Session 6 : What makes effective Writing?

Refer the articles

>Facts Given in Article

1. Decisions on structure & layout are very important

2. Words and phrases need to be chosen with care

· As regards particular sort of impression

3. Spelling errors typographical errors need to be checked.

4. Proper sentences & construction follows on from choices about style

5. Grammatical errors should be avoided.

6. Paragraph management :

· Sentences should be use to break up a whole into manageable part.

7. Sentences should be precise, clear to viewers.

>Reflection: How to Apply These Elements in Your Technical Writing?

1. Think about the structure before you write. the writing without structure plan, commonly would looks quite chaotic. A good structure is attempting the reader to keep reading.

2. Don’t use too bombastic word and phrases as easy for reader to understand.

· Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.

3. Make it short and simple

· Chop out every unnecessary word.

· If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.

4. Do prefer to use active verbs than passive.

· Active is better because it’s shorter and more forceful.

5. Use correct spelling and grammar.

These are among commonly misused word :

1. That vs. which. Which often follows a comma and introduces a phrase that provides additional information not essential to the meaning of the sentence? That introduces a phrase that is essential to the meaning of the sentence.

· The report, which is twenty pages long, is mandatory reading. (Which introduces additional, but unnecessary, information?)

· The report that is twenty pages long is mandatory reading. (That points out a characteristic of the report and distinguishes it from a ten-page report.)

2. Hopefully. This doesn't mean I hope. Hopefully, I'll finish the report by noon. Do you mean you'll finish the report in a hopeful frame of mind by noon? Or do you mean you hope you'll finish the report by noon? Say what you mean: I hope to finish the report by noon.
3. Very. Avoid this lukewarm, unspecific adverb. I'm very happy that you elected me chairman of the Society for People with Super Sensitive Feet. Is very happy happier than just happy? Why not overjoyed or: I'm tickled to be the new chairman of the Society for People with Super Sensitive Feet.
4. What. Don't start a sentence with the words "What," as in "What I'm arguing is..." because it usually means you'll use the verb "to be." You can write the sentence better without this construction. ("I argue that...) Of course, use "What" if the sentence is a question. ("What is going on?" she asked.)
5. Which. Likewise, don't start a sentence with the word "Which" unless it is a question, as in "Which is why the president signed the bill." You may see this construction in the popular press, but it is incorrect, since the sentence doesn't properly contain a subject.
6. It’s vs It is. Remember that "it's" means "it is." Don't use "it's" instead of the possessive "its." Know the difference.
7. This. When you use pronouns such as "this" and "it," make sure they clearly refer to the appropriate nouns. Consider these sentences: "The motor in the first French automobile evolved well before its introduction in America. This proves the hypothesis offered by F.W. Langweilig." What does the "its" refer to? The "motor" or the "automobile?" And what does "This" refer to? In other words, be careful when you use such pronouns.

session 5: reflection and activities

Activity 1; What is literature Review? What are the important points you have learnt?

~Fact given in article~

1. it is an account of what has been on a research area
2. it evaluates the report of the information found in the literature related to one's particular area of study.
3. it appears as a chapter in an academic report and also, certain references to the literature can be found in various places such as introduction and other parts of the report.

Reflections; Is the a difficult chapter to learn? What do you think an d how do you feel about it?

1. it is not just a listing of information available
2. it should describe, summarize, evaluate the studies reviewed.
3. it should give theoretical base of the research
4. it should help ascertain the nature/scope of the research

Activity 2: What are the important issues that need to be learnt?

1. the citation must be in standard format (book title, journal, publisher and year)
2. the literatures takern must be the ones written withe last five years, so as to be up to date with recent findings in that area of study.
3. there are three ways in writing literature review (summarizing, paraphrasing and original quotation)

Reflections; What is good and bad about learning all these issues? Does it help you in understanding the subject matter better?

Good learning	Bad (not learning)
1. Provide a context for the research 2. Justifies the research 3. Will illustrate how the subject has been studied previously 4. Outlines gaps in previous researches 5. Shows the researchers understanding of the topic being studied.	1. When there is no provided context 2. When the research is not justified 3. When there is no illustration of how the subject has beein studied previoulsy 4. When there is no understanding of the topic been studied

Activity 3; Strategies/resources that could help solve the issues.

