Module C2 Structure and style of academic

writing

Introduction to module C2
Objectives
Learning resources
o Selected readings
o Other resources
C2.1 Organising ideas
C2.2 Style
C2.3 Sentence structure in academic writing
C2.4 Word processing and presentation
C2.5 Spelling
C2.6 Proof reading
C2.7 Using academic style and structure
C2.8 Reading
o C2.8.1 Welfare reform
o C2.8.2 Sustainable development
Feedback
Feedback for activities

Introduction to module C2
This week we begin Part 2 of the communication (C) section, which contains modules C2 and C3. It deals
with academic writing style and paragraph structure, and with the use of concepts in academic writing. In
module C2 we will provide you with the opportunity to do some written work which introduces you to the
structure and style of academic writing. We will also ask you to continue with your set readings. Recall
that in the last module we noted the importance of reading because writing at university is almost always
writing about what you have read rather than expressing your personal opinion or relating what happened
to you.

Objectives
Please refer to the course introduction for the overall objectives for this course.

Learning resources
Selected readings
C2.1: Abbott, T 2000, Renewing the social fabric, Policy, vol. 16, no. 3, pp. 3841.
This reading has not been included for copyright reasons. Use the reference details to search either
online or through your local library.
C2.2: Brown, L 2002, The eco-economic revolution, The Futurist, March-April, pp. 236.
This reading has not been included for copyright reasons. Use the reference details to search either
online or through your local library.

Other resources

Usage guide.

C2.1 Organising ideas

Outside of the university setting writing often uses time and storytelling as the organising principles. For
example:
We went to the shopping centre and while we were there we and then we
To replace a carburettor in a combustion engine first you when you have done that you.
In academic writing, however, you are expected to organise your material using general to particular
rather than time or story telling.

Learning activity C2.1

We would like you to write three sentences which start at a general level and become more
particular. Begin by reading the examples below.
Example One
Lettuce is a leafy green vegetable. It is a common ingredient in Australian salads. A popular
salad which contains lettuce is Caesar salad.
Example Two
Japan is a country in the northern Pacific. It is composed of four main islands. The names of the
islands are Hokkaido, Kyushu, Shikoku and Honshu.
Example Three
Oil is a major industrial and domestic fuel. It is an important export earner for those countries
fortunate to have deposits within their national borders. Significant oil exporting countries
include Saudi Arabia, Venezuela and Nigeria.
Now write your own sentences. You may write on a topic of your choice. Please write in the
third person (do not use I We Our). Avoid sentences that tell us how to do something
(change a tyre or score a goal) because they will be organised using time rather than general to
particular. Try to begin with a general sentence that allows you to become more specific.
If you cannot think of a topic you may wish to write on one of the following: mangos or
Indonesia or steel.
Learning activity C2.2

We would like you to repeat the exercise by writing three sentences on a more abstract topic.
Write three sentences on unemployment. You may draw on the reading you have done in the
course for ideas but you must write in your own words. Remember to write in the third person
and begin with a general sentence that allows you to become more specific.
The examples below are provided as models.

Example One
Depression is a common illness in Australia. It causes both physical and psychological
symptoms. Symptoms include fatigue, sleeplessness, feelings of worthlessness and suicidal
thoughts.
Example Two
Post-secondary education is a key factor in determining a persons standard of living.
Individuals who gain a qualification from TAFE or university are less likely to be unemployed
than those who do not continue with their education after leaving school. They are also likely to
earn more money over the course of their working lives.
Example Three
Democracy is a form of government in which individual citizens vote to elect their leaders.
Individual votes are of equal value whether the person is rich or poor, a man or a woman. In
Australia all adult individuals with the exception of some people who are mentally ill and
prisoners serving more than a five year sentence must vote for the national government every
three years.

C2.2 Style
You may have noted that the style of writing we have adopted for the study notes is informal. We write in
the first person, (using we) and the second person, (you) and adopt conversational phrases (you may
be surprised to learn and ins and outs). We decided to adopt an informal tone because we want the
notes to have the flavour of someone talking to you and encouraging you through the exercises. Compare
the sections of notes where we are explaining and giving instructions with the more formal language used
in the three examples above.
We noted earlier that university assignments are based on research rather than on personal experience or
opinion. Academics have agreed among themselves that the research based nature of their work is best
reflected in a formal style of writing, which unlike informal letters, notes and personal journals, is not
modelled on everyday speech. Academics write in full grammatical sentences and express ideas in a
concise and clear way. They expect you to do the same. Generally speaking you will be asked not to use
the first person and will be penalised for writing which has a conversational tone.

C2.3 Sentence structure in academic writing

One sentence pattern which helps students to write in a clear concise way is to put what the sentence is
about (the subject) first, followed by the verb and then the rest of the sentence. Some examples are given
below. The subject, what the sentence is about, has been underlined and the verb is in bold.
Government policy is a major cause of unemployment in Australia.
Work for the dole schemes are part of welfare reform in Australia.
Depression causes both physical and psychological symptoms.
Landclearing destroys the habitat of native animals and plants.

Dryland salinity poses a serious threat to agriculture production in Australia.

The Minister for Employment Relations in the Howard liberal government, Tony Abbott, argues that the
current welfare system encourages dependency.

Learning activity C2.3

We would now like you to write two sentences, using the following pattern: subject, verb, rest of
sentence. The sentences do not need to be related. Do not worry about being able to explain
what a subject is or what a verb is. Concentrate on the examples above and try to get the same
pattern.

