Lesson 3 Writing Mechanics of Academic Texts (Complete Handout)

Special Lesson
WRITING MECHANICS
OF ACADEMIC TEXTS
Lesson Objectives
By the end of the lesson, you will have been able to:
1. Distinguish the components of academic writing mechanics;
2. Use parallel structure;
3. Use punctuation marks correctly;
4. Capitalize words correctly;
5. Determine the importance of correct spelling; and
6. Determine the importance of correct abbreviation use.
MECHAN CS
A writing mechanics is defined as the rules and conventions concerning technical
aspects of writing composition. The category of writing mechanics includes technical
areas such as punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and abbreviation that concern
expressive accuracy.
Mechanics can also be expanded to include organization within one's writing, such as
ideas, words, sentences, and paragraphs.
WRITING MECHANICS
OF ACADEMIC TEXTS
WRITING MECHANICS
OF ACADEMIC TEXTS
TOPICS
WRITING MECHANICS
OF ACADEMIC TEXTS
PARALLELISM
WRITING MECHANICS
OF ACADEMIC TEXTS
PUNCTUATION
WRITING MECHANICS
OF ACADEMIC TEXTS
CAPITALIZATION
WRITING MECHANICS
OF ACADEMIC TEXTS
SPELLING
WRITING MECHANICS
OF ACADEMIC TEXTS
ABBREVIATION
PARALLELISM
Parallel ideas, that is, ideas being compared (APA 3.09),

coordinated (APA 3.23), listed (APA 3.04), or presented as stubs
in a table (APA 5.13), must be expressed using parallel
grammatical forms. In other words, the ideas need to have a
similar grammatical structure (e.g., adjectives with adjectives,
verbs with verbs, nouns with nouns, and so on).
PARALLELISM COMPARISON
BETWEEN…AND
BOTH…AND
similar grammatical structure (e.g., adjectives with adjectives, NEITHER…NOR
verbs with verbs, nouns with nouns, and so on). EITHER…OR
NOT ONLY…
BUT ALSO
LIST
(SERIES)
BETWEEN…AND
INCORRECT:
These average levels were higher than previous studies. BOTH…AND
NEITHER…NOR
EITHER…OR
NOT ONLY…
BUT ALSO
LIST
(SERIES)
BETWEEN…AND
INCORRECT:
These average levels were higher than previous studies. BOTH…AND
CORRECT: NEITHER…NOR
These average levels were higher than they had been EITHER…OR
in previous studies.
NOT ONLY…
BUT ALSO
LIST
(SERIES)
BETWEEN…AND
INCORRECT:
Another finding was that women reported more of these BOTH…AND
incidents than men.
NEITHER…NOR
EITHER…OR
NOT ONLY…
BUT ALSO
LIST
(SERIES)
BETWEEN…AND
INCORRECT:
Another finding was that women reported more of these BOTH…AND
incidents than men.
NEITHER…NOR
CORRECT: EITHER…OR
Another finding was that women reported more of
these incidents than men did. NOT ONLY…
BUT ALSO
LIST
(SERIES)
INCORRECT: BETWEEN…AND
Researchers have speculated about the differences
between the caregiver burden experienced by adult BOTH…AND
children and spouses.
NEITHER…NOR
EITHER…OR
NOT ONLY…
BUT ALSO
LIST
(SERIES)
between the caregiver burden experienced by adult BOTH…AND
children and spouses.
NEITHER…NOR

NOT ONLY…
between the caregiver burden experienced by adult BUT ALSO
children and the caregiver burden experienced by
spouses. LIST
(SERIES)
• Participants in that study included adolescents
between 13–18 years of age. BOTH…AND
between 13 years of age and 18. NEITHER…NOR
EITHER…OR
NOT ONLY…
BUT ALSO
LIST
(SERIES)
between 13–18 years of age. BOTH…AND
between 13 years of age and 18. NEITHER…NOR
EITHER…OR
CORRECT:
NOT ONLY…
Participants in that study included adolescents between BUT ALSO
13 and 18 years of age.
LIST
(SERIES)
The researchers collected data both through qualitative

interviews and quantitative surveys. BOTH…AND
NEITHER…NOR
EITHER…OR
NOT ONLY…
BUT ALSO
LIST
(SERIES)
The researchers collected data both through qualitative

interviews and quantitative surveys. BOTH…AND
The researchers collected data through both qualitative EITHER…OR
interviews and quantitative surveys.

