[Notes] Academic Writing in English - Basic Course_in such a structure of 4 x 4 pe array, the double -CSDN博客

本文链接：https://blog.csdn.net/u013648063/article/details/107431857

Recorded from Academic Writing in English - Basic Course taught by TJ
You can visit the following link to attend this course.

https://www.icourse163.org/course/PKU-1449486161

Four parts:

Audience
Style
Flow
Organization

Audience Strategy & Purpose

A story contains three parts

Setting/Characters
Tension/Action/Climax
Resolution

When you give a speech, you need to identify three problems:

Who am I ?
Who are they ?
What do they know ?

After figuring out these three problems, we know that we need to bridge the knowledge gap between the readers and writers. But, how to bridge the gap ?

throw down the ladder to ground zero - ground zero moving
make sure every rung in the ladder present - thinking of your reader while writing

Organization

External Organization

Abstract
Background
Methods
Results
Conclusions

General-Specific-General Structures

looks like funnel
choice of statements depending on your audience

Problem-Solution Structures

mainly found in Results and Discussion
also present in Abstract and Introduction
embedded into Background-Assessment of solution
P->S text ：argumentative and evaluative
writer perceived as questioning and perceptive

e.g.

The structure of abstract often has four parts :

background
problem
solution
assessment of solution

Process Structure

describing the parts of a process as the steps required to provide a solution
step by step description important
mainly found in Methods

Some Tips :

In Method section, adhere to Passive Voice + Past Tense
In Result/Discussion, mix Passive and Active Voice fine

System Descriptions

use of present tense
use of both passive voice and active voice as required

Style

Common Problems in Paper Drafts

Use of nouns instead of verbs
Use of informal verbs
Use of verb not suitable in the context
Use of prepositions instead of proper verbs
Use of lazy verbs
Use of verbs without that
Use of wrong tense
Use of wrong voice
Use of wrong noun/verb number match

Use of nouns instead of verbs

Nomination follows verb

The police conducted an investigation into the matter.

The police investigated the matter.

Nomination follows ‘there is’

There was considerable erosion of the land from the floods.

The floods considerably eroded the land.

replace awkward “The fact that”

The fact that I denied what he accused me of impressed the jury.

My denial of his accusations impressed the jury.

Nomination is a subject referring to a previous sentence

These argument all depended on a single, unproven claim.

This decision can lead to costly consequences.

Use of informal verbs

get - obtain
keep up - maintain
go to - approach
make up - constitute
go down - decrease
come up - offering
look for - identify

How do you know the formal verbs ? -> Read ! Read ! Read !

Make up a Verb Table !

Some useful formal verb

look into - investigate, develop, determine, cause, reach
figure out - investigate, develop, determine, cause, reach
come up with - investigate, develop, determine, cause, reach
make up - investigate, develop, determine, cause, constitute
get rid of - investigate, develop, determine, cause, reach, decrease

Use of verb not suitable in the context

e.g. During his childhood, Musk learned most of his knowledge by reading books

-> During his childhood, Musk acquired most of his knowledge by reading books

Solution:

Read ! Read ! Read !
program: collect sample sentences

Use of prepositions instead of proper verbs

e.g.

Thus, studying extrusion mechanisms of MDR transporters is of great importance.

-> It is essential to study the mechanisms used by MDR transporters to extrude toxins.

key communication scenarios in HetSCNs will be clarified with practical system configurations.

-> key communication scenarios in HetSCNs will be clarified using/employing/utilizing practical system configurations.

Summary:

with -> using
in -> present in ? obtained/ derived from ?
using verbs instead of prepositions will be more clarified

Use of lazy verbs : to be, to have, to do

e.g.

In such a structure of 4x4 PE array, the double average hop delay is between 3~7.

-> In such a structure of 4x4 PE array, the double average hop delay ranges from 3~7.

Its genome is 21508903 bp.

-> Its genmoe contains 21508903 bp.

The majority of proteasomes have symmetrical Rpn10.

-> The majority of proteasomes contain symmetrical Rpn10.

The indole moiety has a large dielectric constant along the direction of its long axis.

-> The indole moiety is charactered by a laryge dielectric constant along the direction of its long axis.

Among all natural amino acid residues, tryptophan has the highest polarizability.

-> Among all all natural amino acid residues, tryptophan exhibts/displays the highest polarizability.

Others :

is konwn to be -> is critical/essential/necessary for

Use of specific verbs without ‘that’

Indicative: The results of this study demonstrate a number of effects.

Informative: The results of this study demonstrate that monthly mean water balance closure can be achieved.

