PBI 1092 AE2 Module Updated2017 Sep

UPDATED VERSION (2017)
FACULTY OF LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION

UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA SARAWAK
©2016 All Rights Reserved
PBI 1092 Academic English 2
About the Course
Academic English 2 aims to develop students' ability in reading, writing and oral presentation
for academic purposes. Students will be introduced to appropriate skills and strategies to
facilitate the reading of academic texts in their particular disciplines. They will also be guided
through the skills required in writing a variety of texts in their relevant fields of study. The
focus throughout the course is on how language functions in the academic genres covered.
Student’s Responsibilities:
By enrolling in this course, you are expected to:
• To attend class punctually and adhere to the 80% attendance rule.
• To enrol and participate actively in the course e-learning page.
• To print out course module/lecture notes and bring to every class
• To do all required/necessary pre- and post-class readings and tasks
• To actively contribute to class discussions in an appropriate academic manner
• To ask informed and focused questions in class to clarify understandings
• To avoid plagiarism or any unethical or dishonest behaviour in relation to classwork,
assignments and examinations, and accept any penalties which follow from such
behaviour
• To respect deadlines for submission of work and accept any penalties which may
result. For work handed up late, 3% will be deducted for each day
Course E-Learning Website:
You are required to be active online too. Point your Internet browser to
http://titan.calm.unimas.my and locate the course name PBI 1092 Academic
English 2 (Main Site) according to the semester you are enrolled in. Login
using your account. Once in the main site, you are able to choose your
instructor’s page as well.
If you are unable to login, please contact Centre for Applied Learning and
Multimedia (CALM) to reset your account via elearning_helpdesk@unimas.my
No part of this module can be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means without the prior written
permission of the writers and publisher. Images and materials used in this module are taken from open
domains unless stated otherwise.
© 2016-2017 Faculty of Language Studies and Communication Studies

Learning Units
Page
Unit 1: Essential Academic Skills

• Part A: Types of References 1
• Part B: Citations and Referencing 13
• Part C: Paraphrasing 34
Unit 2: Reading Skills 48

• Identify main idea and extract specific details (what’s on the line)
• Infer and predict from contexts (between the lines)
• apply ideas to what has been known (beyond the lines)
Unit 3: Oral Presentation Skills 59

• Produce an effective oral presentation for academic settings
• Use accurate and appropriate expressions in presenting
• Communicate ideas and opinions clearly and precisely
Unit 4: Information Report (Classification) 63

• Purpose of text – to classify factual information on a topic (classification)
• Identify the structure of an Information Report
• Practice the language features of an Information Report
• Produce an Information Report with proper citation and referencing
• Present the overview of the written Information Report in groups.
Unit 5: Explanation Report (Process) 79

• Purpose of text – to explain ‘how’ and ‘why’ a natural or social phenomenon occurs
(process)
• Identify the structure of an Explanation Report
• Practice the language features of an Explanation Report
• Produce an Explanation Report with proper citation and referencing
• Present the overview of the written Explanation Report in groups.
Unit 6: Discussion Essay 90

• Purpose of text – present various sides of argument on a specific issue (e.g. benefits
and drawbacks, pros and cons)
• Identify the structure of a discussion essay
• Practice the language features of a discussion essay
• Produce a discussion essay on a given topic
PBI 1092 Academic English 2 (2017 – Updated Version)
Essential Academic Skills:

UNIT 1A Types of References
Learning Objectives
By the end of this unit, you should be able to:
✓ explain why it is important to cite authority in academic writing.
✓ differentiate between journals, books, edited books and other materials.
✓ differentiate between first name and family/surname.
✓ find relevant information for writing references for journals and books.
Warming Up
You may be confident in using English in everyday situations, but the kind of English you need for
university study can be rather different. You may have also written several essays that you think are
using the correct style of writing, only to be told “it’s not academic enough”. So, what exactly is
academic English?
Work in small groups (3-4 people), brainstorm ideas around the phrase of “academic English”, and
then share your group’s ideas. Use the following questions to guide you in the brainstorming session
(not longer than 5 minutes):
• What are the characteristics of academic English?

• Why is it important to learn academic English?
• Is academic English difficult to learn? (Especially in terms of reading and writing).
PART 1: Citing Authority

Much of academic English is about expressing the relationship
between ideas and present them in a precise manner, which
is why academic writing requires a different set of styles.
Academic writing is viewed as a scientific effort, hence it
requires proofs and evidences. So, you need to cite references
to validate your work. To do this, we often refer to authority
(credible and reliable) which may be in the form of books, journals, reports or other academic sources.
We turn to books when we explain the foundations of knowledge (or grounded theory) but we look
for journal articles when we want to know the latest discoveries or trends in research.
In citing authority, you will come across many styles of referencing in books and journals such as APA
(American Psychological Association) style, MLA (Modern Language Association) style or Harvard
referencing style.
In this course, we will be using the APA style in citing references for academic writing as this is the
style generally preferred. The current version used is the APA 6th Edition (www.apa.org).
Faculty of Language & Communication Studies, UNIMAS 1

Citing Authority in Your Writing

When you make claims in your assignments that involve facts Word Alert:
(whether you quote a source or paraphrase it), you should
always ensure that citations are given. And for each citation Cite (verb) – the act of giving
that you include, it has to appear in the reference list (at the acknowledgement to the original
end of your writing). To cite properly, you must follow the author or to quote a fact/evidence.
formatting set by a specific referencing style (in this case APA Citation (noun) – the credit given
Style 6th edition). This will be covered extensively in the to the original source, e.g. from a
second part of this Learning Unit. But for a start, please book, paper, or author.
familiarise yourself with the need to cite and do proper
referencing.
Take a look at the following example:
The advent of Web 2.0 technologies has promoted the creation of many social media
tools and they are used for various purposes. In general, the term “social media” refers to tools
that allow users to create, share information, ideas and diverse forms of media in virtual
networks (Downes, 2005). They largely cover content sharing communities (e.g., YouTube and
Wikipedia) and social networking websites (e.g., Facebook and Twitter) that anyone can
participate and contribute (Kaplan & Haenlein, 2010). On a personal basis, these tools are
used with the main goal of communicating and sharing personal content such as photos or
videos with friends or family members. In terms of education, Heiberger and Harper (2008)
stated that the supporters of connectivism principles, which is based on the Social Learning
Theory (Bandura, 1963) have explained how social media can play a significant role in
promoting meaningful and effective learning experiences.
References
Bandura, A. (1963). Social learning and personality development. Mason, OH: Holt, Rinehart,
and Winston.
Downes, S. (2005). E-learning 2.0: The rise of social-media inspired learning. Retrieved from
http://www.elearnmag.org/subpage.cfm?section=articles&article=29-1.
Kaplan, M. A., & Haenlein, M. (2010). Uses of the world, unite! The challenges and
opportunities of social media. Bussiness Horizon, 53(1).
Heiberger, G., & Harper, R. (2008). Have you Facebooked Astin lately? Using technology to
increase student involvement. In R. Junco & D. M. Timm (Eds.). Using emerging
technologies to enhance student engagement. New directions for student services (pp.
19–35). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
The underlined parts in the short text are all citations. How many types of citations are used? Can you
identify the differences?
As shown in the example, all citations used in the text are listed in the form of reference list with the
heading “References” (In other words, you list what you used only). Can you identify the different
types of sources used? (e.g. books, chapter in a book, web page, and journal article). What are the
characteristics of each?
Pay attention to the naming style too. For example, for the author, Stephan Downes, only Downes
(his surname) is used in citation. However, in the reference list, the initial “S” for Stephan is included
as in “Downes, S.”

PART 2: Searching Relevant References
You might be overwhelmed with the amount of reference materials available online and offline (e.g., at
the library). When searching for relevant references, scan the title and table of contents to decide
whether you need to read further. Usually the headings in the table of contents can give you a glimpse
of the whole content.
A. Title
The title gives us an idea of the contents and the audience.
Task 1: Predict the likely audience for each of these books (The first one has been done):
Titles Likely Audience

a. Contemporary music • • Trainee teachers
•
b. An introduction to anthropology • Botanists
c. A first course in Economics • • Environmental groups
d. Language teaching methodology • • Musicians
e. Managing sustainable ecosystem • • Business students
f. The flora of Borneo • • Social science students
B. Table of Content
The Table of Contents (TOC) lists the chapters and the content of a book, or the articles in a journal.
Task 2: Examine the following Table of Content and answer the following questions.
1. What is usually included in the foreword

section?
_________________________________
_________________________________
2. Which chapter focuses on the traditional

marketing rules?
_________________________________
3. Which page should you turn to if you are

looking for information related to tips
from company chief?
_________________________________
_
Source: Scott, D. M. (2007). The new rules of marketing and

PR. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.