NOT ONLY…
BUT ALSO
LIST
(SERIES)
The medium effect size allowed for analysis that was

neither too strict nor lenient in assessing relationships BOTH…AND
between the variables.
NEITHER…NOR
EITHER…OR
NOT ONLY…
BUT ALSO
LIST
(SERIES)

neither too strict nor lenient in assessing relationships BOTH…AND
between the variables.
NEITHER…NOR
NOT ONLY…
neither too strict nor too lenient in assessing BUT ALSO
relationships between the variables.
LIST
(SERIES)
Member checking ensures not only that the data

collected are transferable but also accurate. BOTH…AND
NEITHER…NOR
EITHER…OR
NOT ONLY…
BUT ALSO
LIST
(SERIES)
Member checking ensures not only that the data

collected are transferable but also accurate. BOTH…AND
Member checking ensures that the data collected are EITHER…OR
not only transferable but also accurate.

NOT ONLY…
BUT ALSO
LIST
(SERIES)
In this chapter, I explain the research design, the

rationale, and describe the variables. BOTH…AND
NEITHER…NOR
EITHER…OR
NOT ONLY…
BUT ALSO
LIST
(SERIES)
In this chapter, I explain the research design, the

rationale, and describe the variables. BOTH…AND
In this chapter, I explain the research design, the EITHER…OR
rationale, and the variables.

NOT ONLY…
BUT ALSO
LIST
(SERIES)
Four major themes emerged from the data: (a) well-

planned onboarding, (b) the use of peer mentors, (c) ask BOTH…AND
what employees need, (d) and engage employees.
NEITHER…NOR
EITHER…OR
NOT ONLY…
BUT ALSO
LIST
(SERIES)

planned onboarding, (b) the use of peer mentors, (c) ask BOTH…AND
what employees need, (d) and engage employees.
NEITHER…NOR

NOT ONLY…
planned onboarding, (b) peer mentoring, (c) asking BUT ALSO
about employees' needs, (d) and engaging employees.
LIST
(SERIES)
SEATWORK 3.1
Rewrite the following

sentences to observe parallel
structure.
SEATWORK 3.1
1. Stress makes it difficult to exercise

regularly, have relationships that are
stable, and be eating food with
benefits to one’s health.
SEATWORK 3.1
2. Numerous species of fauna have

fallen prey to not only poaching for
commercial and medicinal reasons
but also to deforestation.
SEATWORK 3.1
3. The coach told the players that they

should get a lot of sleep, that they
should not eat too much, and to do
some warm-up exercises before the
game.
SEATWORK 3.1
4. The dictionary can be used to find

these: word meanings,
pronunciations, correct spellings,
and looking up irregular verbs.
SEATWORK 3.1
5. Driving a car requires coordination,

patience, and to have good eyesight.
SEATWORK 3.1
6. Breaking out of the prison

compound, the escapees moved
carefully, quietly, and were quick on
their feet.
SEATWORK 3.1
7. How you look in the workplace is

just as important as your behavior.
SEATWORK 3.1
8. We can neither wait for something

to happen nor can we take evasive
action.
SEATWORK 3.1
9. After taking an accounting class,

Laura learned that the most
important things in finance are
balancing accounts, checking
account balances, and to keep
receipts.
SEATWORK 3.1
10. Students who do not attend class

risk suspension and to be
expelled.
CREATIVE
CREATIVE WORK 1
CREATIVE WORK 11
WORK
On an A4-size paper, create a digital poster of a hypothetical or
an authentic product or service with a slogan that follows the
correct parallel structure. The scoring rubric is as follows:
ORIGINALITY 20%
CREATIVITY 15%
ORGANIZATION OF CONTENT 15%
CORRECTNESS OF PARALLEL STRUCTURE
40%
GRAMMAR AND MECHANICS 10%
Three examples are presented in the next slides.

