Download English language matters

English academic writing for
students of Physics
SARA FARSHCHI & NELE PÖLDVERE
Course teachers [1]
Sara Farshchi
[email protected]
Nele Pöldvere
[email protected]
Course teachers [2]
• Doctoral Candidates in English Linguistics
• Previously taught Written Proficiency for
undergraduate students of English, Academic writing
for Physics students and other linguistics courses at
Lund University
What is this course about?
• A hands-on, practical introduction to academic writing in
English
• Primary goals:
– help students improve their academic writing skills in
English
– provide concrete and practical guidelines to help
students avoid common issues and pitfalls of
academic writing
– help students of physics communicate their ideas
better, and more efficiently
How is this course organized?
• Lecture 1: 30 January, 10.15-12.00; Sal D
• Essay submission deadline: 1 March at midnight
• Lecture 2 (feedback sessions):
– Group 1: 15 March, 09.15-11.00; Sal D
– Group 2: 15 March, 11.15-13.00; Sal D
How is this course organized?
• Lecture 1: 30 January, 10.15-12.00; Sal D
• Essay submission deadline: 1 March at midnight
• Lecture 2 (feedback sessions):
– Group 1: 15 March, 09.15-11.00; Sal D
– Group 2: 15 March, 11.15-13.00; Sal D
Please note that the lectures are obligatory!
How are the groups organized?
• Group 1: Initial letter of family name a-l
• Group 2: Initial letter of family name m-ö
Your task
• Write and submit a text of 1500 words in length,
written in formal academic English
• 2 possible topics:
A. “The motivation for your scientific thesis work”
B. “The contents/meaning/impact/philosophical
implications of quantum mechanics in the
modern world”
• Submission deadline: 1 March at midnight
• Individual comments will be available by 13 March
What kind of language style should you use?
• Please try to write in academic English, using the
type of language and style that you would use in a
degree paper
• Take the task as seriously as possible; otherwise, it
won’t be useful to you
The rationale for this course
• UKÄ (the Swedish Higher Education authority) has highlighted
several language issues with Physics students’ degree papers
in English:
– Word level (spelling, word choice, formality, etc)
– Sentence level (grammar, information structure, sentence
structure)
– Paragraph level (topic sentences, supporting sentences)
– Text level (coherence and cohesion, linking,
logic/contradictions)
• Experts in physics are not always language experts
• If we take care of some language issues, your professors and
supervisors can instead focus on PHYSICS
The rationale for this course
• UKÄ (the Swedish Higher Education authority) has highlighted
several language issues with Physics students’ degree papers
in English:
– Word level (spelling, word choice, formality, etc)
– Sentence level (grammar, information structure, sentence
structure)
– Paragraph level (topic sentences, supporting sentences)
– Text level (coherence and cohesion, linking,
logic/contradictions)
• Experts in physics are not always language experts
• If we take care of some language issues, your professors and
supervisors can instead focus on PHYSICS
QUALITY
Common errors we have observed:
– Subject-verb agreement error
– Punctuation
– Informal language use
– Run-on sentences/ comma splice
– Sentence fragments
– Articles
– Collocations and word choice
– Prepositions
– Verb tense
Common errors we have observed:
– Subject-verb agreement error
Another postulate Bohr came up with said that electrons in a
stable orbit does not radiate electromagnetic energy.
Common errors we have observed:
– Subject-verb agreement error
– Punctuation
Common errors we have observed:
– Subject-verb agreement error
– Punctuation
Another advantage of a laser pulse is that since the pulse is
so short in time it is quite broad in frequency.
Common errors we have observed:
– Subject-verb agreement error
– Punctuation
– Informal language use
Common errors we have observed:
– Subject-verb agreement error
– Punctuation
– Informal language use
...another great thing is that the material is very light in weight
with respect to the strength of the material.
