Showing posts with label International/Multilingual Students. Show all posts
Thursday Thoughts: Resources for Multilingual Students
Are you a multilingual student looking for some tips on U.S. academic writing or English language learning support? Would you like to brush up on grammar skills? Academic writing is a skill, one that can be challenging for anyone, and we, at the Writing Center, know that multilingual students may experience added challenges. No worries, though! The Writing Center has several sources for multilingual students!
We have resources for all types of learners so check out our webpages, videos, and modules and see what works best for you!
The Walden University Writing Center helps student writers at all points of the writing process by providing one on one writing instruction, modules, webinars, a podcast, and blog.
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We have resources for all types of learners so check out our webpages, videos, and modules and see what works best for you!
The Walden University Writing Center helps student writers at all points of the writing process by providing one on one writing instruction, modules, webinars, a podcast, and blog.
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Thursday Thoughts: International and Multilingual Student Support Live Webinar Today!
Did you know? Over 150 countries are represented among Walden students, and the Walden University Writing Center has a number of unique, first-hand experiences with the languages presented by these 150 countries on a daily basis. Sometimes, we have the answers right here in house, and other times, we tap into any number of other Walden University support services, including the Academic Skills Center, the Career Services Center, and the Walden Library.
Within the Writing Center, among our very own staff, are a dynamic duo who lead International and Multilingual Student Writing Support. This duo is made up of Amy Bakke and Dayna Herrington. They are the biggest supporters of Walden's diverse student population and are constantly busy creating resources specially designed with this group in mind.
Among the numerous hand-picked and crafted resources from Amy and Dayna are:
With these resources, you can prepare yourself for success as you journey through your coursework at Walden. Today, Amy and Dayna will lead a live, interactive webinar, titled Grammar for Academic Writers: Identifying Common Errors, and you can join them today from 12pm-1pm Est.
We hope to see you there!
The Walden Writing Center offers to Walden students 1:1 writing support and offers to students and non-students alike all the writing expertise, tips, and information a writer could want.
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Within the Writing Center, among our very own staff, are a dynamic duo who lead International and Multilingual Student Writing Support. This duo is made up of Amy Bakke and Dayna Herrington. They are the biggest supporters of Walden's diverse student population and are constantly busy creating resources specially designed with this group in mind.
Among the numerous hand-picked and crafted resources from Amy and Dayna are:
- 1. Resources to help you understand academic writing in the U.S.
- 2. Resources to help you succeed in your academic writing endeavors
- 3. Resources to help you further master the English language
With these resources, you can prepare yourself for success as you journey through your coursework at Walden. Today, Amy and Dayna will lead a live, interactive webinar, titled Grammar for Academic Writers: Identifying Common Errors, and you can join them today from 12pm-1pm Est.
We hope to see you there!
The Walden Writing Center offers to Walden students 1:1 writing support and offers to students and non-students alike all the writing expertise, tips, and information a writer could want.
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Grammar for Academic Writers: Creating Scholarly Tone with Strategic Verb Choice
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Many international, multilingual, and native English speaking students come to Walden with highly proficient English language skills, but the truth is that it takes a lot of time (and we mean a lot - some researchers say 7-10 years beyond basic communicative proficiency for language learners) to master the complex vocabulary and language use norms of American Academic English.
Vocabulary Choice and Scholarly Tone
One common challenge area that many people experience when gaining proficiency in a new language and in academic English is understanding what vocabulary and wording to use in which contexts. Some textbooks or sources might refer to this topic as register or formality. To better understand what we’re talking about, think about the language and phrasing you use when talking to different people. For example, consider how you talk to a course instructor, grandparent, best friend, police officer, or child. Chances are that you use different vocabulary, tone, sentence structures, and levels of formality with these individuals. You might also think about how your communication would be different if you were communicating with them in writing instead of speech.
Of course, there will be variation from person to person and culture to culture about the formality expected when communicating with different groups of people or in different contexts. There may also be significant differences between oral communication and academic writing, so noticing and understanding the expectations in an American academic writing context will help ensure success in your coursework and writing at Walden.
Verb Choice
With that, let’s take a look at a strategy to create an appropriate academic tone in academic English writing:
Here are some examples of how avoiding phrasal verbs creates a more scholarly tone in your writing:
Choosing English or Latin-based verbs not only helps academic writers be more concise by reducing wordiness (which is highly valued by APA), but it also helps to be more precise. These verbs often have a more specific meaning than their phrasal verb counterparts. You can see some examples of how phrasal verbs can have various meanings, depending on the context, whereas English and Latin-based verbs typically have more precise meanings on our page on Scholarly Voice: Verb Choice.
