Academic Style Week 11

What do you understand by the term 'academic style'?

ACADEMIC STYLE

A) What should you wear when you start your first real job? Obviously, things are different depending on whether you’re a guy or a gal, but a lot of the decisions are the same. You’re probably worried about the interview and the first few days at work. The interview, of course, is where they decide if they’re actually going to hire you. But also, you have to think about the trial period when you and the employer look each other over. It’s a two-way street, isn’t it? Clothes are a good way of seeing if you’ll fit in. It’s part of what they call the ‘corporate culture’. B) Many young people graduating from university are unsure about the clothes they need when they embark on their chosen careers. The details are different for men and women, but the principles are the same. In most cases, the main concern is the job interview itself, and, secondarily, the first week once hired. At the interview, the company assesses the candidate and makes a decision on whether to offer a contract of employment, usually on a probationary basis of six months. This is to see if a candidate will adapt to the corporate culture. Clothes can be an important part of the overall impression a candidate makes at both stages.

Skim two texts on the same subject.Which one is using more formal/academic language?

A) What should you wear when you start your first real job? Obviously, things are different depending on whether you’re a guy or a gal, but a lot of the decisions are the same. You’re probably worried about the interview and the first few days at work. The interview, of course, is where they decide if they’re actually going to hire you. But also, you have to think about the trial period when you and the employer look each other over. It’s a two-way street, isn’t it? Clothes are a good way of seeing if you’ll fit in. It’s part of what they call the ‘corporate culture’. B) Many young people graduating from university are unsure about the clothes they need when they embark on their chosen careers. The details are different for men and women, but the principles are the same. In most cases, the main concern is the job interview itself, and, secondarily, the first week once hired. At the interview, the company assesses the candidate and makes a decision on whether to offer a contract of employment, usually on a probationary basis of six months. This is to see if a candidate will adapt to the corporate culture. Clothes can be an important art of the overall impression a candidate makes at both stages.

Skim two texts on the same subject.Which one is using more formal/academic language?

’'Academic English is a formal, written style, which means that it has aspects which make it different from 'spoken' academic English. At the same time, being 'formal', it is quite different from ordinary writing which you might use in letters, emails, or stories.’’ EAP Foundation.com. Take a moment to think; what are some of the differences between writing an email and writing an academic text?

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02:00

What do you know about the rules of style for academic writing?

Academic writing....

If you need some help here, click on this link and wtach a video from the Cambridge Advanced (C1) exam on what we mean by academic style/ register

Look at the following statements and decide if it is true (yes) or false (no).

Academic writing in English tends to be objective, impersonal and precise. Let's practice some more, go to Microsoft forms and complete the final task....

Info

Emails:1. Use first names (Paul/ Jon etc).2. Contain short sentences/ paragraphs.3. Contain informal, colloquial expression 'let's catch up soon'. 4. Use contractions rather than whole words (you'd love it). 5. Use emotive, personal language such as awful/ rubbish/ waste of time. 6. Talk directly to the reader, 'you'd better write soon.'7. Use first person I to give own opinion. 8. Give strong opinions in the form of absolute statements; 'All British men are lazy.'9. Use question form throughout; 'Don't you think?'

Academic texts:1. Use family names (of authors).2.Written using complex sentences and lengthy paragraphs. 3.Contain very precise information (data and statistics-no guessing).4. Use cautious language to avoid extreme statements; It could be argued that... 5. Refer to evidence/ studies and extrernal sources to support claims. 6. Use statements and avoids questions or exclamation marks (!) 7. Avoid personal pronouns like you/we/she. 8. Is a lot longer than an email!

ANSWERS:

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Academic Register:Would you like to know more about how to use academic register in your writing? Click on the link below to see a comparison in features of formal v informal writing.