scholarly journals How to Write (Science) Better. Simplified English Principles in a Skill-Oriented ESP Course

2021 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 115-133
Author(s):  
Monika Śleszyńska
Keyword(s):  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Teaching Writing ◽  
Student Writing ◽  
Business Writing ◽  
Research Papers ◽  
Natural Languages ◽  
Writing Course ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Grant Proposals ◽  
Writing Sample

Abstract Teaching writing to doctoral students or academics at a technical university is a challenging task. Because they need to publish their research findings in English to pursue academic careers, they are usually highly motivated and expect a lot of the class. Their language competences, however, very often lack enough proficiency and may contribute to manuscript rejection. The paper focuses on language issues based on the rules of controlled natural languages (CNLs) and guidelines of Plain English. It shows how employing these issues improves grammatical quality and readability of science-oriented written texts. The paper describes four principles: removing nominalisation and using the so-called strong verbs to make the message simpler and more direct; combining nouns in strings to express complex ideas economically; applying grammatical consistency for coordinate elements in sentences to make them less chaotic; and reducing wordiness to obtain a more precise and comprehensible piece of writing. Sample phrases and sentences from authentic student writing as well as their improved versions are provided to each of the guidelines so that a reader has a deeper insight into how the principles work in a specialist context. Because problems with, for example, research papers, grant proposals or reports are common to various disciplines and at various levels, the Author of the paper draws conclusions that these principles should be implemented not only in a technical but also legal, medical and business writing course offered by English teachers to both young researchers and experienced scientists.

THE USE OF DIARY WRITING TO IMPROVE STUDENTS RECOUNT TEXT

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Uray Ryan Hermawan ◽  
Clarry Sada ◽  
Yanti Sri Rezeki
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Learning Process ◽  
Teaching Writing ◽  
Chronological Order ◽  
Tenth Grade ◽  
Diary Writing ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Field Notes ◽  
Teaching Learning ◽  
Academic Year

The research was aimed to investigate the use of diary writing to overcome students’ problem in writing recount texts. The problems include writing a recount text in chronological order, writing correct verb changes and developing ideas. Classroom action research was conducted by applying diary as the technique to help students overcome their problem. There were two cycles conducted in this research. The data were taken from the students’ individual score, observation checklist, and field notes. The result showed that teaching writing through diary writing improved students’ writing recount text. Referring to the research findings, the data showed that diary writing improved students’ recount text, as seen in their score. These in terms of score, students’ improved from 71.96 to 76.03 and improving the motivation to the students which makes them eager to write also makes the teaching learning process better. In conclusions, students’ writing recount text of the tenth grade students of class IPS 1 of SMAN 4 Sungai Raya in academic year 2018/2019 improved by using diary.

Social Influences - a Psychological Phenomenon in the Choice of Further Course of Education and Career

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 32-53
Author(s):  
Petr Hlaďo
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
Family Background ◽  
Social Influences ◽  
Compulsory Schooling ◽  
Lower Secondary School ◽  
Main Attention ◽  
School Students ◽  
Research Papers ◽  
Psychological Phenomenon ◽  
Research Findings

The aim of this overview study is to synthesize Czech, Slovak and foreign empirical findings on the choice of further course of education and career. Attention is focused specifically on social influences as a psychological phenomenon affecting this decision-making process in lower secondary school students at the end of compulsory schooling. The main attention is paid to the roles of parents and family, particularly the influence of family background and family processes. Another issue is the influence of peers, teachers and career counsellors on the choice of further course of education and career. The synthesis of research findings is based primarily on an analysis of research papers published in journals.

scholarly journals Genre-based Approach to Writing in EFL Contexts

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 95
Author(s):  
Vu Phi Ho Pham ◽  
Thi Kim Loan Bui
Keyword(s):  
Systemic Functional Linguistics ◽  
Writing Skills ◽  
Teaching Writing ◽  
Microsoft Excel ◽  
Efl Writing ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Step Structure ◽  
Writing Course ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Teachers And Students

