[EDLING:1430] Re: Writing in the Academic Style

[Tim Stoeckel]

Martin Edwardes <martin.edwardes at btopenworld.com> wrote:    I am gathering information about the academic style of writing, and I would
be grateful if you could take a few minutes to answer a few questions about
the subject. The responses will be treated confidentially, and there will be
no attribution of the answers in published statistics.

The survey should take only a few minutes to complete, although more
exhaustive answers are welcomed.
--------------------------------------------- 
1. Do you think that there is a specific way of writing for academic
purposes? Yes/No 
   
  Yes

2. What do you see as the major single feature of academic writing that
makes it different to other forms of writing? 
   
  I suppose you could say academic writing style is more formalized and bound by convention (e.g. rather rigid use of punctuation, sentence structure..)

3. What do you see as the major single advantage of having a specific style
for academic writing? 
   
  Good question.  Perhaps the formalized style, and the single style used throughout academia, may contribute to clarity.

4. Do you think there are any disadvantages? 

  Right off hand, I would say that within academia there are no disadvantages.  The disadvantage might come when a paper meant for a specialized audience within academia is seen as stuffy or standoffish by the general public.
  
5. At your institution, is there a conversion course or booklet to teach
students how to write in an academic style (select one): 
Yes, a booklet / Yes, a course / Yes, booklet and course / I don't know of
any conversion training at my institution 

  Well, I am in Japan (at a university for foreign studies), where English is a foreign language.  In this context, we teach academic English as part of the curriculum.  I don't really know if students here are taught to write in an academic style in Japanese.
  
6. What is your subject area? 

  TESOL
   
  Martin, I know you didn't ask, but your topic is something I have given some thought to over my years here.  Some instructors (here) favor doing away with the teaching of academic writing because students here rarely have need for it upon graduation.  I sit squarely in the other camp.  I feel that learning a formalized way of writing goes hand in hand with learning and being able to use the scientific method to approach and solve a problem.  These skill sets, though not unique in higher education, are one of the defining characteristics of higher education, and they set us apart from, let's say, an English conversation school (in Japan).  
   
  Good luck in your research.  It sounds interesting.
  
--------------------------------------------- 

Thanks for your help,

Martin Edwardes
http://www.btinternet.com/~martin.edwardes/


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