In the last two decades, there has been a significant improvement in education systems especially in developed countries resulted many students prefer to complete their study in these countries. Students who are non-native speakers will probably recognise some distinction in the way of education especially in writing. This essay will critically evaluate Linn (2009) argument about the differences between non-native students and native students, and illustrate that it is not one hundred percent true that foreign students have to learn a new method of thinking and writing in academic style when they decide to study in the UK. This will be assessed by focusing on six features of the UK academic writing which takes from the article.
The first feature of the UK academic writing is that Kaplan (1996) cited in Linn (2009) argues that there are a number of organisational types in all writing language and that lead native speakers to know which style is better to use for academic writing. It can be argued that it is not totally true. Arabic style, on the whole, has the same basic organisation of writing which includes the introduction, body and conclusion. The differences possibly appear in the main body. For example, students write the main body as one paragraph instead of dividing it into several sections.
The second feature of the UK academic writing is that Jordan (1997) cited in Linn (2009) states that foreign students are less likely to structure their writing very well. Linn argues is completely true. A great number of students who are non-native speakers find difficulty when they attempt to make a plan for their essay. For instance, on account of the fact that writing in English has a particular structure depending on the que...
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...d be argued that the statistics are untrustworthy as result of using small numbers of students and the numbers of students in each group are not the same.
In conclusion, it seems that Linn have some arguments which are false and some of them are true, to put it simply, there is a different opinion for each argument. Consequently, foreign students should learn a new technique for thinking and writing when they choose United Kingdom for studying in academic environment. Linn’s article, on the whole, has some weakness points which are lack of example and using only one research to substantiate his argument. To address this problem it would be useful if the writer gave more examples to support his argument. Furthermore, if the research, which has been done by Sondek, contained large number of students rather than small number of students, it would be more reliable.
In this article written by David Bartholomae, the author discusses problems basic writers make and about how they must use the discourse (communication style) of the academic community they are writing to, to be an effective writer. Bartholomae believes that “Inventing the University," is being able to assemble and mimic the universities language(5). Which means, if a student wants to be an efficient writer, he or she must be able to speak the language of his or her audience. Bartholomae writes that a common mistake of basic writers is that they don’t use an authoritative voice, and tend to switch into a more passive voice. This could be due to the fact that students have difficulty establishing their mindset or attitude for an audience
In Patricia Limerick’s article “Dancing with Professors”, she argues the problems that college students must face in the present regarding writing. Essays are daunting to most college students, and given the typical lengths of college papers, students are not motivated to write the assigned essays. One of the major arguments in Limerick’s article is how “It is, in truth, difficult to persuade students to write well when they find so few good examples in their assigned reading.” To college students, this argument is true with most of their ...
...ey used to conduct the study had questions were participants could have exaggerated their answers. This could have led to a common study limitation known as participation bias. Another limitation could have been due to the sample size for this study. This sample size did not compare to the sample size of previous research. For example, this sample size did not contain many participants who identified themselves as being a member of NCAA sports team.
It would be foolish to claim that I have never overanalysed and disregarded conveying ideas and theories properly, in the interest of impressing my reader. Nevertheless, this aspiration indicates there is more to academic writing than simply passing information.
Writing for some classes could be a daunting task and challenging at times. Especially when I clearly do not understand the requirements or feel like having nothing valuable to contribute. Writing an essay on a topic that I have neither the knowledge nor the interest to keep me going can be extremely difficult. Ordinarily writing on a foreign topic, first I strive to educate myself and find an angle to make the topic inspiring, relatable and engaging. In some cases, no matter how persistently I attempt, the lack of passion will definitely show on the content of the paper. Consequently, this is where David Bartholomae “Inventing The University” text becomes a common practice among students. “ The students…as though they were members of academy, or historians, or anthropologist or economist; they have to invent the universities by assembling and mimicking its language ”(Bartholomae 403). Assembling and mimicking to unfamiliar voice is never plain
My English 1310 course was taught by Professor Daniel Stuart. He taught us the concept of academic writing and why it is important. Academic writing is the process of down ideas, using a formal tone, deductive reasoning and third person. Writing done to carry out the requirements of a college or university on a research based level. It requires a starting point or introduction, followed by a thesis on the preferred topic, then comes proving and disproving of the evidence based arguments. Learning academic writing is important because it is a way to communicate our thoughts clearly and originality. It helps us think and see what evidence we can come up to contribute to that thinking. This course approached this idea of academic writing by
As a second language learner I have never expected myself to be a perfect writer throughout the semester. Even If English was my first language still, I would not be a perfect writer. It is not about first or second language, it is about how well I understand the learning objectives. Then organizing and writing with my own ideas and putting them in my paper. I am going to be honest, I am not good at English subject and English subject is my strongest weakness than the other subjects. In this paper I will discuss and analyze my own writing, reflecting on the ways that my writing has improved throughout the semester.
