applied in May and was accepted two months...
... at/into
look for
apply to
apply for
The stock market has been compared
with/to a casino.
The evidence needs to be looked at/into
more carefully.
Most students use search engines to look
for information.
He ... students use search engines to look
for information.
He applied to the committee for a grant.
To apply for the job three forms must be
completed.
4. Choose suitable verbs and prepositions from (1) ... not the consequences.
b) Dr Cracknell that there were only
two weeks before the deadline.
c) Fewer British students are foreign
languages.
d) The theory of relativity will always be
Albert...
... Introduction
There are various possible formats for different types
of essays, as well as non-academic texts such as letters
and CVs. For instance, if a selection of formal letters is
studied it will ... 2006
e)
Dear Ms Tan
f)
Application for MA International Studies
g)
Further to your recent application, I would like to
invite you to the university for an informal interview
on Tuesday 21st ... You have decided to
apply for this job. Make notes for your letter of application, then
write the letter, paying attention to layout as well as content.
STAFF REQUIRED FOR RECEPTION WORK AT CITY...
... options for possible forms of
politico-military co-operation and for voluntary implementation of FSC instruments and
commitments. This paper was forwarded to the chairperson of the informal ... the Chair, Foreign Minister Passy, for all his efforts.
We welcome the decisions just adopted, which represent important steps forward in a
number of areas and chart a course for the next ... Chairperson of the Forum for Security Co-operation, it is my pleasure to inform
you about the Forum’s activities since the Eleventh Meeting of the Ministerial Council.
The work of the Forum in 2004...
...
MEASUREMENT OF PERFORMANCE FOR
DETONATION TECHNOLOGIES
A discussion of the Tier 1 detonation-type technologies
will be informed by first considering appropriate means
for gauging their performance. ... reserved.
Review of International Technologies for Destruction of Recovered Chemical Warfare Materiel
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11777.html
2 REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES FOR DESTRUCTION ... statement of task for this study charged
the Committee on Review and Evaluation of International
Technologies for the Destruction of Non-Stockpile Chemical
Materiel with evaluating international...