& Writing
EXPLORING WRITTEN ENGLISH
(B® Read the sentences. How else could the quantities in bold be expressed? Discuss with a NOTICING
partner. Then look again at paragraph H of the reading to check your ideas.
1. Lee and his researchers have di
resist peeking,
covered that more than 50 percent of children can't
2. Among two-year-olds who peek, just over 30 percent lie about it.
3, Among three-year-olds, 50 percent lie
4, Byage eight, about four-fifths of the children tested claim they didn't peek
We
When you refer to numerical data, you can use words and phrases to describe it instead
Cf using numbers, Sometimes using words and phrases rather than numbers and
percentages to express data can make it easier for readers to understand the significance
Of the data, It can also make your writing rmore interesting and less repetitive.
‘Some words that express percentages and numerical data include:
Tin 10 = 10percent two-fifths = 40 percent
Tin $= 20 percent two-thirds = 66.6 percent
aquarter = 25 percent three-quarters = 75 percent
athird = 33.3 percent the majority (of) = more than 50 percent
half = 50 percent almost all = slightly less than 100 percent
In addition, you can add modifiers such as fewer/less than, more than, approximately
nearly, exactly precisely, and just over.
‘More than a quarter of those who took part in the study were children
Approximately a third of those aged 13-17 told no les over the 24-hour period.
When you summarize a research study or article, you can use certain words and
phrases to introduce the results of the study.
Here are some expressions for Introducing results. Both the active and passive voice
are often used,
Researchers found / discovered /saw / observed / noticed that.
twas found / discovered / observed /noticed that:
B Look back at the infographic on Lying frequency in the reading passage. Complete the INTRODUCING
sentences using words and phrases from the Language for Writing box. RESULTS AND
DESCRIBING DATA
1, Researchers found that____ of people aged 60-77 told one
to five lies over a 24-hour period,
of people aged 45-59 told no lies.
children aged 9-12 told at least one lie in 24 hours.
of children aged 6-8 told one to five lies.
TRUTH AND DECEPTION 201INTRODUCING (@ Write two more sentences describing the data in the infographic. Use words and
RESULTS AND. phrases from the Language for Writing box.
DESCRIBING DATA
i 1
‘research summary covers the main points of a scientific study.
Part 1—Purpose of study: Includes background on the issue and states the
question(s) the researchers wanted to answer
Part 2—Method: Explains how the researchers set up the study, what they did, and
| what they had the participants/subjects do
Part 3—Results: Describes what the researchers found, how the participants
behaved, or what happened
| Part 4—Conclusion: Explains the significance of the results/what the results of the
study indicate regarding the research question
SUMMARIZING (BD Read the notes for a research summary. Write the letters a-g in the correct places in
RESEARCH the outline.
‘The Stanford Marshmallow Experiment
‘|
] a. The aim was to find out ifchildren could delay gratification, and how this ability can
! affect people’ lives.
b. About 33 percent of children were able to delay gratification long enough to eat both
| marshmallows.
i ‘c Researchers took children into a room with a chair, a small desk, two marshmallows,
and a bell
d. About 33 percent of subjects rang the bell and ate one marshmallow immediately
after researchers left
@. People who are able to resist their impulses and delay gratification tend to be more
successful in ie
Researchers later found that participants who delayed gratification had higher SAT
scores and were better able to deal with stress.
4g. The researchers left the room after telling the children they could eat both
marshmallows if they waited until the researchers came back. The children were told
that if they couldrrt wait, they could ring the bell and eat one marshmallow. The
researchers left the children alone for up to 20 minutes.
Outline
1. Introduction (purpose of study): 3, Results; _______
2, Method: ___ 4, Conclusion:
202 uninWRITING TASK
GOAL In this lesson, you are going to write an essay on the following topic:
Write a research summary of a famous study.
® Research some ofthe experiments listed below. Decide which one you will summarize, RESEARCHING
Then find two or more articles that give details about the experiment you have chosen.
+ The Invisible Gorilla Experiment; conducted by Daniel Simons and Christopher Chabris
+ The Good Samaritan Experiment; conducted by John Darley and Daniel Batson
+ AClass Divided; conducted by Jane Elliott
+ Ross's False Consensus Effect Study; conducted by Lee Ross
+ Car Crash Experiment; conducted by Elizabeth Loftus and John Palmer
+ The Chameleon Effect; conducted by Tanya Chartrand and John Bargh
® Follow these steps to make notes for your summary. PLANNING
Step 1. Read the articles once to understand the main points ofthe experiment.
