Student: Brenda
Laguarta
Professor:
Stella Saubidet
Subjecte: Language
& Written Expression IV
Institute: ISFD
N° 41
What
Is “Academic” Writing? - Summary
L. Lennie Irvin
begins his work What Is “Academic”
Writing? acknowledging that writing usually generates a feeling of
nervousness and worry among new college students. This is why he devotes the
first chapter of his work to describe what academic writing implies and he also
discusses the secret for a student’s success.
After claiming that
the way in which the task is portrayed in the student’s mind is closely related
to success in academic writing, the author presents common beliefs about
writing, and explains why they are based on incorrect information:
Myth #1: The
“Paint by Numbers” myth: Instead of being a closed process of fixed stages,
writing involves a series of events that can be repeated several times.
Myth #2: Writers
only start writing when they have everything figured out: It is when the writer
engages in the process of writing when he deciphers most of what he wants to
put on paper.
Myth #3: Perfect
first drafts: It is important to accept that a first draft will not lack faults
and weaknesses, since a lot of revision is needed.
Myth #4: Some
got it; I don’t – the genius fallacy: Progress can in fact be attained if the
writing ability is trained; it is not something uncontrollable.
Myth #5: Good
grammar is good writing: Causing on the targeted audience the effect the writer
expected, is more important than grammatical accuracy.
Myth #6: The Five Paragraph Essay: According
to this format an essay has got an introduction, three supporting paragraphs,
and a conclusion. Each writer should analyse the writing assignment and judge
if this format is pertinent or not.
Myth # 7: Never
use “I”: This word should not always remain unused for the purposes of
objectivity, because this could create a feeling of unnaturalness. A writer can
use “I” and, at the same time, follow a semi-formal style.
The Academic Writing Situation
Writing can be
difficult to deal with since the writer has to create a context for an audience
from which he is detached in time and place. So, to convey tone, he has to
select his words carefully and determine punctuation. In addition to this,
Academic Writing involves identifying the audience, context, message and
purpose of the writing, as well as the genre that is going to be used.
Lennie Irvin,
citing from a professor at Pepperdine University, calls writing assignments
‘literacy tasks’, because they require mastery of certain thinking skills:
·
Knowledge of
Research Skills: This implies searching for information using reliable sources.
·
The Ability to
Read Complex Texts: It involves thinking critically, and being able to deduce
and make inferences when reading.
·
The
Understanding of Key Disciplinary Concepts: It means not only identifying
central concepts, but also including them in the writing.
·
Strategies for
Synthesizing, Analyzing, and Responding Critically to New Information: Having
all the information needed at his disposal, the writer has to divide it,
classify it, and establish connections among the different pieces.
‘Literacy
tasks’ also have to present an argument. Just as a lawyer does, the writer has
to clearly present his viewpoint and provide the audience with convincing
evidence that supports his argument, and thus earn the audience consideration.
That is why good organization and strong evidence are essential.
Three Common Types of College Writing Assignments
The
Closed Writing Assignment: the writer is given two opposing claims, he selects
one and supports it.
The
Semi-Open Writing Assignment: the writer is given a limited area of
investigation, and he is required to determine his own claim and sustain his
argument.
The
Open Writing Assignment: the writer is expected to determine the topic and
establish his own thesis. A vast comprehension on the subject is important in
order to make a good choice of the writing topic, and limit it to a size the
writer can manage.
The format of the Academic/Critical Essay
1.
Well supported
argument.
2.
The argument
should have different possible interpretations.
3.
Clear
organization: introduction, body, conclusion.
4.
Ample support
from different sources. No statement without support.
5.
Documented
sources.
6.
Ideas properly
linked.
7.
MLA or APA
format.
8.
Grammatical
correctness.
Conclusion
The
author finishes claiming that the key to success in fully accomplishing writing
tasks relies on the writer’s interpretation of it, and his way of dealing with
the task. He puts it this way: “(...) having the right orientation toward your
college writing assignments is a first and important step in your eventual
success.”.
Works Cited
Irvin, L. L. (2010) What is
“Academic” Writing?