Sir Rain’s pitch
BETWEEN…AND
BOTH…AND
similar grammatical structure (e.g., adjectives with adjectives, NEITHER…NOR
verbs with verbs, nouns with nouns, and so on). EITHER…OR
NOT ONLY…
BUT ALSO
LIST
(SERIES)
PUNCTUATION
Punctuation is the set of marks used to regulate

texts and clarify their meanings, mainly by
separating or linking words, phrases, and clauses.
One of the best ways to help students understand

punctuation, is by getting them to read, as it helps
them to absorb natural and correct uses of
punctuation.
To convey meaning and maximize readability,
it is important that correct punctuation is used.
There are eight main types of punctuation used in
academic texts, and students might find it easier to
use some than others.
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PERIOD |
A period, also known as a “full stop” in British English, is a
punctuation mark that looks like a tiny circle or dot. It appears at the
bottom of a written line and directly follows the preceding character
without a space.
The period ends all sentences except those that are direct questions
or exclamations (the latter is not advisable in academic texts).
Periods are also used in abbreviations.
.
, : ; - ’ “ ()
1. Use a period to end a declarative or imperative sentence.
 Results revealed that the experienced language teacher had more

exposure to ICT use than the novice teacher.
 Do not use exclamation in academic writing.
.
, : ; - ’ “ ()
2. Use a period in certain abbreviations.
The following are examples of some abbreviations which use periods:
.
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NOTE:
 Do not use a period with most abbreviated names of
organizations or with commonly used abbreviations that replace
words (acronyms and some initialisms).
ASEAN, PNU, UNESCO, BIR, COMELEC, DSWD
 If a sentence ends with a period marking an abbreviation, do not
add a second period.
You need to brush up on grammar, punctuation,
capitalization, spelling, etc.
.
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That’s on what? Period.|
COMMA |
A comma is a punctuation mark that looks like a tiny circle or dot
with a tail used to break up different parts of a sentence. They allow
someone to make sense of what they are reading. Commas occur
where ideas are grouped, to make it easier to understand these ideas.
It may be helpful to think of commas as places where a reader might
draw breath. The comma forms a natural place in a sentence where
the reader can pause, to make sense of an idea. As a comma signifies
a pause, it follows a natural speech pattern.
,
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1. Use a comma to separate words in a list.
In this chapter, I explain the research design, the rationale, and

the variables.
, is an Oxford comma.
,
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2. Use a comma to separate parts of a sentence.
Firstly, I would like to consider the merits of supplementing the

diet with zinc extract. Secondly, vitamin C can be introduced to
combat infection.
,
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3. Use a comma to separate two parts of a linked idea.
After the French Revolution had taken place, many other

European countries were concerned about civil unrest.
Many scientists believe in evolution, although some are trying

to disprove Darwin's Theory of Evolution.
,
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COLON |
A colon is a punctuation mark that looks like two periods stacked
vertically used to introduce or call attention to the words that follow it.
The colon is also used between clauses when the second clause
summarizes or explains the first, or in certain situations to indicate a
separation between specific elements.
:
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1. Use a colon to introduce a list.
Four major themes emerged from the data: (a) well-planned

onboarding, (b) peer mentoring, (c) asking about employees'
needs, and (d) engaging employees.
:
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2. Use a colon to link two sentences thematically.
Psychological studies into domestic violence are usually

centered on an idea of the nuclear family: Henry Davis
decided that he should undertake a more radical approach to
research in this area.
:
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3. Use a colon to draw out a conclusion.
Language acquisition is a difficult but immensely rewarding

task: without it, there is little hope for global communication.
:
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4. Use a colon to separate certain elements, such as after the
salutation in a formal letter, between hours and minutes to
indicate time, between numbers to show proportions, between
a title and subtitle, and between the city and the publisher and
date in bibliographic entries.
Dear Sir:
6:30 A.M.
The ratio of students to teachers was 22:1.
Grammar and Style: A Handbook on College Writing
New York: McGraw-Hill, 1988
:
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NOTE:
 Avoid common errors using the colon.
A colon must be preceded by a full independent clause. Therefore
avoid using it between a verb and its object or complement, between
a preposition and its object, and after such as, including, or for
example.
For example, the following uses of the colon are incorrect:

Some of the colors used in the flags are: red, orange, blue, and black.
The homework consisted of: four pages of dictionary definitions.

