sábado, 24 de octubre de 2020

PORTFOLIO #13: Abstracts

"Academic Articles are part of the genres that teachers can write if they want to do research if they want to study from "authentic material". We are going to analyse them, so get ready for an interesting description of ARTICLES. Not only do FORMAL (academic) ARTICLES share these features, but also they are headed by ABSTRACTS. So, let's delve into this "new genre". An abstract is an independent text that comprises the most important concepts of the paper, the purpose of the research, the state of the art, what is missing, and the results of the investigation."
The following Padlet contains more information about Abstract.


Made by Macarena Carrizo, Luz Fernandéz and Eliana González

Hecho con Padlet


Writing an abstract. (n.d.). The University of Melbourne. Last visited: October, 24th, 2020. Available at: https://services.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/471274/Writing_an_Abstract_Update_051112.pdf

The abstract. (2020). The University of Southern California. Last visited: October 24th, 2020. Available at: https://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/abstract.


From my perspective, an abstract is not only a summary of my published paper. For that reason, I have to think the most minimal details and keywords I want to include on it.  First, it is relevant to express effectively and correctly the keywords of my research as a starting point to provide to the reader an idea about what I am writing. Second, an abstract contains between 150-250 words. That is why I have to be direct and clear with the given information. Third, if the abstract is well-written, the text will be a great help for those readers who want to use my research in their productions. Moreover,  It will lead the reader to get the essence of my paper and decide if he/she wants to read the full text.

PORTFOLIO #12: Articles

If you click HERE you will have access to a short text that refers to ARTICLES.



 Exercises and Examples 
 

A. Match the topics (1-10) below with the titles (A-K) on the next page. There is one

extra title that you do not need.

1. A healthy diet. F  /  6. Genetic Engineering. →J

2. School Exams.→H  /  7. Drug-taking. →C

3. Eating out inexpensively. →K / 8. An outdoor activity. →E

4. The Internet. →B  /  9. How to attract a man. →G

5. A famous person. → I  /  10. A successful career. →A


a. How to Reach The Top

b. Do You Need To Be Connected?

 c. The Crack In Our Schools

 d. Mouth-watering Recipes

e. Is Jogging Bad For Our Health?

 f. An Apple A Day Keeps The Doctor Away

 g. To Flirt or Not to Flirt? - That is THE Question

 h. A Testing Time

i. The Man Behind The Prime Minister

j. Would You Like To Be Cloned?

 k. Cheap and Cheerful Grub

B. Match the following first paragraphs with the titles on the next page.

1. It is now official that they are the reason man has AIDS. Scientists agree that although Chimps do not suffer from AIDS themselves, eating them, as is common and considered a delicacy in some countries, is the reason the virus is passed on to humans. d. They ARE carriers of HIV

2. It is said that everyone has the ability or potential to write that blockbuster that will ensure our fame and fortune. Now a bus-driver from London has done just that and proved the point by writing a novel that has already been nominated for the prestigious Booker Prize. g. We All Have A Best Seller In Us 

3. After a hectic morning shopping, all my friend and I wanted to do was to sit down, drink a cup of tea and have a cigarette. Easy enough you might think, but not so. Every coffee bar, café and fast food restaurant we looked in, did not allow smoking. It seems us smokers truly are the pariahs of society. a SOCIAL OUTCASTS 

4. Eco-friendly vehicles will soon be a fact of life. No more popping into the local garage for £5.00’s worth of petrol. Instead, we will be plugging a battery into a spare socket at home, filling up with water from the tap, or using whatever idea the scientists come up with. Great you might think. But is it really possible that no giant corporation will be making money out of us?e. The Future Of Oil Companies

5. One of the most unusual places that I have visited on my travels around the globe is Petra in Jordan. Nicknamed ‘The Rose City’, as the colour of the rock changes throughout the day, depending on the angle of the sun, it is also fascinating because every structure except one is built out of the rock of the mountains. The exception is a temple built by the Romans, who obviously did not have the instincts of the Nabataeans.f. BUILDING SIGHTS

6. They are two famous film stars in their own right, who between them have been married seven times. After starring together in “Elizabeth”, they are now divorcing their respective partners to marry each other. They say it was an instant attraction that is much deeper and more intense than either have ever experienced before. So what makes this time different? I went along to see them both at the Hilton Hotel to discover their secret.c. Love At First Sight 

7. The British are said to be the most watched people in the world. Video cameras on nearly every set of traffic lights, on motorways, on street corners, car parks, football grounds and shopping centres - to name but a few - they cannot make a move without being seen. For a country of people that refuses to have Identity Cards as they consider them an invasion of privacy, why do they tolerate this? h. Are They Intrusive? 

