LCS1087

English for Academic Studies I

Denise Cheung
[email protected]
FG311, PolyU main campus
3400 8349
Lesson 1 Rundown
19:00 - Get to know each other
19:00 - Go through important info on
your assessments

20:00. - Understand academic literacy

20:00. - Identify key features of an
academic essay
Please join me @ WhatsApp by scanning this QR code
so that we can get in touch with each other instantly

Note:
• Send me a hello message including your English name
• WhatsApp is for short message only. Never send me
any writing via it. Use email instead.
English, English, English!
Focus!
Participate!
• Never send out a blank email with attachment only
• Address the receiver, e.g. Dear Dr Who
• Tell the receiver who you are, e.g. Ben
(For details, please refer to BB > Lesson 1 > How to write emails
appropriately to your teacher?)
 When you email me, …

1. Don’t send me the message from Blackboard. I

cannot open the link. Email me directly using
your SPEED or personal email account.
2. Please let me know who you are like this:
Alan Chan Ming
3. Always attach your writing as a word document
instead of a pdf file.
Thank you!
 Assessment Outline
Task 1 Mid-Term Test (35%) Due Date

15 July (Mon) 19:00-20:30, Lesson 8

1A: On-Campus Reading Test 19%
WK Campus
10 July (Wed) 23:59, Lesson 7
1B: Academic Essay (Draft Paper) 16%
(To be confirmed)
Task 2 Oral Presentation (30%) Group
Video: 48 hrs before Lesson 11 or 12
2A: Oral Presentation + Q&A 25% Q&A: 24 July (Wed) 19:00 or 29 July (Mon) 19:00

2B: Self-reflection 5% 31 July (Wed) 23:59, Lesson 13

Task 3 Academic Essay (Final
(30%) 4 August (Sun) 23:59
Paper)
Class Participation (5%) Throughout the whole semester

To pass this subject, you are required to obtain Grade C or above on all assessments.
How much do you know
about academic writing?
Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

1) understand what academic literacy is

2) identify key features of an academic

style
Sharing:

Literacy?
The ability to read and write
Sharing:

Academic
Literacy?
The ability to read and write in
an academic environment,
e.g., university
Sharing:

Academic
Style?
The way that you write (e.g.,
papers and reports) and speak
(e.g., presentations and
discussions) in the university
Sharing:

Important?
Of course! The style you use
in your written work and
presentations that are used
to assess your academic
performance.
Unit 1.2 Key features of
an academic style (p.6-8)
Discussion (1)
1) Read Version 1 (p.7-8), highlight anything
that you think looks like an inappropriate
academic style (10 mins)
2) You will be put into breakout room and
assigned two paragraphs to focus on.
Compare and discuss with your group
mates and think about how to fix the
problems (10 mins)
3) Report to the class
Discussion (2)
1) Read Version 2 (p.9-10). Compare
and contrast it with Version 1. Find
out how it is improved. (10 mins)
2) Share your thoughts with the class
Key Features of
Academic Writing Style
1. More Impersonal
Avoid using personal pronouns, esp. “I”,
“you”, “we”
use passive voice
e.g. ... they know that ...
... it is widely perceived that ...
... I did the survey ...
... The survey was conducted ...
2. More Precise (accurate & specific)
Avoid using colloquial expressions (e.g.,
really, lots of, a lot of) and basic everyday
language (e.g., get, do, good, bad)
use precise and specific words,
academic vocabulary
e.g. a lot of a great deal of ...,
a considerable/ substantial/
significant number/amount of ...
get obtain
do conduct
2. More Precise (accurate & specific)

Avoid asking questions/ rhetorical questions

turn it into a statement
Avoid using contractions (e.g., don’t, we’re)
write in full form
Avoid using “run-on” expressions (e.g., etc.,
..., and so on)
use expressions like “such as”,
“including”, “for example”
3. More Formal
Avoid using informal sentence starters (e.g.,
so, and, but, because)
use more formal alternatives like “In
addition”, “Apart from ...”, “However”,
“This is because)
Avoid using informal verbs (phrasal/
prepositional verbs)
use formal verbs
e.g. talk about discuss
look at examine
4. Use of noun phrases
Turn expressions into a noun or noun phrase
e.g. In Hong Kong, everybody uses English at
university.
The language of tertiary education in Hong
Kong is English.
Which one is the core noun in the noun phrases
underlined below?
1. The language of tertiary education in Hong Kong is English. (A)
2. Previous studies have investigated the relationship between the
2. use of spoken English in a tertiary environment and the
2. development of students’ overall proficiency in the language. (A)
3. However, so far there have been no studies exploring Hong
3. Kong tertiary students’ opportunities to use spoken English
3. outside the immediate academic environment. (A)
4. Use of noun phrases
Turn expressions into a noun or noun phrase
e.g. In Hong Kong, everybody uses English at
university.
The language of tertiary education in Hong
Kong is English.
Which one is the core noun in the noun phrases
underlined below?
1. The language of tertiary education in Hong Kong is English. (A)
2. Previous studies have investigated the relationship between the
2. use of spoken English in a tertiary environment and the
2. development of students’ overall proficiency in the language. (A)
3. However, so far there have been no studies exploring Hong
3. Kong tertiary students’ opportunities to use spoken English
3. outside the immediate academic environment. (A)
5. More Tentative (less certain & strong)