Speaking of learning the norms of American Academic English, did you know that the Walden University Writing Center has various resources for international and multilingual writers learning the norms of academic writing at Walden? Some of them include webpages with grammar tutorials, webinars on grammar and mechanics, and information about U.S. academic writing norms on the "For Multilingual Students" section of the Writing Center website. After checking these resources out, let us know if you noticed any topics or resources about academic writing in English that we’re missing in the comments section below.
Amy Bakke is a Writing Instructor and one of the Coordinators of International and Multilingual Student Writing Support at the Walden University Writing Center. She has been teaching English to speakers of other languages (ESOL) and academic writing since 2008. When not working, she enjoys sewing and spending a lot of time with her family and dog.
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Vocabulary Choice and Scholarly Tone
One common challenge area that many people experience when gaining proficiency in a new language and in academic English is understanding what vocabulary and wording to use in which contexts. Some textbooks or sources might refer to this topic as register or formality. To better understand what we’re talking about, think about the language and phrasing you use when talking to different people. For example, consider how you talk to a course instructor, grandparent, best friend, police officer, or child. Chances are that you use different vocabulary, tone, sentence structures, and levels of formality with these individuals. You might also think about how your communication would be different if you were communicating with them in writing instead of speech.
Of course, there will be variation from person to person and culture to culture about the formality expected when communicating with different groups of people or in different contexts. There may also be significant differences between oral communication and academic writing, so noticing and understanding the expectations in an American academic writing context will help ensure success in your coursework and writing at Walden.
Verb Choice
With that, let’s take a look at a strategy to create an appropriate academic tone in academic English writing:
- Avoid or reduce the use of phrasal verbs (sometimes called multi-word verbs), which are often accompanied by prepositions such as for, on, up, into, at, etc.
- Favor English or Latin-based verbs, which are typically single-word verbs
Here are some examples of how avoiding phrasal verbs creates a more scholarly tone in your writing:
Informal: For the
interviews, the participants and I will meet up at a local library. (meet
up = phrasal verb)
Better: For the interviews,
the participants and I will meet at a local library. (meet =
single-word verb)
Informal: The patient got
better quickly after receiving the injection. (got better = phrasal
verb)
Better: The patient recovered quickly after
receiving the injection. (recovered = single-word verb)
Informal: For this
assignment, students need to look into a topic of their choice. (look
into = phrasal verb)
Better: For this
assignment, students need to investigate a topic of their choice.
(investigate = single-word verb)
Choosing English or Latin-based verbs not only helps academic writers be more concise by reducing wordiness (which is highly valued by APA), but it also helps to be more precise. These verbs often have a more specific meaning than their phrasal verb counterparts. You can see some examples of how phrasal verbs can have various meanings, depending on the context, whereas English and Latin-based verbs typically have more precise meanings on our page on Scholarly Voice: Verb Choice.
Speaking of learning the norms of American Academic English, did you know that the Walden University Writing Center has various resources for international and multilingual writers learning the norms of academic writing at Walden? Some of them include webpages with grammar tutorials, webinars on grammar and mechanics, and information about U.S. academic writing norms on the "For Multilingual Students" section of the Writing Center website. After checking these resources out, let us know if you noticed any topics or resources about academic writing in English that we’re missing in the comments section below.
Editor's Note: Amy B. will be co-presenting a brand new Live Webinar on Thursday, September 15th at 12pm Est. Join her for "Grammar for Academic Writers: Identifying Common Errors" to broaden your understanding English grammar. The Live Webinar will feature expert instruction and plenty of opportunities to practice these skills. Register for this event by following this link to our Webinars homepage. See you there!
Amy Bakke is a Writing Instructor and one of the Coordinators of International and Multilingual Student Writing Support at the Walden University Writing Center. She has been teaching English to speakers of other languages (ESOL) and academic writing since 2008. When not working, she enjoys sewing and spending a lot of time with her family and dog.
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Learning the Language of Academic Writing
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Recently, my husband and I enrolled in a local Somali
language class to better communicate in the heart language of some of our
friends. In our first class, the teacher told us his immigration story and gave
us some background on Somali culture and customs. We then learned the Somali
alphabet. Later we learned a few general greetings: What is your name? Magacaa? My name is… Magacaygu waa… and so on.
