Academic writing w2 - Lecture notes 2 PDF

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Academic writing lecture 1 notes...

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Academic writing Week 2 Objectivity Objectivity has these features:  Universal  Impersonal observation  Measurement In writing style, objective is:  Writing – third person voice  Journalism – verbatim style  Cinema – third person perspective Subjectivity Subjectivity has these features:  Individual  Personal perspective  Evaluation  Opinions In writing style, subjective is:  Writing – first or second person voice  Journalism – opinion piece  Cinema – first person perspective The difference between objectivity and subjectivity seems straightforward, however it depends on:  The types of facts  The types of claims made  The types of questions raised Statements Statements depend on context. There are different types of statements. Disciplines and points of view Academic research comprises a variety pf disciplines and academic arguments. Ideas of objectivity and subjectivity  Vary with discipline  Depend on what we are trying to argue  On the complexity of the object Subjectivity and bias Subjectivity is not the same as bias Subjectivity refers to the variations in perspective on an issue Bias describes prejudgement or prejudice and often a deliberate misreading of information

Academic and media argument

Media debate is about winning an argument Academic debate takes a nonadversarial approach in which claims are assessed and compared. Academic argument are more exploratory – aimed at locating new ways of understanding something or at finding a tentative solution to a problem. Such arguments lead with analysis. University writing assumes that an argument:  Has more than two sides  Moves form much more carefully defined and smaller claims  Seeks out common ground between competing points of view rather than solely emphasising difference Opinion has a number of characteristics  Involves personal or subjective claims  Emphasis on the pronounce I and we to express personal interest  Stated without necessary support or evidence  Personalised Academic argument characteristics  Emphasis on reasoning  Qualification  Evidence – use of reference  Author’s voice recedes  Means of testing reliability Categorial statement Categorial statements are statements that are not appropriately qualified. In judging an argument, we should look at the quality of the claims rather than the person who makes them. Positive and negative character appeals...