He loves spring flowers such as: the daffodil, daisy, and sunflower.
:
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SEMICOLON |
A semicolon is a punctuation mark that looks like a period and a
comma stacked vertically respectively used to separate independent
clauses in specific situations. It also separates a series of items that
contain internal punctuation.
;
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1. Use a semicolon to link sentences that are closely related.
Critical thinking is essential at university; at the same time, it is

difficult to teach.
The theory of planned behavior illustrates that behavior can be

deliberate and planned; the theory helps explain an individual’s
ability to exert self-control over his or her behavior.
;
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2. Use a semicolon to link sentences that are in opposition to
each other.
His research methods were fundamentally flawed; nonetheless,

he collected the data.
I had difficulty obtaining a large number of participants;

however, I still reached saturation in the interviews.
;
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3. Use a semicolon separate items in a list:
Mrs. Brown was assisted by other members of the staff:

Dr. Benham from Animal Husbandry, University of
Kentucky; Mr. Gleeson from Botany, New York
University; and Dr. Chalk from Soil Science, Kansas
State University.
;
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HYPHEN |
A hyphen (-) is a punctuation mark that looks like a small horizontal
line used to join words or parts of words and is placed directly
between letters without spaces. It shall not be interchangeable with
other types of dashes.
A dash is longer than a hyphen and is commonly used to indicate a
range or a pause. The most common types of dashes are
the en dash (–) and the em dash (—).
-
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1. Use a hyphen to join two or more words to form compound
adjectives that precede a noun.
A new state-of-the-art laboratory in the capital city marks a big

step ahead in its drive for economic renewal and green jobs.
-
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2. Use a hyphen to avoid awkward doubling of vowels.
semi-independence without a hyphen would be written

semiindependence
re-elect without a hyphen would be written reelect
pre-eminent without a hyphen would be preeminent
-
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3. Use a hyphen to prevent the misreading of certain words.
Re-collect means to collect again; without a hyphen, the word

recollect has a different meaning.
Re-creation means to create again; without a hyphen, the word

recreation has a different meaning.
Co-respondent without the hyphen could be confused with

correspondent.
-
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4. Use a hyphen to join a prefix to a number or a proper noun,
and to join all compound numbers between twenty-one
through ninety-nine, and when writing fractions as words.
un-American, pre-2022, post-Christmas, anti-Marcos
eighty-five, sixty-nine, two-thirds, one-fourth
-
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5. Use a hyphen with the prefixes all-, ex-, cross-, and self-, and
with the suffix -elect.
all-inclusive, ex-president, cross-cultural
self-righteous, mayor-elect
-
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APOSTROPHE |
An apostrophe is a punctuation mark that looks like a floating
comma used to indicate possession; the placement of an apostrophe
depends upon the word being made possessive. Apostrophes are also
used in contractions; however, contractions are not common in
academic writing.
’
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1. Use an apostrophe to make a singular noun possessive by
adding an apostrophe and an “s.”
Pavlov’s theory of classical conditioning is based on his

experiments with dogs.
Jones’s (2017) research revolved around online academic

writing feedback.
’
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2. Use an apostrophe to make a plural noun (-s form)
possessive by adding an apostrophe.
The Nurses’ Association has a code of conduct.
The researchers’ methods were sound.
’
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3. Use an apostrophe to make an irregular plural noun (such as
"women" or "children") possessive by adding an apostrophe
and an "s."
I distributed recruitment flyers at St. Paul Children’s Hospital.
My goal was to explore the perceptions of participants who

attended the women’s health care conference.
’
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4. Apostrophes can also be used to create contractions (words like
"can’t" and "didn’t"). However, contractions are rarely used in
academic writing.
Instead of writing
I didn’t receive responses from two of the companies I
contacted.
Use the uncontracted form:

I did not receive responses from two of the companies I
contacted.
’
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NOTE:
DO NOT use apostrophes in the following situations:
1.When making a noun plural.

INCORRECT: I received the contact information for
the teacher’s who attended the conference.
CORRECT: I received the contact information for
the teachers who attended the conference.
’
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NOTE:
2. When making an abbreviation plural.

INCORRECT: I asked the CEO’s to define their own
leadership style.
CORRECT: I asked the CEOs to define their own leadership
style.
’
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NOTE:
3. When making a number plural.

