Course Introduction
(Week 1)
W R I T I N G I V
(HE285)
Prof. Dr. Ron Martinez
drronmartinez@gmail.com

Goals for the week
• Reflect on and question current beliefs about
academic writing
• Gain a fresh understanding of the nature of
(academic writing)

Today’s agenda
• Present some highlights from class survey
• Talk about “screencast” feedback
• Explore your beliefs and current knowledge on
academic writing
• Consider dialogism in writing, and the notion
of “correct”
• Start on next week’s homework

Online: Beliefs about academic writing
• Activity is meant to guide reflection on current
beliefs you hold on academic written
discourse.
• Meant to be collaborative (i.e. generate
discussion in pairs), but answers should be
submitted individually. Ideally, discuss each
question first, then provide your individual
answers.
• When finished, you may take a break.

OK, let’s go over your results!

Grammar and Vocabulary as a matter
of “choice” (not “correct”)

Boa alimentação é
saúde. Água
parada é mortal.

Examples of journal article structure

Examples of journal article structure

Examples of journal article structure

“Subtext” video
Discuss in pairs:
• Can you relate?
• What insights does it provide (if any) into the
nature of the writing process itself?
• Bonus: How was he able to choose his words?

User comments on “Subtext” video

User comments on “Subtext” video

Some “Subtext” insights
• Lev (the writer) has a specific “agenda” in mind
before he begins writing.
• The whole process of writing involves him trying
to maximize the effect of his discourse to
achieve that agenda.
• The writing process is “dialogic”: in dialogue
with himself, in dialogue with the intended
reader.
• Lev is (painfully) aware that word choice is of
paramount importance; the right choice of
words can mean the difference between his
“goal” and flat-out rejection.

How to know which word to use?

Lexical Priming (Hoey, 2005)
“As a word is acquired through encounters with
it in speech and writing, it becomes
cumulatively loaded with the contexts and co-
texts in which it is encountered, and our
knowledge of it includes the fact that it co-
occurs with other words in certain kinds of
context.” (p. 8)

Read the two articles online
1. Read the New York Times article on Zika first
2. Then read the article written by a Brazilian
3. When finished, discuss the different points of
view with 2 other classmates. For example,
are there points that you disagree with?
Points that you especially agree with?

Summary for Week 1
• In the context of genre, language is about choice, not
necessarily “right” and “wrong”.
• Academic writing is laden with a number of
institutionalized conventions (e.g., journal article
structure, academic abbrevations, referencing), and
these conventions can actually be of help to non-native
(of English) writers.
• Especially in argumentative-type essays (the most
common academic genre), it is the author’s “position”
that drives the discourse. Before anything else, this is
the sine qua non of the writing process.

HOMEWORK FOR
NEXT CLASS (MON.
MARCH 13)

Homework
• Read Chapter 1 (“They Say”);
• Complete grammar worksheet, “The Grammar
of Introductions” (online), print, and bring to
class Monday.