As we moved forward in the difficult and rewarding process of language learning, I couldn’t help but think about the parallels between learning a language and learning the “language” of academic writing. Here are a few of my observations. Do any of these ring true in your own experience?
As we moved forward in the difficult and rewarding process of language learning, I couldn’t help but think about the parallels between learning a language and learning the “language” of academic writing. Here are a few of my observations. Do any of these ring true in your own experience?
Student Spotlight: Dr. Olawunmi Obisesan on Strategies for Multilingual Speakers, Finishing Her Dissertation, and Advice for New Students
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Olawunmi (Ola) Obisesan, one of our former Administrative Writing Assistants, is graduating this May with a PhD in Public Health (Epidemiology). (Congrats, Ola!) We caught up with Ola during her last days with us at the Writing Center:
You hold a bachelor’s degree in English language and literacy studies, a bachelor’s degree in nursing, and a master’s degree in public health. What motivated you to pursue your PhD?
I decided
to pursue my PhD because I wanted to be an expert in my field, being able to
make significant but original contributions to public health, when and where it
mattered, especially with issues that concern the health of immigrant
populations. Getting a PhD is not as
cool as it looks or sound; it is a lifelong commitment to critical thinking and
learning. I knew what I was getting into when I signed up for it, especially
because I knew I would enjoy the intellectual freedom that comes with working
on research studies that interested me.
Tell us a little about your language background and your experience learning American academic English.
I speak two
languages: English and Yoruba. Though English is my country’s (Nigeria)
official language, it is the British English, which is very different from the
American English. Many words are not pronounced the same way and there are
other words which do not even mean the same thing—for example, car trunk (boot),
car hood (bonnet), pants (underwear). It was hard, and I had my dictionary on
me always so that I could look up certain words. By listening to people speak
and not being afraid to ask questions when I was confused, I was able to learn
fast. I also watched a lot of TV just to understand the context in which to use
certain unfamiliar words.
We know you are passionate about helping other writers navigate language and grammar. What resources, activities, or strategies do you think are particularly helpful for multilingual speakers and writers?
Because
multilingual speakers have a tendency to communicate more in their native
language, especially when they are with friends and family members who speak
the same language, one thing that will help is to consciously communicate in
English as this will help enhance your mastery of the English language. It
helps to set the language on your computer to English (U.S.) as this will make
writing your papers easier for you. Grammarly,
though not perfect, is a very useful tool as it helps in picking out minor
mistakes in your papers. I found that watching television, whether my favorite
TV shows or the news, also helps because it helps you pick up the use of
certain words and the right grammar. I also found it helpful to read storybooks
that were written in American English and at a lower reading level (5th-7the
grade level) because it is a fun and engaging tool for learning the English
language; this will also strengthen one’s understanding of the English language
structure. One of the problem areas of international students is the use of
verbs and prepositions. The Writing Center has helpful resources on Preposition Basics and Verb Tenses.
Editor's note: We're always looking for ways to improve our resources. If you're a current international and/or multilingual Walden student, please take our brief survey to help us improve our services for you. The survey link will remain posted here as long as the survey is active. Thank you!
Tell us a little about your dissertation experience.
My dissertation process was stressful, but I went overboard. The truth
is that if you want to finish, and on time, too, you have to put in the work. I
set aside two to three hours every day to write! People say I make it sound
easy but the truth is that it was not! What helped me was to inform my family
and friends that I needed to devote one year to my dissertation and to excuse
me from many miscellaneous activities. I am so glad they listened, because with
their help and support, I was done in four semesters!
Also, the dissertation process is such that you have to be your own advocate and on top of your case. If you don’t hear back from your
chairperson or committee member, you need to reach out to them. I heard of
people who didn’t hear back from their chair for a month and did nothing about
it. It was even harder for me because my chairperson was based in Taiwan
working for an international NGO and communication was hard because there was a
12-hour time difference. When I was sleeping, he was awake and vice versa.
Guess what? I learned not to sleep and also wake up at odd hours, just to make
it work! You have got to do what you have got to do (legally of course) to
make it work.
My advice for students approaching or working on their capstones is this: WRITE every day. If you write one page a day, you’ll have seven pages in a week and 30-31 pages within a month! Don’t look at the total number of chapters you have to write, just take it one page at a time!
