Academic Writing

1. Mustwrite1.weebly.com Academic Writing Lesson 5 May 16, 2013 Lynn Mallory

2. Learning Targets To analyze the introductions of scientific research papers and suggest improvements to the authors. To write an introduction to a research paper. To explain when citations should be used in our writing.

3. What is the topic sentence? Technology is not a new concept in today’s world; rather it is woven in our lives in such a way that life cannot be imagined without it. Education is one area where new advancements in technology are integrated with the existing process for the betterment of teaching learning process. Education process is in a transition phase where the traditional practices have been challenged by researchers in favor of adoption of modern information and communication technology in teaching and learning process. http://www.ijser.org/onlineResearchPaperViewer.aspx?A-Study-On-Feasibility-And-Effectiveness-Of-ICT-Integration-In-Higher-Education-In-Developing-Countries.pdf

4. abstract introduction Adapted from Writing Up Research by Robert Weissberg & Suzanne Buker (2008) method results discussion conclusion

7. Analyzing an Introduction As half of the Ajanta cave faces east and other half the south with 178ft high waterfall in seven stages, microclimatic condition plays an important role in the survival of Ajanta murals. The unstable microclimatic condition is one of the factors that always affect the state of conservation of paintings. The mud plaster used as ground contains clay admixed with natural fibers such as rice husk, plant seeds and fibers. Pigment layers have been applied on dry mud plaster with color which is inorganic in nature. As the mud plaster contains clayey materials, it is very sensitive to humidity inside the cave. In case of high humidity as in rainy season, the clay portion of the mud plaster may absorb moisture through porous painted surface. In hot climate the moisture is given out as per the characteristic behavior of clay materials. Besides, the Ajanta painting has been identified to be executed in tempera technique with binder which is certainly of organic nature and tentatively detected as animal glue. The binder being organic in nature is also soluble in water. Hence, the nature of support and the pigment layer are vulnerable to environmental conditions. Due to this the Italian conservators of 1920 applied thick protective coating of unbleached shellac thus modifying the physical condition of the painted surface, which in course of time altered the chromatic appearance of the paintings1. Nearly two third of the paintings including the painting in famous cave no 1,2,16 & 17 Ajanta have been applied with shellac varnishes.

8. Now let’s look at the rest of the introduction. • Go to the website • Under today’s date, open the Cave Drawing article • Read the introduction. Mark the 6 parts. If you can’t find any of them, make a note.

9. Model • Let’s read this article’s introduction together. • Mark the 6 parts.

10. Break Time

11. Literature Review • Gives background information for your reader. • Gives definitions of specific terms • Shows what has already been done in the field. • Justifies your research. • Shows you are an authority in the field. Let’s read a short literature review.

12. In most deserts of the world, transitions between topographic elements are abrupt and watercourses which are dry most of the time tend to dissipate their occasional waters within local basins. Occasional torrential rainfall, characteristic of most desert regions, washes loose debris into watercourses or transports this material, depositing it in and along the shores of ephemeral lakes. These physical processes result in a redistribution of dead plant material (litter), affect the distribution of soil water and create a heterogeneous biotic community. Therefore, before the dynamics of desert ecosystems can be adequately understood, the spatial relationships must be clarified.

13. There have been few studies of litter distribution and/or soil fauna in any of the world deserts (Wallwork, 1976). Wood (1971) surveyed the soil fauna in a number of Australian arid and semi-arid ecosystems. Wallwork (1972) made some studies of the microarthropod fauna in the California Mojave desert and Edney et. al. (1974, 1975, 1976) studied abundance and distribution of soil microarthropods in the Mojave desert in Nevada.

14. In the Chihuahuan desert, Whitford et al. (1975, 1976, 1977) described the spatial relationships for many groups of organisms, but soil microarthropods remain unstudied. The lack of such information represents a gap in our knowledge of desert ecosystems. As part of our continuning program of studies of the structure and dynamics of Chihuahuan desert ecosystems, we designed the study reported here to understand the relationship between letter redistribution and the spatial distribution and composition of the soil microarthropod community. from Writing Up Research (2008)

15. Citing Sources Information prominent Author prominent

16. Two Ways to Cite Sources • APA • Author & date in parentheses • Author in text and date in parentheses • Chicago • Numbered sources from reference list

17. How to start writing an introduction • Decide on your point and your audience. • What do you want to tell them? • How much background do they need? • Define your terms. • Always CITE YOUR SOURCES! • If you don’t have sources to back up what you say, stop and do some research. • If you are giving historical background, do it chronologically (oldest to newest). • Justify your research and give your basic objectives. • If you have lots of information, make the introduction short and put it in a separate section.

18. Writing Time