INCORRECT: I initially limited my search to the publications
within the last 5 years, but most of the seminal research cited in
this document was written in the 1960’s.
CORRECT: I initially limited my search to the publications
within the last 5 years, but most of the seminal research cited in
this document was written in the 1960s.
’
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QUOTATION MARKS |
A quotation mark is a punctuation mark that looks like a pair of two
apostrophes (“ ”). Quotation marks are used to denote language
taken from another author or source. Keep in mind that APA prefers
the use of paraphrases over direct quotations. Use direct quotations
purposefully and sparingly.
“
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1. For titles. If referencing the title of a chapter or smaller
section of a larger work, set off the title with quotation
marks.
The sixth chapter of the Publication Manual of the American

Psychological Association, “Mechanics of Style,” contains
information about capitalization, italics, and the use of
numbers.
“
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2. In sentences. When copying language from any source
(including published texts, internet resources, marketing or
business materials, and test or interview questions) into the
manuscript, use quotation marks (and proper citation) to indicate
the source. In academic writing, avoid beginning sentences with
direct quotations; instead, place the direct quotation in the middle
or end of the sentence:
“
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Middle: Paltridge and Starfield (2007) asserted that there is “no
single right way in which to organize the review of the literature”
(p. 101) as the organization is often determined by the research
question and approach.
End: Ferris (2011) emphasized that teachers “need to distinguish

in their own minds and in their marking strategies between errors
and stylistic differences” (p. 80).
“
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NOTE:
Keep in mind that quotations of 40 words or more require block
quotation formatting, which does not involve quotation marks.
Do not just drop a block quote into your own text without any
explanation or context. Just like any other source you are using,
always provide context and a lead-in when you use a block quote.
“
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Scholars have explored the facets of good and evil in parallel characters in the Harry
Potter series with frequent emphasis on the protagonist and antagonist and “absolute”
virtues in each. Through exploring the grey areas of morality in other characters,
Chevelier (2005) asserts that each main character is acting as an “absolute” by using
comparison between Harry and Voldemort and explains:
Harry is constructed as the antithesis of Voldemort and is bound to him in

numerous ways: the lightning-bolt scar on his forehead is the most obvious, as
are Harry’s ability to speak Parseltongue and his wand, which is an exact
counterpart of Voldemort’s. Like Frodo Baggins, Harry is the reluctant hero
who must act as the instrument of absolute good, even at the risk of his own
life, to defeat the instrument of absolute evil. (p. 339)
“
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NOTE:
The end punctuation of the sentence should always go after a
parenthetical citation.
INCORRECT: Ansarifar et al. (2017) discovered, “Abstracts by PhD-

level students better approximated those of expert writers.” (p. 67).
CORRECT: Ansarifar et al. (2017) discovered, “Abstracts by PhD-
level students better approximated those of expert writers” (p. 67).
“
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NOTE:
Capitalize the first word of the quotation when it is introduced as
dialogue.
Cooley and Lewkowicz (2003) stated, “Although the abstract is the

last part of a dissertation to be written, it is generally one of the first
the reader will look at” (p. 112).
“
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NOTE:
Do not capitalize the first word of the quotation when it is
integrated into the sentence. This is often the case with that-
clauses.
Cooley and Lewkowicz (2003) stated that “although the abstract is the
last part of a dissertation to be written, it is generally one of the first
the reader will look at” (p. 112).
“
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PARENTHESES |
Parentheses are punctuation marks that look like two semi-circles
used to enclose incidental or supplemental information or comments.
The parenthetical information or comment may serve to clarify or
illustrate, or it may just offer a digression or afterthought.
Parentheses are also used to enclose certain numbers or letters in an
outline or list.
()
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1. Use parentheses to enclose additional or supplemental
information that clarifies or illustrates a point.
In a business letter, the salutation and body of the letter are

flushed left (against the left margin).
Next week we will study the hydrologic cycle (also known as

the water cycle).
()
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2. Use parentheses to enclose numbers or letters introducing
items in a list or outline.
The following respondent’s information must be included: (a)

name, (b) age, (c) sex, and (d) city address.
Figure A shows two samples: (1) sample after cooling and (2)
sample taken at normal temperatures.
()
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3. Use parentheses to introduce abbreviations and around
numerals used with a spelled–out number.
This paper discusses the potential veracity of reports

documenting Extra Sensory Perception (ESP) in the United
States.
Results show that there were ninety (90) respondents agreeing

with the senator.
()
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NOTE:
Capitalize the first word in parentheses if it is a proper noun or
the beginning of a complete sentence.
Verify all items. (Check the boxes.)