Common errors we have observed:
– Subject-verb agreement error
– Punctuation
– Informal language use
– Run-on sentences/ comma splice
Common errors we have observed:
– Subject-verb agreement error
– Punctuation
– Informal language use
– Run-on sentences/ comma splice
But UCNPS has a relatively low luminescent ratio between
the amount of excited photons and the amount of the
emission photons, the ratio is also named quantum yield,
thus enhancement of upconversion luminescence is
imperative.
Common errors we have observed:
– Subject-verb agreement error
– Punctuation
– Informal language use
– Run-on sentences/ comma splice
– Sentence fragments
Common errors we have observed:
– Subject-verb agreement error
– Punctuation
– Informal language use
– Run-on sentences/ comma splice
– Sentence fragments
*Although the idea of the brain as a neural network can still
make for a very useful implementation.
Common errors we have observed:
– Subject-verb agreement error
– Punctuation
– Informal language use
– Run-on sentences/ comma splice
– Sentence fragments
– Articles
Common errors we have observed:
– Subject-verb agreement error
– Punctuation
– Informal language use
– Run-on sentences/ comma splice
– Sentence fragments
– Articles
*I have an information that you may find very helpful.
Common errors we have observed:
– Subject-verb agreement error
– Punctuation
– Informal language use
– Run-on sentences/ comma splice
– Sentence fragments
– Articles
– Collocations and word choice
Common errors we have observed:
– Subject-verb agreement error
– Punctuation
– Informal language use
– Run-on sentences/ comma splice
– Sentence fragments
– Articles
– Collocations and word choice
...my thesis work could help researchers in the field of
medicine to evade this problem...
Writing and feedback
• We know that in order to become a good writer, you
need to practice a lot
• It’s also very important to get feedback on your work
• So perhaps students of Physics at Lund University
don’t always write enough or get enough feedback
on their writing before the degree paper?
Why study academic writing?
“In science, the credit goes to the man who convinces
the world, not to the man to whom the idea first
occurs.”
Sir William Osler
Why study academic writing?
“In science, the credit goes to the man who convinces
the world, not to the man to whom the idea first
occurs.”
Sir William Osler
Writing is a key skill that can help us
achieve our professional goals
What makes a good writer? [1]
• Inborn talent?
• Years of English and humanities classes?
• An artistic nature?
• Divine inspiration?
What makes a good writer? [2]
“Writing is an art. But when it is writing to inform it
comes close to being a science as well.”
Robert Gunning, The Technique of Clear Writing
What makes a good writer? [2]
“Writing is an art. But when it is writing to inform it
comes close to being a science as well.”
Robert Gunning, The Technique of Clear Writing
Writing to inform is a craft, not an art.
Clear, effective writing can be learned!
What makes a good writer? [3]
• A few learnable rules of style à the tools we’ll learn
in this course
• Having something to say
• Logical and clear thinking
What makes a good writer? [4]
“A text is a machine to think with.”
Adapted from I. A. Richards
What makes a good writer? [4]
“A text is a machine to think with.”
Adapted from I. A. Richards
By improving our writing skills we can
become better thinkers
Topics
A. The motivation for your scientific thesis work
B. The contents/meaning/impact/philosophical
implications of quantum mechanics in the modern
world”
What do we care about?
• Produce an essay, not an excerpt from your thesis
– Intro including the aim
– Body including the arguments
– Conclusion summarizing what was discussed
• These are necessary components of an essay. Even if
you choose not to have sections in a short essay such as
this, you still need to organize your thoughts and
arguments according to this.
What do we care about?
• Produce an essay, not an excerpt from your thesis or a
diary entry
– Intro including the aim
– Body including the arguments
– Conclusion summarizing what was discussed
• These are necessary components of an essay. Even if
you choose not to have sections in a short essay such as
this, you still need to organize your thoughts and
arguments according to this.
• References are mandatory
What do we care about?
• Structure
• Coherence
• Academic writing style
• Accuracy
• Use of references
Content is secondary, but…!
Contact information
[email protected]
[email protected]
We would highly appreciate your input!
1) What would you like to learn more about?
2) What do you find problematic about writing in
English?
Please brainstorm and write down what you come up
with on a sheet of paper.