What are your plans for after graduation?
Right now,
I work in general public health but I made the decision to focus on infectious
diseases epidemiology. I interviewed for three positions as an Infection
Control/Prevention Practitioner, and just officially got an offer that would
mean having to relocate to another state. I just want to encourage everyone not
to stop at your degree; if having certain certifications in your field gives
you an advantage, go for it. I became a Certified Health Education Specialist
(C.H.E.S.) and a Certified Asthma Educator (AE-C), and I have to sit for my Certification
in Infection Control (CIC) in a few weeks; these are all national
certifications, which over the years, have alerted prospective employers that I
know my stuff!
If you could go back in time, what advice (writing or otherwise) would you offer your first-year-at-Walden self?
If I could go back in time, I would advise myself to use the Writing Center. I did not use the Writing Center in my first few months at Walden and
so by the time I had to learn APA, I found that there was so much to learn in
so little time. That said, the truth is that it is not too late to learn APA.
Once you get a handle on how APA works, you will be fine. The Writing Center writing
instructors are your friends; please don’t make them your enemy, just because
they sent your paper back with lots of feedback. Unless you are a professional
editor (an expert in the field of editing and APA), your paper will need some
kind of edit, and once you are able to learn from the feedback and edits, you
can continue to use them in your future work.
Ola Obisesan is a former Administrative Writing Assistant at the Writing Center. She graduates this month with a PhD in Public Heath.
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Learning the Rules of the Game, Part 2: Meeting Your Readers' Expectations
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In the Writing Center, we talk a lot about following an
academic rhetorical style; we typically call it scholarly writing or academic
writing. Basically, scholarly writing includes a number of norms and
guidelines, some of which are often not explained as requirements in assignment
prompts. In an academic setting, readers expect that the writing will follow the
rules of scholarly writing. The reader may be confused or have a hard time reading
and understanding a written work if it does not follow what is typical and
expected for the genre. Following these
rules means you will be more successful at effective communication in an
English academic environment. It might also help your grade. Nice perk,
right?
So, if you’re wondering where to start, let me give you a
few of the norms and guidelines. You can
find a lot more about how to effectively follow the rules of academic writing
in English in our website section on scholarly writing.
Norms and guidelines of scholarly writing
1. Organization
In English academic writing, readers expect to see an introductory
paragraph or section in which the
writer discusses the main idea of the paper and includes a thesis statement
that is concise, specific, and arguable. Academic writing in English is very
straightforward. In the introduction, the writer should tell the reader about the
main idea of the paper and what she or he is going to discuss in the paper.
Each body paragraph within the paper should have one clear
focus that relates back to the purpose of the paper, as stated in the thesis
statement. Within each paragraph, there should not be any extra information
that does not relate to the purpose/focus of the paragraph.
Finally, it is common to include a conclusion paragraph or
section that sums up the ideas from the paper and also may relate the
information in the paper to a larger purpose, such as the current research in a
field or possible future implications.
2. Tone
Use clear language that will easily be understood by the
reader. Using casual wording and contractions may make your draft sound
informal. Also, avoid metaphors because they may not be universally
understood.
3. Audience
When writing in an English academic context, as a general
rule, do not assume that the reader has the same background knowledge as you
do. It is the writer’s role to fully explain ideas so that the reader, who may
have little contextual or background information about the topic, can
understand the ideas in the paper. Including an introduction that addresses the
overall topic of the paper is one important step in providing some background
information for the reader. Also, as you mention ideas, theories, or
terminology for the first time in a draft, explain what they are or what they
mean to the reader. For more discussion about how and why to consider your audience when you write, check out Hillary's blog post.
4. Giving credit (aka citing sources)
In English academic writing, readers will expect that you
will often use evidence and ideas from other writers, researchers, and
organizations to support your arguments. When doing so, you need to always
explain where you read about or found the information. Citing sources is a way
to acknowledge the hard work of the people who researched a topic before you. Also,
it builds your credibility as an author and researcher if you can show that
there is evidence to support your arguments. If writers do not accurately cite
sources, they commit plagiarism, which can have harsh consequences. You can
learn more about effectively citing sources by viewing our archived webinar Using and Crediting Sources in APA.
By making sure that you have clear organization, a scholarly
tone, an idea of the audience for your draft, and citations for your sources,
you will be on the right track to ensure that you meet the expectations of your
readers, effectively communicate your ideas, and be successful throughout your
academic career.