8. They say there is nothing like a woman scorned, and after the exploits of Polly Metcalfe, they might just be right. Her partner left her not just for another woman, but a woman half Polly’s age and Polly was miffed, to say the least. What did she do in reply? Cut all his clothes in half and destroyed one of each pair of his shoes. b. Revenge Was So Sweet

 

C. Read the following first paragraphs and think of an appropriate title for each one.

1. TITLE: Christmas Is Coming

It’s that time of year again! Lots of expense, your patience tried to its utmost limits thanks to

being in such close proximity to your family, over-eating and over-drinking - perhaps overindulging generally - receiving presents you don’t really want and seeing relatives you don’t really want to see. They get wheeled out every year for a free meal and a sherry and drive you mad with their complaints. How to avoid all this? Do something different - go on

holiday and let someone else take the strain.

2. TITLE: Leprosy - Still A Mystery

The oldest known disease to man, and the first to be identified, is on the increase. It is now

prevalent in twenty-four countries, and still doctors are unsure what causes leprosy. There is a general consensus that it could be contracted through the respiratory system, but as yet there is no solid evidence. On the other hand, it could be spread by touch. Leprosy is curable if detected in the early stages, but what are the symptoms?

3. TITLE: The Art Of Writing

The joy of writing a long, newsy letter to a friend, a short thank-you note or even a letter of

complaint, seems to have disappeared nowadays. People just pick up the phone, fax or send an e-mail instead of composing something in their own handwriting, which is much more appreciated by the person receiving it. It shows thought, care and consideration but people, or their way of life, are changing.

4. TITLE: Change Your Life

Dieting seems to have become a way of life for many people, particularly women. It is said

that at any one time three out of four people are on a diet, convinced that this is the magic

formula, and that they will finally look like that model on the television they so envy. What

they do not seem to realise is that they might well lose weight but will inevitably put it all

back on - often more weight than they lost in the first place. The whole exercise is futile, and

people never seem to realise that to lose weight permanently, one needs to change one’s

entire eating lifestyle.

5. TITLE: Lessons Or Cassettes?

Learning another language is not an easy process - different word order, irregular verbs, those

tricky prepositions and difficult to pronounce, strange looking vocabulary. There are also

many methods on offer to accomplish this feat - so many in fact, that it can become confusing and it's hard to decide which is the best way for you. Courses on cassette, evening classes, private lessons, a language school, move to the country of the target language (an extreme method, perhaps), a correspondence course or a pen friend - the list is endless and it is like a jungle trying to decide what to try. 

 

D. In the following paragraphs, only the supporting ideas are given. The paragraphs are

followed by three possible topic sentences. Circle the letter of the sentence that would

best introduce the paragraph.

 

1. B. At one time, robots were only found in science fiction books and films.

Today, it is a science fact that technology has advanced to the point where anything is possible. Used as a means of increasing productivity, many factories are switching to

automation - R2D2 does not require holidays, a bigger office, sick pay, a pension, and, most

importantly, he does not go on strike.

a. Star Wars is alive and well and living in our factories.

b. At one time, robots were only found in science fiction books and films.

c. Robots, once a fantasy and every housewife’s dream, have become a part of our lives.

2. C. Underground homes can be cost effective and energy efficient. 

Although initially building a subterranean home is more expensive than a conventional home, in the long run it can save the owner a great deal of money in heating and air-conditioning costs. These homes require much less energy, as the temperature of soil is relatively stable and concrete walls store the sun’s heat, but keep the place warm at night.

a. Underground homes are not a new idea.

b. Underground homes are increasing in popularity.

c. Underground homes can be cost effective and energy efficient. 

3.c. Wherever we sit, stand, sleep or walk, we are engulfed by invisible to the naked eye mites.

Two million microscopic bugs live in our beds, making a meal of our bed linen and anything

else they find on the sheets. Our wardrobes support a breed of moth that not only eats

through our clothes, but disguises itself by weaving a ‘coat’ from whatever it is eating at the

time. This system breaks down when it moves from one garment to another, but is still

extremely successful. Our eyelashes support a whole ecosystem, and these three are just the tip of the iceberg!

a. If you think you are clean, think again.

b. Most of the time we only worry about the insects we can see.

c. Wherever we sit, stand, sleep or walk, we are engulfed by invisible to the naked eye mites.

