ALS444: ACADEMIC WRITING FOR RESEARCH

SUMMARISING
Practices 1, 2 & 5
Monday 27 April 2020 (2-4 pm)
PRACTICE 1:
ORIGINAL TEXT YOUR ANSWER SAMPLE ANSWER
1 Many Uses Of Metal Detectors In the article “Many Uses of Metal Detectors”, James Hunt in his article Many uses of the
By James Hunt James hunt explains that metal detectors was a metal detector explains that the metal detector
great invention that were used by schools, police will be used widely as it can discover any metal
It simply does what the name suggests. It finds station, airports, and some amusement parks not within a certain depth and range, therefore, it
anything with any metal in it up to a certain only to help filter out violence but also for our can be used to detect metal items, from armed
depth beneath the earth’s surface. Many fancy everyday safety and well-being. weapons to trinkets, making our lives safer and
metal detectors will even tell you how deep more secure.
down the metal object is so you can find it
easier. Schools everywhere are using metal
detectors to help filter out violence. The metal
detectors can very easily (for this is why they
are used) detect a knife or a gun. Police
stations and airports use them as well. Even
some amusement parks such as “Six Flags
Fiesta Texas” use them. You buy your ticket
then proceed to the park before being stopped
momentarily so the patrolmen can search any
bags, and have you walk through a metal
detector. As you can probably tell, metal
detectors are very useful not only to find that
cherished earring but for our everyday safety
and well-being. This is a great invention that
will be here for years to come.
PRACTICE 2:
ORIGINAL TEXT YOUR ANSWER SAMPLE ANSWER
1 Playing Second Fiddle to Foreigners Despite In the article “Playing Second Fiddle to Singaporeans responded with criticism and ire
Having a Birth Right Foreigners Despite Having a Birth Right”, Seah against a job advertisement on the web citing
By Seah Cheang Nee Cheang Nee said that an electronic firm that preference for non-Singaporeans over locals in
advertised for a “preferably non-Singaporeans” this rich island that has seen increased
An electronics firm that advertised last week engineer has provoked strong reactions from the dependency on foreign labour.
for a “preferably non-Singaporean” engineer citizens and now are no longer sure about their
has added fuel to a worsening controversy in own role or entitlement in society.
this migrant city. It particularly stipulated that
“permanent residents are welcome” to apply
for this “mid-career job (salary negotiable)”. A
copy of the advertisement found its way onto
the web. “Applicants should have a diploma or
a relevant trade certificate, with 3-5 years’
work experience, and ‘preferably non-
Singaporean (PR Welcome)’,” it added.

This provoked strong reactions from

Singaporeans who are already upset at the
large number of foreigners allowed to work
here. One asked if such discrimination is legal.
“This sort of ad would have landed this
company in heavy trouble in most developed
states,” he added. Another writer said: “Now
we know where we stand. The policy has
downgraded Singaporeans to below
foreigners.” This is not just another act of
public whining. The fact is many Singaporeans
are no longer sure about their own role or
entitlement in society.
In recent years, the rate of entry has increased
sharply as the economy flourished. Every year,
some 100,000 foreigners have been arriving,
putting pressure on what was already one of
the most competitive and over-crowded cities
in Asia.
PRACTICE 5:
ORIGINAL TEXT
1 The Importance of Studying Intercultural
Communication
Students should study intercultural
communication, that is communication is with
people from other cultures and co-cultures as
intercultural communication is becoming
increasingly common.
Today, we sell our corn, wheat, and cars in
Asia; and we buy coffee from Colombia,
bananas from Costa Rica, and oil from Africa,
the Middle East, and South America. Our
clothing comes from China and Panama, our
shoes are made in Mexico, and our cars may
have been assembled in Germany in, Hungary,
or Canada. Business that was previously
domestic is now global. The students of today
will find themselves working with many
people from many different cultures because
of our global economy. Money has given
reason to study intercultural communication.
We are curious about people who do not look
like us, sound like us, or live like us. We
wonder why one woman always wears a long
dress and veil, why someone would prefer
polkas to rap, why a man wears a turban, and
why some people do not eat meat. We are
curious about arranged marriages, rituals like
YOUR ANSWER
Key Point:
 Students ought to study intercultural
communication as it has becoming
increasingly common.
 Global economy will cause the students
of today finds themselves working with
people from many different cultures.
 Will help us to understand other people
who do not look, sound and live like us
about their cultural and co-cultural.
 Thriving technologies allows people to
communicate with other people around
the world in a cheaper way by using
internet and a system that allow for
sight and sound. This new technology
has altered interpersonal and in person
communication.
In the article “The Importance of Studying
Intercultural Communication”, Pearson, Nelson,
Titswoth and Harter explain that students ought
to study intercultural communication as it has
becoming increasingly common. Worldwide
economy will cause the students of today
discovers themselves working with people from
another different cultures. Besides, it will help
us to understand other people who do not look,
sound or live like us about their culture and co-
culture. Furthermore, a thriving technology
SAMPLE ANSWER
Key Points:
 Intercultural communication is
communication with those from
different cultures.
 There are many reasons to study
intercultural communication.
 The necessity to interact and work
with people from different cultures
due to the rise of global economy. • To
communicate effectively we need to
understand the differences in cultural
and religious beliefs and practices of
others.
 Different mediums of technology
enable ease of face-to-face
communication transforming the
business world into a global village.
Intercultural communication refers to
communication with people from differing
cultures and co-cultures. Reasons for studying
intercultural communication include the
necessity to interact and work with people from
different cultures due to the rise of the global
economy. To communicate effectively we need
to understand the differences in the cultural and
religious beliefs and practices of others.
Different mediums of technology have
funerals and weddings, and sports like sumo allows people to communicate with other people narrowed the geographical gap, enabling easy
wrestling, kick boxing and cricket. We express around the world in a cheaper way by using face-to-face communication and transforming
disbelief that fanatics in an otherwise peace- Internet and a system that allows for sight and the business world into a global village
loving religion promise heaven to suicidal sound communication using electronic devices.
followers as a reward for murdering innocent This new technology has altered interpersonal
people. We do not understand religious and in person communication.
fanatics and paramilitary groups in our own
country who stockpile weapons to attack our
own government. Intercultural communication
includes better understanding of cultural and
co-cultural friends and enemies.

Another reason to study intercultural

communication is the convergence of
technologies. For most of the twentieth
century, intercultural activity required an
expensive flight or phone call. Now people can
cheaply communicate with each other around
the world on the Internet. Phone, video, and
audio merge into a system that can allowed for
sight and sound. Cell phones, pagers, and
handheld computers bring communication
technology to our fingertips. The new
technologies have transformed interpersonal
and face-to-face communication. We are now
what Marshall McLuhan predicted: a global
village.