What we will look at together

 Positioning your writing

 Purpose & structure
 Tips on essay or thesis writing
 Style and flow exercises
Academic &  Editing
Scientific Writing
 A range of different writing tasks
Mark Edwards

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Positioning – what must be considered? Targeting and structuring your communication

 Audience
 Purpose
 Structure
 Style
 Flow
 Appearance

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The giants and the key The 5 Earlys

WHO WHY
 Early start date
Exactly who? What is the
My discipline only? purpose?  Early finish date
What level of specialisation? This question is as deep
My supervisors as you want it to be…  Key message: Early in the piece
Visiting professor
Colleagues  Main point of paragraph: Early in the paragraph
Sub groups e.g.. Pioneers / Experimental
WHAT
Conservatives  Most important element: Early in the sentence
Types of people e.g. cynics / skeptics/ detail-oriented
1 key message
Particular interests:
e.g.Theoretical aspects /Practical applications CLARITY

Wider groups – connected disciplines?

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 Tips on writing: outlining Audience

3 methods to define your outline – the ‘backbone’ of your writing

 Who are your audience – what are their needs?
1. Reduce paragraphs to single sentences
2. Mind map Internet Google
Other sources
Good Introduction
 What is their level of knowledge?
quotation
Research Explain

 What are their expectations?

Library Relevance to Structure
the world Mind
Academic Skim
Map
databases reading Storyboarding
JSTOR
Editing
Lexis Light, then Skills Single
Outline
 What prior knowledge do they have?
Eric for Clarity
OED thorough Sentences

3. Concept
Cluster /
 What is the context or setting?
Storyboard

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The first giant - Audience Purpose

You have to answer the big question…  Strategy (linked to audience)

It could be:
 instructional;

SO WHAT?...  inspirational;
 commercial;
 to display familiarity and understanding

Why should they care?

Why is it of relevance to this particular audience?
What is their ‘ah-hah’ level?

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The second big question Structures

You have to answer another big question…  Problem – Solution

 Comparison - Contrast

What is it all for?  Cause-effect

 Classification

Why are you doing this piece of writing?

What do you hope to gain from it?
What’s in it for me?

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 Academic & scientific style Careful Word choice

 Appropriate style - what is ‘Scientific’? 1 Caused 2 encountered 3 faced

 Some differences between disciplines

 Use of language is important to set tone and be easily understood
 Style guides give good guidance e.g.
 New Oford Style Guide
 New Hart‘s Rules
 The Chigago Manual of Style

 More formal than spoken English

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Word choice – positional words Passive vs. Active voice

generated studied identified Passive (somewhat dated in style)

2500 candidates were identified from which a cohort of 250 were selected. This
created proposed shaped cohort was then analysed using an xyz compression algorithm. This was time-
consuming process.

devised suggested evolved An completely novel algorithm was subsequently developed by the authors that
reduced analysis time by 30%.

Invented formulated conceptualised

Active (can sometimes sound repetitious)
fabricated developed
We identified 2500 candidates from which we selected a cohort of 250. We
then analysed this cohort using an xyz compression algorithm. This was time-
manufactured advanced consuming process.
We subsequently developed an completely novel algorithm that reduced
made up established analysis time by 30%.

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Passive vs. Active voice Switching tenses: Example

It is OK to mix the active and passive voices.

(but make sure you use ‘we’ or even ‘I’ where you wish to emphasise your
authorship, or your contibution
2500 candidates were identified from which we selected a cohort of 250. This
cohort was then analysed using an xyz compression algorithm. This was a
time-consuming process.
We subsequently developed an completely novel algorithm that reduced
analysis time by 30%.
The aim of this experiment is to demonstrate a direct link between diet,
exercise regime and resulting wieght loss.
A group of 200 people attending weight loss motivation exercise
classes with dietary advice are compared over a six month period with
a group of television-watching couch potatoes who are supplied with an
endless menu of potato based snacks.

Results
We discovered that for the exercise group there appeared to be a
steady decrease in weight.
The second group did not achieve this result and in some cases gained
weight.

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 What to avoid Commonly confused

 Uncertain language:  Rise: moving upwards , being increased

 would, could, should
 might, may, possibly  Raise - move to higher position
 What I would like to do, what we hope for is…
 Arise – to get up. To come to notice, to emerge
 If our experiments are successful, we hope to show a from someth./Someone.
link between exercise, diet and weight loss.

 A successful outcome to our experiment will

demonstrate that regular exercise and a healthy diet
increases weight loss

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What to avoid I would advise that you examine your ‘thats’.

 In recent decades In all events, it is clear that many people claim that quantum
physics is a complex sublect
 In the last two decades
 In the last decades – wrong!
Many people claim that quantum physics is a complex subject
 In the last years – wrong!

Quantum physics is a complex subject.

