Academic Writing An Introduction to the Genre Whats

Academic Writing An Introduction to the Genre

What’s a genre? n Examples include n n n Cowboy movies Chick flicks Slasher movies

Genres are formulas. n n Genres follow certain formulas. Readers can predict n n n Plots (madman wants to rule world) Characters (hero, villain…) Outcome (happy…or not)

Genres are predictable. n In which genre would the boy get the girl? n n n Martial arts movie Chick flick Disaster movie

What are writing genres? n Examples include n n n Personal journals Poems Instructions Professional reading (books/articles that people read to keep up with their fields) Peer-reviewed research

Which are writer-centered? n n n Personal journals Poems Instructions Professional reading (books/articles that people read to keep up with their fields) Peer-reviewed research

Writer-centered? n Written to express personal feelings or points of view n n n May never be read by anyone else Has to make sense only to the writer Main purpose: express what the writer wants to express

Writer-centered example n I am the mother of five children, so I am aware of the importance of watching what my children do online.

Reader-centered example Youth who engaged in four or more risky online behaviors were much more likely to report receiving online sexual solicitations. The online risky behaviors included n n n maintaining buddy lists that included strangers discussing sex online with people they did not know in person being rude or nasty online “Internet Predator Stereotypes Debunked in New Study, ” 2008 [APA press release]

Writer- vs. reader-centered n n Is personal Expresses feelings and ideas Can bring healing and/or clarity Allows people to experiment with making beautiful language n n Is objective (not just true for one person) Provides information to be used or Explores ideas critically Aims to be clear and formal

Opinion as good as evidence n Road rage and teens. (n. d. ) Retrieved June 21, 2009, from http: //www. angelfire. com/ al/alyplace/mystory. html n Rathbone, D. B. , & Huckabee, J. C. (1999). Controlling road rage: A literature review and pilot study. Retrieved from AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety Web site: http: //www. aaafoundation. org/ resources/ index. cfm? button=roadrage

Solid sources are n n n Correct Current Credible Complete Critical

Tips for current sources n Search by date range n n In EBSCO, use limiters On web, use whonu. com

Scholarly vs. popular n n Written for experts by experts Detailed Images tend to be diagrams or pictures directly related to topic; no fluff Most credible are peer-reviewed n n Written for people with no special knowledge General Lots of pictures Often don’t even give full details about source

Skimming for 5 Cs results for “stem cell research” from clusty. com

Skimming for 5 Cs results for “stem cell research” from google. com

What about Wikipedia? Wiki: a page or collection of Web pages designed to enable anyone who accesses it to contribute or modify content

Can I use Wikipedia? Directly: no Indirectly: yes • Overview • References • External links

Follow external links ADHD

Check related topics

Capture sources n n Save a search (print or email link) Write down search terms that work (e. g. , revolving door > recidivism) Print just first page of website so you’ll have URL Create personal online archive with tools like Furl or Zotero