We're always looking for ways to improve our resources. If you're a current international and/or multilingual Walden student, please take our brief survey to help us improve our services for you. The survey link will remain posted here as long as the survey is active. Thank you!
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Amy Lindquist is a writing instructor in the Walden University Writing Center. She enjoys working with students from around the world on academic writing and the English Language. She's a bit of a grammar nerd. When not working, she spends time practicing yoga, sewing, and playing with her new puppy, Bauer.
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Learning the Rules of the Game, Part 1: English Academic Writing
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Games have specific rules--rules about taking turns or what
you can and cannot do when it is your turn. Sometimes, a game has different rules depending on who you play with. For
example, when I play golf with my friends, we’re rather lenient with the rules;
however, if I were to ever play in a professional tournament (which is very
unlikely), I would need to follow every rule.
In some games, if you don’t follow the rules, you might get
penalized or kicked out of the game. Likewise,
by knowing the rules, you have a much better chance of succeeding in the game.
You can better strategize and play when you know what you can, cannot, should,
or should not do in a game.
The writing game
You might be thinking, well, what does this have to do with
writing? Quite a bit, actually. It has
to do with rhetorical styles and expectations. If rhetoric is a scary word to you, don’t worry! I’ll explain.
Rhetoric refers to speaking or writing that is typically meant to persuade or influence listeners or readers; it includes things like tone and organization of ideas. Different
rhetorical styles and writing contexts have different rules, which are actually
more like guidelines or norms. However, these rules are often not explicitly
stated. They might be learned with time and experience, or they might be
learned through observation or instruction. A lot of writers follow these
rules, but some of those writers may not even realize that they are following
them or that they exist. When writers do not follow the norms or guidelines for
a specific context, it may cause confusion, turmoil, and chaos. Okay, I’m being a bit dramatic, but the
reality is that it could cause reader confusion, which may translate into
ineffective communication of ideas and a poor grade on an assignment.
Considering your writing context, purpose, and audience
Before we discuss some of these rules, let’s consider two
different writing contexts and the possible similarities and differences: an e-mail to my friend and this blog post. In an e-mail to my friend, like the example below, I will probably use rather casual language. I
may not use well-organized paragraphs, or even full sentences for that matter.
I might refer back to a previous experience without clearly explaining the
context. I might joke around and discuss various topics within a short e-mail.
Hey Monica,How's it going? I finally finished my final paper. Done! How was Jeff's birthday party? Hannah said she couldn't make it--did you guys all have fun? Oh, and did you two finally plan your trip to San Diego? So wish I could come!
Miss you, Amy
On the other hand, in this blog post,
I have one clear purpose. I created a title that captures the overall idea of
my post, and I am making sure that all of the content in my post revolves
around a main idea. I am intentionally crafting paragraphs with a single focus.
I use somewhat casual language, but the language is more formal than in my
e-mail to my friend. In the two different contexts, there are differences in my
tone, organization, focus, writing purpose, and audience. Also, I give much
more explanation and background information in the blog post than in the
e-mail.
Now, think about how these two writing contexts might differ
from an academic paper or capstone study. Writing in English, and in all other
languages, looks different depending on the purpose or the context of the
writing. Readers actually expect the
writing to be different depending on the context. Imagine if you wrote a paper for one of your
courses using the style, language, and organization that you use when writing
an e-mail to a close friend: abbreviated words and contractions, short or
undefined paragraphs, informal language, and/or humor. It likely wouldn’t seem
like an academic paper, because it wouldn’t be following the norms of an
academic rhetorical style.
Check in next week for my post with some specific tips to
help you meet your readers’ expectations for an academic paper.
We're always looking for ways to improve our resources. If you're a current international and/or multilingual Walden student, please take our brief survey to help us improve our services for you. The survey link will remain posted here as long as the survey is active. Thank you!
Amy Lindquist is a writing instructor in the Walden University Writing Center. She enjoys working with students from around the world on academic writing and the English Language. She's a bit of a grammar nerd. When not working, she spends time practicing yoga, sewing, and playing with her new puppy, Bauer.
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WriteCast Episode 21: Writing Expectations at U.S. Colleges and Universities
We're starting off the month with our 21st WriteCast episode: Writing Expectations at U.S. Colleges and Universities. Beth and Brittany talk about different styles and expectations within and outside of the U.S. rhetorical tradition (as well as what that means).
