Lecture 10: Techniques for working on Writing 1. Cohesion Cohesion is concerned with the way in which parts of written texts fit together to make a whole rather than a series of disconnected bits. This is important in a scientific paper Various connecting devices are used to connect ideas in one sentence to the previous sentence and to the following sentence They also connect paragraphs to each other. Connecting devices link all the different parts of your writing together so that it makes sense to any body who reads it Reading aloud your writing gives you a sense of how well the connections are made and thus how cohesive is your writing
1 Lecture 10: Techniques for working on Writing 1. Cohesion Cohesion is concerned with the way in which parts of written texts fit together to make a whole rather than a series of disconnected bits. This is important in a scientific paper. Various connecting devices are used to connect ideas in one sentence to the previous sentence and to the following sentence. They also connect paragraphs to each other. Connecting devices link all the different parts of your writing together so that it makes sense to anybody who reads it. Reading aloud your writing gives you a sense of how well the connections are made and thus how cohesive is your writing
One of the connecting devices is using connecting words and phrases Connecting words phrases However Despite Consequently Nevertheless Therefore Yet Although Because ince Firstly Furthermore In contrast In addition An example of Similarly Clearl But And as a result On the other hand Moreover Likewise
2 One of the connecting devices is using connecting words and phrases Connecting Words & Phrases Then However Despite Consequently Nevertheless Therefore Yet Although Because Since Firstly, secondly Furthermore In contrast In addition An example of Similarly Clearly But And As a result On the other hand Moreover Likewise
Scientific writing tends to make heavy use of connectors or connecting phrases such as however, on the other hand, as a result Part of technical writing is to learn to use these connecting phrases correctl Exl: I intend to vote for chang in the election next week. he is a diligent worker with a good personality. Moreover, he has experience in student government Ex2: I suggest you take the course on polymer Science. The material is interesting. Furthermore, the professor is liked by all the students Ex3: After going over the problem several times, I decided to ask my teacher for help. After she had explained it fully, I looked over the problem one more time. Finally, I arrived at the correct solution Ex 4. Previous workers proposed that the organic compound should have a certain structure. However, our present studies have proved the proposed structure wrong Ex 5. Previous scientists working on the structure of the gene had come to propose completely different structures. As a result, there appears to be some uncertainty on the true structure. On the other hand, these previous studies have helped us in our own investigations on the same gen
3 Scientific writing tends to make heavy use of connectors or connecting phrases such as however, on the other hand, as a result. Part of technical writing is to learn to use these connecting phrases correctly. Ex1: I intend to vote for Chang in the election next week. He is a diligent worker with a good personality. Moreover, he has experience in student government Ex2: I suggest you take the course on Polymer Science. The material is interesting. Furthermore, the professor is liked by all the students. Ex3: After going over the problem several times, I decided to ask my teacher for help. After she had explained it fully, I looked over the problem one more time. Finally, I arrived at the correct solution. Ex 4. Previous workers proposed that the organic compound should have a certain structure. However, our present studies have proved the proposed structure wrong. Ex 5. Previous scientists working on the structure of the gene had come to propose completely different structures. As a result, there appears to be some uncertainty on the true structure. On the other hand, these previous studies have helped us in our own investigations on the same gene
Exercises Take any ten of the connecting phrases and illustrate their uses in short paragraphs 1.1 Checking for cohesion Read your writing aloud. Pause at the end of each sentence. Ask yourself the following questions Does the sentence make sense? Does it relate to the sentence which follows:?How?2> Does it relate to the sentence which went before it? Ho Are there too many ideas in one sentence? How are the paragraphs related to each other? Does each paragraph introduce a new theme? Look out for and use connecting devices
4 Exercises: Take any ten of the connecting phrases and illustrate their uses in short paragraphs. 1.1 Checking for Cohesion Read your writing aloud. Pause at the end of each sentence. Ask yourself the following questions: • Does the sentence make sense? • Does it relate to the sentence which went before it? How? • Does it relate to the sentence which follows? How? • Are there too many ideas in one sentence? • How are the paragraphs related to each other? • Does each paragraph introduce a new theme? • Look out for and use connecting devices
