GENRE OF WRITING

Department of Electrical Engineering

Academic Writing (HS 214)
Ms. Hira Khadim
 Course code: HS 214
Ms. Hira Khadim
Overview:
• Inthis week you will review three different types of texts to help you
move towards the goal of persuasive analytical writing. These text
types are:

• Descriptive
• Analytical
• Persuasive analytical
• By identifying the differences between the three forms of writing, you
will better understand how to reach the goal of persuasive analytical
writing in your essays.
• You will also learn about how to make your own position clear to the
reader; that is, you will learn how to show your ‘voice.’
 Course code: HS 214
Descriptive Writing Ms. Hira Khadim

• Descriptive writing is commonly used in academic writing where you are

asked to describe or outline the way things are (for example, the features
of a particular theory) or the way things happened (for example, a series of
historical events).
• Thisdoes sometimes occur within the context of argumentative essays.
However, because argumentative essays require you to evaluate, analyse,
interpret, argue, discuss or compare and contrast, descriptive writing
can never be the primary component of this type of writing.
• Descriptive writing allows you very little opportunity to show your voice,
that is, your interpretation of the source material and your point of view.
 Course code: HS 214

Descriptive Writing Ms. Hira Khadim

Descriptive writing typically:

• lists
or catalogues information rather than establishing relationships between
pieces of information.
• useslittle comparative, contrastive or evaluative language. It tends to use
simple additive and contrastive conjunctions such as and, or, also, but.
• lacksa useful organisational principle. Its structure is often determined by the
order of information in the original source, the notes a student has taken from
an original source, or the order in which the student read a number of
sources.
 Course code: HS 214
Ms. Hira Khadim

Descriptive Writing and Showing Your Voice

• When you use descriptive writing, readers cannot detect your voice because:

• you are not showing them your point of view in response to the question,
but merely describing the way something is.
• you are not indicating judgments about the material you are presenting; you
are just presenting it without comment or interpretation.
• you are not showing them the extent to which you agree with the views of
some sources and disagree with others.
 Course code: HS 214
Ms. Hira Khadim
Analytical Writing
• Analytical writing is commonly required in academic writing to show
relationships between pieces of information.
• It is used to compare and contrast, assess or evaluate (for example, a number
of approaches, theories, methodologies or outcomes).
• It has a structure based on the ordering of main ideas in relation to each other
and uses evidence from various sources. However, analytical writing does not
present a position to be argued.
 Course code: HS 214
Ms. Hira Khadim
Analytical Writing
Analytical writing typically:

• creates relationships between individual pieces of information by identifying

main points and grouping information under these main points or conceptual
categories.
• creates its structure by ordering the main points or concepts in relation to one
another.
• often puts the identified concepts, at the beginning of the sentence, in theme
position.
• uses comparative and contrastive language to express the relationships between
different pieces of information, for example, comparative and contrastive
conjunctions, adverbs and adjectives.
• uses evidence from multiple sources to support assertions which are made.
 Course code: HS 214
Ms. Hira Khadim

Analytical Writing And Showing Your Voice

Analytical writing allows more scope than descriptive writing to show your voice, that is,
your interpretation of the source material. However, this scope is still quite limited.
Readers can detect your implicit voice because you:
▪ have made connections between discrete pieces of information or evidence.
▪ have developed main ideas under which to group this information.
▪ may have compared and contrasted the information grouped under the concepts.
▪ may have implied some degree of judgment using a limited range of evaluative
language.
However, your readers cannot detect your explicit stance because you:
• have not stated a clear position and developed arguments to support it.
• have not made explicit judgments about the material you are presenting.
• have not tried to persuade your readers – you are still basically just informing them.
 Course code: HS 214
Ms. Hira Khadim
Persuasive Analytical Writing
Persuasive analytical writing is a requirement of argumentative essay writing. This type
of writing states a considered position and supports this position by presenting arguments
and evidence from several sources.
It uses a combination of organisational and linguistic elements to persuade the reader of
the value of the approach you have taken to the question.
Thus, the essay:
• presents arguments and evidence from multiple sources.
• organises the essay structure on relationships between these individual arguments
and the overall thesis. Clear links are made for the reader between these elements.
• develops conceptual categories and integrates and organises information under
them.
• uses evaluative vocabulary (including intensifiers and
limiters, modality, concessives, conjunctions ) to signal the judgments the writer is
making
 Course code: HS 214
Persuasive analytical writing and Ms. Hira Khadim

showing your voice

• Persuasive analytical writing takes a stance. Thus, your essay:

• persuades your reader of the value of your approach.

• take a clear position on the topic in your introduction.
• select and advance clear arguments in support of your position.
• select evidence to support your arguments from a range of sources.
• confirms the position you have taken in your conclusion.
• use evaluative language strategies to signal judgments to your reader and
to show the reader the degree to which you endorse or distance yourself
from the material you are presenting.
 Course code: HS 214
Ms. Hira Khadim
Example Task 1
Read and analyse a sample text written in response to the following
essay question.
Question
'Questionnaires and face-to-face interviews are two equally effective
data collection methods in the social sciences.' Analyse this statement.

