Welcome to Unit 1

ACADEMIC WRITING
Brain teasers-can you answer these
questions?

 Why is effective communication necessary?

 What are the features of effective formal writing?
 What should be avoided in effective formal writing?
 What are registers?
 Is there a specific form of writing which is typically used in academia?
 What are the components of an expository essay?
Read on for the answers!!!
Why is effective communication
necessary?

“The way you communicate both within and outside your own country will
affect everything you accomplish. Your ability to speak and write effectively
will also make a difference to your organization”.
 That quotation, taken from Unit 1 of your course material, sums up the
importance both of this course and of effective and appropriate writing.
Key questions- Would you rate yourself as an effective writer? Why or why
not?
What should be avoided in effective
formal writing?


The Unit points out the difference between oral and written communication.
 Oral communication is used in informal environments and circumstances, for example
you use oral communication when chatting with your friends and family at school,
church and in your homes.
 However, when you write for this course and for the other courses in your degree
programme, do not give in to the temptation to write informally.
Avoid -
➢ Slang and Creole terms-these may be acceptable when you are speaking with your
friends but they are not to be used in your writing.
➢ Contractions such as don’t, wouldn’t, I’ve. Write out the whole word.
➢ Poor spelling
➢ Subject and verb agreement errors
 The personal pronoun I. Using I makes your essay more personal and by
less informal. Also do not refer to your reader as You. Avoid me, us, you, I
and we.
 Intensifiers: This is another group of words to be used with care. They
include words such as-
▪ eg “great” ( it was a great night; a great performance);
▪ “really” (it was a really, really good effort).
 Sentence fragments eg While we were writing .
Key question-Do any of the above affect your writing?
What are registers?

A register is a level of formality. Your audience will determine your choice to be formal at times
and less formal at other times.
Here are the different types of levels of register:
1. Frozen – normally reserved for written language of a highly impersonal and formal nature. The
Bible and the Constitution of your country are examples of text written in frozen register. It is unlikely
that you will use this register!
2. Deliberative or formal – represents language that has been carefully considered and planned
before use. This is the register required for this course.
3. Consultative – reflects the sort of language generally used with strangers or persons of only slight
acquaintance; it is also the language of general business.
4. Casual – a more relaxed style adopted in friendly surroundings.
5. Intimate – so called because it incorporates forms and vocabulary normally used only between
people who know one another extremely well, such as family, lovers or close friends.
Key question-Which of these do you use most often?
Is there a specific form of writing
which is typically used in academia?

 We looked at reasons why formal writing is necessary .

 However, is there a specific form of writing which is typically used in
academia?
▪ Is it argumentative writing- this is used when arguing a point?
▪ Is it narrative-used in storytelling?,
▪ Is it technical writing-used in manuals and other forms of extremely formal
and highly specialized language ?
✓ Is it expository writing? –Yes it is!
The expository mode of writing allows the writer to share information about a topic
or process. It is based on reliable and authoritative sources
You will use expository writing for this course (and many others).
What are the components of an expository
essay?

 Your introduction provides a background for your reader and contains the
thesis statement. There are four main parts: the establishment of the essay
topic, the context(s), the significance, and the thesis statement.
 The body contains several paragraphs. Each point of your essay will be
developed in a body paragraph. Its basic parts are the Topic sentence,
Explanation, Examples, Evidence, and Summary/Significance sentence
(TEEES)
 The conclusion wraps up what you said before and contains a
restatement (not a copy!) of your thesis.
Don’t worry these will all be explained in detail as we go along!
So, can you answer these now?

 Why is effective communication necessary?

 What are the features of effective formal writing?
 What should be avoided in effective formal writing?
 What are registers?
 Is there a specific form of writing which is typically used in academia?
 What are the components of an expository essay?
See you next week!!