1. good bibliography
2. maintain a list of reference
3. organize reading materials and make notes
4. write individual sections according to themes
5. integrate all the sections

Reflections on the activities/lesson

~What have you gained and observed from the lesson ?~

1. the great challange of literature review is to integrate the various readings that relate to the objectives of the research.
2. there are 3 major ways of citing information from secondary sources to support the research

• summarizing
• direct quotation
• paraphrasing

EXERCISE 5;

paraphrasing;

even though Ali Rejab, a police officer in Bandar Indera Putra argues that a hand phone can be of great importance when in danger, people get to use it at the wrong time which normally leads to traffic accidents. (taken from Technology Magazine March 2005)

paraphrasing2;

it has become more of a trend to hold a mobile phone, most especially amongst young stars, statistics have shown that the number in on steady increase. (taken from Permata Magazine 2003)

Brainstorming

Exercise 1

• Issue: Declining participation in sports among students
• What do I want to know: Percentage of participation of sporting activities in UNIKL
• Who: University students
• Where: UNIKL
• Why: To know the reason behind declining participation in sporting student
• Problem statement: Poor involvement in sports activities by students with effect to their health and academic performance

Exercise 4

~Scope of Study~

#	FUNCTION	SCOPES
1	indicate the direction of the study	How mobile is related to the human health.
2	map out the parameters or boundaries of the research	* Its effect on the younger age, middle age and older ager. * The number of people that it has caused health hazards to.
3	outline the method of investigations used in the study	* How long the user speaks on phone. * What health methods / campaigns are taken as regards educating the end users of phone on it health hazards?
4	confirm exact sample size	50 thousand
5	state the equipment used in experiment	Computer Assisted Telephone Interview (CATI)
6	explain the general methodology used in the study	Questionnaire / Survey
7	describe clearly what would be examined or compared	The issue of phone usage and its effects on end users.
8	state the duration taken for the whole study to be carried out	The issue of phone usage and its effects on end users.
9	state the duration taken for the whole study to be carried out	6 months

TOPIC 2 = Investigation on Language Learning Strategies Used by Proficient Learners.

~Objective 1~

• to discover the learning strategies utilized by individual proficient learners when learning the second language.

Research Question

• what are the learning strategies utilized by individual proficient learners when learning the second language.

~Objective 2~

• to ascertain the strategies used by proficient language learners when learning the second language.

Research Question 2 :

• what are the strategies used by proficient language learners when learning the second language.

~Objective 3~

• to determine the common strategies used by proficient learners when learning the second language.

Research Question :

• what are the common strategies used by proficient learners when learning the second language.

~Objective 4~

• to describe the learning strategies used by proficient Malay and Chinese learners when learning second language.

Research Question :

• what are the learning strategies used by proficient Malay and Chinese learners when learning second language.

~Objective 5~

• to present ideas on how language can be enhance through effective language learning strategies.

Research Question :

• what are the ideas to enhance language learning trough effective language strategies.

Activity 2 : What are the important issues that need to be learnt?

"E- Learning"

~Reflections~

1. no title posted
2. Grammatical error
3. no clear understanding of what e-learning is.

Activity 2 : What are the important issues that need to be learnt?

"Design and Development of Stair Climbing Trolley."

~Reflections~

1. No need for project overview
2. Grammatical error
3. Problem Statement is wrong instead of objective
4. no clear difference between project study objectives and problem statement
5. the project task and objectives aught to be written together so as to achieve a clear and definite destination as regards achieving the proposed new trolley

Session 2 : Reflection on activities

~Facts given in article~

1. The article given provides information on overall background of research project.
2. It helps the reader to focus on the issue being discussed.
3. Presenting the preview (what it general talks of)

~Reflection ~

1. Take time on deciding what to include
2. Use approved proposal and preliminary factors discussed to guide in writing
3. Considering to input some area of study

how to achieve an "A" research report

1) creativity

• make the report attractive to viewers and
• to make them easily understand with the report.

2) overview

• must be clear and well understood
• short but not to precise 

3) problem statement

• must be definite about what our problem statement is.
• it must be logical as well

4) research objective

• it must be sufficient 
• it must be commensurate to the number of people in the group

5) methodology

• must put all necessary  tools and method so as to achieve the research objective

6) project schedule

• we must start at the right time so as to be able to meet up with the due date

7) literature review

• this is where each group member is expected to write ab of their own part as regard the research objective

8) language technicality

• the language grammar must be simple and clear to the viewer.

9) outcome
10) conclusion and recommendation