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Be careful of ‘they’ and ‘theirs Tips on writing

 Start early – (writing can also be part of the exploration process)

The standard ABC and XYZ methods are not suitable for carbon
compounds since they underestimate their rigidity
The standard ABC and XYZ methods are not suitable for carbon
compounds since both of these methods underestimate the rigidity
of the compounds.
 Form a clear argument
 Research as widely as possible. Internet: not just google. Academic
databases. Don’t forget the library! Quote from many sources.
 Analyse: Define claims, sift evidence, challenge logic
 Allow the idea to form: Question yourself; write; meditate; go for walks;
go into unusual environments. Allow time for gestation. Tolerate the
uncertainty.
 Thesis: Clear argument, assertion. Claim, then 3 reasons why.
 Challenge your thesis: Is an alternative explanation possible? What
assumptions are there? Is the logic sound? Is there enough evidence?
 Avoid: Generalising from small samples; exaggeration; either/or
thinking; over-reliance on ‘authorities; all forms of assumption.

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 Tips on writing: the introduction ‘Sexy’ Titles – contemporary references

 Grab the attention: Use, or distort, a well-known phrase, saying or title:

 An interesting fact
Tea for Two Hundred Million
 A relevant quotation
A study of the economic impact of recent changes in agricultural
 A surprising statistic practices in the tea plantations of Ceylon
 Set up the issue, lead into the thesis
 Give an overview of the structure: The Lord of the Carbon Rings
 What is being tested? What is the question? A biography of August Kekulé’s work on the structure of Benzene
 Why is this interesting, important or relevant?
 What was the approach used?
 Briefly – what is the conclusion? Make the main title snappy or memorable, and ensure you include as
 Title & introduction together are critically important. many of the hot key-words for your subject in the subtitle as feasible.

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‘Sexy’ Titles – some very old techniques Tips on writing: the main passage

 Alliteration: Key words begin with the same sound

e.g. ‘The Justification for Geo-Engineering’  Check each paragraph for a central focus.
 Consider each paragraph in isolation, and then together
 Repetition: Repetition reinforces meaning and adds rhythm
 Develop ideas fully:
e.g. ‘Open to change and open to the future’
 give examples;
 The rule of three: Groupings of 3 aid memorability  use quotations;
e.g. ‘Tea, Sympathy and Tear-gas’  anticipate responses,
 give more evidence.
 Rhyme (either explicit or internal)
e.g. ‘Techniques from the Greeks’  Discuss Materials & Methods
 Assonance: Use of similar vowel sounds  Results – Start each paragraph with what was being tested
e.g. ‘An Unusual Route to Union’
 Discussion – (Explain, interpret, compare to expectations, next steps)
‘Veni, Vidi, Vici’

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Tips on writing: the conclusion Lastly:

 Find a powerful ending:  Write the abstract

 A memorable quotation;
 A strong image;
 discuss consequences & relevance;  Edit…Edit … Edit.
 end as you began;  Revise extensively. Do not let your work become ‘sacred’.
 recap your main idea and summarise in new words, or,  Circulate widely, and listen to and accept feedback and criticism
 expand out from your detailed area to the ‘wider picture’. with grace. Do not become defensive.
 Look for ways to improve formality, style, flow, economy and
 Re-write the introduction appearance.
 Citations & references  Proof-read thoroughly.

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 Abstract: structural checklist Keeping track of larger, complex writing projects

Topic/ main problem that is addressed  Identify the ‘strands’ (mind-mapping?)

Background – (Scholarly style – not too much detail)  Break each strand into smaller and smaller chunks
Objective of the study  Schedule important writing milestones into your calendar
Definitions (Consider target audience)
 Create ‘Project lists’
Hypothesis  Create an ‘Active Projects’ folder / Step-by-step lists for each
Methods/ Equipment project in reverse order with the next step at the bottom. Delete
as completed
Results (Only the most relevant)  Weekly review and strategy session. Diarise and schedule
Conclusion following week.
 Keep a separate ‘maybe’ list and also a ‘someday’ list and a
Keywords ‘waiting for’ list
 Book recommendation: ‘Getting things done’ – David Allen

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Flow Flow - Analysis

Edward Teach (c. 1680 – 22 November 1718), better known as Blackbeard,

 Narrative and dialogue – consider your paper as was a notorious English pirate who operated around the West Indies and the
a story – beginning, middle and end. Eastern coast of the American colonies.

 Does it flow smoothly and logically from point to ,

point?
 Using linking words and phrases will enhance
clarity and emphasise logical connections.
Although little is known about his early life he was probably born in Bristol,
England. He may have been a sailor on privateer ships during Queen Anne's
War before settling on the Caribbean island of New Providence, a base for
Captain Benjamin Hornigold, whose crew Teach joined at some point in 1716.
A shrewd and calculating leader, Teach spurned the use of force, relying
instead on his fearsome image to elicit the response he desired from those he
robbed. Contrary to the modern-day picture of the traditional tyrannical pirate,
he commanded his vessels with the permission of their crews and there is no
known account of his ever having harmed or murdered those he held captive.