4. A. Have you ever wondered about time?

We set so much store by it, and rush around to be in different places at the precise time we

are meant to be there. Deprive people of a watch or clock, and most of them have no

conception of what the time really is. It is man made and man imposed. People used to go to

bed when the sun set, and rise when the sun came up. In antiquity, man had no timepieces

but worked with the seasons - the flooding of the Nile meant irrigation of the crops and

therefore the populace could be fed. The rural Egyptian did not care if this happened at eight

o’clock in the morning or four in the afternoon; of paramount importance was the season.

a. Have you ever wondered about time?

b. Is time two or three-dimensional?

c. Whether it is a Rolex or a Timex, is it really significant?

5. B. They are a necessary evil but nine out of ten people are frightened to death of them.

We all want pearly white, even, straight teeth, but all eat the wrong foods and drink liquids

full of sugar. How many people do you know who have actually wanted to become dentists?

Yet they are everywhere and we all at some point in our lives need them, however long we

put off that visit. It is usually when the pain becomes so bad that we finally venture into their

surgery, quivering at the knees and shaking like a jelly. Have you ever noticed too, how that

pain miraculously disappears once you are there?

a. How many people are suffering from mercury or lead poisoning from all those fillings?

b. They are a necessary evil but nine out of ten people are frightened to death of them.

c. Don’t you just dread the sound of that drill?

When you have checked your answers, write a title for each of the paragraphs.


Cook, J. (2002): Articles CAE (CPE), Macmillan Education. Retrieved from One Stop English. Available at: https://www.onestopenglish.com/cambridge-c1-advanced-cae/exams-article-writing-cae-and-cpe/145069.article
 


It is also fairly obvious, I have to take time to polish my writing skills and in order to be likely to produce in the long term better writings such as articles. That is the reason why I have to learn and include more writing skills in my productions to develop successful writings. On the one hand, learning procedures to write helps me to gain confidence as a student. Moreover, it will guide me to express more effective my ideas. On the other hand, as a future teacher, I will know that I have enough tools to encourage my students to work their linguistic competence, create new content and share with proud their material with others. 




lunes, 19 de octubre de 2020

Portfolio Entry #11. Writing strategies: Hedging and Boosting

The following videos define some concepts of hedging and boosting and the importance of academic research writing.



HEDGING



Example 1 
Categorical claim 
The issues highlighted in this study are applicable to all participating institutions.
Hedged claim 
The issues highlighted in this study may be applicable to many participating institutions.

Example 2
Categorical claim 
Government support will assure the spread of new knowledge and the skills necessary to use the internet to thousands of people in rural areas.
Hedged claim 
Government support may help with the spread of new knowledge and the skills necessary to use the internet to thousands of people in rural areas.

Example 3 
Categorical claim
The study proves the link between smoking and lung disease.
Hedged claim
The study indicates/suggests a (possible) link between smoking and lung disease. 

Example 4 
Categorical claim
The number of unemployed people will continue to raise as the poor economic situation persists.
Hedged claim 
The number of unemployed people will probably continue to raise as the poor economic situation persists.

Example 5 
Categorical claim
This (and subsequent) studies led to the conclusion that the GTP itself must be the elusive base, and therefore to the proposal of the GTP-as-base mechanism (Schweins et al 1994, 1995).
Hedged claim
This (and subsequent) studies led to the conclusion that the GTP itself may be the elusive base, and therefore to the proposal of the GTP-as-base mechanism (Schweins et al 1994, 1995).


BOOSTING


Example 1:
Clearly, these sale figures show a definite increase in consumer confidence, which will undoubtedly have an impact on our share price.

Example 2: 
Employees will always respond positively to such circumstances.

Example 3: 
Certainly, this has had an impact on learning outcomes.

Example 4:
This will have an impact on future research in the field.

Example 5:
These figures prove that there has been strong growth as a result of policy change.


Academic writers resort to hedging and boosting to distinguish opinion from fact and evaluate their assertions in acceptable and persuasive ways. An important aspect to take into account when writing an essay is the choice between the use of hedging and boosting. On the one hand, hedging will help the writer make a statement without believing it is true. The use of verbs such as "indicate", "suggest", appear"; adverbs like "often", "quite", probably"; or modal verbs like "may", "can", "might" allow the author to acknowledge there are more opinions than his, avoiding, in this way, categorical statements. On the other hand, boosting presents a strong point of view. Verbs such as "show", "prove", "evidence"; adverbs like "always", "definitely", "certainly" or modal verbs like "will" or "should" permit the writer to describe a higher level of confidence about what he is saying. Although a piece of writing can do without these two elements, choosing between them will make your writing more interesting.