Writing is a challenging and demanding skill for EFL learners in Vietnam. Teaching writing skills at Vietnamese universities is problematic since different approaches to writing have not been implemented effectively. Mainly, a genre-based approach to writing has not yet been implemented in EFL writing classrooms successfully. This paper investigates how the genre-based writing approach has been taught and learned at Van Lang University. The study mentions some critical notions of systemic functional linguistics, genre-based writing approach, and the importance and effects of genre-based approach to writing. 128 students turned in their midterm essays in week 5 of the 10-week writing course. These 128 expository essays were analyzed and synthesized using Microsoft Excel to calculate the differences in move-step structure. The findings indicated that the students had difficulty following the fixed move-step structure, and they also faced challenges of lexico-grammatical usage for the expository. Hence, the study suggests some implications for applying a genre-based approach to writing for EFL teachers and students and suggests further research.

scholarly journals Teaching reproducible research for medical students and postgraduate pharmaceutical scientists

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreas D. Meid
Keyword(s):  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Scientific Community ◽  
Natural Sciences ◽  
Interdisciplinary Teams ◽  
Reproducible Research ◽  
Pharmaceutical Sciences ◽  
The Public ◽  
Academic Settings ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Good Research

AbstractIn medicine and other academic settings, (doctoral) students often work in interdisciplinary teams together with researchers of pharmaceutical sciences, natural sciences in general, or biostatistics. They should be fundamentally taught good research practices, especially in terms of statistical analysis. This includes reproducibility as a central aspect. Acknowledging that even experienced researchers and supervisors might be unfamiliar with necessary aspects of a perfectly reproducible workflow, a lecture series on reproducible research (RR) was developed for young scientists in clinical pharmacology. The pilot series highlighted definitions of RR, reasons for RR, potential merits of RR, and ways to work accordingly. In trying to actually reproduce a published analysis, several practical obstacles arose. In this article, reproduction of a working example is commented to emphasize the manifold facets of RR, to provide possible explanations for difficulties and solutions, and to argue that harmonized curricula for (quantitative) clinical researchers should include RR principles. These experiences should raise awareness among educators and students, supervisors and young scientists. RR working habits are not only beneficial for ourselves or our students, but also for other researchers within an institution, for scientific partners, for the scientific community, and eventually for the public profiting from research findings.

scholarly journals Writer Identity Construction in MSc. Students of Engineering

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 22
Author(s):  
Masood Monjezi
Keyword(s):  
Identity Construction ◽  
Research Papers ◽  
First Semester ◽  
Academic Paper ◽  
Writing Instructions ◽  
Writing Course ◽  
Writing Research ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Student Researchers ◽  
Researcher Identity

Writing in academia is not only a way for students to acquire knowledge and skills, but also a process through which they construct author/researcher identity. This study aims to explore how twenty MSc. students construct their identity as writers of research papers. The students in this study received genre-based writing instructions on writing research papers during their writing course in the first semester of university. They wrote four papers during the semester, and the researcher provided feedback to their papers. Then, they were interviewed individually in order to find out how they reacted to the instructions, the writing process, and the feedback provided by the teacher. In addition, they were requested to write a reflective piece of writing about what they experienced including their emotions, thoughts and opinions about writing an academic paper before and after the course. Two types of analyses were made. Firstly, their sample research papers were examined during the course to see if there were improvements in the areas where feedback was provided. Secondly, the interviews and reflective pieces of writing were subjected to content analysis in order to extract themes. The examination of the papers revealed that the feedback provided by the teacher was effective as the writings improved in the areas where feedback was given. The thematic analysis resulted in two major themes of Affect and Attitude and the Need for Adaptation. An important implication of this study was the role feedback played in helping student/researchers to develop their identity in writing. 

scholarly journals The Collision of Two Lexicons: Librarians, Composition Instructors and the Vocabulary of Source Evaluation

