![Page 1: Academic Writing and Preparing for Comps: Best Practices · FANBOYS: When you connect 2 independent sentences (2 subjects and 2 verbs) with a coordinating conjunction to make 1 compound](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022041416/5e1ba95b0de0ba031c0cb691/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Academic Writing and Preparing for Comps:Best Practices
Presented by Dr. Robert A. Coté, WSIP Director
Writing Skills Improvement Program (WSIP)College of Humanities
Spring 2019
![Page 2: Academic Writing and Preparing for Comps: Best Practices · FANBOYS: When you connect 2 independent sentences (2 subjects and 2 verbs) with a coordinating conjunction to make 1 compound](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022041416/5e1ba95b0de0ba031c0cb691/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
Overview
© 2019 Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of ArizonaWriting Skills Improvement Program 2
1. English Quirkiness2. Avoiding Writing Pitfalls3. General Writing Tasks4. Comprehensive Exam Prep
![Page 3: Academic Writing and Preparing for Comps: Best Practices · FANBOYS: When you connect 2 independent sentences (2 subjects and 2 verbs) with a coordinating conjunction to make 1 compound](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022041416/5e1ba95b0de0ba031c0cb691/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
English is Crazy!
© 2019 Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of ArizonaWriting Skills Improvement Program 3
![Page 4: Academic Writing and Preparing for Comps: Best Practices · FANBOYS: When you connect 2 independent sentences (2 subjects and 2 verbs) with a coordinating conjunction to make 1 compound](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022041416/5e1ba95b0de0ba031c0cb691/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
What were his last few statements?
© 2019 Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of ArizonaWriting Skills Improvement Program 4
• A dreadful language, man alive
• I learned to talk it when I was five.
• But to write it?
• The more I try,
• I still haven’t learned it at twenty-five.
![Page 5: Academic Writing and Preparing for Comps: Best Practices · FANBOYS: When you connect 2 independent sentences (2 subjects and 2 verbs) with a coordinating conjunction to make 1 compound](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022041416/5e1ba95b0de0ba031c0cb691/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
Keeping Your Audience Happy: Things to Avoid
© 2019 Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of ArizonaWriting Skills Improvement Program 5
• Incorrect Word Choice
• Ambiguity
• Disorganization
• Wordiness
![Page 6: Academic Writing and Preparing for Comps: Best Practices · FANBOYS: When you connect 2 independent sentences (2 subjects and 2 verbs) with a coordinating conjunction to make 1 compound](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022041416/5e1ba95b0de0ba031c0cb691/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Writing Pitfall 1: Word Choice
© 2017 Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the Universityof Arizona, Writing Skills Improvement Program
Source
Sometimes using a thesaurus can have unexpected consequences
video
Use Google word check to determine a word’s ‘popularity’
Coeval vs. hermeneutic(negative slope, lose it; positive slope, use it!)
6© 2019 Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of ArizonaWriting Skills Improvement Program
![Page 7: Academic Writing and Preparing for Comps: Best Practices · FANBOYS: When you connect 2 independent sentences (2 subjects and 2 verbs) with a coordinating conjunction to make 1 compound](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022041416/5e1ba95b0de0ba031c0cb691/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
Writing Pitfall 2: Repetition
© 2017 Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the Universityof Arizona, Writing Skills Improvement Program
Source
In MSWord, use Find (ie. however)
1. Count words2. Use Thesaurus to find synonyms
3. Make a list4. Alternate words, then recycle the list:
• However,• Nevertheless, Nonetheless• On the other hand,• In contrast, • Despite this, In spite of this• However,
7© 2019 Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of ArizonaWriting Skills Improvement Program
![Page 8: Academic Writing and Preparing for Comps: Best Practices · FANBOYS: When you connect 2 independent sentences (2 subjects and 2 verbs) with a coordinating conjunction to make 1 compound](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022041416/5e1ba95b0de0ba031c0cb691/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
Writing Pitfall 3: (Dis)Organization
© 2019 Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of ArizonaWriting Skills Improvement Program 8
Your readers should never have to guess what you are trying to say!