We will be calling the assistant (Taylor Dimagiba Swift) at
noon.
()
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NOTE:
When the words in parentheses form a complete sentence,
place a period inside the closing parenthesis. Otherwise, place
the period outside the closing parenthesis.
No personal phone calls are allowed on company time (Refer

to the policy manual.).
The meeting will be held next year (in March).
()
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NOTE:
Always place commas, semicolons, and colons outside the
closing parenthesis.
The tasks consist of filling out paper work (including HR

documents), setting up your email account, and getting a photo
ID.
()
. , : ; - ’ “
To convey meaning and maximize readability,
it is important that correct punctuation is used.
There are eight main types of punctuation used in
academic texts, and students might find it easier to
use some than others.
. , : ; - ’ “ ()
CAPITALIZATION
Capitalization is writing a word with its first

letter as a capital letter (uppercase letter) and the
remaining letters in lowercase, in writing
systems with a case distinction.
CAPITALIZATION
Capitalization in academic writing can be a

controversial issue. Although it is universally
accepted that proper nouns should be
capitalized, there are different opinions
regarding other words. A good general rule is to
capitalize only when absolutely necessary
because over-capitalization can look awkward.
BASIC RULE
Three Types of Words to
Capitalize in Academic English
The first word in a

The pronoun I sentence or line of a Proper nouns
letter
BASIC RULE
The first word in a

letter
BASIC RULE
The first word in a

letter
The rules supplied in the following are based on Straus' Blue Book of
Grammar and Punctuation. The rules and generalizations included below
do not contain everything that any writer might ever need to know, but
should cover most of what writers of academic English need to know.
Not Capitalized Capitalized
Seasons of the year Capitalization Match Days of the week

except when used in titles and months of the year
Internet Names and titles

except when used as a noun of people
Species of plants and animals Geographical names
Religious names
The first word of items in a list
following a colon
Astronomical names
The cardinal points
except when part of a proper noun
University courses
Family titles
except used as an address
Beginnings of
Plural nouns quotations
except when used in titles except for sentence fragments
SPELLING
Spelling correctly is an important part of

literacy and English spelling can cause difficulties
for both the native and non-native speakers of
English.
On a positive note, technology has provided
us with a spelling tool in our computers, which is
handy when engaged in the writing process;
however, remember that the spell-checker is not
100% accurate, as it will accept all English words,
whether they are the correct ones or not.
SPELLING
Misspelling a word might seem like a minor

mistake, but it can reflect very poorly on a writer.
It suggests one of two things: either the writer
does not care enough about his work to proofread
it, or he does not know his topic well enough to
properly spell words related to it. Either way,
spelling errors will make a reader less likely to
trust a writer’s authority.
SPELLING
Anytime you want to use a word but are unsure of

how to spell it, do not guess. Instead, check a dictionary or
other reference work to find its proper spelling.
AMERICAN ENGLISH
COMMON SPELLING ERRORS
PHONETIC
ERRORS
HOMONYM
ERRORS
TYPOGRAPHICAL
ERRORS
A word can sound like it could be PHONETIC

ERRORS
spelled multiple ways. For example,
“concede” and “conceed” are the same
phonetically, but only “concede” is the proper
HOMONYM
spelling. However, proceed should be used, ERRORS
and not procede. Study these word pairs:
1. believe vs. perceive
2. taught vs. thought TYPOGRAPHICAL
ERRORS
3. peruse vs. demure
PHONETIC
A word has silent letters that the writer ERRORS
may forget to include. You cannot hear the “a”
in “realize,” but you need it to spell the word
correctly. Study these word pairs: HOMONYM
1. subtle vs. subtitle ERRORS
2. descend vs. abscond
3. vehicle vs. dehydrate
TYPOGRAPHICAL
4. indict vs. predict ERRORS
5. awry vs. sewage
PHONETIC
A word has double letters that the writer ERRORS
may forget to include. “Accommodate,” for
example, is frequently misspelled as
“acommodate” or “accomodate.” HOMONYM
Correct these words: ERRORS
1. embarasment
2. ocassionaly
TYPOGRAPHICAL
3. questionairre ERRORS
PHONETIC
The writer may use double letters when ERRORS
they are not needed. The word “amend” has
only one “m,” but it is commonly misspelled
with two. Correct these words: HOMONYM
1. prefferable ERRORS
2. appologize
3. vaccum
TYPOGRAPHICAL
4. dissapoint ERRORS
5. harrased
Homonyms are words with the same PHONETIC

