11th May 2019
Academic Writing
Skill
MBA 2019 (OMAN)
MBA 503 Business Communication
SESSION # 6
Jithendra Gunatilake
11th May 2019
Business Writing vs Academic Writing
Business Writing Academic Writing
Where At work place Educational/ Professional/ research
related institutions
What Reports, Memoranda, Circulars, Policies, Assignments, Proposals, Reports,
Procedures, Communication material Journal articles, Conference papers
Can be filed and used indefinitely Assignments / proposals: Limited life
span. (Only for that term)
Can be used for legal proceedings Research publications: used
indefinitely.
Why Problem solving / approval seeking Exhibit subject knowledge
Performance review/ reporting Approval for project
Communication Publication
Sharing of knowledge
1
11th May 2019
Business Writing vs Academic Writing
Business Writing Academic Writing
Who Reports can be passed onto multiple readers. Assignments/ proposals/ reports:
Audience is lecturer/ panel of
examiners.
Articles / conference papers;
Multiple audiences with different perspectives Researchers
Some may be experts; others may be not knowledgeable
on the subject
Audience –knowledgeable/
experts/ authorities on the subject
How Organizational format According to the specified format
or own style. e.g : PIM Presentation Guidelines
Format specified by particular
journal
Informal Formal
No need of rationale Rational
Agenda
A. General Features of Academic Writing (#10)
B. Structure of Academic Work
C. PPG
D. Tips for Effective Writing (#9)
2
11th May 2019
General Features of Academic Writing
1. Evidence-based
• Support arguments and claims with evidence from the body of knowledge in relevant field
• Reference to previous work in the field.
Examples :
• Previous studies have shown that ….
• These sources suggest that from the fifth century onwards …..
• According to the 1957 Annual Medical report, the death of the 960 inhabitants of …..
• However, as has been shown elsewhere (e.g. Smith, 1992), the increase in ….
2. Words of classical origin
Common word Academic words
Worry concern
Story account
Get rid of eradicate
A lot of considerable
Not enough inadequate
Trouble difficulty
Big significant
Way (of doing) method
Bring together synthesize
Thing object
3
11th May 2019
3. Be Cautious
Be careful about claims ;
Do not appear certain where some doubt may exist,
Do not over-generalize.
Example :
Drinking alcohol causes breast cancer in women.
Some studies suggest that drinking alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer.
4. Be Critical
Be critical of the sources used
Questioning what you read and not necessarily agreeing with it just because the
information has been published.
identify problems with a writer’s arguments or methods, or perhaps to refer to other
people’s criticisms of these.
“Being against is not enough. We also need to develop habits of constructive thinking”
Edward de Bono
4
11th May 2019
4. Be Impersonal.
Objectivity
Remove academic writer from the writing.
The focus is on ‘what’ happened, ‘how’ it was done and ‘what’ was found.
The ‘who’ (the writer) is not normally given very much attention.
Personal pronouns (‘I’ and ‘we’) avoided.
Reader is not directly addressed . ‘you’, is avoided.
Examples :
(i) I found that delivery delays led to increase in customer complaints
The writer / researcher observed that delivery delays led to increase in customer complaints
(ii) You could say that Churchill made some catastrophic decisions early in the War
It can be said that Churchill made some catastrophic decisions early in the War
5. Rhetorical questions
Questions to introduce significant new ideas are avoided, and are replaced
with statements:
Example :
Is the British welfare system good or not?
It is important to consider the effectiveness of the British welfare system.
5
11th May 2019
6. Defining Terms
Definitions of key words and phrases
Authoritative sources required for definitions.
If more than one definitions are identified, author must state the terms of usage in the particular
write up.
Example :
X , defined by Jones (1985) , refers to ….
A further definition is given by Smith (2002), who describes X as …..
While a variety of definitions of the term X have been suggested, this paper will use the definition
first suggested by Jones (1985) who saw it as ….
7. Describing Trends and Projections
Trend: general direction in which
something is developing or changing
over time.
Projection: Prediction of future change.
Trends and projections are usually illustrated using
line graphs in which the horizontal axis represents time.
6
11th May 2019
8.Signaling Transition
Previewing what is to follow in a paper or dissertation is like showing a map
to a driver;
Enables readers to see where they are going.
- a 'road map'
It must be accurate
It must be easy to follow.
8.Signaling Transition
Indicate to the reader movement from one topic to another, or from on
section of text to another.
Examples :
Having discussed how to construct X, the final section of this paper discusses
how …..
