The Mechanics of Writing

Thinking Activity 

The Mechanics of Writing

What is Mechanics of Writing?

The goal of the mechanics of writing is to make the writing precise and grammatically correct. It is directed to make the writing systematic and being concerned about how to be correct in spelling, punctuation, italics and so on. The mechanics of writing are the rules that must be followed while preparing research paper so that the research strategies and the format becomes systematic and consistent in all academic sectors. If one does not follow or if there are no such rules of writing then the writing would be certainly very difficult.

 Factors in Mechanics of Writing

Capitalization

Transitions

Spelling Rules

Hyphenation

Transcribing Numbers

Abbreviations

Paragraphs

Prefixes and Suffixes

Word Division

 1st Video 

Academic Writing by Kalyan Chattopadhyay

In this video Kalyan Chattopadhyay shared of importance of linguistic markers. That there are two types of writing Academic and Non- Academic which also means Formal vocab and informal vocab.

Difference between formal and informal language

Formal language is more common when we write; informal language is more common when we speak. However, there are times where writing can be very informal, for example, when writing postcards or letters to friends, emails or text messages. There are also examples where spoken English can be very formal, for example, in a speech or a lecture. Most uses of English are neutral; that is, they are neither formal nor informal.

Formal language and informal language are associated with particular choices of grammar and vocabulary.Contractions, relative clauses without a relative pronoun and ellipsis are more common in informal language.Formal vocabulary commonly involves longer words or words with origins in Latin and Greek. While informal vocabulary commonly involves shorter words, or words with origins in Anglo-Saxon.

Points discussed in video 

Formal Vocabulary, posing, exercising,you do not argue strongly ,formal language has the passive voice,Maybe, perhaps - language markers should be used, passive voice + Objective language.Topical & supportive sentences, concluding sentences - summary of your earlier argument, do not repeat topical sentences, analysis signally expression, like- however, indeed, because of, because ,Topical sentences, do not use 'I think, 'I mean markers,question- why should I agree with a particular critic?, Deal specifically with the most seminal/critical opinion etc .

2nd video 

Academic Writing: The Basics by Atanu Bhattacharya

In this video the speaker gave example and explain how we should not afraid of academic writing, He named two books which are as follows:-

1. The Scale:The Harmless proof, Book: Intellectual Impostures by Alan Sokal & Jean Bricmot. 

2. The Publication Scale: Not so Harmless Book: The Emperor of all Maladies - A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee. 

A Few Takeaways 

- writing has material effects

- Avoid massive jargonization 

- Research and publication ethics

- Carefully choose the topic

Introduction 

-Writing it up: a few tips

-Create an indexed literature review

-Be sure of the triangulated methods

-DO NOT repeat the same arguments

-Use available digital tools

-Follow the literature

Digital Tools 

Digital Tools for Reference Management: 

Zotero, Mendeley, MS word,Grammarly,OWL (Online Writing Lab), Reverso,Excelsior Online writing lab

Summing up

- Linguistic choices - the "pitching" of the paper/dissertation/thesis

-Discourse choices - how do we organize it, lines of argument, etc.

-Topic choices - availability/non-availability of material; synchronic/diachronic

-Ethical choices - plagiarism, etc.

3rd Video

 The Mechanics of Writing by Atanu Bhattacharya

Formulating Propositions/ Defining

Formulating a proposition/ defining often takes the following linguistic form: Key term + verb (be)/ is defined as/ can be defined as/ may be defined as/ is often defined as + [in] which/that/where/ when + defining features.

Genre: Classification (Swales's CARS Model)

Definition

Purpose

Justification

Literature Review

Method

Argument

Conclusion

Paraphrasing

Avoid repeating yourself

Avoid quoting someone else exactly

Paraphrasing

Change your vocabulary (and do not repeat)

Develop your own 'voice' in your writing

Noun Phrases and Nominalisations:

- In 1835, Lord Macaulay who was an essayist, historian, and colonial administrator, produced his 'Minute on Education'.

- This report focuses on countries that have high birth rates.

- In Britain in 1807 a bill was defeated which would have brought elementary education to everyone.

- Many older people lived in rural areas which meant that they did not have access to good healthcare.

- This information enables the formulation of a new theory.

Stance

- The internet and the World Wide Web have provided a new medium for culture, generally labeled cyberculture, because it exists in cyberspace.

- The internet and the Web made possible a culture free of many of the constraints that operated in other media.

- It may be argued that Sherry Turkle (1997) supports the view that virtual subjects can become free of themselves.

- Arguably, a 'techno power spiral' has brought about control by a technical elite.

Hedging Language

Academic texts frequently discuss theories, evaluate evidence, and propose solutions, and mostly these things are not absolute facts. This means that authors often "hedge" or soften what they say to avoid sounding too certain. They use modal verbs (can, may), verbs (seem, appear), adverbs (arguably, significantly), adverbials (on occasion, to some extent), using impersonal structures (it, there), etc.