C. Subject Index
The Subject Index (towards the end of a book/publication) allows you to do a quick search of topics
dealt with in a book. Searching through the keywords and see their corresponding pages would be a
good help especially when the book is thick. If you see only 1 page for a subject/keyword, you would
probably not able to find enough information.
Task 3: Look at the following subject index. If you need some information on farm animals, which
page do you turn to? What about information on different races?
D. Online Tools
With the development of the World Wide Web, it is even easier to search relevant sources using
specific keywords. Here are some useful search engines and databases for you to explore.
Google Scholar Microsoft Academic Search

http://scholar.google.com http://academic.research.microsoft.com
Useful databases: HighWire by Stanford - http://highwire.stanford.edu/lists/freeart.dtl

ScienceDirect – http://sciencedirect.com
CAIS One Search – http://www.cais.unimas.my
Taylor & Francis Database - http://www.tandfonline.com
PART 3: Comparing Different Types of Sources
A. Books
Students often refer to books (it comes with ISBN – International Standard Book Number) because
they contain the basics on a particular topic. Even if the books deal with a difficult subject matter, they
usually provide some background information for readers. Books explain the subject matter rather
comprehensively.
Books are usually one-off publication, unlike periodicals (e.g., magazines, journals). However,
sometimes authors of books wish to update some information in the book and they produce a second
edition and so on. All the chapters in a book are written by the author(s).
If it is an edited book (or a compilation of chapters), author(s) for each chapter is given and usually
the whole book comes with an editor. So when you do the citation, you have to cite the author of the
chapter instead of the editor.
When you get a book, sometimes you cannot depend only on the cover page to get the information
required. You would need to refer to the imprint page (the page inside) that provides more details
about the publication.
Imprint page
Always pay attention to the word

“Published by” to find the publisher’s
info. NOT “Printed by” as the printing
company merely prints it.
You Try! Write the APA reference for the book by filling in the blanks with relevant information
from the book cover and imprint page above. Note the use of Surname/Lastname in referencing.
E.g. David Beckham, Beckham is the surname, and
David is the first name.
_________________, _____________. ( ). ________________________________________.

(surname/lastname) (initial of first name) (year of publication) (title of book - in italics)
_____________, _______________: ___________________________.
(City), (State) : (Publisher)

Task 4: Write the APA reference for the following books. Identify the necessary information
needed for the reference first (i.e. author, year of publication, title of the book, place of
publication and publisher) before arranging them.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Parts of a Book and Their Information
Parts of a book Information

Cover of a book Title, author(s), publisher
Title page Title, author(s), publisher
Imprint page The page immediately before or after the title page which contains
publishing details:
1. Publisher (e.g. Cambridge) vs printer (Biddles Sdn Bhd)
2. Place of publication (e.g. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey)

➢ If many towns are listed, take the name of the first town/city
mentioned, followed by the state (instead of Country)
➢ E.g. Kota Samarahan, Sarawak or Houston, Texas.
3. Year of publication – reprints vs edition

➢ If reprints are made of a book, the contents are the same. Cite the
year for the original version. E.g. published in 2008, reprinted in
2010, the original year (2008) should be used in citation.
➢ If a book has several editions, cite the year of the latest edition
because the contents of the book have been changed. E.g. Second
edition 1993
4. ISBN (International Standard Book Number)

➢ The number is unique for that title. This is useful for librarians.
5. Copyright ©
➢ The copyright usually belongs to either the publisher or the
author(s).
Preface/Introduction The author’s/authors’ aims and coverage of the book
Foreword Introductory comments about the book, usually by someone other than
the author(s)
Table of contents List of contents
Acknowledgements Example: I am grateful to Martin Hewings, Diane Belcher and Malcolm
Coulthard who have contributed in important ways to my
understanding of plagiarism in academic writing.
Back cover The blurb (short description of book contents), background of authors, a
list of books by the same author(s), price, publisher, barcode and ISBN
Index An alphabetical list of the topics covered and the page numbers these
topics can be found in the book
Glossary An alphabetical list of specialist terms used in the book and the meanings
of these terms
References/ An alphabetical list of the sources used by the author(s)
Bibliography
Illustration credits Sources of photographs/diagrams used in the book
Appendices Supplementary material which the author(s) want to include in the book

B. Journals
Journals contain articles on more specialised subject matter and are commonly read for the latest
development in scholarly research. One volume of a journal may contain five to 10 articles written
by different researchers. The articles are read by other researchers who are doing similar research.
A journal is a regular publication which may be published once a year or several times a year (in the
form of Volumes). A volume can be a set for a period of several months such as January to June, and
if there are a lot of articles within this period, some publishers will split them into Issues or also known
as Number.
What’s the difference between Volume and Issue/Number?
As an example, from January to June (Volume 1) there can be several issues (e.g. Issue 1 for January
to March, and Issue 2 for April to June). Thus, when you do the referencing for the journal, you have
to pay attention to this information (e.g. an article can be published in Volume 1, Number 1)
Researchers send their articles to the journal and these are sent for review or evaluation by experts
in the field. The article may be rejected or accepted. The researchers are usually asked to make some
revisions before the article is finally published in the journal.
Journal articles can be published either in printed (compiled like a book) or electronic form
(downloadable documents). With the increasing cost of printing, more and more journals are
published electronically. To get a list of established journals you may refer to:
• Thomson-Reuters Master Journal List for Science
http://ip-science.thomsonreuters.com/cgi-bin/jrnlst/jlresults.cgi?PC=J
• Thomson-Reuters Master Journal List for Social Science
http://ip-science.thomsonreuters.com/cgi-bin/jrnlst/jlresults.cgi?PC=K
Look at the following example of electronic journal article and take note of its referencing.
Li, W. L. (2000). Free vibrations of beams with general boundary conditions. Journal of Sound and
Vibration, 237(4), 709-725.

You Try! Write the APA reference for the following journal article by filling in the blanks with
relevant information from the journal web page:
______________, ___________. ( ). _______________________________________________.

(surname) (initial of first name) (year of publication) (title of journal article)
_______________________________, ________(_____), ___________.
(Name of journal - in italics) (vol. number)(issue number) (page number)
in italics
Task 5: Write the APA reference for the following journal article.
Note: Not all journal has issues/number, and not all journal name has the word “Journal”

C. Edited Books
Edited books are different from books in the topic coverage and the process of publication. Edited
books contain chapters that may deal with rather different topics which are linked to a theme. The
chapters in edited books are written by different author(s).
The name of the editor(s) appears on the front cover of the book and is indicated by (Ed.) in the APA
style of referencing. However, the names of the authors appear in the Table of Contents and the first
page of the respective chapters.
Sample: Author’s name Editor’s name (with Ed. = Editor)
Title of book chapter
Fishman, J. A. (1977). Language and ethnicity. In H. Giles (Ed.), Language ethnicity and
intergroup relations (pp. 15-58). London, UK: Academic Press.
Title of book on cover page or imprint page (in italics) the pages for the chapter
Task 6: If you would like to cite Ajoy Opal’s ideas on Computer Aided Design in the
following edited book, write the APA reference based on the information provided
below.

D. Web Documents and Other Materials

Apart from books and journals, you can also obtain information from other periodicals (e.g. magazine,
newspapers, and newsletter), web pages or e-books. However, in academic writing, books and
journals are considered more reliable as references. Try to refer to them often.
High dependency on unreliable websites such as Wikipedia, blogs, social media postings should be
avoided. Many scholars are against these sources as references.
In general, if you downloaded documents from online web sites but could not obtain necessary
information required to fit it as a journal article or a book, then you should use the referencing style
for web documents as shown in the following example:
(Author’s Name) (Year) (Title of the document/page – italicise) (Retrieved from web link)
Adams, M. (2016). Types of online marketing techniques. Retrieved from http://www.marketing-
portal.com/files/types_techniques.pdf
*If there’s no author, the web document is considered as unreliable, please don’t use it.
Newspapers and opinionated magazines should be used with great care. Make sure you are clear
whether ideas presented are proven facts and not just opinions, feelings and conjectures.
opinion
feeling
conjectures
IMPORTANT: In academic writing, focus on facts and evidence-supported opinions rather than
sweeping statements that you found in any resources especially online. Always ensure the information
is reliable before using it.

