学术写作(一)Choosing-a-topic.ppt

ACADEMIC WRITING 大家好Page 1How to choose a topic for your research?How to develop an assignment into a strong topic?How to narrow a topic?How to formulate a research question?How to formulate a working title?How to formulate an effective thesis statement?大家好Page 2primary research paper:the study of a subject through firsthand investigation,involving presenting original ideas and information on your own.also called survey-or-experiment-based researchsecondary research paper:involves gathering and analyzing the research findings from other peoples research.you need to borrow and use evidence and findings available on the topic in the library or on the internet.also called library-or-internet-based research大家好Page 3Interesting(it is intereting to you,your instructors,researchers in the same field.)Significant(it indicates the value of your work)manageable(It is under your control)Adequate (You could find enough research literature available for your subject.大家好Page 5CourseAssignmentTopicAmerican Historyanalyze the effects of a social program on one segment of American societyHow did the GI Bill of Rights affect American service-women?Sociologyidentify and evaluate the success of one resource available to the homeless population of one major American citythe role of the Salvation Army in meeting the needs of Chicagos homelessPsychologywrite a three-to-five-page paper assessing one method of treating depressionAnimal-assisted therapy for severely depressed patientsCompositionWrite an essay about a problem you have encountered since coming to collegeovercoming my computer illiteracy大家好Page 6city developmentsustainable development of citiessustainable development of big citiessustainable development of Chinese big citiessustainable development of Chinese big cities from the biological perspective大家好Page 7Narrow down these topics for a 2500-word essay.v Global warming my narrower subtopic:1).2).3).v Cancerv Internetv Artificial Intelligencev Nanotechnologyv Genetically Modified Foods大家好Page 8Topic:a broad range or general field of interest Question:a particular part or aspect of a topic that is narrow enough to investigate and write about 大家好Page 9Finding something to write about:asking journalistic questionsTopic:Computer Literacy of College FreshmenJournalistic questions:1)Who is familiar with computers and the Internet,and who is not?2)What is computer literacy?what are the effects of weak computer skills?what kinds of programs exist to help college students improve computer skills?3)When did computer become essential for college students?4)Where are students most likely to learn computer skills?5)Why is familiarity with the Internet so important in college?why are some students computer skills so much better than others?6)How can we help students who lag behind?大家好Page 10Deepening what you want to write about:asking in-depth questionswhat causes the gap between those who are computer savvy and those who are not?differences in family income,parents education level,quality of public education,regional differences.suggest development pattern of your essay:cause and effect;comparison and contrast;exemplification;what are the effects of the gap?Differences in achievement in college and performance on the job;differences in access to information;differences in earning power.大家好Page 11Topic:Nuclear Waste DisposalQuestions:1)what is nuclear waste?2)what are the harmful effects if nuclear waste is not appropriately disposed of?3)how are we supposed to dispose of nuclear waste safely and economically?4).大家好Page 12 A typical title is composed of:1)subject matter+2)key words of the method+3)key words of the contentKey words indicating methods:compare,analyze,contrast,discuss,evaluate,study,assessKey words indicating content:causes,effects,advantages,benefits,effectiveness,besides words of subject matters.大家好Page 13Decide which of the following titles is(are)the more appropriate one(s)1.The Effects of Climate Change2.What are the Economic Effects of Climate Change?3.The Causes and Effects of Global Warming4.The Melting Poles:the Greatest Danger from Global Warming5.How to Combat Climate Change?6.Some effects of Global Warming on China7.A Study of Effects of Global Warming on Agriculture8.Global Warming Effects on Mental Health9.Ozone Depletion and Climate Change10.Potential Impact of Climate Change on World Food Supply大家好Page 14 T.S.is An assumption about the topic,an approach to it,an attitude toward it,a proposition to be examined.the controlling idea that determines the design of your thesis.a single sentence with the topic of the paper as the grammatical subject.大家好Page 15A successful working T.S.:Interesting and engagingExplicitArgumentativeSpecificLimit and focus on a topic大家好Page 16A Working T.S.:a topic part+a comment partEg:The current American farm crisis can be traced to three major causes.大家好Page 17Thesis statement:Although todays all-volunteer force has replaced the military draft,a draft may eventually be necessary.topicstatement of factannouncementthe military draftthe United States currently has no military draftin this essay,I will reconsider our countrys need for a draft.大家好Page 18 Examine and analyze?Evaluate and criticize?Compare and contrast?Establish relationships?Argue for/against?Persuade?Task:Analyze the following T.S.to predict possible development patterns of the essays 1)The current American farm crisis can be traced to three major causes.2)Although todays all-volunteer force has replaced the military draft,a draft may eventually be necessary.大家好Page 19Eg.The real problem in our school does not revolve around the absence of nation-wide goals and standards;the problem is primarily concerned with the absence of resources.Revised:The real problem in our school is not the absence of nation-wide goals and standards;the problem is the absence of resources.大家好Page 20To choose a topic,you need to consider the requirement of your assignment.Identify a research interest Narrow down the topic as much as possibleReview the literature on the topic as completely as possible to determine whether the topic is researchable.State the problem in a question form.Translate or turn your research question into thesis statement.大家好Page 21谢谢大家好Page 22