Academic English

Session 6

HEATHER LENNIE

Lennie.heather@isb.edu.vn
Good afternoon! Today we will...

● Discuss your home reading on FEATURES and

GRAMMAR of academic writing
● Practise analysing sentences

● Watch Group Gummy Bears & I Don’t Know’s

presentation rehearsals and give our feedback
● Read and give feedback comments to each
other’s GROUP ESSAY DRAFTS
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3-2-1

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Activity Instructions
SPEAKERS
1. What are the benefits of
thinking how to organize
your essay paragraphs (and
using patterns)?
2. Which is more important in
writing - having good ideas or
having good grammar?
LISTENERS - 1 min tasks
→ AFTER 1st round:
comment whether you
agree/disagree with the ideas
→ AFTER 2nd round:
paraphrase to check if you
understood correctly (So are you
saying that…?)
→ AFTER 3rd round:
Your ideas.
Activity Instructions
SPEAKERS LISTENERS - 1 min tasks
1. Which aspects of formal → AFTER 1st round:
comment whether you
academic writing style do
agree/disagree with the ideas
you find most challenging
to deal with? → AFTER 2nd round:
paraphrase to check if you
understood correctly (So are you
2. What can you do to saying that…?)

recognize problems in your

→ AFTER 3rd round:
writing and gradually improve Your ideas.
it?
Features of Academic Writing:

So what did we learn?

Paragraphs have s_______e
● paragraphs are about ___ words

● they express one ____ at a time

a _____ sentence, _______ sentences,

● they have
and a __________ sentence

● there are ways of organizing paragraphs of different types (think of

the p_______)

● they are c_______ through use of connective words and other

means
Paragraphs have structure

● paragraphs are about 100 words

● they express one idea at a time

● they have a topic sentence, support sentences, and a concluding

sentence

● there are ways of organizing paragraphs of different types (think of

the purpose)

● they are cohesive through use of connective words and other

means
Formal academic style...

uses specialized
terminology

uses scholarly vocabulary

overall

is formal and precise, rather

than “sort of something”

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TABOOS
● contractions and abbreviations

● colloquial vocabulary and idioms

“one foot in front of the other”
“hot topic”

● personal language

● gender specific language

● rhetorical question form

● conversational intensifiers
Grammar in Academic Writing
Problems to be aware of: Can you explain?

➔ Punctuation causing ambiguity of meaning

➔ Run-on and fused sentences

➔ Sentence fragments

➔ Consistency (in point of view, tense, mood)

➔ Subject/verb agreement
 What’s the problem?

When she was ready to eat her cat jumped

on the table.
 What’s the problem?

There is much evidence for global

warming many refuse to acknowledge it.
 What’s the problem?

Consent must be voluntary that means it

must be give freely without any pressure.
 What’s the problem?

In time, cities became more crowded.

Though many people remained on farms.
 What’s the problem?

Grammar and punctuation is very

important parts of academic writing.
 TIPS
—> Look at the clause/sentence level

—> Recognize your errors, consider feedback!

—> Prioritise

—> Practise writing

Image source: http://www.timetoshinepodcast.com/
Procedure:

● Presentation Time (9/12 minutes)

● Q&A (3-5 minutes)

● HELPFUL, SPECIFIC, USEFUL feedback (Heather, all

students)
GROUP ESSAY

first draft editing

workshop
Make sure you wrote the
TOPIC QUESTION on top
of your document.
Guidelines for feedback

PARAGRAPH LEVEL WHOLE TEXT

● Do paragraphs have ● Is it well-researched? Is
clear structure? Are they sufficient evidence
organized well? Are they provided and referenced
developed enough? (see correctly?
p.246-256) ● Is the topic analysed well
● Are connective words (as opposed to simple
used in balance? (see description)?
p.259-262) ● Is the text written
according to the norms of
formal academic style?
STEP 1

Together check your own group draft

with the guidelines provided.

On top of the draft document type

your questions/directions for
another group (reviewers): What
section of your essay should they look
at? What specific aspects do you want
them to pay attention to? What should
they focus on?
STEP 2

Access another group’s draft.

Don’t make changes - SUGGEST

changes. Address the questions
they give. Add other comments as
needed.
 Assessment rubrics for your essays

1) Depth of Research
2) Independent Critical Thinking (analysing vs
describing)
3) Structure, Format, Coherent Argumentation
4) Referencing
5) Language Use
 Group Essays are due before Session 8!

Check e-learning for dates and submission guidelines.

HW for Session 7
● Write comments on 1 essay draft of your choice (not
your group)
● Unistep chapter 8 - Academic argument and evidence
● Video recording (HW6) (3 mins max, link in the
spreadsheet):
- What have you learnt from reading the chapter? (NOT A
SUMMARY!)
- What was most important/useful?
- How have you been incorporating evidence into your work
(presentation, essays) until now? What changes are you going
to make after reading ch. 8?

● Group essay SECOND DRAFT (almost final version!)

HW Part 2 + Reminders
● Group H,F and K: presentation rehearsals

● Group essay submission is Session 8, FYI

● Finalize your individual topic by next class

(consider my comments); feedback on individual
essay outline per request
 Thank you
and
see you next time!

Lennie.heather@isb.edu.vn