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Academic Voice

Why Should I Care?

Academics are not – necessarily – snobs. But they insist on a neutral tone in academic papers, something you are ready to master.

What is a Science Paper?

A science paper is a type of document: an article that is published in a scholarly peer-reviewed journal. It has five sections:

  1. Abstract and Introduction
  2. Literature Review
  3. Methodology
  4. Results / Findings
  5. Discussion / Conclusion

The article is intended for a narrow audience of scientists interested in the same field. However, this does not mean it should be impossible to read by anyone else. Your job is to adopt the jargon and tone expected from the discipline and the level of reading of your readers.

For this project, your paper should aim to be readable by a strong Sec 4 student.

The Basic Rules

Tone is formal, not personal.

On the other hand, not using the neutral tone of Academic Voice can lead readers to believe you are trying to convince them with rhetoric, and tricks of the tongue, instead of cold-hard facts and implacable arguments. You should master the Academic Voice writing style now because it’s expected in university and increases your credibility by convincing readers of your academic integrity and impartiality.

  • Don’t use first person, ever. No ‘I’, no ‘We’.
  • Don’t tell a story.
  • Don’t state anything as a personal opinion.
  • Relate the opinions of others.
  • Show both sides of the issue.
  • Don’t use “awesome” qualifiers that make the story more interesting.
  • Use active sentences.
  • Passive sentences are to be avoided. (This is passive)
  • Avoid passive sentences. (This is active)
  • Don’t use deductive fallacy, or bad logic, even if it sounds convincing. Examples:

  • Tautology:  “God exists because it is written in the Bible. The Bible is true because it was inspired by God.” (Also known as the circular argument)

  • False objection: “My dog had rabies, I had to kill him”him.” (The dog was not sick, but kept defecating on the living room carpet)

  • Guilt by association:  “You are young, and all my employees are young and lazy. You must be lazy.” (Also known as prejudicial discrimination)

More examples: http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophisme

LICENSES AND ATTRIBUTIONS

 

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