• understandthe question, then read the student notes on the advantages

and disadvantages of the two different data collection methods:
questionnaires and face-to-face interviews.
Student Notes Course code: HS 214
Ms. Hira Khadim

Research method Advantages Disadvantages

Questionnaires •Allow large sample to be collected •Researcher cannot pursue interesting
•Can be used over a wide geographical area points with respondent
•Only need one person to co-ordinate •Response rate may be poor
•Costs low (stationery and postage) •Responses may only be partial
•Do not permit interviewer bias •Researcher cannot clarify questions
•Ask exactly the same questions of
everybody
Face-to-face •Labour-intensive
•Often yield more information
interviews •Costs high because of need to pay more
•Information is often higher quality
people for longer periods
•Researcher can clarify questions which
•Difficult to carry out over wide
respondent is not clear about
geographical areas
•Researcher can ask additional questions
•Respondents may say what they think
•Researcher can tailor to individuals
the interviewer wants to hear
Example: Descriptive writing Course code: HS 214
Example Comments Ms. Hira Khadim

Questionnaires and face-to-face interviews are two methods of data collection in the social The noun questionnaires or the
sciences. Questionnaires can be used to sample a large number of people over a wide pronoun they is repeated at the
geographical area. beginning of every sentence in
They also only require a single person to co-ordinate them and the only costs involved are paragraph 1, the effect is repetitious.
stationery and postage. They ensure that everybody gets asked exactly the same questions
and also that the response is not affected by interviewer bias. Basic conjunctions have been used to
Questionnaires do not allow the researcher to clarify questions or pursue interesting present the additional information
points with the respondents. They also often result in partial responses and a poor about the two data collection methods.
response rate overall. The result is more like a list than an
analysis. Overuse of these simple
conjunctions make the writing appear
Face-to-face interviews are quite small scale. They are labor-intensive and time- un-academic.
consuming and cost a great deal to conduct. They are also open to bias because the
respondent may simply say what the interviewer wants to hear and the questions may not
always be the same for each interviewee. They are difficult to carry out over a wide The noun interviews and the pronoun
geographical area. But interviews often yield information of a high they are repeated at the beginning of
quality. They also allow the interviewer to clarify questions and to get additional every sentence in the second
information from respondents. paragraph.
 Course code: HS 214
Example: Analytical Writing Ms. Hira Khadim
Example Explanation
The first sentence signals immediately that
The two most common methods of data collection in the social sciences two data collection methods are going to be
are questionnaires and face-to-face interviews. Whereas the sample discussed.
size in face-to-face interviews is normally limited, questionnaires can be sent
A greater use of contrastive conjunctions
out to large numbers of people over a wide geographical area. Costs, both in establishes relationships between the two
labour and money, are high with face-to-face interviews, while questionnaires data collection methods.
can be distributed quickly at a relatively low cost involving stationery and
postage only. The information has been grouped around
these four main points or concepts.
The possibility of interviewer bias is also clearly higher with interviews
whereas questionnaires ensure both greater uniformity of response and less There is more use of conjunctions that
interference from the researcher. However, in terms of quality of information, signal the addition of more Information.
interviews are often superior to questionnaires as the researcher Comparative forms have been used to
has greater opportunities to clarify what the questions mean where establish comparisons and contrasts
necessary, and to seek additional information or to pursue interesting points with between the two data collection methods.
the respondent. This is not possible with questionnaires. However, there is no judgment about the
relative value of the two methods overall.
Below is an example of text where the author has employed persuasive analytical writing techniques.
Course code: HS 214
Ms. Hira Khadim
 Course code: HS 214
Comments Ms. Hira Khadim

• Face-to-face interviews and quality data outcomes are put at the

beginning of the sentence - the most important position in the
sentence.
• A judgment is made and a clear position is stated.
Course code: HS 214
Ms. Hira Khadim

Evaluative language (often intensifiers

and limiters) is used to strengthen the
writer’s position and arguments.
• There is an explanation of the basis of the position the writer is going to
support. Course code: HS 214
Ms. Hira Khadim
 • Quality data outcomes is the concept around which the argument is organised. Face-to-face
interviews and quality data outcomes are put at the beginning of the sentence - the most important
position in the sentence.

Course code: HS 214

Ms. Hira Khadim
• An argument is presented as to why face-to-face interviews elicit quality data and Course code: HS 214
questionnaires do not. Ms. Hira Khadim
• The position is reiterated in the conclusion at the same time as acknowledging the
value of questionnaires.

Course code: HS 214

Ms. Hira Khadim
 Review: Components of each text type Course code: HS 214
Ms. Hira Khadim
• The main similarities and differences between descriptive, analytical and persuasive analytical writing.
Persuasive
Feature Descriptive Analytical
analytical
Clearly states a position (thesis) No No Yes
Presents arguments to support position (thesis) No No Yes
Attempts to persuade the reader of the strength of the thesis and
No No Yes
arguments
Bases structure on links between thesis and individual arguments No No Yes
Groups individual items of information into concepts No Yes Yes
Draws comparisons and contrasts No Yes Yes
Establishes relationships between conceptual categories No Yes Yes
To some
Uses evaluative language to signal judgments No Yes
degree only
No or only
Signals endorsement of or distance from information in sources No Yes
implicitly
Not as
Not as a major
Is appropriate in argumentative essays primary Yes
component
component
 Course code: HS 214
Ms. Hira Khadim

Home Task
‘Whether we find it easy to accept or not, it is lifestyle factors
which are the major contributors to increased risk of serious
heart disease’ (Smith 2001)'. Discuss this claim.