If possible, write informative statements using these verbs -> verb + that :

argue,conclude,confirm,deduce
demonstrate,found,illustrate,imply
indicate,observe,report,reveal
show,suggest,think

Use of wrong tense and voice

using active voice as much as you can (except methods)
using past tense whenever you discuss your own actions

Number mismatch verb/noun

pay attention to singular + singular/plural + plural

Other tips:

Contractions are not allowed in academic writing
use adverbs in midverb position: verb - adverb - verb
original statements are paraphrased
- He stated that xxxxxx
change direct questions
- Several studies have investigated how …
- It remains unclear whether …
avoid the use of collective ‘we’
- As we all know, -> It is well established that …
avoid the use of you
- If you become a good calculus teacher, a school can become very dependent on you
- -> An excellent calculus teacher represents a valuable asset to a school.
run-on expressions are not allowed in academic writing. use include or for example … to replace them.
- etc.
- and so on
- and so forth
- among others
avoid the figurative speech (Puns, Idioms)

Flow

Linker

formal :

Furthermore
In addition
Morever
However
Therefore
As a result
Consequently
Thus
Hence
In contrast
On the other hand
For example
For instance
On the contrary

problem:

use of ‘On the contrary’ vs. ‘In contrast’
- x is black. In contrast, Y is white. -> comparing 2 objects
- x is not black. On the contrary , X is white. -> same object
use of meanwhile
- correct use when referring to time
use of while
- placing while in a sentence
- place while at the beginning of the sentence, reader better prepared for contrasting statement.
use ‘Importantly’ or ‘To address this issue…’ to replace ‘And’
using ‘and’ to describe causal relationships is not allowed
- e.g. Yesterday, I ate too much ice cream and developed severe stomach ache.
- -> Yesterday, I ate too much ice cream, (thus) developing severe stomach ache.
- summary: action -> reaction -> to be precisely established in academic writing
time adverbials
- once,first, next, then, lastly, finally,
use repetition to improve clarity and precision
use ing Clauses to connect ideas
- thus causing …
- thus resulting in …
this + summary word
- e.g. ESL lectures know that students need to understand the differences between formal and informal language. However, this understanding cannot be acquired in the short-term, but requires years of continuing reading and writing.
The problem of copy + pasting
- read
- take notes
- write using your notes, not the original paper
- read again
- revise your writing

Abstract

basic introduction （1 or 2 sentences）
more detailed background (2 or 3)
general problem (1)
summarize the result (with words here we show) (1)
explain the main result (2 or 3)
put the results into a more general context (1 or 2)
provide a broader perspective (2 or 3)

Voice :

use active voice whenever possible
avoid ‘passive voice’

Tense :

past action = past tense (found, investigated, tested)
ongoing action - present tense (show, propose)
shift from past tense - > present tense

Introduction

Why dis you do your study ?

what is the current state of knowledge in your field ?
what previous studies are your experiments based on ?

CARS model

establishing the territory - background
identifying a niche - question
occupying the niche - aim

tense choice flexible

reference to single studies - past
- Jones (1997) investigated the cause of illiteracy.
reference to areas of inquiry - present/perfect
- The causes of illiteracy have been widely investigated (Jones 1977, Ferrara 2000)
reference to state of the current - present
- The causes of illiteracy are complex (Jones 1977)

common problems

too long -> too much unnecessary information
wrong tense
- textbook knowledge - > present
- previous studies -> past
too much passive voice avoid

Method

always use passive voice + past tense

problems

lab book style of writing
- Add A to B
- Mix D with C
- Heat solution to 100℃
use of present tense
- always use past tense for experimental procedures
space problem
- 100ml, 25g, 200 mM …

Results

what did you find ?

written on the basis of your figures and tables
ensure figures in a logical order
describes the important information extracted from figures, not every single detail

tense

past tense - describe your own results
present tense - textbook statements
present tense - conclude assessment of results

start every results section with this construct

motivation / aim : In order to / To … investigate
focus : we preformed/measured …
method : … using …
where ? : As shown in Figure 1, … (at the beginning, not the end )

end each results with short summary :

In conclusion,
Together, …
these results suggested / indicated that …

Next section:

We therefore tested next if A binds to B.

Conclusion statements in Results :

past : in progress
present : fact

Discussion

issue to address:

how did your actual results compare with what you expected
how do your results compare with the results of other researchers
how might you explain any unexpected results
how might test those potential explanations
based on your results, what question or questions would you logically want to ask next

organization of discussion

Review the main results
- connect to your hypothesis and purpose of your study
explain the processes behind the results
- unexpected results
- possible explanations
- compare with other research
- limitations of your experiment
conclusion
- bring everything together
- possible applications or extensions for further research

basic structure

summary : short summary of your main findings
comparsion : discuss each findings in the context of the literature (what do papers say)
conclusion : provide broader perspective (what is the big theme of our story)

important points