Strategies of Academic Writing in English

ACADEMIC WRITING

Academic writing is a complex process that requires a number of various skills. Its nature is treated differently in different cultures and educational systems, and the ways of writing, correspondingly, also differ.

On the one hand, writing is considered to be the cognitive process, the means of the development of thinking, and on the other hand, it is a verbal art. These two aspects of one phenomenon are understood differently in Anglo-American and Ukrainian cultures.

The analysis of English academic writing given below, with its main strategies, important features and elements of academic texts, as well as major and subsidiary English academic genres, is made on the basis of T.V.Yakhontova's book English Academic Writing.

Some pieces of advice for developing your writing skills

T.V.Yakhontova has offered some pieces of advice following which you can develop your writing abilities. They are given below in a random way. Which five of them do you consider the most important? Support your preferences with appropriate arguments:

· use correct spelling, grammar and punctuation

· write in an objective, neutral manner

· accurately use terminology of your discipline

· ensure that your language is rich enough

· write in an academic style, avoid colloquial language, jargon and slang

· arrange your ideas in a strict logical order

· pay special attention to the introduction of your text

· incorporate visual support (tables, diagrams, graphs) for your ideas

· cite leading papers in your field

· pay special attention to the conclusion of your text

· think about the general presentation (chapters, subchapters, paragraphs) of your text.

Strategies of Academic Writing in English

Below are given ten strategies of Academic writing in English. They are given on a random basis – some are useful for Ukrainian writers, while others do not seem to be so useful. Be ready to supply arguments in favour of your choices.

1. Simply translate your texts into English yourself or with the help of computer programs

2. Lift useful expressions from authentic English papers, combine them, add some of your own and use them in your writing.

3. Pay attention to the organization And language of English papers in the leading journals in your discipline.

4. Consult with native speakers merely because they are native speakers.

5. Learn how the key parts of the academic text are typically organized and structured.

6. Rely on assistance of your colleagues – native speakers of English, working or studying in your discipline.

7. Be always eager to rewrite and revise believing that the best way of mastering or improving writing is to write as much as possible.

8. Think that academic writing in English is a matter of synthesizing a whole from literature in the field and data sources.

9. Have a Ukrainian colleague or supervisor who has already had experience of successful academic writing in English and is able to give you a good piece of advice.

10. Study English writing manuals or textbooks and follow their recommendations.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14