• Six Common Organizational Structures• Chronological
• Problem-Solution
• General to Particular (Poverty)
• Level of Importance
• Cause & Effect
• Compare & Contrast
![Page 9: Academic Writing and Preparing for Comps: Best Practices · FANBOYS: When you connect 2 independent sentences (2 subjects and 2 verbs) with a coordinating conjunction to make 1 compound](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022041416/5e1ba95b0de0ba031c0cb691/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
FANBOYS
9© 2016 Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of ArizonaWriting Skills Improvement Program
CoordinatingConjunction
Meaning
FOR REASON
AND MORE INFORMATION
NOR NEGATION
BUT OPPOSITE
OR CHOICE or OPTION
YET UNEXPECTED OPPOSITE
SO REASON
© 2019 Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University ofArizona Writing Skills Improvement Program
![Page 10: Academic Writing and Preparing for Comps: Best Practices · FANBOYS: When you connect 2 independent sentences (2 subjects and 2 verbs) with a coordinating conjunction to make 1 compound](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022041416/5e1ba95b0de0ba031c0cb691/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
FANBOYS: When you connect 2 independent sentences (2 subjects and 2 verbs) with a coordinating conjunction to make 1 compound sentence, you need a comma.
For: Maria speaks Spanish, for she was born in Colombia. (REASON)And: I live in Tucson, and I work at the university. (MORE INFO)Nor: Jon doesn’t speak Chinese, nor does he speak Arabic. (NEGATION)But: Jon doesn’t speak Chinese, but Sue does. (OPPOSITE)Or: Sue can take you to the airport, or you can call Uber. (CHOICE or OPTION)Yet: Mike studied hard for the exam, yet he did not pass it. (UNEXPECTED OPPOSITE) So: I have explained the rules to you, so now you should understand them. (REASON)
10© 2016 Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of ArizonaWriting Skills Improvement Program
© 2019 Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University ofArizona Writing Skills Improvement Program
![Page 11: Academic Writing and Preparing for Comps: Best Practices · FANBOYS: When you connect 2 independent sentences (2 subjects and 2 verbs) with a coordinating conjunction to make 1 compound](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022041416/5e1ba95b0de0ba031c0cb691/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
Mary saw a box of puppies walking out of the supermarket for sale.
According to this sentence, what was walking out of the supermarket?
• A box of puppies!
According to this sentence, what was for sale?
• The supermarket!
© 2019 Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of ArizonaWriting Skills Improvement Program 11
Disorganization: Misplaced Phrases
![Page 12: Academic Writing and Preparing for Comps: Best Practices · FANBOYS: When you connect 2 independent sentences (2 subjects and 2 verbs) with a coordinating conjunction to make 1 compound](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022041416/5e1ba95b0de0ba031c0cb691/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
Mary saw a box of puppies walking out of the supermarket for sale.
1. Walking out of the supermarket, Mary saw a box of puppies for sale.
2. While walking out of the supermarket, Mary saw a box of puppies for sale.
3. Mary, walking out of the supermarket, saw a box of puppies for sale.
4. Mary, while walking out of the supermarket, saw a box of puppies for sale.
5. Mary, who was walking out of the supermarket, saw a box of puppies for sale.
© 2019 Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of ArizonaWriting Skills Improvement Program 12
Task 4: Rearrange the Misplaced Phrases
![Page 13: Academic Writing and Preparing for Comps: Best Practices · FANBOYS: When you connect 2 independent sentences (2 subjects and 2 verbs) with a coordinating conjunction to make 1 compound](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022041416/5e1ba95b0de0ba031c0cb691/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
13
Punctuation Pyramid A: Punctuation Names
. ? !
, ; : - '() -- ...
1. period or full stop2. question mark3. exclamation point/mark
1. comma, 2. semi-colon,3. colon, 4. hyphen,5. apostrophe
1. parenthesis,2. dashes,3. ellipsis
© 2019 Arizona Board of RegentsUniversity of Arizona, Writing Skills Improvement Program
![Page 14: Academic Writing and Preparing for Comps: Best Practices · FANBOYS: When you connect 2 independent sentences (2 subjects and 2 verbs) with a coordinating conjunction to make 1 compound](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022041416/5e1ba95b0de0ba031c0cb691/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
14
Punctuation Pyramid B: Punctuation Purposes
. ? !
, ; : - '() -- ...