Review of Unit 1A
Quiz 1: The following are some differences between a book and a journal. Which are “crucial
differences” = C? Or Not = N?
1. Books are thicker than journals. (C/N)
2. Chapters in a book are longer than journal articles in word count. (C/N)
3. Books have Appendix, Reference, Author Index and Subject Index but journals do not have
these information. (C/N)
4. In a book, all the chapters are written by the same author(s) but the journal articles are written
by different authors. (C/N)
5. Books are identified by their titles but to find an article in a journal, we need to know the
name of the journal, title of the article, volume, issue number, and page numbers. (C/N)
6. We can find out the age of the book by referring to the year of the publication but for a journal,
we need to find the volume number. (C/N)
Quiz 2: The following are some comparisons between a book and an edited book. Identify which are
“True” = T and “False” = F.
1. A book is not edited for format and language but edited books undergo the proofreading
process. (T/F)
2. The most important piece of information that is needed to identify a book is the title of the
book but for an edited book, it is the title of the chapter. (T/F)
3. In the APA referencing style, it is not necessary to put down the page numbers of the chapter
referred to but it is necessary to do so for an edited book. (T/F)
Quiz 3: The following are some comparisons between a journal and an edited book. Identify which
are ‘crucial differences’ = C or Not = N.
1. Edited books may not be reviewed but journal articles are reviewed. (C/N)
2. There is no word limit for chapters of edited book but journal articles have to keep within
certain word counts. (C/N)
3. The name of the editor(s) of an edited book appears on the book cover but the editors’ names
may not appear on the journal cover. (C/N)
4. In the APA referencing style, it is necessary to include the publisher and place of publication
for a chapter in an edited book but this information is not required for a journal article. (C/N)
5. The editor(s) of an edited book usually solicits people to write the chapters for the book but
the editor(s) of journals usually receive articles submitted by researchers and send them for
review of the quality. (C/N)
Quiz 4: The following are some statements about reference sources. Identify which are “True” = T
and “False” = F.
1. As students in university, it is okay to use blogs as references. (T/F)
2. Newspapers and magazines are easy sources to get good facts. (T/F)
3. Most academics and scholars prefer evidence cited from books and journals. (T/F)
The next unit is about Citation, Referencing & Citation Focus. You MUST set aside more time to complete it
before coming to the next class. The unit is very important for this whole course as it will be assessed in your
assignments


UNIT 1B Citation and Referencing
Learning Objectives
✓ determine the use of surname/lastname in APA citation and referencing
✓ differentiate between author-focus and info-focus citation
✓ differentiate between citing and referencing
✓ cite and write references based on APA referencing style
Warming Up
In the previous unit, you have been introduced to some basic citation and referencing style (according
to APA Referencing Style 6th Edition). Can you recall the information required when referencing books
and journal articles? Why is it important to cite the sources used in your academic essays or
assignments?
Eradicating the Habit of “Copy and Paste”

It is important to know the right way to do citations and referencing to avoid the act of plagiarism or
the infamous “copy-and-paste” habit in completing academic works.
“Fine words! I wonder where you stole them”

~Jonathan Swift
Plagiarism generally refers to the adoption or reproduction of original creations of another author
without giving credits or acknowledgements to the original author (Simmons, 1999). But does that
mean you have to provide citations for every statement? No. If you are using general knowledge or
facts (e.g. Malaysia is located in Asia), or providing your own idea, then no citation is required.

PART 1: Naming Convention & Citation Focus
Naming Convention
As a general rule, the APA publication style (6th Edition) requires only the surname/lastname (a
hereditary name common to all members of a family, which is carried through generations) to be
mentioned in full in both citations and referencing. For example, if the author’s full name is Joanne
Kathleen Rowling, then Rowling is used for citation while Rowling, J. K. is used in the reference.
Task 1: See some examples in the table below and fill in the blanks for the rest.
Full Name Citation Reference

Jerome Bruner Bruner Bruner, J.
Adam J. DeNiro DeNiro DeNiro, A. J.
Pauline Rea-Dickins Rea-Dickins Rea-Dickins, P.
Miracle L. James ____________________ ____________________
Samuel Epstein ____________________ ____________________
Veronique Kant ____________________ ____________________
Ramirez Bonifaas ____________________ ____________________
Jonathan Ebele Goodluck ____________________ ____________________
Asian Names
In some Asian naming conventions, the “lastname” does not necessarily be the “surname” or family
name. Although according to APA publication manual, it is acceptable to just use the lastname, some
Asian authors prefer their names to be cited differently. See the following table for specific examples:
Ethnicity Full Name Citation (In-text) Referencing
Malay & Prof Dr Asmah Binti Omar Asmah Omar Asmah Omar
Muslim
Names Dato’ Wira Mohd Ali Bin Rustam Mohd Ali Rustam Mohd Ali Rustam
Dayangku Intan Binti Aziz Dayangku Intan Aziz Dayangku Intan Aziz
(Remove bin/binti or any titles

including Hj. Or Hjh.)
Chinese Dato’ Lee Chong Wei Lee Lee, C. W.

Names
Kelvin Choo Sim Yong Choo Choo, K. S. Y.
(Omit titles/positions too; Chinese

surname is placed as the first word or
after the English name)*Some Chinese
authors place their surname at the back
to facilitate citation. E.g.,
Wai-Kai Chen Chen Chen, W. K.

Ethnicity Full Name Citation (In-text) Referencing

Korean Lee Min-Ho Lee Lee, M. H.
Names
Do Kyung-Soo Do Do, K. S.
*Korean surname is placed first before

the given name. Some Korean authors or
personalities place their surname at the
back to facilitate citation. For example:
Ji-Sung Park Park Park, J. S.

Jee-Woon Kim Kim Kim, J. W.
Japanese Akimoto Sayaka Akimoto Akimoto, S.

Names
Hiraoka Kimitake Hiraoka Hiraoka, K.
*Japanese surname is placed first before

the given name. However, many
Japanese authors place their surname at
the back to facilitate citation.
Haruki Murakami Murakami Murakami, H.
Ayumi Hamasaki Hamasaki Hamasaki, A.
Indian Chandran a/l Sivalingam Chandra Sivalingam Chandra Sivalingam

names OR OR
Sivalingam Sivalingam, C.
Muthu Segaran Muthu Segaran Muthu Segaran

OR OR
(Remove a/l, a/p, d/o, s/o or any titles) Segaran Segaran, M.
Names from Awang anak Langkau Awang Langkau Awang Langkau

indigenous OR OR
ethnic Langkau Langkau, A.
groups in
Sarawak Daniel anak Nikang Daniel Nikang Daniel Nikang
and Sabah OR OR
(Remove “anak” or any titles) *some Nikang Nikang, D.
authors may have adopted Western
naming style without “anak”, if so, use
the lastname only. E.g.
Stephanie Ubung Joseph Joseph Joseph, S. U.
Important: If you are confused, try to search the author’s name online to confirm his/her full name.
Or follow the rule of using the lastname as stated in APA Style. It is acceptable.

Citation Focus
When you cite the work of other authors, you may choose to focus either on the author or the
information provided by the author itself.
The first type of citation focus is when the author’s name is given more emphasis. This type of citation
is called author prominent (also known as author-focus). Use author-focus citation when author’s
authority/popularity is needed to add “strength” to your arguments or you are covering quite a lot of
information from the same author (e.g. in a paragraph)
The second type is called information prominent (also known as info-focus) because the information
is given primary importance. The author’s name(s) and date of publication are parenthetically
attached at the end of the sentence. Use info-focus citations when there is a need to highlight an
information more than the author or when you are focusing on the facts given.
Examples:
Author-Focus Citation (Citation is mentioned first)
Duncan and Simon (2001) stated that civil engineers work closely with surveyors to fit and serve
fixed projects within their given site.
Note: Author-focus citations usually begin with “According to…” but you are strongly encouraged to
use other reporting verbs like “As mentioned by…, As stated by…., As claimed by…, XYZ stipulated
that…, XYZ argued that, XYZ explained that..”
Info-Focus Citation (Citation is placed after the info/statement)
Cognitive psychology is the study of how people perceive, remember, think, speak, and solve problems
(Neisser & Jonassen, 1967).
Note: when info-focus citation is used, the word “and” is changed to the ampersand symbol (&).
PART 1: Citation Styles
In general there are two ways in citing sources: to quote directly (direct lifting with citation) or to
paraphrase (rewrite in your own words with citation). This unit will cover the part on direct quotations
while the following unit (Unit 1C) will focus more on paraphrase. However, the basic citation styles
for both ways are included in this unit.
Using Direct Quotations

For citations involving direct quotations, the amount of text quoted determines the style used. When
quoting directly, ALWAYS provide the author, year, and specific page number(s). Study the following
examples of direct quotations:
a. Short Quotations
Quotations fewer than 40 words are incorporated into the paragraph. Let’s examine Example A and
Example B on the use of short quotations.
Example A
Marketers know that “toddlers and preschool children have considerable purchase influence and
can successfully negotiate purchases through what marketers term the nag factor or pester power”
(McNeal, 1999, p. 75).
Example B
McNeal (1999) reported that marketers know that “toddlers and preschool children have
considerable purchase influence and can successfully negotiate purchases through what marketers
term the nag factor or pester power” (p. 75).
Reference
McNeal, J. (1999). The kids market: Myth and realities. Ithaca, NY: Paramount Market Publishing.
What is unique in the short quotation used in Example A and Example B above?
• Double quotation marks are used.
• The page number must be indicated. Use p. for single page while use pp. if the quotation is
found on two pages (for example: pp. 1-2). Leave a space after p. Or pp.
• The full-stop is at the end of the sentence after the citation (in Example A) or page number (as
shown in Example B).
b. Long Quotations (also known as Block Quotation)