Podcast
       
        



Sources:

AWUC (August 18th, 2015) Hedging in Academic Writing (video). 
Retrieved from YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_gM_GNU0Rw&feature=emb_logo

Griffith University (August 26th, 2015) Learn English - Hedging and Boosting (video). Retrieved from YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU-KgiVsAxY&feature=emb_logo


Speaking for myself,  I am learning to develop my critical thinking in deep as a way to transmit and communicate a clear message to the audience through my writings. In this case, I have learnt about the relevance of hedging and boosting. First, I need to focus on my ideas to express my thoughts. Second, I have to be careful with the selection of my words and vocabulary.

miércoles, 14 de octubre de 2020

Portfolio Entry #10: Essay

        Finally at home?

Wars, hunger, violence, insecurity and persecution are some of the reasons that annually lead thousands of people to leave their countries of origin in search of the best living conditions. Besides, the influx of refugees to Europe has increased considerably. Places where human rights do not exist or peace is not a way of living from Asia or Africa. Along the time, millions of asylum seekers have crossed the border of their country not only to find another alternative to survive but also to feel safe, be free, work, study, live with their loved people in peace as well. However, the influx of the origin of these migrations differs in opinions that build positive or negative barriers among the beliefs and thoughts of citizens that involves social, political and economic decisions of the political leaders around the world.
The causes of their growth are primarily associated with the increasing number of refugees who come from countries. They are looking for improving the conditions of their lives to escape from cultural, political, religious or social conflicts, for instance, Syria and Afghanistan in Asia or South Sudan in Africa by the conflicts and persecution of the civil war. According to the United Nations “An unprecedented 70.8 million people around the world have been forced from home by conflict and persecution at the end of 2018. Among them are nearly 30 million refugees, over half of whom are under the age of 18”. This line states that the war has resulted in the enormous displacement of peoples who have been forced to escape to other places in the world, searching for help to survive.
According to effective political decisions, few countries try to find a solution to asylum seekers. A clear example of union and empathy is Germany. On the one hand, The Prime Minister, Angela Merkel, analyzed the complex crisis that the country was passing through as a consequence of the uncontrolled refugee arrivals to its lands and borders and how that impacted their social, economic and political stability. On the other hand, Germany has been working with refugees who need help and give them access and tools to incorporate in german society to guarantee a better life. Besides, this country facilitates asylum seekers access to education, decent employment and freedom. Germany is a committed country that has elaborated successfully a plan of multicultural integration, for instance, “More than 10,000 people who arrived in Germany as refugees since 2015 have mastered the language sufficiently to enrol at a German university” the Guardian reported. “More than half of those who came are in work and pay taxes. Among refugee children and teenagers, more than 80% say they have a strong sense of belonging to their German schools and feel liked by their peers”.
Although many countries are opening their doors to welcome refugees as Germany, it is often that many Governments are not agreed to be a host country. Following the events, countries like Italy or The United States of America displace the possibilities to include and give them another opportunity to access a second homeland. Apart from that, they continue building walls to provide a fictitious sense of security at a local level; they mainly function as a theatre which tries to convince the population about inexistent effectiveness. The supposed benefits are less than the adverse impacts which they produce on the lives of people; the most affected by these fences are those who live in the shadows of the barriers. The consequences go from racism, xenophobic violence and discrimination. Instead of, gaining from this diversity in ways which promote peace and respect for human rights in the society.
In conclusion, it is important to determine the boundaries that challenge the political decisions of governments. Also, civil society has to provide and gain empathy in their social consciousness from this diversity. As a beginning to fade from refugee issues, it is necessary to promote peace and respect for human rights since everybody has the right to be treated equally and fairly. Hence, this world needs conscious citizens to build upon shared values and see in diversity, not a threat, but rather an enrichment. Real diplomatic cooperation among countries must be promoted. On the one hand, it is necessary to include appropriate political actions with the asylum of refugees in life-threatening situations. On the other hand, international and local laws must be executed to save people and they do not have to hide this problem under the carpet. To sum up, these issues are being delayed and thousands of innocent people die.

 

Bibliography


Retrieved from The Guardian. Last visited: September 29th, 2020. Available at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/30/angela-merkel-great-migrant-gamble-paid-off

Retrieved from the United Nations. Last visited: September 28th, 2020. Available at https://www.un.org/en/sections/issues-depth/refugees/