Step2 Reread the articles and take notes in your own words. Identify the purpose of
the study, the method{s), the result(s) of the experiment, and the conclusion
suggested by the results. (See Unit § fora review of information on avoiding
plagiarism)
Step 3 Use your notes to complete the outline. Make note of where you got your
information. Include the references at the end of your research summary.
OUTLINE
Purpose of Study:
TRUTH AND DECEPTION. 203! Conclusion:
Finst DRAFT (Use the information in your outline to write a first draft of your research summary.
REVISING PRACTICE
The draft below is a model of the type of research summary you are writing. Follow
the steps to create a better second draft.
] 1. Write the sentences or phrases (a-¢) in the correct spaces.
yy a. If they couldn't wait until the researchers returned, the children could ring the bel
and eat one, but not both, of the marshmallows.
b.The researchers also found that in adulthood, the children who had been able
‘to wait longer for the marshmallows had been able to avoid addictive behaviors,
had more stable marriages, and were in better physical health
.Ultimately, however, Mischel transformed his experiment into a longitudinal
| study (one conducted over several years) to find out how people's ability to delay
ratification affects the rest of the ives
| 2. Now fix the following problems (a-b) with the summary.
i a. Fixa problem with language for introducing results in the Results section,
| b Replace a percentage with a word or phrase to avoid repetition at the start of the
| Results section.
The Stanford Marshmallow Experiment
Purpose of Study
In the 1960s and 1970s, Stanford psychologist Walter Mischel conducted a series
of studies with 653 preschool students aged three to five. The original purpose of
the study was to determine at what age children develop the ability to resist their
impulses and delay their own gratification
Method
In the study, researchers took individual children into a room with nothing but a chair
anda small desk. On the desk were two marshmallows and a bell. The researchers told
each child that they had to leave for afew minutes. They also told the children that
if they waited until the researchers came back, they would win both rarshmallows.
The researchers then left the children alone with both marshmallows for up to
20 minutes to observe whether or not the children were able to wait.
204 unisResults
The researchers found that about 33 percent of the children were able to delay their
ation I ,gh to win both marshmal pproximately 33 percent of
the subjects rang the bell and ate one marshmallow immediately after researche
left, Another 33 percent of the subjects tried to wait, covering their eyes, tugging
their ponytails, or making up sor rder to distract themselves. However, they
in before the researchers returned to the room, The researchers continued to study
s long into adolescence and adulthood. It found that as teen,
who could delay their own gratification as children had higher levels
nigher SAT scores, and were better able to deal with stress than the
ne participan
of self-esteem,
participants who had not been able to control their imp
Conclusion
he results of Mischels longitudinal study demonstrated that people who are able
ntrol their impulses and n tend to be more successful
(B Now use the questions below to revise your paragraph. REVISED DRAFT
ofthe
explain the study?
urpo:
ou explain the method clearly and thoroughly?
Did you include the results of the stu
Did you describe the conclusion of the stu
rases for introducing results?
Did you correctly ust
Did you us
words and phrases to vary the way data is exp
|
en as
about one third of children were able
ee aces
Conan as
TRUTH AND DECEPTION 205EDITING PRACTICE
Read the information below. Then find and correct one mistake with words and
phrases for describing data in each of the sentences (1-4).
In sentences with words and phrases that describe data, remember:
+ the verb usually agrees with the main noun
e.g. Two-thirds ofthe countrys drinking waters imported from abroad.
A third ofall the customers inthe survey were unhappy with the service they
received,
+ include of before a noun, after phrases such asa third, three quarters, and the
majority
+ use fewer than with plural count nouns and less than with nencount nouns
1.A third of the participants was able to delay gratification.
2. The majority ofthe research were carried out in South America
3. Around two-thirds the participants weren't able to wait for the two marshmallows.
4. Less than one hundred children took part in the study.
FINAL DRAFT (EB Follow the steps to write a final draft.
1, Check your revised draft for mistakes with words and phrases for referring to results,
and data,
Now use the checklist on page 248 to write a final draft. Make any other necessary
changes,
UNIT REVIEW
‘Answer the following questions. 4, Do you remember the meanings of these words?
Check (¥) the ones you know. Look back at the
unit and review the ones you don't know.
Clavtomaticalyam — Climpostoram
Dcepacity am innocence
2. Why might someone believe aie that is clearly cover We cee
contradicted by evidence? Ddeceitful Cprominent
Deceptive Cprone to
Dlemergencemm Disystematically
Difundamentalem — thrive
What are the four main parts of a research summary? Doulibie
1. What are two reasons people lie?
206 unir9