Long quotations of 40 words or more are placed in a paragraph on its own, indented ½ inch from
the left margin. Look at how long quotations are used in Example A and Example B:

Example A
In the history of higher education research, one of the more intriguing ways of dealing with context
has been phenomenography, which by treating the data as a single transcript consciously attempts
to strip out context from the analysis. As Ashwin (2009) explains,
This research focuses on examining the qualitatively different ways of experiencing these
phenomena within a group. Thus it does not examine individuals’ conception of these
phenomena but rather examines the number of qualitatively different ways in which a
particular phenomenon is experienced within a group. (p. 32)
Reference
Ashwin, P. (2009). Analyzing teaching-learning interactions in higher education. London, UK:
Continuum.
Example B
In forming multiple national identities, it is thought that transmigrants will also be better equipped
to withstand sometimes overwhelming social, economic and political pressures encountered in
their daily lives. Engaging in transnational practices may result in
an institutional expression of multiple belonging, where the country of origin becomes a source
of identity, the country of residence a source of rights, and the emerging transnational space,
a space of political action combining the two or more countries. (Kastoryano, 2000, p. 311)
Reference
Kastoryano, R. (2000). Settlement, transnational communities and citizenship. International Social
Science Journal, 52(165), 307-312.
What is unique in the long quotation used in Example A and Example B above?
• No quotation marks are used.
• Begin the quotation on a new line from the text as indented block paragraph (½ inch from
margin).
• The full-stop is at the end of the sentence before the citation.
• Maintain the paragraph spacing used thorough your text, e.g. if double spacing is used for your
essay, then the quoted text is also double-spaced, the same applies to 1.5 spacing or single
spacing (in some cases such as writing a journal article)
When do you use direct quotations?

In generally, you are not encouraged to fill your academic essays with a lot of direct quotations as it is
a sign of “laziness”. Use direct quotations economically. They are largely used when the information
that you are quoting is specific and may not be easily paraphrased. This is especially true if you need
to quote the definition of terms or a specific statement by an author that you wish to highlight without
changing its wordings. It is also useful when you need to quote a statement that significantly justify
your viewpoints.

Citing a Resource Published by More Than 1 Author

If a resource is written more than 1 author, you have to pay attention to the following styles:
Number of Authors Citation Styles
2 Authors Always cite both authors' last names/surnames.
Examples:
Johnson and Smith (2009) found... OR
……… (Johnson & Smith, 2009).
Note the change of “and” to “&” when it is used in parentheses. This

applies to all citations with more than 1 author (not just 2 authors)
3-5 Authors: Provide all the authors' suernames when you first refer to a document
with 3-5 authors. Then, only list the first author followed by the
abbreviation "et al." for any subsequent citations.
Examples:
1st use: Jones, Chavez, Jackson, and Chen (2010) claimed that...
2nd use: Jones et al. (2010) further described...
You can also use it as (Jones et al., 2010). Note the comma after al.
There is no “dot” for et
More than 5 authors If a document has more than 5 authors, directly provide the surname of
(6 and above) the first author with "et al." without listing other authors’ names.
Examples:
Thomas et al. (2007) likened abnormal psychology to... OR
... caused the distractions (Thomas et al., 2007).
Citing a Resource Published without Author(s)

When a source has no author, cite the first two to five words of the title (the full title is provided in
the reference list instead) followed by the year, for example:
...in the recent book (Encyclopedia of psychology, 1991, p. 62) ... [for a book title]
...in this article ("Individual differences", 1993, p. 12) ... [for webpage title or article]
Italicise the title of a book and use double quotation marks around the title of webpage or journal
article when no authors are indicated.
Note: You are not encouraged to use resources without author as it is considered as unreliable. If no
year of publication is given, then it should be noted as (n.d.).
Citing a Resource Published by an Organisation or Corporate Author

If a resource is published by an organisation or a corporate author (e.g. agency, research centre,
ministry, non-governmental organisation, United Nations’ sub-organisations), then just cite the name
of the organisation.

Examples:
The Ministry of Higher Education (2015) stated in its recent report that the lack of English
proficiency among fresh graduates is one of the key factors that lead to their inability to secure
a job within 1 year after graduation.
Where you have a document produced by an organisation and the organisation is commonly
referred to by an abbreviation/acronym you should do the following:
In the citation, write out the name of the organisation in full the first time and give the abbreviation
in square brackets, for example:
...clearly stated policy (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations [FAO],
2005).
then subsequent citations can just use the abbreviation
... measures to improve food supplies (FAO, 2005).
Citing an Author with More Than One Publication in a Year

When author(s), corporate author, or organisations, have more than one publication in the same year
a lower case letter is added to the date, e.g.
...it has been suggested (Harding, 1986a) that ...

...for which evidence has been brought forward (Harding, 1986b)…..
Note: the labelling of a, b, c.. to the same year of publication depends on the title of the publication.
If the title is alphabetically comes first, then it should take “a”, followed by “b” and so on- refer to
Referencing style table in the next section.
Citing Multiple Works within the Same Parentheses (Round Brackets)

When several research articles have similar information, you can write a general statement that
covers the results of those articles and put the studies in the same parentheses, as shown in the box
below.
A survey of recent articles published on AIDS shows a growing interest in developing reliable
research methods to test high-risk groups, such as drug abusers and prostitutes (Broadhead &
Heckathorn, 1994; Carlson et al., 1994; Steiner, Lemke, & Roffman, 1994).
Note:
• List the works by different authors in alphabetical order but do not change the order of names for a
particular article. E.g., Do NOT change Steiner, Lemke and Roffman (1994) to Lemke, Roffman and
Steiner (1994). However, if you are citing multiple works from the same author but published in
different years in the same parentheses, you can do so by using comma as shown below:
The previous findings in the study by Johnson (2012, 2015) revealed that…
…..apparently caused students to sleep more in class (Lee, 2009, 2012).
Citing the Same Author(s) Several Times in the Same Paragraph

When the same author is cited multiple times in the same paragraph and the author’s name is part of
the narrative, you do not have to include the year in subsequent non-parenthetical citation (using
the name as part of the sentence). However, you must include the year in all parenthetical citations.
Example A
A study by Tunon and Brydges (2007) found that the quality of the two sets of citations were
comparable. The subjective rubric developed by Tunon and Brydges helped establish this. The
study went on to show a difference between academic programs. Their results indicated clearly
that some academic programs were better in highlighting the need to acknowledge others’
works while some failed miserably (Tunon & Brydges, 2007).
Example B
Contextual knowledge is another dimension of teacher knowledge (Richards, 2010). According
to Richards (2010), this dimension is significant as it concerns teachers’ understanding of how
language teaching is influenced by the context in which the learning activity occurs. Richards
believes that teachers therefore, have to be aware of the societal, communal, and institutional
forces that can have a bearing over their classroom teaching practices. As language teachers
teach in a variety of contexts, Richards argues that they need to acquire the relevant contextual
knowledge to be effective teachers in the classroom. Teachers need to socialise into the culture
of the context to understand the norms, values, and practices (Richards, 2010).
Note: As shown in Example A and Example B, when the author(s) are mentioned as part of the
sentence, the year is not included. This can only be used if you are still describing the information
originating from the same source within a paragraph.
Citing a Resource Cited/Found in another Resource (Secondary Citation)

Occasionally, you will see several citations used within a resource/publication that you are reading
and intend to use them. Unfortunately, you are not encouraged to keep citing works found in
another work. The best way is get hold of the original source by identifying the source in the
reference list.
If you still need to cite it especially focusing on a cited author(s) from 1 main source, then follow this
citation style:
For example, if Adam's work is cited in Nicholson’s, then you use cite it as:
….the collapse of intelligence (Adam as cited in Nicholson, 2003).
Note: there is no year given to “Adam’s citation” since you are picking it up from Nicholson’s published
work although it may be stated as “Adam (1999)” in Nicholson’s work. In your reference list, you only
need to list Nicholson’s full reference details. We normally use this when the statement is
specifically mentioned by the author (e.g. a quote by Adam within the book by Nicholson). If you see
multiple citations for a statement or paragraph, you are supposed to cite Nicholson directly since that
is the resource that you are reading.

