2. Theme 1:Critical reading and academic writing
Learning Outcomes
• Engage in critical reading
• Develop the ability to use the required
conventions of academic writing
• Use the Harvard system of referencing
3. Activity 1: Group Discussion
•What must we read?
•Why must we read?
•How should we read?
4. Purpose of Reading
• To find specific information
• To get an idea of what the text is about
• To gain information
• To understand - engage with and
analyse a text ( this is often referred to
as critical reading)
5. Reading Strategies
• Scanning: looking for a specific piece of
information
• Skimming: determine whether or not the
text interests the reader
• Information seeking: to extract the useful or
necessary information
• Critical Reading: to understand and
remember.(Read carefully and interact with and
question the text).
7. Critical Reading: What is it?
• Reading critically is to make a judgment about
how a text is argued
• It is a highly reflective skill
o do not read looking only or primarily for
information
o read looking for ways of thinking about the
subject matter
8. Activity 3: Critical reading
• Critically read the extract 3 provided.
• Discuss in groups the outcomes of the critical
reading exercise.
Whole class sharing of the experience
9. Reading Critically
Pre reading
• Helps to be better prepared to follow references,
anticipate arguments and understand the topic
understand discussion
• Use both skimming and scanning strategies to look
over:
- chapters
- illustrations
- introduction
- conclusion
10. How to read looking for ways of thinking
• Determine the central claims or purpose
• Begin to make some judgment about context
-what audience is the text written for?
-who is it in dialogue with
-in what context is the text written
• Distinguish the kinds of reasoning the text
employs
• Examine the evidence
• Critical reading may involve evaluation
11. • Annotating
- Underline important terms
- Circle definitions and meanings
- write key words and definitions in the margin
- Write short summaries in the margin
- Indicate steps in a process by using numbers in
margin
You can develop your own system of
symbols
12. Being Actively engaged
• Should not merely accept as true everything
that you read
• Should seek to understand the author’s
purpose in writing
• Should engage in a dialogue with the author by
annotating, asking question, noting the shape
of author’s argument
• Read for a thorough understanding of the text.
13. Summarizing/Reflecting
• Summarize what you have read in your own
words
• Reflect on the reading and think how it
connects with
- your own prior knowledge
- other concepts you have learned
14. What is Academic Writing?
• Academic writing in English is linear- it has
one central point or theme with every part
contributing to main line of argument without
digressions or repetitions
• Its objective is to inform rather than entertain
16. How to write in an academic style?
1. Create an objective, confident voice
- This essay discusses the importance of….
- This research shows that
- It could be said that…..
Consider your use of tenses
- present tense:
- Smith’s argument illustrates that….
- Freud’s theory supports the view that...
17. Past tense:
- The Industrial Revolution had an impact upon
society in a number of different ways.
- The interviews were conducted with a group of
parents in ……..
18. 2. Use appropriate language for your audience
and purpose
Academic writing need not be complicated but it
does need to have an element of formality
Avoid contractions
Rather than ‘don’t’, ‘can’t’, ‘it’s’, ‘should’ve’…
Try using- ‘do not’, ‘cannot’, ‘it is’, ‘should have’
19. Use the full forms of words
• Rather than: 'TV', 'memo', or 'quote' You could try:
'television', ‘memorandum' or 'quotation‘
• Avoid using informal words
• Rather than: Smith's bit of research is ok.
You could try: Smith's research is
significant because ...
• Rather than using words such as: 'get', 'got' or 'a lot'
You could try: 'obtain', 'obtained' or 'many'
20. 3. Be clear and concise
Aim for the right word for the right occasion:
• Example 1: Crusade against crime
• Example 2: Campaign against crime
The word 'crusade' has connotations of a battle and is
more aggressive in tone than the word 'campaign'.
'Campaign' implies a more considered approach
Make every word count:
• Rather than: The theorist called Sigmund Freud wrote a
significant piece of work called On Narcissism which
offers valuable insights into ...
You could try: Freud (1914) offers valuable insights into
...
21. Avoid any vague words or phrases:
– Ensure that your reader knows who or what you
are referring to when you use words such as: 'it',
'them', 'they'.
– Words such as 'people' and 'ideas' have the
potential to be vague. So, avoid saying: 'according
to many people'. Ensure that you explain which
people or which ideas.
Avoid using clichéd phrases:
– A cliché is a phrase or expression that is overused
to such an extent that it loses its value. For
example, 'as bright as a button' or as 'clear as
mud'.
22. 4. Use language sensitively
– Avoid expressing strong opinions too directly Academic writing
is concerned with presenting your discussion in an objective way,
so there is no need to assert your opinions too strongly
– Rather than: Smith has an extremely important point to make
because
You could try: Smith's view is significant because ...
So avoid words like: 'very', 'really', 'quite' and 'extremely'.
Lean towards caution
– We need to be aware that our views are contributing to a much
wider debate surrounding the given topic. Your use of language
must show that you are making suggestions which contribute to
this wider discussion:
– Rather than: 'This view is correct because ...'
– You could try: 'It could be said that ...', 'It appears that ...', 'It
seems that ...'
23. Avoid using taboo language
– In academic writing it is important not to offend your
reader – you want her/him to trust your judgment and
authority. Using swear words or making offensive
comments will upset the balance of your writing and
undermine your point of view.
Do not stereotype, generalise or make assumptions
– This especially applies to individuals or groups on the
basis of their gender, race, nationality, religion,
physical and mental capacity, age, sexuality, marital
status, or political beliefs.
Your use of language should always remain neutral.
24. Assignment: PPS 1 Task 1
Task 1 requires you to demonstrate the skills of critical
reading and writing. You will:
– Identify the differences in writing styles between
texts which will be provided.
– Using the texts and readers provided for part (i)
above, write a report using the academic writing
style.
Word limit: 500 - 700 words