To download the episode to your computer, press the share button on the player above, then press the download button. Visit the Writing Center's WriteCast page for our episode archive and transcripts. Happy listening!
We're always looking for ways to improve our resources. If you're a current international and/or multilingual Walden student, please take our brief survey to help us improve our services for you. The survey link will remain posted here as long as the survey is active. Thank you!
WriteCast: A Casual Conversation for Serious Writers is a monthly podcast written, produced, and published by staff in the Walden University Writing Center. Join us each month for a dialogue between two experienced and trained writing instructors. Possible episode topics will always be considered from listeners--share your questions and suggestions in the comments.
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From the Archives: Calling All International and Multilingual Students!
This week, we're re-sharing Kayla's popular post with tips and resources--including some updates--for international and multilingual students.
As someone with an embarrassingly limited knowledge of other languages, I certainly can imagine the challenge. There’s no way around it: scholarly writing is tough. The sophisticated vocabulary, tone, and structure needed to write clearly about complex ideas can prove arduous even if you’re writing in your first language. When you’re writing in a second (or third or fourth) language, the challenge is, of course, all the greater.
Finally, and most importantly, we’re always looking for ways to improve our resources. If you're a current international and/or multilingual Walden student, please take our brief survey to help us improve our services for you. The survey link will remain posted here as long as the survey is active. Thank you!
Writing Instructor and Coordinator of International Writing Instruction and Support Kayla Skarbakka earned her certificate in teaching English as a foreign language in Peru. She has also lived in Chile and Minnesota, and she currently resides in Texas.
Every so often, we tutors (update: now called writing instructors) receive e-mails from students
expressing concerns about writing in English. “Some of my issues are related to
translation,” a student recently noted. “My first language is Spanish, so you
can imagine how difficult it is to write a paper in English.”
As someone with an embarrassingly limited knowledge of other languages, I certainly can imagine the challenge. There’s no way around it: scholarly writing is tough. The sophisticated vocabulary, tone, and structure needed to write clearly about complex ideas can prove arduous even if you’re writing in your first language. When you’re writing in a second (or third or fourth) language, the challenge is, of course, all the greater.
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| Walden students live all over the world. |
However, the rewards of this struggle are also great. In my year
and some as a Walden writing tutor, I’ve read countless eye-opening papers from
international and multilingual students. I’ve learned about education in Japan,
healthcare in Nigeria, and business in Saint Martin. I’ve read accounts of identifying
with multiple cultures and triumphs in navigating in a new country. And I’ve
developed a profound respect for all the dedicated, hardworking multilingual
students whose perspectives and experiences enrich the scholarly dialogue at
Walden.
Free Resources for You
To help with the challenges of academic writing in English, the Writing Center offers great resources, 100% free of charge, to all Walden students:- A one-on-one paper review service for assistance with individual writing, conducted entirely via e-mail for your convenience no matter where in the world you’re located. You are free to submit your work wherever you are in the writing process; whether you send us an outline, a paragraph, a rough draft, or a complete paper, we’re happy to offer guidance and feedback.
- Update: A new page on our website specifically for multilingual students.
- A website full of tips on tricky grammar issues such as verb tense and subject-verb agreement.
- Exercises and quizzes to practice your skills.
- Live and recorded webinars on a wide variety of topics, including "What is Academic Writing?", which offers tips on scholarly tone and academic approaches.
- Grammarly, an automated tutoring and writing revision tool that provides immediate feedback on grammar and punctuation. Update: Check out Matt's advice on incorporating Grammarly into your writing process.
- Writing courses through the Academic Skills Center. One course to consider is Graduate Writing for Non-Native English Speakers, which reviews the grammar and writing skills necessary for success in your work here at Walden.
- Daily Buzzword or The Challenge to build vocabulary.
Finally, and most importantly, we’re always looking for ways to improve our resources. If you're a current international and/or multilingual Walden student, please take our brief survey to help us improve our services for you. The survey link will remain posted here as long as the survey is active. Thank you!
Writing Instructor and Coordinator of International Writing Instruction and Support Kayla Skarbakka earned her certificate in teaching English as a foreign language in Peru. She has also lived in Chile and Minnesota, and she currently resides in Texas.