Let’s Practice
Task 3: The passage below contains NINE (9) errors in citation (labelled 1 to 9 in the text).
Choose the correct answer from the options provided below.
Internet use during childhood is meaningfully organized in terms of common online activities such
as playing games, communicating, and visiting websites. 1Marie Johnson (2005) explained that
child development refers to the processes by which children becoming increasingly capable of
complex social, emotional and cognitive behaviours. Findings from several studies 2(Simon, 2003;
Jason & Adams, 2004; Yamamoto, 2008) indicated that children who used the Internet more had
higher scores on standardized tests of reading achievement than the children who used the
Internet less. Alternatively, a recent survey that correlated behavioural and psychological aspects
of children’s life with the number of hours spent online, found that “those who used the Internet
the most had the weakest interpersonal connections” 3 (Sanders, Diego, & Kaplan, 2008).
About one-third of the time that children are online, they report playing games 4 (Livingston &
Bober 2002 as cited in Rider, 2004). DeBell, Henry, and Chapman (2006) concluded that Internet
use promotes cognitive development in children, specifically in the area of visual intelligence
where certain computer activities particularly games may enhance the ability to monitor several
visual stimuli at once. Apart from playing games, children are using communication tools such as
email, chat, and instant message frequently when they are online 5(DeBell, Henry, & Chapman,
2006).
In addition, a qualitative analysis of adolescent second language learning using real-time text-
based practice revealed that adolescents, who communicated online, used more complex
sentences beyond expected grammar levels 6(Jason, 1994; 1995). Based on interviews with girls
and analysis of chat room archives, 7Michael, Wong, Kim, Langston, Ang and Hunt (2001)
concluded that female adolescent’s use of popular electronic communication is resulting in
linguistic innovation within new, virtual social networks.
Several studies have concluded that context (i.e., home, school, and community characteristics)
mediates the developmental impact of Internet use during childhood. For example, 8Cho and
Cheon (a2005, b2005) surveyed families and found that parents’ perceived control reduced
children’s exposure to negative Internet content. Following detailed interviews and repeated
observations, 9Burnett & Andy (2005) concluded that creative problem solving was evident in
home-based, but not necessarily school-based, use of the Internet. Hence, the paths of influence
between Internet use and child development appear complex and mediated by ecological forces.
(adapted from Johnson, 2008)
1. A. Johnson (2005)
B. Johnson, M. (2005)
C. Marie (2005)
D. Marie, J. (2005)
2. A. (Adams & Jason, 2004; Simon, 2003; Yamamoto, 2008)

B. (Adams & Jason, 2004; Simon, 2003; & Yamamoto, 2008)
C. (Jason & Adams, 2004; Simon, 2003; Yamamoto, 2008)
D. (Jason & Adams, 2004; Simon, 2003; & Yamamoto, 2008)
3. A. (Sanders, Diego, and Kaplan, 2008)

B. (Sanders, Diego, & Kaplan, 2008, p. 7)
C. (Sanders, Diego, and Kaplan, 2008, p. 7)
D. (Sanders, Diego, & Kaplan, p. 7)
4. A. (Livingston & Bober cited in Rider, 2004)

B. (Livingston & Bober 2002 as cited in Rider)
C. (Livingston & Bober as cited in Rider, 2004)
D. (Livingston & Bober as cited by Rider, 2004)
5. A. (DeBell, 2006)
B. (DeBell et al. 2006)
C. (DeBell et. al, 2006)
D. (DeBell et al., 2006)
6. A. (Jason, 1994, 1995)

B. (Jason, 1994; 1995)
C. (Jason, 1994 & 1995)
D. (Jason, 1994a,1995b)
7. A. Michael et al. (2001)

B. Michael (et al., 2001)
C. Michael...Hunt (2001)
D. Michael & Hunt (2001)
8. A. Cho and Cheon (2005ab)

B. Cho and Cheon (2005 & 2005)
C. Cho and Cheon (2005a; 2005b)
D. Cho and Cheon (2005a, 2005b)
9. A. Andy and Burnett (2005)

B. Andy, and Burnett (2005)
C. Burnett and Andy (2005)
D. Burnett, and Andy (2005)
PART 3: Referencing Styles

In the previous section, you have learned how citations are used according to APA Publication Style
(6th edition). Always remember that citations are used within your writing and all cited sources are
then presented at the end of the written work as “References”. Please note that you are not allowed
to use other terms such as “Bibliography” or “Works Cited” in APA Style.
Important Rules for Reference list:
• All cited sources must be in the reference list (vice-versa)
• References must be arranged alphabetically (A to Z) according to the author’s surname.
• Each entry takes the form of hanging indent - If the entry covers two (or more lines), the
second (and subsequent) line(s) are indented

See the following sample to illustrate these rules
Another important aspect of referencing in APA Style is that all references must be formatted
according to its type (e.g. books, journal articles, chapters in a book, magazine, web documents,
etc).
In this section, we shall focus on the key types of resources commonly referred to in academic
writing.
A. Books
General format for books:

Author, A. (Year). Title of the book. Place of publication: Publisher.
Author, A., & Author, B. (Year). Title of the book. Place of publication: Publisher.
Important: The title of the book has to be italicised and only the first letter of the first word in the title
is capitalised except for names or acronyms e.g. Malaysia, Asia, AIDS.
The place of publication for any work published in the United States of America (USA) should include
the City and State only (postal abbreviations are used for US states, e.g. NY for New York or TX for
Texas). While it is not totally wrong to use “City, State” format for publications published in other
countries, APA encourages the use of “City, Country” format.
Some other examples: Check the list of Abbreviation for US states here:
• Mason, OH http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0110468.html
(OH = Ohio, a state in US) Quick Fact:
• New Delhi, India
When you see New York, NY, it doesn’t mean repeating the city. It
• Shah Alam, Malaysia means the city of New York in the state of New York. So NY = New York
• Paris, France. state.
Let’s examine some variants

of referencing for books with examples.

Variants Examples of References

Books by Duncan, G. J. (1997). Consequences of growing up poor. Chicago, IL: Russell
1 author Sage Foundation.
Foo, H. K. (1983). Sarawak: Mini episodes of the past. Shah Alam, Malaysia:
Penerbit Fajar Bakti Snd. Bhd.
Zuraidah Abas (2010). A practical guide to academic writing. Bangi, Malaysia:
Penerbit UKM.
Books by List by their last names and initials. Use & and NOT "and." There is a comma
2 authors before &.
Madden, R., & Hogan, T. (1997). The definition of disability in Australia:

Moving towards national consistency. Bairnsdale, Australia: Australian
Press.
Books by List by last names and initials (up until 7 if there are 7); commas separate
3 to 7 authors author names, while the last author name is preceded again by &.
Cohen, J., Simon, M., & Kall, K. (1983). Applied multiple regression/correlation
analysis for the behavioural sciences. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Guerin, M., Labor, K., Morgan, B., Reesman, L., & Willingham, P. (2005).
Introduction to chemical engineering. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Books by List by lastnames and initials; commas separate author names. After the
More than 7 sixth author's name, use an ellipses (…) in place of the author names. Then
provide the final author name without &. There should be no more than
seven names.
Rodgers, F. H., Choi, M. J., Angeli, L. L., Harland, A. A., Stamos, J. A., Thomas,
S. T., . . . Rubin, L. H. (2009). Web site usability for the blind and low-
vision user. Mason, OH: Thomson South Western.
Books without When no author is present, the title of the book replaces the author’s place.
any author The title should be written in full and italicised.
(*usually Employment the professional way: A guide to understanding the Australian

considered as job search process for professionally qualified migrants. (2000). Carlton,
unreliable) Victoria: Australian Multicultural Foundation.
*However in citation, pick only up to 5 words of the title (refer to pg. 19)
Multiple works Napier, A. (1993a). Fatal storm. Sydney, Australia: Allen & Unwin.
published in the
Napier, A. (1993b). Survival at sea. Sydney, Australia: Allen & Unwin.
same year by the
same author Order alphabetically by title in the reference list (e.g. F in Fatal comes first
before S in Survival).
Multiple works Order chronologically in the reference list (the older comes first).
by the same

author but Brown, P. (1982). Corals in the Capricorn group. Rockhampton, Australia:
published in Central Queensland University.
different years
Brown, P. (1988). The effects of anchor on corals. Rockhampton, Australia:
Central Queensland University.
Books with For books with editor stated, include (Ed.). before the year. If multiple
Editor(s) editors, use (Eds.). Note: E is capitalised.
Kastenbaum, R. (Ed.). (1993). Encyclopedia of adult development. Phoenix, AZ:

Oryx Press.
Duncan, G. J., & Brooks-Gunn, J. (Eds.). (1997). Consequences of growing up

poor. New York, NY: Russell Sage Foundation.
Books with State the edition clearly in abbreviation (NOT italicised like the title). For
Edition stated example, third edition should be 3rd ed. Note that the full stop comes after
the edition.
Renton, N. (2004). Compendium of good writing (3rd ed.). Milton, Canada:

John Wiley & Sons.
Article/Chapter General Format:

in a book Author, A., & Author, B. (Year of publication). Title of chapter. In F. Editor &
G. Editor (Eds.), Title of book (pages of chapter). Location: Publisher.
(Different
chapters written Blaxter, M. (1976). Social class and health inequalities. In C. Carter, & J. Peel
by different (Eds.), Equalities and inequalities in health (pp. 120-135). London, UK:
authors) Academic Press.
Take note of the list of names of editors for the edited book. The initial
comes before the last name. E.g., C. Carter. For authors, the initial comes
after the last name, as usual. e.g. Blaxter, M.
Title of the edited book is italicised, not the book chapter because if the
edited book can be found, then the chapter can be easily located. The page
number of the chapter is provided after the title with p. (single page) or pp.
(multiple pages).
Books by Department of Statistics Malaysia, Sarawak. (2012). Monthly statistical

Organisations or bulletin Sarawak: May 2012. Kuching, Malaysia: Department of Statistics
Institutions Malaysia.
American Psychological Association. (2009). Publication manual of the

American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: The
American Psychological Association

Let’s Practice
Task 4: Identify the errors in the references for books shown below. Rewrite them by using the
correct style. Refer to the table if you need help. (You may underline to indicate parts to be
written in italics)
(a) Adams, Kevin. (2010). The Science of Learning in the 21st Century. Thomson Inc.: Mason, OH.
(b) W. R Leonard. & M. H. Crawford (Ed.). (2002). Human biology of pastoral populations. New York
NY. Cambridge University Press.
(c) O'Neil, J. M. and Egan, J. (2002), Men's and women's gender role journeys (pp. 107-123). B. R.
Wainrib (Ed.), Gender issues across the life cycle. Oxford, UK: Springer.
(d) National Fire Protection Association. (2009). Fundamentals of fire fighting skills (Second Edition).
Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett.
B. Journal Articles
General format for Journal articles

Author, A. (Year). Title of the article. Journal Name, Volume(Issue number), pages.
Author, A., & Author, B. (Year). Title of the article. Journal Name, Volume(Issue number), pages.
Important: The journal name and its volume are italicised BUT not the title of the article. The first
letter of every word in the Journal Name should be capitalised. The pages of the article are indicated
without using pp. or p.
As for the journal issue number, not all journals provide it, in such case, provide the volume only.


Journal - Article in Whitmeyer, J. M. (2000). Power through appointment. Social Science
print version Research, 29(3), 535-555.
(Note: the listing of Harlow, H. F., Moller, G., & Scruton, R. (1983). Fundamentals for preparing
multiple authors is psychology journal articles. Journal of Comparative and Physiological
the same as books) Psychology, 55, 893-896.
Note: Not all journal name has the word “Journal”. You should always cross
check by searching the journal name online. Remember, not all journals
provide issue number, so use the volume only.
Journal - Article in For article that are available both in print and online, use the print
print and online referencing.
version
Potter, H. (2000). Marketing principles. International Economics, 29, 535-
555.
Journal - Internet- The format is the same print variant but the link to the article must be
Only Article provided after “Retrieved from”. Just provide the link not the website
name.
Sopensky, E. (2002). Ice rink becomes hot business. Austin Business Journal,
3(4). Retrieved from http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/small
b1.html
Journal article – no Use the full title of the article to replace the author. Do not italicise the title
Author of the article as the Journal Name and its volume has been italicised.
Anorexia nervosa. (1969). British Medical Journal, 1, 529-530.
Let’s Practice
Task 5: Identify the errors in the references for journal articles shown below. Rewrite them by
using the correct style. Refer to the table if you need help. (You may underline to indicate parts to
be written in italics)
(a) Adams, Fearon, J. D., & Laitin, D. D. (2003). Power Balance of Ethnicity in Civil Wars. International
politics review, 97(4), pp. 256-276.
(b) Xu, C., & Ding, Y. (2014). An exploratory study of pauses in computer-assisted EFL writing.
Language Learning & Technology, 18(3), 71-90. Retrieved from MSU Web Portal
http://llt.msu.edu/issues/october2014/xuding.pdf

C. Web Documents (Web Pages)

General format for Web Pages
Author, A. A. (Published date). Title of document. Retrieved from http://www.fullwebaddress.com
Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Published date). Title of document. Retrieved from http://www.full
webaddress.com
Important: It is advisable to use “Published Date” for example (2005, May 20) instead of just the year.
However, if you can only see the year provided, then it is considered as sufficient. But always try to
find the exact date.
While there are millions of pages out there, you are advised to check the validity and reliability of the
web pages that you are referring to. Generally, if there is no information provided for the author or
organisation, then don’t use it.
Author’s name and date of

publication is provided

Web document Dawson, J., Smith, L., Deubert, K., & Grey-Smith, S. (2002, June 24). Trek 6:
with author, Referencing, not plagiarism. Retrieved from http://www.academic
published date and world.com/referencing-not-plagiarism.html
title.
(Note: Provide full date for the published web document if possible)
Web documents Royal Institute of British Architects. (n.d.). Shaping the future: Careers in
with no published architecture. Retrieved from http://www.careersinarchitectur
date e.net/articles/124.html
Web documents 40 amazing hacks to save you money. (2015, August 29). Retrieved from
with no author. http://www.msn.com/en-my/money/news/40-amazing-hacks-to-save-
Use the title as the you-money/ss-BBmf821
author
Note: Title of the webpages when used as author is NOT italicized in the
reference. When citing in your essay, select up to 2-5 words of the title (if too
long) within double quotation marks e.g. “40 Amazing hacks” (2015), or (“40
amazing hacks”, 2015) to be used as citations.

D. Other Periodicals (Magazine, Newspapers)
Besides books, journals and web documents, you might be using some of these periodicals in
your academic writing too.

Magazine - Printed General Format:
Author, A. (Date of publication). Title of the article in the magazine.
Magazine Name, Volume, pages.
Martinez-Conde, S., & Macknick, S. L. (2007, August). Windows on the mind.

Scientific American, 297, 56-63.
Posner, M. I. (1993, October 29). Seeing the mind. Science, 673-674.
Note: For magazines that are published MONTHLY, the date of publication
consists only of year and month. Italicise the name of the magazine and
volume, not the title of the article.
For magazines that are published WEEKLY, the exact date of publication is
provided.
If no volume is given as in example 2, then you can omit it.
Magazine – Online Similar to Printed magazine format, but with an additional “Retrieved
from” info. Provide the link to the magazine article.
Bernstein, M. (2002, May 1). 10 tips on writing the living Web. A List Apart,
149. Retrieved from http://www.alistapart.com/articles/writeliving
Newspaper –
Printed Scultz, S. (2005, December 28). Calls made to strengthen state energy
policies. The Daily Mirror, pp. 1A-2A.
Note: pp. is used for multiple pages and p. is used for single page. Italicise
the name of the Newspaper, not the article.
Newspaper – The format is exactly similar to magazine, just change to Newspaper name.
Online
Parker-Pope, T. (2008, May 6). Psychiatry handbook linked to drug industry.
The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/p/213

E. Other Documents (Conference Papers, Theses, Dictionary, etc)

Conference Papers This follow the same format as Chapter in the book (refer to the book
(published in section)
proceedings)
Gibson, C. C. (2005). Impact of the larger social context on the distance
learner. In S. Allsop (Ed.), International Conference on Distance
Education: One world many voices: Quality in open and distance
learning (pp. 279-282). Chicago, IL: Milton Keynes.
Unpublished General Format:
conference paper. Author, A. (Year, Month). Title of the paper. Paper presented at the
Conference Name, Location, Country.
Portman, J. (2000, May). Teaching learners English using video games.