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toni M. Carter ◽  
Todd Aldridge
Keyword(s):  
Information Literacy ◽  
Rhetorical Analysis ◽  
Rhetoric And Composition ◽  
Student Writing ◽  
First Year ◽  
Source Evaluation ◽  
First Year Composition ◽  
Composition Instructors ◽  
Writing Assignment ◽  
Writing Sample

Abstract Objective – The study has two aims. The first is to identify words and phrases from information literacy and rhetoric and composition that students used to justify the comparability of two sources. The second is to interpret the effectiveness of students’ application of these evaluative vocabularies and explore the implications for librarians and first-year composition instructors’ collaborations. Methods – A librarian and a first-year composition instructor taught a class on source evaluation using the language of information literacy, composition, and rhetorical analysis (i.e., classical, Aristotelian, rhetorical appeals). Students applied the information learned from the instruction session to help them locate and select two sources of comparable genre and rigor for the purpose of an essay assignment. The authors assessed this writing assignment for students’ evaluative diction to identify how they could improve their understanding of each other’s discourse. Results – The authors’ analysis of the student writing sample exposes struggles in how students understand, apply, and integrate the jargon of information literacy and rhetoric and composition. Assessment shows that students chose the language of rhetoric and composition rather than the language of information literacy, they selected the broadest and/or vaguest terms to evaluate their sources, and they applied circular reasoning when justifying their choices. When introduced to analogous concepts or terms between the two discourses, students cherry-picked the terms that allowed for the easiest, albeit, least-meaningful evaluations. Conclusion – The authors found that their unfamiliarity with each other’s discourse revealed itself in both the class and the student writing. They discovered that these miscommunications affected students’ language use in their written source evaluations. In fact, the authors conclude that this oversight in addressing the subtle differences between the two vocabularies was detrimental to student learning. To improve communication and students’ source evaluation, the authors consider developing a common vocabulary for more consistency between the two lexicons.

Using Principles of Andragogy to Teach Writing to Graduate Students Online

2010 ◽  
pp. 1113-1150
Author(s):  
Beth Kania-Gosche
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Adult Learners ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Teaching Writing ◽  
Graduate Course ◽  
Research Papers ◽  
Writing Courses ◽  
Final Project ◽  
Written Assignments ◽  
Principles Of Andragogy

While online courses may be more convenient and fulfilling for adult learners, they pose an additional challenge because much of the communication between student and instructor is in writing. This is in addition to more formal, traditional written assignments like research papers. The challenge multiplies with graduate students, who may be years or even decades distant from their undergraduate writing courses, while the expectations for their writing are higher. Many graduate programs culminate with a final project, thesis, or dissertation, which often involves extensive research and writing. Many similarities exist between the literature on teaching writing and teaching adult learners; however, teaching writing within the contest of an online graduate course is an area of research that still needs to be expanded.

scholarly journals Role of infection in wound healing

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 598-602
Author(s):  
Malik Asif Hussain ◽  
Flavia Huygens
Keyword(s):  
Wound Healing ◽  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
Chronic Wounds ◽  
Medical Science ◽  
Vascular Diseases ◽  
Research Papers ◽  
Patients With Diabetes ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
The Impact

Chronic wounds, particularly infected wounds are clinically very important due to their significant impact on health budgets as well as patients` health worldwide. Patients with diabetes mellitus, vascular diseases especially peripheral vascular disease and pressure ulcers are major categories of patients presenting with chronic wounds. It is known that there are multiple factors determining chronic wound prognosis. The presence of multiple types of pathogenic bacteria, with specific virulence and adherent (biofilm) properties, contribute a significant role to the development of chronic wounds. This review article is based on the research project entitled” An investigation of the impact of bacterial diversity, pathogenic determinants and biofilms on chronic wounds”. The research findings have been published in form of research papers as well as conference posters. The aim of this article is to highlight various important aspects of bacterial impact on wound healing. Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.19(4) 2020 p.598-602

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