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Appearance Why you need to proof-read

 Well-presented documents are taken more Eye halve a spelling chequer

It came with my pea sea
seriously: It plainly marques four my revue
Miss steaks eye kin knot sea.
 Clear paragraphs;
 Line spacings; Eye strike a quay and type a word
And weight four it two say
 Standard fonts and sizes; Weather eye am wrong oar write
It shows me strait a weigh.
 PROOF-READ thoroughly – do not rely on the
spell-checker!

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 Why you need to proof-read Find the errors

Eye halve a spelling chequer I have a spelling checker

It came with my pea sea It came with my PC Their is some skepticism as to weather
It plainly marques four my revue
Miss steaks eye kin knot sea.
It plainly marks for my review
Mistakes I can not see.
this approach is affective.
The initial re-action too the findings was
Eye strike a quay and type a word I strike a key and type a word not been complementary. In fact, many
And weight four it two say And wait for it to say
Weather eye am wrong oar write Whether I am wrong or right writers belief that a compleat revue is
It shows me strait a weigh. It shows me straight away.
eminent.

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Editing Filters Editing for brevity

Only the development and fostering of a close collaborative multidisciplinary cooperation of
government bodies, industry, public and private architects, planning regulators, those public and
 Audience – Who am I talking to? private bodies responsible for strategic development, lobbyists and public opinion leaders will ensure
cleaner air in Europe and reduced negative and harmful effects on human health and well-being for
 Purpose – Why am I telling them? future generations to come by the development and promulgation of smart cities, efficient
management of green buildings at low CO2 emissions, and sustainable economic development
 Key message – What exactly is the most practices. The stated objective of this Action is to create a multidisciplinary cooperation to establish a
important thing I am saying? cooperative network to explore and experiment with new sensing technologies for low-cost air-
pollution control through intensive research, field studies and laboratory experiments and subsequent
 Avoid informal language analysis, documentation and dissemination of final reports in digestible form to ensure the subsequent
 Check for careful word choice transfer of the results into preventive real-time control practises, if necessary enacted into legislation
and prescriptive local planning regulations. This Action will encourage and ensure an approach
 Flow designed to create a stronger focus on global sustainability for the ongoing monitoring of climate
changes and outdoor/indoor energy efficiency. (179 words)
 Brevity
 Clarity
 Plain English
 Grammar, punctuation and spelling

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Editing for brevity Supplementary 1 – formal language (result)

Only the development and fostering of a close collaborative multidisciplinary cooperation of
government bodies, industry, public and private architects, planning regulators, those public and
A vital question in immunology is to identify which
private bodies responsible for strategic development, lobbyists and public opinion leaders will ensure
cleaner air in Europe and reduced negative and harmful effects on human health and well-being for
factors determine whether an immune response can
future generations to come by the development and promulgation of smart cities, efficient efficiently clear or control a viral infection, and under
management of green buildings at low CO2 emissions, and sustainable economic development
practices. The stated objective of this Action is to create a multidisciplinary cooperation to establish a what circumstances persistent viral replication and
cooperative network to explore and experiment with new sensing technologies for low-cost air-
pollution control through intensive research, field studies and laboratory experiments and subsequent pathology can be observed. This paper summarises
analysis, documentation and dissemination of final reports in digestible form to ensure the subsequent
transfer of the results into preventive real-time control practises, if necessary enacted into legislation how mathematical models help us gain new insights
and prescriptive local planning regulations. This Action will encourage and ensure an approach
designed to create a stronger focus on global sustainability for the ongoing monitoring of climate into these questions, and explores the relationship
changes and outdoor/indoor energy efficiency. (179 words)
between antiviral therapy and long–term
Only close multidisciplinary collaboration will ensure cleaner air in Europe and reduced negative immunological control in human immunodeficiency
effects on human health for future generations by the construction of smart cities, efficient
management of green buildings at low CO2 emissions, and sustainable economic development. The
virus (HIV) infection.
objective of this Action is to create a cooperative network to explore new sensing technologies for low-
cost air-pollution control through field studies and laboratory experiments and to transfer the results
into preventive real-time control practices. This Action will support global sustainability for monitoring
climate changes and outdoor/indoor energy efficiency.(88 Words)

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 Supplementary 1 – formal language (result)

Mathematical models and experimental data suggest

that HIV persistence and pathology are caused by the
absence of sufficient CTL memory. We show how
mathematical models can be instrumental in devising Thank you
therapy regimens that can normalise the CTL memory
in HIV patients and result in long–term immunological
control of the virus without the need for life–long
treatment.

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