Paper presented at the 3rd International Conference on Computer-
Assisted Language Learning, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
If the paper is taken from online source, Include the URL/web address
after the location.
Taylor, J. A. (2006, June). Assessment: A tool for development and

engagement in the first year of university study. Paper presented at the
9th Pacific Rim in Higher Education Conference, Griffith,
Australia. Retrieved from http://www.fyhe.com.au/2006/Taylor.pdf
Thesis or Include the online database name and the order number.
Dissertation from
online Database Biswas, S. (2008). Dopamine D3 receptor: A neuroprotective treatment
target in Parkinson's disease. Retrieved from ProQuest Digital
Dissertations. (AAT 3295214)
Unpublished Santini, S. N. (2008). Research methods for business: A skill building

Thesis or approach. (Unpublished master’s thesis). University of Malaya, Kuala
Dissertation Lumpur, Malaysia.
Healey, D. (2005). Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and creativity: An

investigation into their relationship. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation).
University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Note: Italicise the title of the thesis. Doctoral stands for PhD.
Encyclopaedias Printed format is quite similar to book, but the title of the page you refer to
is placed first. In this case, “Singapore”, and the pages are provided.
Ho, R. (1993). Singapore. In The New Encyclopaedia Britannica (Vol. 26, pp.
501-508). Chicago, IL: Encyclopaedia Britannica Inc.
For online entry:

Feminism. (2001). In Encyclopaedia Britannica online. Retrieved from
http://www.britannica.com/EB checked/topic/724633/feminism

Dictionary Sadie, S. (Ed.). (1980). The new Grove dictionary of music and musicians (6th
ed., Vols. 1-20). London, UK: Macmillan.
Government For reports, the format is the same as book.

report Malaysia Department of Health. (1992). The health consequence of smoking.
Klang, Selangor: Jabatan Percetakan Negara.
Report from a American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Practice guidelines for the
private treatment of patients with eating disorders (2nd ed.). Washington, DC:
organisation APA.
Figures/Diagrams Figures from books - General Format when citing in document:

from other sources Figure X. Descriptive phrase that serves as title and description. Reprinted [or
(Use if you are adapted] from Book Title (page number), by Author First Initial. Second Initial.
using copyrighted Surname, Year, Place of Publication: Publisher. Copyright [Year] by the Name
Figures/Charts) of Copyright Holder. Reprinted [or adapted] with permission
Example:
Figure 1. Short-term memory test involving pictures. Reprinted from Short-
term Memory Loss (p. 73), by K. M. Pike, 2008, New York, NY: Mackerlin Press.
Copyright 2008 by the Association for Memory Research. Reprinted with
permission.
Then include the reference:

Pike, K. M. (2008). Short-term memory loss. New York, NY: Mackerlin Press.
Figures from websites- General Format when citing in document:

Figure X. Descriptive phrase that serves as title and description. Reprinted
[or adapted] from Title of Website, by Author First Initial. Second Initial.
Surname, Year, Retrieved from URL. Copyright [year] by the Name of
Copyright Holder. Reprinted [or adapted] with permission.
Example:
Figure 1. An example of the cobra yoga position. Reprinted from List of Yoga
Postures, by D. K. Dawson, 2009, Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org
/wiki/List_of_yoga_postures. Copyright 2007 by Pearson. Reprinted with
permission.
Then include the reference:

Dawson, D. K. (2000). List of yoga postures. Retrieved from
http://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/List_of_yoga_postures
All information provided above are as accurate as possible to the APA requirements for referencing and citation.
In the event of any error(s), information provided in the APA manual and/or the official website is considered
accurate.
Reference
American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th
ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Useful Online Resource - For referencing styles of other types of materials, you can refer to this
link: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/11/

Let’s Practice
Task 6: Each of the reference below contains ONE (1) error. Circle the option with the
error.
1. Rawlings, Carla. (2000). Imagining the impossible. Austin, TX: Blackwell Publishing.
A. (2000).
B. Austin, TX:
C. Rawlings, Carla.
D. Imagining the impossible.
2. Marvis, K. J., & Davis, M. (2008). Understanding the causes of posterior cortical anthropy. Journal
of Neurology, 13(4), 222-239.
A. 13(4),
B. 222-239.
C. Journal of Neurology,
D. Understanding the causes of posterior cortical anthropy.
3. Abdullah, S. (1997). Effect of buffer layer and external stress on magnetic properties
of films. In Miller, H. L., Rice, C., & Pascal, D. (Eds.), Recent research in applied
physics (pp. 167-280). Washington, DC: Springer.
A. (Eds.),
B. (pp. 167-280).
C. Washington, DC: Springer.
D. In Miller, H. L., Rice, C., & Pascal, D. (Eds.),
4. Letchumanan, H. (2012, December 20). No Child Left Behind: Words or Action? The Star
Online. Retrieved from http://thestar.com.my/page/2
A. The Star Online.
B. (2012, December 20).
C. Retrieved from http://thestar.com.my/page/2
D. No Child Left Behind: Words or Action?
5. Johnson, E. M., Ramanair, J., & Brine, A. (2010). Learning How To Use Technology In
The Classroom. Mason, OH: Blackwell Publishers.
A. Johnson, E. M., Ramanair, J., & Brine, A.
B. Learning How To Use Technology In The Classroom.
C. Mason, OH
D. Blackwell Publishers.
6. Kevin, P. (20 May, 2015). The amazing run of Leicester City Football Club. The New Sunday Times,
pp. B1-B5.
A. Kevin, P
B. (20 May, 2015)
C. The amazing run of Leicester City Football Club
D. pp. B1-B5.


UNIT 1C Paraphrasing
Learning Objectives
✓ explain identify rewritten texts that constitute plagiarism
✓ explain why and when to paraphrase ideas
✓ apply different techniques in paraphrasing
Warming Up
In the previous unit, we have looked at some important aspects of citation and referencing. The
purpose of giving citation and referencing is largely to avoid plagiarism, or the act of using someone
else's ideas, words or graphics as your own without acknowledging the original source. Besides doing
so, you are required to paraphrase statements or ideas that you would like to include in your academic
essays. But before that, let’s see if you are able to detect what is considered as plagiarised
work/statements.
Task 1: Place a tick in the P box for plagiarised or NP for not plagiarised.
Which of the following is considered as plagiarism? Discuss. P NP

1. A student taking short or long quotations from a source without identifying
the source.
2. A student makes minimal changes from another source without citing the
source.
3. A student makes sufficient changes from the original source without citing the
source.
4. A student uses someone else’s idea and develops it further without
acknowledging the source.
5. A student submits a paper copied from someone else's paper without his/her
permission
6. A student submits a paper written by someone else with that person’s
knowledge.
7. A student hires someone to write a paper.
8. A student turning in a paper bought over the Internet.

9. A student directly uses ideas that have become common knowledge and are
no longer thought of as the intellectual property of one person.
10. A student copies word-for-word from another source but cites the source.
11. A student makes sufficient changes from the original source and cites the
source.
PART 1: Introduction to Paraphrasing
What is paraphrasing?
Paraphrasing is rewriting of text in your own words but keeping its original meaning. The origin of the
idea needs to be acknowledged by providing proper citations.
Generally, an academic essay should contain more paraphrases than direct quotations. In the
sciences, it is also more common to paraphrase and report general findings rather than directly quote
from the research articles. In the arts, sometimes the ideas are expressed in a particular way and it is
important to mention them in exactly the same way.
Paraphrase, in order to be performed legitimately, needs general rewording while still

acknowledging the source.
1. Any information source that will be referenced in an academic essay has to be presented in
new words. Note, however, that some terms cannot be changed because they refer to specific
meanings. For example, intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation cannot be used
interchangeably with integrative motivation and instrumental motivation although there is
some similarity.
2. It should be as brief as possible and constitute a summary of source of information, which

means that you can refer to the findings in a general manner.
3. Paraphrase is not yet a commentary. So you should not introduce new meanings when you
paraphrase. Making the ideas general is often OK (e.g., when the original says “orange contains
vitamin C”, the paraphrase, fruits contain vitamin C, is still correct). However, making the ideas
specific is unacceptable e.g., when the study found that “university students have problems
with academic writing”, it cannot be paraphrased as students in public universities cannot write
assignments because the study may not have been conducted in a public university.
4. When writing your academic essay, you should have an idea of the points you wish to point
across in the whole essay and in each paragraph. Put in citations to support what you have in
mind. To do this, sometimes direct quotations do not fit in. This is where paraphrases need to
be written to fit in. But do not change the meaning.
Adapted from Types of Paraphrase (n.d.) Retrieved from http://daria-przybyla.suite101.com

/differencesbetween-paraphrasing-and-quoting-a99712
Important Note: As a general rule, you should try to fully understand a statement or an idea first
before paraphrasing it. Without a clear understanding, it would be difficult for you to produce an
accurate paraphrase. Also, even if you have completely changed the wordings used in the original
statement, you still have to provide citation because the specific idea is not originally yours.

What is considered as a good paraphrase?
To answer this question, it’s good to look at some examples.