Avoid using language which is too certain,

strong, confident, subjective and emotional
use hedging techniques
e.g. as we all know it is widely known that
 Task

1) Look at Version 1 again and

underline language which you
think is too assertive and
subjective

2) Share your answers with the

class
 clearly
undoubtedly
must
def
init
obv ely ou bt
iou th o u t a d
s ly wi t
ou bt th a
re i s n o d
th e
ay s
alw absolut
n ev e r ely
all certainl
every y
 Task
1) Read the following paragraph (F) in Version 1.
1) What’s problem with the underlined parts?
(F) You can also see that Πstudents never speak to their
grandparents in English. This is not surprising because,
 as we all know, Ž old people in Hong Kong can’t speak
English.  That’s because ,  the education system wasn’t
very good in the past: ‘ our grandparents only went to
Chinese-medium primary schools.

2) See how they are improved in Version 2.

2) Improved in Version 2
Version 1
(F) You can also see that Πstudents never speak to their grandparents in English.
This is not surprising because,  as we all know, Ž old people in Hong Kong can’t
speak English.  That’s because ,  the education system wasn’t very good in the
past: ‘ our grandparents only went to Chinese-medium primary schools.

Version 2
(F) The results indicate that Πthe situation in which tertiary students use English
least is in interactions with their grandparents. When interpreting this finding,
 it is worth noting that Ž recent surveys have revealed that English is less widely
known among Hong Kong people in their sixties and seventies than those in the 40-
60 and 20-40 age groups (Chan, 2010).  This largely stems from the fact that 
the provision of English-medium secondary education was limited in the 1940s and
1950s (Li, 2009). ‘ The majority of citizens in the 60-70 age group are likely to
have received only a Chinese-medium primary education (So, 2011).
 Hedging Techniques
1. Use hedging verbs
suggest indicate estimate imply
e.g. Other studies on mobile phone usage indicated that students
who did not use a mobile device … .
To distance the writer from the findings,
appear seem thus avoid making a strong claim and
being subject to criticism from readers.
e.g. An alternate solution would be to encourage the more
effective use of mobile devices in the classroom.

on the evidence of according to

on the basis of based on
To ‘protect’ yourself
2. Use model verbs
To appear ‘confidently
may might could uncertain’
e.g. There are numerous reasons why students might want to use
a mobile device in the classroom.

3. Use adverbs
probably possibly perhaps arguably
apparently seemingly presumably conceivably
To express caution
e.g. While this has been trialled in primary and secondary schools
in some countries, it has not been attempted in
universities, perhaps because the opposition to the proposal is
deemed to be too strong.
4. Use adjectives
probable possible arguable
unlikely likely
e.g. Another likely reason is that the freshmen are using the
device as a communication tool.

5. Use nouns
probability possibility evidence
likelihood indication
e.g. The evidence suggests that undergraduates rarely
communicate with their parents or grandparents in English.
6. Softening generalisations
(i) tend / (have/be a) tendency (to)
e.g. While this has been trialled predominantly in primary and secondary
schools in some countries, it has not been attempted in universities,
perhaps because the opposition to the proposal tends to be too strong.

(ii) generally largely primarily for the most part

predominantly mainly usually to a great extent
e.g. While this has been trialled predominantly in primary and secondary
schools in some countries …
(iii) most / the majority of
e.g. … it can be expected that most, if not all students in a class would have at
least one mobile phone.

(iv) except for / with the exception of

e.g. In the intimate family domain, young people understandably have little
need or desire to speak English, except for special circumstances such as
preparing for English language examinations.
How to prepare for your Task 1B?
Step 1: Form a group of 4/5 people (This is an individual essay.)
Step 2: Choose ONE of the areas below and research a
specific aspect of that area that interests you.
You will discuss its problem (effects), give
solutions and critically assess them in the
academic essay.
Research Areas:
• problems faced by young adults
• educational problems
• psychological health problems
• housing problems
• transportation problems
• social problems
• financial/economic problems
1. Rewrite the final paragraph (H) of
Version 1 using any of the features of
academic style as necessary. We’ll
check the answer in next class
(optional).
2. Form a group of 4 and think about the
essay title for your Task 1B. (I will
give you more details in next class.)
Diagnostic Writing Task (Optional)

Rationale:
This task will help both you and your tutor get a better
understanding of your present writing ability in English. It is a
diagnostic task, not a test.

Instructions:
Respond to the prompt below. Write about 150 words. You do not
need to include academic sources for this diagnostic task. Send it
to me as a word document before this Sunday (23 June) 23:59.

Topic:
Many people believe that we are in a period of
serious environmental decline. However, this
belief may be exaggerated. Discuss.