Grabe, W. & Kaplan, R.B. (1996) Theory and practice of writing Addison Wesley Longman Limited, Harlow, Essex, England. Martlew, M. (1983) The Psychology of Written Language, Developmental and Educational Perspectives, John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester, U.K. Protherough, R. (1983)
In the last few years, studying abroad has become an increasingly popular choice for higher education among international students (Accessibility Navigation, 2014). An average of 10% of students in universities all across the UK are international students from countries all over the world. (Accessibility Navigation, 2014). Although the experience is different for each individual student, there are many common problems that international students face. Those problems include: culture shock to varying degrees coupled with emotional issues(Bailey, 2005), Language barriers along with other communication problems (Sherry et al, 2009), and academic problems due to a change in school curriculum (Ramachandran, 2011). This essay will expand on the common problems faced by international students in the UK, offer solutions for handling the problems, and making the process of acclimating to a new environment easier for students.
Academic Writing. By Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2010. N. pag. Print
Going to study in a new country can be a stressful experience, from learning the culture norms to new foods. Culture shock is common with international students. Culture shock can include, meeting new people, language barriers, social behaviors, and a sense of community. A students comfortability with the culture of their new home can determine their learning experience. It can be an emotional rollercoaster, being so far away from family and friends. American culture is difficult to understand. International students find Americans to be confusing. Social norms vary depending on the part of the country a person is in.
Although adequate writing skills are indispensable for life, leisure, and employment, quite a few students do not learn how to write effectively. Since writing is an exercise in thinking, it is important to balance the process of writing with the mechanics of writing. The areas of the brain involved in the writing task are varied yet interrelated; therefore, a student’s individual needs will determine the method of instruction they receive. Many students who have low expectations for their own academic success will not make even minimal efforts to complete a...
Academic writing skill is very essential for the college students. Through academic writing, the students can express their thoughts, feelings and point of view on a certain issue or topic. In presenting ideas about variety of issues, students need to follow certain rules in writing academic essays. Academic writing is a specific type of writing that is needed in writing formal essays in a certain course. To create a well-constructed essay, it is very important for the students to use academic writing style. It has specific features which include academic tone in the essays. To achieve formality of tone, students must maintain the objectivity of their written texts. Unfortunately, some of the students tend to use personal pronouns
Aptitude plays an important role in learning. If you have it, the job becomes simple. If you don’t, the final outcome is always doubtful. Some tasks, like playing a musical instrument, require a very high degree of aptitude. The average person would face great difficulty in learning such a vocation. Other, more mundane but crucial ones, like driving a car, cooking or writing can be learnt by most people with a reasonable level through training. English composition was never my choice subject and essay writing was not exactly the most joyful assignment at the high school but there were indicators that writing skills would play a crucial role in my future life, irrespective of which career I chose. Take, for example, Anthony Balderrama’s advice. “We spend more time writing in our professional and personal lives than we probably imagined we would back in school. What you may not realize is that these written exchanges can boost your career or hinder it, depending on how you treat them.”(Balderamma, 2009). Taking up Foundations of Academic Writing (FAW) I and II at the university was, therefore, a carefully thought out decision. The FAW syllabus tackles different aspects of academic writing in a systematic way. There is measured emphasis on different genres of academic writing, and there is lots of repetition. As a result, slowly but surely, change starts to happen. Now, as the course reaches the final stages, I can observe these changes in the quality of my writing and overall understanding of the subject. Writing an essay is no more the ordeal that it used to be in the high school.
The beginning of one’s college career is always stressful and exciting whether it is a person that decides to go to college in a different state or commute from home-it is a change to one’s whole life that must be adapted to. The transition from high school to college is easier for some people than it is for others, depending on where one decides to go to school. Studying abroad is another brief transition from one’s home to a college in another part of the world. There are many different times that a student can study abroad; it can be in the student’s firs...