2. The Articles- a, an, the The most common used adjectives a, an, the are also the shortest. They describe or signal nouns A and an are called indefinite articles because they refer to any unspecific member of a group or class. The is called a definite article because it refers to a specific member of a group or class The articles function as adjectives because they limit a noun or pronoun 2. 1 Indefinite articles- a, an A pen, a refrigerator, a tree, a secretary, an onion, an error 2.2 Definite article- the the pen( a specific pen the tree( a specific tree the error(a specific error) A is used before words beginning with a consonant sound, and an before words with a vowel sound. This is an important distinction it is not the spelling that determines whether to use a or an, but the sound An umbrella bUt a university A radio but an rca record
5 2. The Articles- a, an, the The most common used adjectives a, an, the are also the shortest. They describe or signal nouns. A and an are called indefinite articles because they refer to any unspecific member of a group or class. The is called a definite article because it refers to a specific member of a group or class. The articles function as adjectives because they limit a noun or pronoun. 2.1 Indefinite articles- a, an A pen, a refrigerator, a tree, a secretary, an onion, an error 2.2 Definite article- the the pen ( a specific pen) the tree ( a specific tree) the error (a specific error) A is used before words beginning with a consonant sound, and an before words with a vowel sound. This is an important distinction: it is not the spelling that determines whether to use a or an, but the sound. An umbrella BUT a university A radio BUT an RCA record
An hour BUt a human being 2. 3 Errors to Avoid in Using the article Do not use the before"both NO: Let's see the both of them on Sunday Yes: Let's see both of them on Sunday No: He helped the both of them out of the car Yes: He helped both of them out of the car Do not use a or an after phrases ending with"of, such"kind of sorts of type of and"manner of NO: What kind of a car did he buy? YES: What kind of car did he buy? No: He was not that sort ofa person Yes: He was not that sort of person
6 An hour BUT a human being 2.3 Errors to Avoid in Using the Article Do not use the before “both” NO: Let’s see the both of them on Sunday Yes: Let’s see both of them on Sunday No: He helped the both of them out of the car Yes: He helped both of them out of the car Do not use a or an after phrases ending with “of”, such “kind of”, “sorts of” “type of” and “manner of” NO: What kind of a car did he buy ? YES: What kind of car did he buy? No: He was not that sort of a person. Yes: He was not that sort of person
EXERCISES Complete the following sentences with the appropriate article 1. Please read me fifth name on the list 2. What type of dog did they choose? 3. That was honest mistake 4. Can you donate dollar to the charity 5. It is apparent there is increase in the rent 4. WORDINESS Effective writing, particularly in scientific writing, means concise writing. Wordiness, on the other hand decreases clarity of expression by cluttering sentences with necessary words Repetition of words, sounds, and phrases should be avoided in scientific writing Notice the difference in impact between the first and second sentences in the following pairs NO: The medical exam that he gave me was entirely complete p e Yes: The medical exam he gave me was complete
7 EXERCISES: Complete the following sentences with the appropriate article: 1. Please read me ________ fifth name on the list. 2. What type of ______ dog did they choose ? 3. That was _____ honest mistake 4. Can you donate _______ dollar to the charity ? 5. It is apparent there is _______ increase in the rent. 4. WORDINESS Effective writing, particularly in scientific writing, means concise writing. Wordiness, on the other hand, decreases clarity of expression by cluttering sentences with necessary words. Repetition of words, sounds, and phrases should be avoided in scientific writing. Notice the difference in impact between the first and second sentences in the following pairs: NO: The medical exam that he gave me was entirely complete Yes: The medical exam he gave me was complete
NO: It will be our aim to ensure proper health care for each and every one of the people in China Yes: Our aim will be to ensure proper health care for all Chinese NO: Zhang asked his friend gao, who was a good, old friend, if he would join him and go along with him to see the foreign film made in U. S YES: Zhang asked his good, old friend Gao if he would join him in seeing the american film EXERCISES Through revision, improve the following sentences He graduated college. In no time he found a job. Soon fter he rented an apartment. He was very happy 2. The book that she lent me was lengthy. It was boring. I wouldnt recommend it to anyone. There was nothing about the book that I enjoyed It was raining. We expected to go on a picnic. Now our plans are ruined. We have nothing to do
8 NO: It will be our aim to ensure proper health care for each and every one of the people in China Yes: Our aim will be to ensure proper health care for all Chinese NO: Zhang asked his friend Gao, who was a good , old friend, if he would join him and go along with him to see the foreign film made in U.S. YES:Zhang asked his good, old friend Gao if he would join him in seeing the American Film. EXERCISES: Through revision, improve the following sentences: 1. He graduated college. In no time he found a job. Soon after he rented an apartment. He was very happy. 2. The book that she lent me was lengthy. It was boring. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. There was nothing about the book that I enjoyed. 3. It was raining. We expected to go on a picnic. Now our plans are ruined. We have nothing to do
4. It was time to leave. They hoped they pa ace erything. There was no time to think. The taxi was outside. It was waiting
9 4. It was time to leave. They hoped they packed everything. There was no time to think. The taxi was outside. It was waiting