ERRORS
spelling (homographs) or pronunciation
(homophones) but with different meanings.
Using this definition, the words row, row and HOMONYM
row are homonyms because they are ERRORS
homographs: so are the words cite, site, and

sight, because they are homophones
TYPOGRAPHICAL
ERRORS
As one house, list down as many words PHONETIC

ERRORS
as you can following the pronunciation that
the teacher will dictate. The winning house
will receive 10 House Points. HOMONYM
Example: ERRORS
1. to, two, too
TYPOGRAPHICAL
ERRORS
1. right, rite, wright, and write
2. reed, Reid, read, and rede PHONETIC
3. rose (n), rose (v), rows, and roes ERRORS
4. read, red, and redd
5. carat, carrot, karat, and caret
6. idle, idol, and idyll HOMONYM
ERRORS
7. there, they’re, and their
8. new, gnu, and knew
9. kneed, knead, and need
10. bare (adj), bare (v), bear (v), bear (v), and bear (n) TYPOGRAPHICAL
ERRORS
1. Omitting letters from a word (typing PHONETIC

ERRORS
“brthday” instead of “birthday,” for
example)
2. Adding extra letters (typing “birthdayy”) HOMONYM
3. Transposing two letters in a word (typing ERRORS
“brithday”)
4. Spacing words improperly (such as “myb
irthday” instead of “my birthday”) TYPOGRAPHICAL
ERRORS
SPELLING
Why is correct spelling vital in academic text?
Spelling errors are major errors in writing English.

According to Willett (2003) spelling is a key functional
component of writing. Brann (1997) and Mosely (1993)
believe that spelling has a direct effect on the ability to
read and write. It means that spelling is the key to both
reading and writing of the language.
SPELLING
Spelling is the learner's ability to write a word

correctly. Accurate spelling in writing adds to the
quality of writing texts. The study of students'
spelling errors provides an opportunity to
understand and facilitate in the learners' spelling
difficulties (Al-zuoud and Kabilan, 2013). It will
result in the improvement of students' writing and
may largely contribute to make good writers.
ABBREVIATION
An abbreviation is a word that has been

shortened from its original longer form and is used
to save space and to avoid distracting the reader.
ABBREVIATION

Titles, Units,
Acronym Initialism Latin Phrases Contractions
Days
Titles, Units,
Days
An acronym is an abbreviation made from the first

letter of each word in a name or phrase. Acronyms
are pronounced like a word. NASA, which is short
for National Aeronautics and Space Administration
and pronounced “NAH-suh,” is one well-known
acronym. UNICEF, which stands for United
Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund
and is pronounced “YOU-nuh-seff,” is another
example.
Titles, Units,
Days
An initialism is similar to an acronym because it is

an abbreviation that uses the first letter of each
word in a name or phrase. Unlike acronyms,
however, the letters of an initialism are pronounced
individually. PNP, which is short for Philippine
National Police, is an initialism. UK (United
Kingdom) and USA (United States of America) are
also initialisms.
Titles, Units,
Days
Titles (Dr. for Doctor, Rev. for Reverend, Prof. for

Professor), measurement units (cm for centimeter,
kg for kilogram, ml for milliliter), and days (Feb.
for February, Fri. for Friday) can all be abbreviated.
Titles, Units,
Days
Latin abbreviations are commonly used in academia

and law. Common Latin abbreviations used in
English writing are etc. (et cetera, “and so on”), e.g.
(exempli gratia, “for example”), i.e. (id est, “in
other words”), and et al. (et alia, “and others”).
Titles, Units,
Days
A contraction is when two words are combined for

ease with an apostrophe. Common examples of
contractions include don’t (do not), aren’t (are not),
and let’s (let us). Contractions are avoided in
writing academic texts; the writer must always spell
them out in the sentence.
BASICS
When you first use a phrase that can be

abbreviated, spell it out in full and show the
abbreviation in parentheses immediately
afterwards.
Incorrect: The study was conducted at the UA&P

(University of Asia and the Pacific). Many UA&P
students were surveyed for this research.
Correct: The study was conducted at the University of

Asia and the Pacific (UA&P). Many UA&P students
were surveyed for this research.
BASICS
Do not abbreviate everything. Only use

abbreviations for phrases that you use three or
more times in a paper.
Ghana’s Millennium Development Authority

(MiDA) is responsible for implementing the
Millennium Challenge Corporation compact. According
to a MiDA spokesperson, the roads project in Ghana
was completed on time and on budget. MiDA is
updating beneficiaries of the outcomes.
BASICS
To make an acronym or initialism plural, all you

need to do is add a lowercase s to the end; no
apostrophes are necessary.
Incorrect: The CEO’s were profiled in Forbes

magazine.
Incorrect: The CEOS were profiled in Forbes magazine.
Correct: The CEOs were profiled in Forbes magazine.