This chapter began by describing X and arguing that …. It went onto suggest
that the …. The next chapter describes the procedures and methods used in
this investigation.
7
11th May 2019
9. Classifying and Listing
Group and name objects/ phenomena , on the basis of something in common.
Helps to understand shared qualities and features.
Classifying helps to understand differences
In writing, classifying introduces a reader to
a new topic.
The order of a list may indicate rank importance.
10.Comparing and Contrasting
Understanding similarities and differences
between two things,
Increases understanding and learning more
about both.
A process of analysis, comparing specific parts as well as the whole.
Comparing specific aspects of A and Busefulness and value of both can be decided.
8
11th May 2019
Major sections of Academic Reports
Introducing work
Referring to literature
Describing methods
Reporting results
Discussing findings
Writing conclusions
Introduction
Establish the context, background and/or importance of the topic
Indicate an issue, problem, or controversy in the field of study
Define the topic or key terms
State of the purpose of the essay/writing
Provide an overview of the coverage and/or structure of the writing
9
11th May 2019
Conclusions
Summarize and bring together the
main areas covered
Give a final comment or judgement
Suggestions for improvement and speculating
on future directions.
General Guidelines on Writing
• Follow PIM presentation Guidelines
• Professional writing style
• Grammar, Spellings , Syntax , punctuations
• Paragraphs
• No bullet points
• Do not use first person pronouns ( example , ‘I’ , ‘We “ )
Instead use “ the writer/ the author / the entrepreneur”
10
11th May 2019
PIM Presentation
Guideline (6th Edition)
On screen discussion of the
contents in pages 2 – 28
11
11th May 2019
Plagiarism
What is plagiarism?
All sources have to be duly acknowledged.
Even when citing original author,
paraphrase the citation.
If not present it as a quotation.
You cannot submit / forward another person’s ‘quote’ as if that’s your quote or your
findings. This is strictly prohibited.
Referencing
Referencing is a standardized method of acknowledging the sources of
information and ideas that you have used in your assignments and
submissions.
Referencing provides enough information for the reader to find the
original source quoted or used.
APA referencing style
Harvard referencing style
12
11th May 2019
Referencing
APA (American Psychological Association) Referencing System 6th Edition
Chapter 3 of PIM Presentation Guidelines
In – text citation (references cited with in the body of the report)
Reference list (end of report, new page, Heading centered as References or List of
References, alphabetical order)
All sources cited in – text must be listed in References.
Bibliography
All sources referred but not cited in the report
Alphabetical order and in the same format
as List of References.
TIPS for Writing
Tip No. 1 : Importance of planning
Writing plan is a road map.
Without a road map you will travel in circles or lose your way.
13
11th May 2019
TIPS for Writing
Tip No. 2 : Getting started
Writer’s block.
Set a short period of time ( say 4 minutes)
Write whatever comes to your mind
Don’t worry about grammar , spelling- just produce words
Just keep on writing / typing
Then …..
Begin to organize the ideas produced
Write logically developed and grammatically correct sentences
TIPS for Writing
Tip No. 3 : Be regular
Regular daily writing slots
Time table a daily writing slot and aim a certain text each time
How much you write each time is less important
The habit of sitting down each day to write is more important.
Writing becomes part of daily routine.
14
11th May 2019
TIPS for Writing
Tip No. 4 : Keep a note book
Many ideas and insights come when we are actually not writing
Will be lost if not captured soon.
Keep a notebook and pen always close by.
Capture the ideas before they disappear.
Note book may become the idea development site
TIPS for Writing
Tip No. 5 : Understand the recursive process
Academic writing is not some thing to do once and leave.
Recursive Process
Return to initial text , revise , re draft
Initial draft, re draft, final draft, edit
15
11th May 2019
TIPS for Writing
Tip No. 6 : Stand back from your writing
Mountain climber
Create a sense of distance with your own writing
Question the path, the movement , the clarity.
May take a break and come back with fresh eyes and thinking
TIPS for Writing
Tip No. 7 : Read your own writing
Read your writing back to yourself.
Preferably aloud.
Famous French writer Gustav Flaubert used to shout out his manuscripts before
Sending to be published.
He claimed that bad writing never passed this simple test
16
11th May 2019
TIPS for Writing
Tip No. 8 : Talk about your writing
Getting some one else to read and give feedback is very useful
Constructive criticism
Form a group and read and review each other’s writing
Agenda
A. General Features of Academic Writing (#10)
B. Structure of Academic Work
C. PPG
D. Tips for Effective Writing (#9)
17