What to Expect When You're Expressing: U.S. Academic Writing Norms
You’ve likely noticed that here at Walden, you have
needed to adjust your writing style to meet your assignment requirements and
your instructors’ expectations. Many of the norms of scholarly writing, while
not always simple, are at least likely familiar to you: Students must cite sources in APA style, follow specific formatting
requirements (as modeled in our templates), and maintain scholarly voice. Most of the questions we receive in the
Writing Center relate to such issues.
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| American schools generally teach Standard American English, a form of English with specific requirements and expectations. |
1. Include an introduction and conclusion.
For course papers, these are typically one paragraph each. Think of these as bookends for your paper: They hold the body of your draft together. For some great information on writing an introduction and conclusion, see our webinar titled “Beginnings and Endings: Introduce and Conclude Your Writing.”2. State the main point of your paper in your introduction.
Readers expect you to tell them right off the bat why you are writing the paper: What are you arguing? Why is your paper topic important? Some writers—particularly those who are less familiar with the U.S. writing tradition—are accustomed to building up to their main point throughout a paper and then ending the paper with their argument. At Walden, however, you are expected to state your main idea right away. This is why thesis statements—sentences that encompass your central argument—belong in your introductory paragraph (typically as the last sentence of the paragraph).3. Use a linear organization.
U.S. scholarly writing favors a linear progression of ideas, which means that each paragraph must clearly follow from the previous paragraph and must also relate to the paper’s central argument (expressed in the thesis statement). Writing an outline is often a helpful way to clarify your organization. For example, say that I’m arguing for the addition of professional development opportunities at a local school. My outline might look like this:
I. Introduction
II. Background
a. Current
professional development offerings
b. Why
current offerings are insufficient
III. Introduction of recommended professional
development opportunities
IV. Benefits to these opportunities
V. Potential challenges to implementing
professional development
VI. Suggestions for overcoming these challenges
VII. Conclusion
An outline like this helps ensure that each new paragraph
follows logically and linearly from the previous paragraph.
4. Demonstrate critical thinking.
Readers of American scholarly writing
expect writers not only to research a topic, but also to make arguments based
on that research. They expect writers to summarize but also to analyze, which
often means that you will need to argue against another scholar’s ideas. This
practice can be intimidating, but just remember that such arguments are
essential to the creation of new knowledge. Our webinar titled “Demonstrating Critical Thinking in WritingAssignments” can help you develop this skill.
5. Analyze your evidence for your reader.
In other words, you’ll want to help your reader interpret the evidence you use and cite. Say that you are using this statistic: “The graduating class of 2012 had a 23% dropout rate, an increase of 5% from the class of 2007 (citation).” Instead of just including that statistic and moving on, take some time to explain to your reader what that information means: “This trend reveals a need for immediate action on the part of administrators, teachers, and parents to encourage high school completion.” It may seem like stating the obvious, but this kind of analysis helps to ensure that you and your reader are on the same page.
What other scholarly writing expectations have you
encountered at Walden, or at your school? Are there others we left out? Let us know in the comments!
We’re always looking for ways to improve our resources. If you're a current international and/or multilingual Walden student, please take our brief survey to help us improve our services for you. The survey link will remain posted here as long as the survey is active. Thank you!
Other posts you might like:
WriteCast Episode 002: Thesis StatementsArgue is Not a Dirty Word: Taking a Stand in your Thesis Statement
You're the Navigator! On Introductory Paragraphs and Topic Sentences
Calling All International and Multilingual Students!
Taking Your Food for a Walk: Lessons in Fluency
 |
| Image from Quickmeme.com |
Two and a half years ago, I was living in Viña del Mar,
Chile, teaching kindergarten English (I was okay at that) and trying to live an
active and social life with limited Spanish skills (I was not so fantastic at
that). Despite years of Spanish classes, my communications were riddled with confusing
grammar (“You are quiet or no to get stickers!” I often told my students), poor
vocabulary (“Can I take my food for a walk?” I asked at a restaurant once,
hoping for a to-go container), and charades and sound effects when language
utterly failed me. I knew precisely what I wanted to say, but lacked the
ability to express myself. Anyone who has spent much time outside his or her
home country can, I’m sure, relate.
This frustration is not limited to travelers. As
Rachel discussed a while back, writing can be like learning a new language:
whether you are moving from professional to scholarly writing, undergraduate to
graduate writing, or graduate to doctoral writing, you are entering a new
discourse community that has its own norms and expectations. This is can be a
confusing and daunting transition, and if you are making this transition in a
second (or third or fourth) language, it can be even trickier.