Level 1: Sentence Stoppers
Level 2: Relationship Markers
Level 3: Pause Markers
© 2019 Arizona Board of RegentsUniversity of Arizona, Writing Skills Improvement Program
![Page 15: Academic Writing and Preparing for Comps: Best Practices · FANBOYS: When you connect 2 independent sentences (2 subjects and 2 verbs) with a coordinating conjunction to make 1 compound](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022041416/5e1ba95b0de0ba031c0cb691/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
Writing Pitfall 4: Overstating viaWord Choice
Wordy Directthe reason for; due to the fact that; in light of the fact that
Because; since; why
despite the fact that; regardless of the fact that; notwithstanding the fact that
Although; even though
in the event that if it should transpire/happen that; under circumstances in which
If
on the occasion of; in a situation in which; under circumstances in which
When
18© 2016 Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University
of Arizona, Writing Skills Improvement Program© 2019 Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University ofArizona Writing Skills Improvement Program
![Page 16: Academic Writing and Preparing for Comps: Best Practices · FANBOYS: When you connect 2 independent sentences (2 subjects and 2 verbs) with a coordinating conjunction to make 1 compound](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022041416/5e1ba95b0de0ba031c0cb691/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
Comprehensive ExamsFour common names:
• Comprehensive Exams (comps)• Preliminary Exams (prelims)• General Exams (generals)• Major Field Exams
One purpose:• Test your general knowledge on topic(s) &/or field(s)
© 2016 Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the Universityof Arizona, Writing Skills Improvement Program 22
© 2019 Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona, Writing Skills Improvement Program
![Page 17: Academic Writing and Preparing for Comps: Best Practices · FANBOYS: When you connect 2 independent sentences (2 subjects and 2 verbs) with a coordinating conjunction to make 1 compound](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022041416/5e1ba95b0de0ba031c0cb691/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
17
• Committee usually 4 members who ask 4 Questions (Major and Minor)
• Multi-page Essay Responses• Limits and Balances
• 20, 10, 10 ,10
• Take-home (1 week) or On-site (8 hours)
• NO outside help!
© 2016 Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the Universityof Arizona, Writing Skills Improvement Program
Written Component
© 2019 Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona, Writing Skills Improvement Program
![Page 18: Academic Writing and Preparing for Comps: Best Practices · FANBOYS: When you connect 2 independent sentences (2 subjects and 2 verbs) with a coordinating conjunction to make 1 compound](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022041416/5e1ba95b0de0ba031c0cb691/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
18
Oral Component• Committee (same or smaller as written or with some substitutes)
• Closed Meeting (2-3 hours)
• Professional Conversation
• Often addresses weaker areas of written exam
• Expect written exam responses to be part of the conversation
© 2016 Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the Universityof Arizona, Writing Skills Improvement Program
© 2019 Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona, Writing Skills Improvement Program
![Page 19: Academic Writing and Preparing for Comps: Best Practices · FANBOYS: When you connect 2 independent sentences (2 subjects and 2 verbs) with a coordinating conjunction to make 1 compound](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022041416/5e1ba95b0de0ba031c0cb691/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
Tips & Strategies 1
• Abstracts & References• Make a document of article abstracts with their references at
the top of each abstract
• Practice Writing Annotated Bibliographies (8 sentences each)• 5 summary sentences (who, what, where, when, and how?)• 2 analysis sentences (why, so what?)• 1 relevant quote
© 2016 Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the Universityof Arizona, Writing Skills Improvement Program
© 2019 Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona, Writing Skills Improvement Program 25
![Page 20: Academic Writing and Preparing for Comps: Best Practices · FANBOYS: When you connect 2 independent sentences (2 subjects and 2 verbs) with a coordinating conjunction to make 1 compound](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022041416/5e1ba95b0de0ba031c0cb691/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
What is an annotated bibliography?
An annotated bibliography is a list of citations to books, articles, and documents. Each citation is followed by a brief (usually about 150 words) descriptive and evaluative paragraph, the annotation. The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited.
