Download Section 5 Unit 1

Unit 1: Good Writing
Good writing?
Think about the reading you have done so far for your college course: what do you
think are the elements or ‘ingredients’ of ‘good writing’ in these academic texts?
Write in the space below:
An old, yet still fresh idea
The foundation for modern thought on effective communication is based on an
ancient idea originally presented by the philosopher, Aristotle, over 2000
years ago, in relation to rhetoric (persuasive public speaking).
Aristotle presented an analysis of rhetoric, which included three elements:
Logos, Pathos and Ethos:
Logos
Logos are appeals to
reason and an attempt
to persuade an
audience through valid
arguments.
This can be achieved
by the presentation of
reliable evidence,
usually in the form of
facts, definitions,
statistics and other
data that appeals to
the logic and
intelligence of the
audience.
Pathos
Pathos is concerned
with an appeal to the
emotions of the
audience.
The speaker will
attempt to induce a
particular state of mind
in the audience,
including anger,
understanding,
sympathy, tolerance; it
will tap into the
sentiment or feelings of
the audience.
Ethos
Ethos is the appeal of a
speaker to an audience
in terms of his or her
credibility and
experience; this is
someone worth
listening to.
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Aristotle Updated
You may be wondering what Aristotle has to do with writing assignments for
higher education in the 21st Century?
But Aristotle’s ideas are still relevant today and can be applied to both
spoken and written forms of communication, including academic writing.
Logos, Pathos and Ethos in academic writing:
Logos
You check facts carefully
before including them in
assignments.
You demonstrate your
knowledge of relevant
theories, models, ideas
and practices.
You give reasons and
evidence to back-up
statements. This evidence
will be referenced
accurately.
You show you understand
a range of arguments and
points of view.
Pathos
You give examples to
illustrate the theories and
ideas you present. This
helps to connect these
concepts with people’s
everyday experiences.
You use words that have
real meaning to people.
So you avoid writing in
jargon or in convoluted
language.
You address the reader in
an intelligent manner: in a
careful, precise, yet clear
and accessible way.
Ethos
You build credibility as a
writer if:
There is a clear structure
to your writing (this
presents a positive
impression of you as
someone who has
carefully organised their
ideas before writing.
Your writing is succinct
and focused;
There are no spelling or
grammatical errors in
your text. This
demonstrates your
command of English,
which can reinforce a
desired positive
impression of you.
You demonstrate your
reading on the essay
topic.
Aristotle’s ideas also connect with what HE tutors expect of students in
relation to academic writing.
What tutors expect from student assignments
Tutors look for the following in student assignments:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Reasoning, argument and analysis
Effective use of sources
Structure and approach
Good presentation
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Reasoning, argument and analysis (Logos)
Above all, the tutor will look for clear engagement with the set
topic or question.
You should show clear understanding of ideas and be
able to provide examples of ideas and concepts
presented in your assignments.
Tutors also respect students who take a critical
stance with their reading and who can present
convincing arguments that counter any particular theory, idea or point of
view. (An ‘argument’ is a point of view supported with reliable evidence,
e.g. from articles, books, statistics etc.).
They will want you to develop your own point of view, or arrive at a
conclusion, based on a thorough analysis of the subject within the
constraints of the word limits for the assignment. Above all, they will ask
themselves, ‘has the student addressed the essay topic or question’?
Effective use of sources (citing & referencing sources) (Logos)
Tutors will expect you to show evidence that you have read a
variety of texts that connects and engages with the assignment topic.
They will also want evidence that you can be selective about which
material to use in your work. The tutor will seek evidence that you have
researched the subject as thoroughly as possible in the time available to
you.
This evidence is presented by referencing your sources accurately. This
will be dealt with in more depth in Unit 4 of this section.
Structure and approach (Ethos)
The tutor will look for:
 evidence of planning and organisation of material in the
assignment;
 a logical structure, including an introduction and
summary/conclusion.
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Good presentation (Ethos)
Tutors expect that you will take pride in the way you present your work. It
should look good, e.g. word-processed, and be free of spelling mistakes
and grammatical errors.
Spelling mistakes and grammatical errors can interrupt the
process of communication between you and your tutor. If an
essay or report is difficult to understand, because of
grammatical or spelling errors, your tutor will struggle to follow
your train of thought.
The tutor will also be impressed if you can write in a way that expresses
something of your personality and your individuality.
Style in writing
The best academic writers have always strived to make their ideas accessible
to a wide and intelligent readership. This invariably results in a style of writing
that connects with the experiences, senses and emotions of the reader – and it
a way that connects with Aristotle’s Pathos element of effective
communication.
For example, read the following example by Anthony Giddens; it is the
concluding section of essay in which he describes the impact of globalization.
As the changes described in this chapter gather weight, they are creating
something that has never existed before, a global cosmopolitan society.
We are the first generation to live in this society, whose contours we can
only dimly see. It is shaking up our existing ways of life, no matter where
we happen to be. This is not – at least at the moment – a global order
driven by collective human will. Instead, it is emerging in an anarchic,
haphazard fashion, carried along by a mixture of influences.
It is not settled or secure, but fraught with anxieties, as well as scarred by
deep divisions. Many of us feel in the grip of forces over which we have
no power. Can we re-impose our will upon them? Arguably we can. The
powerlessness we experience is not a sign of personal failings, but
reflects the incapacities of our institutions. We need to reconstruct those
we have, or create new ones. For globalization is not incidental to our
lives today. It is a shift in our very life circumstances. It is the way we live
now.
(Source: Giddens, A. (1999). Runaway World: how globalization is reshaping
our lives. London: Profile Books).
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Look carefully at the Giddens extract and comment in the right hand column of
the grid that follows on:



The style of writing generally.
The impact of some of the words: single out a few words that have a
particular impact on you and try and say why this is.
The way the writing tries to appeal to the reader.
The style of writing
generally
The impact of some
of the words: single
out a few words that
have a particular
impact on you and
try and say why this
is.
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The way the writing
tries to appeal to the
reader.
Your tutor will discuss this exercise with you. Alternatively, you can check the
answers yourself in the online tutor guidance notes for this Section and Unit.
Key points from Unit 1
Good academic writing has three elements: (1) valid arguments,
supported with reliable evidence; (2) clear structure and organisation;
and (3) good presentation of work, which includes correct punctuation
and spelling.
Good academic writing is always clear and accessible to its intended
readership.
End of Unit 1.
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