C2.4 Word processing and presentation

At university, lecturers require assignments to be word processed. Many courses no longer accept hand
written work except under exceptional circumstances and where special permission is obtained. We
therefore urge you, if at all possible, to word process your assignments. If it is not possible hand written
assignments will be accepted for the TPP. The course introductory materials includes instructions for the
presentation of assignments.

C2.5 Spelling
Word processing solves the problem of spelling errors, for the most part, in assignment work. There are
also notes on spelling in the Usage guide.

C2.6 Proof reading

Some students seem to think that the use of a word processor and a computer spell and grammar check
makes proof reading unnecessary. This is not the case. Computers cannot always correct errors in
sentence structure or tell you if you have chosen a word with an incorrect meaning for the particular
sentence, even though it may be spelled correctly, for example you may write their instead of there.
We suggest that you plan your time so that you can leave a completed assignment overnight before giving
it a final proof read. Academics usually get one or more of their colleagues to read through articles or
chapters before they send them off to journals or book publishers. If you have someone who can read
your work for you, you may like to ask them to do so before you send it in.

C2.7 Using academic style and structure

Learning activity C2.4

We would like you to write a short paragraph of five sentences on The World Summit on
Sustainable Development. Write in the third person, try to move from the general to the
particular and include at least three sentences which have the following pattern: subject, verb,
rest of sentence.

C2.8 Reading
This modules readings (readings C2.1 and C2.2) are a speech and an article from a magazine. Note again
that like the readings in module C1 they are not examples of academic writing. In module C3 we will
suggest reading strategies which will assist you with reading at university. For the present, read in your
usual way and try to work out what the most important ideas in the readings are.

C2.8.1 Welfare reform

Your previous readings on the welfare system were by a politician and a welfare advocate. This modules
reading deals with welfare dependency. It is by Tony Abbott, the former Minister for Employment in the
current Howard Government. It is an edited version of a talk so it has the structure of a speech rather than
a formal piece of writing.

Welfare dependency and unemployment

Learning activity C2.5

Read through the speech (reading C2.1). Do you agree with Abbotts view of welfare
recipients? Think about the question but you do not need to write a response.
Learning activity C2.6

Re-read page 39 of reading C2.1. Now put the speech aside and write one to two sentences in
which you answer the following question:
Why does Abbott argue that the Australian welfare system needs to be reformed?

C2.8.2 Sustainable development

The idea of sustainable development has become popular because it gives people a way of thinking about
how to have economic growth and rising living standards without destroying the environment. In the past,
uncontrolled economic development caused pollution, global warming, deforestation, soil erosion and
salinity. Today most researchers and commentators agree that there need to be some controls on economic
activity in order to protect the environment. However, they disagree about the kind and extent of controls.
Your next reading for this module is by Lester Brown (reading C2.2). It is from a magazine called The
Futurist. Note that it is not an example of academic writing.

Learning activity C2.7

Writers from different countries or backgrounds sometimes use different words to talk about the
same thing. This can be confusing, especially when you are in the early phase of building up
your understanding of the issue or concept they are writing about. When Brown refers to the
principles of ecology he means principles for protecting the environment. Eco-economy has the
same meaning as sustainable development.
Begin reading the Brown article (reading C2.2). When you come to the first time he uses
principles of ecology write protecting the environment in the articles margin. When you come

to the first time he uses eco-economy write sustainable development in the margin. Go on
reading and do the same for the second time he uses principles of ecology and eco-economy.
Learning activity C2.8

Write two to three sentences in your own words in which you outline what you consider to be
the three most important principles of ecology that Brown discusses.
Learning activity C2.9

Brown compares the type of economy we have now, which he calls a traditional economy, with
an eco-economy. He argues that in a traditional economy, economic growth takes place without
caring about the consequences for the environment. After looking at the articles title and the
headings within the text, read through the article again. Make sure you pay attention to the
information included in the text box on page 25.
In two to three sentences and in your own words explain what position Brown takes. Does he
support the traditional economy or the eco-economy? What reasons does he give in support of
his position?
Activity C2.10

As a practice activity, write three sentences which move from the general
to the more specific on a topic of your choice.

Feedback
Feedback for activity C2.4, activity C2.6 activity C2.9 and activity C2.10 can be found at the end of this
module.

Feedback for activities

Feedback for activity C2.4, activity C2.6 activity C2.9 and activity C2.10 is given below.
Activity C2.4
The purpose of the World Summit was to review progress towards sustainable development. The focus
was upon protecting the environment while at the same time improving the living conditions of people in
poor countries. Kofi Annan, the Secretary General of the United Nations, urged delegates to come up with
ways to tackle poverty and provide access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation. He also
included biodiversity and land degradation in his list of urgent concerns. Annan reminded delegates that
previous summits had provided many promises and good intentions but that decisive action was now
needed.
Activity C2.6
Abbott argues that current welfare arrangements discourage unemployed people from seeking work. He
thinks there are jobs available but benefit levels and eligibility criteria enable some people to choose
welfare rather than work.

Activity C2.9
Brown argues that the traditional economy is not sustainable because market forces do not take account of
the environmental costs of goods and services. He suggests that the development of an eco-economy
would better accommodate the natural principles of balance and renewability. Brown uses rising carbon
dioxide levels, shrinking fish stocks, flooding and soil erosion as examples of the traditional economys
failure to be environmentally sustainable.
Activity C2.10
Example: Bananas are a tropical fruit. In Australia, bananas are mostly grown in tropical Queensland.
Although the climate in Queensland is good for growing bananas, there is always a danger of tropical
cyclones which can destroy a whole banana crop.