Source: Michael Engle, Cornell
© 2016 Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona, Writing Skills Improvement Program 26
© 2019 Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona, Writing Skills Improvement Program
![Page 21: Academic Writing and Preparing for Comps: Best Practices · FANBOYS: When you connect 2 independent sentences (2 subjects and 2 verbs) with a coordinating conjunction to make 1 compound](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022041416/5e1ba95b0de0ba031c0cb691/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
Annotated Bibliography Sample
Curry, M.J. (1996). Teaching managerial communication to ESL and native-speaker undergraduates. Business Communication Quarterly, 59 (1), 27-35.
This article presented classroom methods and strategies based on learner-centered approaches that develop college students’ analytic and communication skills. The participants were native and non-native English speaking undergraduates in a required course at the University of Boston’s College of Management. Several topics were discussed, including journal writing, timed free writing, and speaking. These tasks were accomplished by having the students work together in groups of four or five to force them to depend on one another to successfully complete given tasks as opposed to always relying on the teacher. The goal of this methodology was to empower the students with the abilities necessary to become analytical thinkers, decision makers, and communicators. This was done by allowing the students to experience peer teaching-learning. The overall point was that the students themselves must learn to be the source of their own analysis and learning through peer communication. (~140)
© 2016 Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of ArizonaWriting Skills Improvement Program 27
© 2019 Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona, Writing Skills Improvement Program
![Page 22: Academic Writing and Preparing for Comps: Best Practices · FANBOYS: When you connect 2 independent sentences (2 subjects and 2 verbs) with a coordinating conjunction to make 1 compound](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022041416/5e1ba95b0de0ba031c0cb691/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
Tips & Strategies 2
• Do Practice Questions and Responses• Write untimed, then timed• Write in similar surroundings to exam• Review with peers, tutors
• You can work with others on the research aspects and related topics, but NOT the actual exam questions themselves.
© 2019 Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona, Writing Skills Improvement Program 28
![Page 23: Academic Writing and Preparing for Comps: Best Practices · FANBOYS: When you connect 2 independent sentences (2 subjects and 2 verbs) with a coordinating conjunction to make 1 compound](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022041416/5e1ba95b0de0ba031c0cb691/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
Narrowing Your Scope
29
Topic = Essential
Related Questions
Big Picture
Using your topic or research question, decide what you MUST cover, and then add what you might want to cover if there is space for it.
© 2019 Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona, Writing Skills Improvement Program
![Page 24: Academic Writing and Preparing for Comps: Best Practices · FANBOYS: When you connect 2 independent sentences (2 subjects and 2 verbs) with a coordinating conjunction to make 1 compound](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022041416/5e1ba95b0de0ba031c0cb691/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
Best Writing Practices
• Internalize, don’t memorize!
• Use the clearest words possible• Use Google to check a word’s “popularity”• Use a thesaurus to do a synonym count
• Use FANBOYS correctly
• too long!© 2019 Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona Writing Skills Improvement Program 30
![Page 25: Academic Writing and Preparing for Comps: Best Practices · FANBOYS: When you connect 2 independent sentences (2 subjects and 2 verbs) with a coordinating conjunction to make 1 compound](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022041416/5e1ba95b0de0ba031c0cb691/html5/thumbnails/25.jpg)
Best Writing Practices
• Always tell a story:• who, what, where, when, why, and how
• Watch your punctuation
• Limit sentences to no more than 30 words. Read a sentence out loud, and if you run out of breath, it is definitely too long! definitely too long!
© 2019 Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona Writing Skills Improvement Program 31
![Page 26: Academic Writing and Preparing for Comps: Best Practices · FANBOYS: When you connect 2 independent sentences (2 subjects and 2 verbs) with a coordinating conjunction to make 1 compound](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022041416/5e1ba95b0de0ba031c0cb691/html5/thumbnails/26.jpg)
Physically Re-arranging a Paper
• too long!
© 2019 Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona Writing Skills Improvement Program 31
![Page 27: Academic Writing and Preparing for Comps: Best Practices · FANBOYS: When you connect 2 independent sentences (2 subjects and 2 verbs) with a coordinating conjunction to make 1 compound](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022041416/5e1ba95b0de0ba031c0cb691/html5/thumbnails/27.jpg)
Any Questions?
Thank You! Robert
27© 2016 Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of ArizonaWriting Skills Improvement Program
© 2019 Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of ArizonaWriting Skills Improvement Program