No matter how well I communicate in English (and I’d like to
think that I’m adept at that), I struggle to express fairly basic ideas in
Spanish. Similarly, no matter how articulate you are when, say, communicating with
friends and family, with your boss and coworkers, with former professors and
classmates, or in another language, you might sometimes struggle to meet your
faculty’s expectations here at Walden.
While I never achieved my goal of Spanish fluency in Chile, I learned some lessons that
help when I – like many Walden students – enter a new discourse community:
1. First and foremost, be patient. Language acquisition takes time, as I learned the hard way, and academic language is no exception. If English is not your first language, it might take even longer (we’re talking years) to become comfortable with academic language. If you get a few poor grades on a few course papers, that doesn’t mean that you are unintelligent or not cut out for your program. You might just need a bit more time.
2. Immerse yourself in the language. For me, that meant listening – to my students, their parents, the couple at the table next to me. For you as students, immersion typically means reading, and not just skimming for content, but reading actively for vocabulary and style. What kinds of words appear in a scholarly article? How do authors construct and support their arguments? Just as important, what kinds of words do your authors not use? Challenge yourself to read the literature in your field as actively and extensively as possible (check to see if your instructor offers a recommended reading list) to immerse yourself in scholarly language.
3. Ask for help. In Chile, I very quickly lost my shame about asking people – whoever was in reach – whether I was saying a word or phrase correctly. You will want to find your own support system in your writing at Walden. Ask friends, family members, or coworkers to help you work through an idea or proofread a paper. If you have questions about an assignment or a grade, ask your instructor. Consider taking a writing course for more practice. And of course, reach out to the Writing Center – that’s what we’re here for.
4. Remember that fluency does not mean perfection. Even if I had stayed in Chile for another 20 years, I would probably not sound like a native Spanish speaker. My goodness, I wouldn’t even call my use of English “perfect”! Similarly, no matter how hard you work or how many papers you write (and if English is not your first language, no matter how long you have lived in the United States or studied English), you may never receive a paper back from a faculty member that says “A++; don’t change a thing.” I know that I myself have never received such feedback. Focus not on perfection, but instead on communication. That is, after all, the goal of writing.
1. First and foremost, be patient. Language acquisition takes time, as I learned the hard way, and academic language is no exception. If English is not your first language, it might take even longer (we’re talking years) to become comfortable with academic language. If you get a few poor grades on a few course papers, that doesn’t mean that you are unintelligent or not cut out for your program. You might just need a bit more time.
2. Immerse yourself in the language. For me, that meant listening – to my students, their parents, the couple at the table next to me. For you as students, immersion typically means reading, and not just skimming for content, but reading actively for vocabulary and style. What kinds of words appear in a scholarly article? How do authors construct and support their arguments? Just as important, what kinds of words do your authors not use? Challenge yourself to read the literature in your field as actively and extensively as possible (check to see if your instructor offers a recommended reading list) to immerse yourself in scholarly language.
3. Ask for help. In Chile, I very quickly lost my shame about asking people – whoever was in reach – whether I was saying a word or phrase correctly. You will want to find your own support system in your writing at Walden. Ask friends, family members, or coworkers to help you work through an idea or proofread a paper. If you have questions about an assignment or a grade, ask your instructor. Consider taking a writing course for more practice. And of course, reach out to the Writing Center – that’s what we’re here for.
4. Remember that fluency does not mean perfection. Even if I had stayed in Chile for another 20 years, I would probably not sound like a native Spanish speaker. My goodness, I wouldn’t even call my use of English “perfect”! Similarly, no matter how hard you work or how many papers you write (and if English is not your first language, no matter how long you have lived in the United States or studied English), you may never receive a paper back from a faculty member that says “A++; don’t change a thing.” I know that I myself have never received such feedback. Focus not on perfection, but instead on communication. That is, after all, the goal of writing.
Have you ever struggled to communicate in another language? Have you reached fluency in a second, third, or fourth language? How might those experiences inform your writing at Walden? Share with us in the comments!
We’re always looking for ways to improve our resources. If you're a current international and/or multilingual Walden student, please take our brief survey to help us improve our services for you. The survey link will remain posted here as long as the survey is active. Thank you!
Kayla Skarbakka, coordinator of international writing instruction and support, says, "Walden students inspire me with their drive to pursue their educational and career goals." She currently lives in Dallas, Texas.
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