BASICS
Avoid Redundant Abbreviation Syndrome

(RAS).
Correct the following mistakes:
1. ATM machine
2. DC comics
3. TIN number
4. PDF format
5. LCD display
BASICS
Avoid using abbreviations in the following

sections of academic texts.
1. Title
2. Abstract
3. Section headings
4. Reference section
ABBREVIATION

Titles, Units,
Days
WRITING MECHANICS
OF ACADEMIC TEXTS
TOPICS
WRITING MECHANICS
OF ACADEMIC TEXTS
PARALLELISM
WRITING MECHANICS
OF ACADEMIC TEXTS
PUNCTUATION
WRITING MECHANICS
OF ACADEMIC TEXTS
CAPITALIZATION
WRITING MECHANICS
OF ACADEMIC TEXTS
SPELLING
WRITING MECHANICS
OF ACADEMIC TEXTS
ABBREVIATION
WRITING MECHANICS
OF ACADEMIC TEXTS

Lesson 3 Writing Mechanics of Academic Texts (Complete Handout)

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Special Lesson

Parallel ideas, that is, ideas being compared (APA 3.09),

Researchers have speculated about the differences

The researchers collected data both through qualitative

The researchers collected data both through qualitative

interviews and quantitative surveys.

The medium effect size allowed for analysis that was

The medium effect size allowed for analysis that was

Member checking ensures not only that the data

Member checking ensures not only that the data

not only transferable but also accurate.

In this chapter, I explain the research design, the

In this chapter, I explain the research design, the

rationale, and the variables.

Four major themes emerged from the data: (a) well-

Four major themes emerged from the data: (a) well-

Four major themes emerged from the data: (a) well-

Rewrite the following

1. Stress makes it difficult to exercise

2. Numerous species of fauna have

3. The coach told the players that they

4. The dictionary can be used to find

5. Driving a car requires coordination,

6. Breaking out of the prison

7. How you look in the workplace is

8. We can neither wait for something

9. After taking an accounting class,

10. Students who do not attend class

Three examples are presented in the next slides.

Punctuation is the set of marks used to regulate

One of the best ways to help students understand

 Results revealed that the experienced language teacher had more

In this chapter, I explain the research design, the rationale, and

Firstly, I would like to consider the merits of supplementing the

After the French Revolution had taken place, many other

Many scientists believe in evolution, although some are trying

Four major themes emerged from the data: (a) well-planned

Psychological studies into domestic violence are usually

Language acquisition is a difficult but immensely rewarding

For example, the following uses of the colon are incorrect:

The homework consisted of: four pages of dictionary definitions.

Critical thinking is essential at university; at the same time, it is

The theory of planned behavior illustrates that behavior can be

His research methods were fundamentally flawed; nonetheless,

I had difficulty obtaining a large number of participants;

Mrs. Brown was assisted by other members of the staff:

A new state-of-the-art laboratory in the capital city marks a big

semi-independence without a hyphen would be written

re-elect without a hyphen would be written reelect

pre-eminent without a hyphen would be preeminent

Re-collect means to collect again; without a hyphen, the word

Re-creation means to create again; without a hyphen, the word

Co-respondent without the hyphen could be confused with

un-American, pre-2022, post-Christmas, anti-Marcos

eighty-five, sixty-nine, two-thirds, one-fourth

all-inclusive, ex-president, cross-cultural

Pavlov’s theory of classical conditioning is based on his

Jones’s (2017) research revolved around online academic

The Nurses’ Association has a code of conduct.

The researchers’ methods were sound.

I distributed recruitment flyers at St. Paul Children’s Hospital.

My goal was to explore the perceptions of participants who

Use the uncontracted form:

1.When making a noun plural.