Academic writing A Handbook for International Students

f) Interviewees/Respondents
g) mentioned
h) majority
i) slightly
j) minority
k) questions
l) common
m) generally
n) sample

5.5 Writing Letters and Emails
1 Letters

a) Address of sender
b) Address of recipient
c) Sender’s reference
d) Date
e) Greeting
f) Subject headline
g) Reason for writing
h) Further details
i) Request for response
j) Ending
k) Signature
l) Writer’s name and job title

2 Practice A

(Example answer)

4 Practice B

Sender = student/recipient = teacher
A reply is unlikely, unless the recipient needs to comment on the attached

paper.

5 Practice C

(Example answers)
a) Hi Mark,

We need to schedule a short meeting tomorrow. What time would suit

you?
See you soon,

b) Hello Tricia,

I’m looking for another source for this month’s essay. Could you
recommend something suitable?

Best wishes,

c) Hi everyone,

It’s only a week before the end of the course – what are we going to do to
celebrate? Let me have your ideas – I’ll pass them on and hopefully get
something good fixed up for Sat. 12th!
Dear Tim Carey,
I’ve never had this book, so I can’t return it. Can you check your records

please?

5.6 Writing in Groups

1 

a) F
b) T
c) F
d) F
e) T
f) F

2 Making group work successful

1 E. Get to know the other members.
2 C. Make everyone feel included.
3 A. Analyse the task.
4 G. Plan the job and the responsibilities.
5 B. Divide up the work fairly, according to the abilities of the members.
6 F. Select a co-ordinator/editor.
7 D. Finish the assignment on time.

3 Dealing with problems

a) (i) The lazy students will learn nothing from this approach, and the same
problem will occur the next time they are involved in group work.

a) (ii) Although it may seem difficult, this is the only positive solution.

a) (iii) Your teachers are unlikely to help – group work is designed to make
these problems your responsibility.

b) (i) Your teachers are unlikely to help – group work is designed to make
these problems your responsibility.

b) (ii) This will not help you in the long run – you must learn to take part in
discussion.

b) (iii) The right approach. The other members probably don’t realise that you
are having difficulties with their language.

c) (i) If everyone in the group takes part, the offender will be forced to accept
that their behaviour is unhelpful.

c) (ii) Your teachers are unlikely to help – group work is designed to make
these problems your responsibility.

c) (iii) You will run the risk that they will get a poor mark and so everyone
will suffer.

Index

abbreviations in citations 60–1
abbreviations in writing 187–8
abbreviations, common 186–7
abbreviations, types 185
abstracts, reading 19–20
academic adjectives 193–4
academic style 21, 133, 161–2
academic texts 10–13
academic vocabulary 189–95
academic writing components 6–7
academic writing, format 4–6
academic writing, types 4
adjectives, academic 65, 193–4
adjectives, similar 193
adverbs, academic 196–201
adverbs, with passive 150
American English xxviii–xxx, 155
apostrophes 154
argument 91–5
argument, organisation of 92
articles 139
articles, definite 139–42
assessing internet sources critically 21–22
book reviews 229–33
brainstorming 35
capital letters 152

case studies 225–8
case study, model 226
category words 106–8
cause and effect 96–100
caution 166–7
change, language of 125–6
citation and quotation 56
citations and references 56
citations, abbreviations in 60–1
cohesion 135–8
colons 154
combining sources 64–70
commas 153
comparisons 101–5
comparison structures 101–2
conclusions 76–81
conclusion structure 81
confusing pairs 182–3
conjunctions 202–6
conjunctions, confusing 205
conjunctions of opposition 205–6
conjunctions, types 203–4
counterarguments 93–4
critical approach to sources 65–8
critical thinking 23–5
definitions 106–9
definitions, complex 108
definitions, simple 106
describing visuals 126–7
discussion language 93
discussion organisation 92
discussion vocabulary 91–2
electronic resources, searching 15–16
emails 249–52

essay length 36–7
essay titles, analysing 34
evidence, providing 94–5
examples 110–13
examples, introducing 111
fact and opinion 20–1
format of academic writing 4–6
full stops 153
generalisations 114–17
generalisations, structure 115
graphs and charts 122, 285
group phrases 158
groups, writing in 253–6
implied language 137
internet resources, assessing critically 21–2
introduction contents 78, 274
introductions 76–81
introduction structure 77–9
inverted commas 155
journals, academic 6
key points, finding 39–45
labelling visuals 128
language features 181
language of change 125–6
language of discussion 93
length of essay 36–7
letters 249–50
library catalogues 14–15
linking paragraphs 74
list of references 61–2
literature reviews 229–33
longer papers 234–41
main verbs, understanding 196–7
mind maps 37, 87

modifiers, using 167
note-making 39–45
note-making methods 42–3
nouns and adjectives 189–95
nouns and adjectives, confusing 191–2
nouns, academic 189
nouns, uncountable 158–9
numbers 143–7
numbers, simplification 144–5
numerical phrases 145–6
opening sentences 79–80
organisation of argument 92
organising paragraphs 71–5
outlines 37
paragraph structure 71–2
paragraphs 71–5
paragraphs, linking 74
paragraphs, organising 71–5
paragraphs, writing in 8–9
paraphrasing 28, 46–54
paraphrasing techniques 52
passives 148–51
passive, use of 149–50
percentages 144
phrases from other languages 183–4
plagiarism 26–32
plagiarism, degrees of 27–8
planning process 33
prefixes 207–10
prepositions 211–15
prepositions and nouns 212
prepositions and verbs 214
prepositions in phrases 213
prepositions of place and time 213

problems and solutions, structure 118–19
problems and solutions, vocabulary 119
proofreading 82–7
providing evidence 94–5
punctuation 152–6
purpose of academic writing 3
questionnaire design 212
quotation marks 155
quotations 55–63
reading academic texts 177, 179
reading lists 13
reading methods 17–18
reading texts, types of 13
reference systems 57
reference verbs 56
reference words 135
references 55–63
references and citations 56
references, list of 61–2
references, secondary 61
relevant points, finding 40–1
repetition and redundancy, avoiding 164–5
reports 242–8
reports, scientific 244–6
resources, internet 21–2
restatement 113
rewriting 82–7
scientific reports 244–6
searching electronic resources 15–16
secondary references 61
semi-colons 154
sentence length, varying 165–6
sentences, opening 79–80
sentences, simple and longer 7–8

singular or plural? 157–60
sources, acknowledging 27
sources, combining 64–70
sources, finding suitable 10–16
style guidelines 162–3
style, academic 161–2
suffixes 207–10
summarising 46–54
summarising and paraphrasing 46–54
summarising, stages of 47
superlatives 103
synonyms 216–21
tenses 170
text features 18–19
text types 13
time markers 169–75
titles and sub-titles 18–19
titles, essay 34
titles, understanding 33–8
types of academic writing 4
types of reading texts 13
uncountable nouns 158–9
varying sentence length 165–6
verbs and prepositions 214
verbs of reference 198–9
verbs, academic 196–201
verbs, passives 201
verbs, understanding main 196–7
visual information 122–31
visuals, describing 126–7
visuals, labelling 128
vocabulary, approaches to 179–84
vocabulary, new 180–1
words and phrases from other languages 183–4

writing in groups 253–6