Below is an example of an original text from MacLeish, W.H. (1980). Our Barrier Islands. Smithsonian
Institution Archives. p.58.
The craft of hurricane forecasting advanced rapidly in the sixties and early seventies, thanks
to fast computers and new atmospheric modeling techniques. Now there is a lull in the
progress, strangely parallel to the lull in the storm cycle. The National Hurricane Warning
Center shoots for a 24-hour warning period, with 12 daylight hours for evacuation. At that
remove, it can usually predict landfall within 100 miles either way. Longer lead times mean
much larger landfall error, and that is counterproductive. He who misses his predictions
cries wolf.
Based on the original text above, here’s an unacceptable paraphrase which is also considered as
plagiarism:
Hurricane forecasting made rapid progress in the 60’s and 70’s due to fast computers and
new atmospheric techniques, but there is now a lull in the progress. The Warning Center
tries for a 24-hour warning period, including 12 hours of daylight. That close to the storm’s
arrival, the Warning Center can usually predict landfall within 100 miles either way. If lead
times are longer, there will be a much larger error, which will be counterproductive.
Explanation:
Many phrases are stolen from the original (look at the underlined words and those in bold). Leaving
out or changing a word here and there (e.g., “much larger landfall error” has become “much larger
error”) is not acceptable. Also, the plagiarized version duplicates the sentence structure of the original,
which is not permitted. Even though the author (MacLeish) is supplied, the paraphrase is unacceptable.
Here’s an acceptable paraphrase:
During the past thirty years, powerful computers and new techniques that allow modeling of the
atmosphere have significantly increased the accuracy of hurricane forecasting, though there have
been no improvements in forecasting during the past few years. However, now it is possible to
predict where a hurricane will hit land with an error of not more than 100 miles if a warning of
24 hours is allowed. If more than 24 hours is required, the error will be greater. Repeated
forecasting errors will cause the public to ignore the warnings (MacLeish, 1980).
Reference
MacLeish, W.H. (1980). Our Barrier Islands. Smithsonian Institution Archives. p.58.
Explanation:
This version uses different language and sentence structure from that of the original. Note: Even
when your paraphrase is acceptable, you must show the source of the ideas. Putting ideas into your
own words does not make those ideas your own. They are still the property of their originator, who
must be given credit.

Here’s another example:

Original source:
“The video of Topen’s dancing has racked up more than 400,000 views since it was posted
on YouTube last week, and the plumber says he’s already been approached in public for his
autograph.” (Reported by John, 2010)
This is an unacceptable paraphrase:

The video has racked up more than 400,000 views since posted on YouTube last week, and
the plumber has even been approached for his autograph.
Explanation:
This paraphrase has two key problems: it doesn’t cite the original source, and it copies too much
of the original wording and sentence structure.
This is an acceptable paraphrase:

Even though the YouTube video of the dancing plumber was only published last week, it has
already received more than 400,000 views. Topen has become an almost instant celebrity as
strangers have even asked him for autographs (John, 2010).
Explanation:
This is a good paraphrase as the meaning is retained although the structure and words have
been changed. Also, citation is given to acknowledge the original source.
PART 2: Paraphrasing Techniques
A. Synonym Replacement
• At its simplest level, paraphrasing involves replacing original wording with synonyms (words
of the same meaning).
• Consider this original sentence from Claudia Kalb's "Newsweek" article, Painkiller Crackdown:
Original quote
"While the DEA says OxyContin is a valuable drug, it is concerned that many doctors who are
prescribing the medications don't know enough about it and are not conveying the dangers to
patients…" (Kalb, 2005, p. 27)

Note: If a student rewrote the sentence as follows, there is some paraphrase but much of
the original would remain, resulting in partial plagiarism. So if possible, the structure of the
sentence should be changed too.
Step 1: Partial paraphrase

While the DEA says OxyContin is a useful drug, it is worried that many doctors who are
prescribing the medications don't understand enough about it and are not explaining the
dangers to patients (Kalb, 2005)
Step 2: A better paraphrase

According to Kalb (2005), although OxyContin is a useful drug, many doctors have
insufficient knowledge about its side-effects to advise patients.
When choosing synonyms, do be careful on using the words with same meaning. Unsuitable
replacement of words can distort the content of the original text.
Original text
“It can be difficult to choose a suitable place to study English.”
Inappropriate replacement
“It is often a challenge to pick up a relevant school to learn English.”
Note: “Pick up” does not mean “choose” and “relevant” is the synonym for “suitable”
but its meaning does not come close to “suitable” at all in this sentence.
Better replacement
“It is sometimes hard to select an appropriate place to learn English.”
Note: This is a better replacement as all words have the same meaning.
In short, paraphrase isn’t just about replacing the words. It is more of retaining the meaning using
different set of suitable words.
Adapted from How to paraphrase effectively. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.higherscore.ca/downloads/

Higher%20Score%20Free%20Advice%202%20-%20Paraphrasing.pdf

Let’s Practice
Task 2: The following are some direct quotations by the well-known anthropologist,
Margaret Mead, in a lecture delivered in 1969. Replace underlined word(s) with a synonym
from the list.
• the environment • continue • are aware

• both available and obligatory • experience a way of life • trust
• world’s rebellious young people • earth • permitted
• unable to sustain life • ability • diminish
• young people • total destruction • provide food for all the
• birth control people in the world
• wars do not result in
1. “The young people who are rebelling all around the world will never know a world in which war
does not mean annihilation.”
According to Mead (1969),
2. “The young believe that contraception is possible and necessary and that our capacity to feed
the world will not last.”
Mead (1969) states that
3. “They realise that if the pollution of air and land and water is allowed to go on, this planet will
become uninhabitable.”
Mead (1969) also maintains that

B. Change Parts of Speech

• Changing parts of speech may assist in paraphrasing. Parts of speech refer to noun, verbs,
adjectives, adverbs, etc. For example, a verb is changed to noun as in “develop” to
“development”
• Consider another original sentence from Kalb's "Newsweek" article:
Original quote
"Last week the spotlight on OxyContin intensified as the Drug Enforcement Administration
announced a national strategy to combat the painkiller's illegitimate use. . . " (Kalb, 2005,
p. 28)

The Drug Enforcement Administration last week spotlighted OxyContin more intensely and
made an announcement of a national strategy, which combats using the painkiller
illegitimately (Kalb, 2005).
Note: If a student restructured the sentence, changing parts of speech, some paraphrasing
would occur but it lacks originality and results in partial plagiarism.

Recently, the Drug Enforcement Administration spotlighted on OxyContin by declaring a
nationwide campaign to put a stop to the misuse of the drug (Kalb, 2005).
Let’s Practice
Task 3: Paraphrase the original text below by changing the parts of speech. The suggested
replacement is underlined.
“In this study, the researcher will not deal with the vowels and consonants in great detail and
only the place and the manner of articulation will be emphasised” (Wong, 2000, p. 30).
Step 1:
In Wong’s (2000) study,
Step 2:

C. Reduction of Clauses
• Another method of paraphrasing involves changing clauses to phrases. A longer clause

(usually marked by the use of who, that, when, while, whose, which) is shortened into a
phrase while retaining the same meaning.
• For example, the clause, "while the DEA says OxyContin is a valuable drug" could become a
more succinct phrase, "claiming Oxycontin's value." If a student combines this approach with
synonym replacement, more effective paraphrasing occurs.
Original quote
"While the DEA says OxyContin is a valuable drug, it is concerned that many doctors who are
prescribing the medications don't know enough about it and are not conveying the dangers
to patients. . . . " (Kalb, 2005, p. 27)

Claiming Oxycontin's value, the DEA it is concerned that many doctors who are prescribing
the medications don't know enough about it and are not conveying the dangers to patients
(Kalb, 2005).

Claiming OxyContin’s importance, DEA is worried that many doctors and patients are
unaware of the dangers of the drug (Kalb, 2005).
Let’s Practice
Task 4: Fill in the blanks by paraphrasing clauses beginning with which and when.
“The mist nets were set up during the day when the bats were asleep to ensure that they were
unaware of the traps” (Crawford, 2010, p. 12).
Step 1 :
Setting up the mist nets in broad daylight ensured _____________________________
____________________________________________________ (Crawford, 2010).
Step 2 :

“To develop trainee teachers’ awareness of their minute-to-minute decisions, one strategy
is to ask them to write reflective journals, which serve as a prompt for them to evaluate
their own teaching” (Yang, 2011, p. 4).
Step 1 :
Serving _____________________________________________, _________________
___________________________________________ (Yang, 2011).
Step 2 :
D. Change of Structure
• Changing the sentence structure adds to the value of the paraphrase, reflecting the writer's
interpretation of the author's thoughts.
• Changes to sentence structure include:

a. active and passive voice
b. combining sentences
c. breaking up sentences – unpacking ideas
Example for active to passive voice. Take note of how passive voice is used.
Original quote
“Students, predominantly mature, with widely diverse skills and experience, studied on an
Intel sponsored programme in information technology” (Heinze & Procter, 2004, p. 89).

The Intel sponsored programme in information technology was studied by predominantly
mature students with diverse skills and experience (Heinze & Procter, 2004).

The course in information technology was studied by mostly adult students with varying
abilities and familiarity (Heinze & Procter, 2004).

Example for combining sentences:
Original quote
“Translation has played a central role in human interaction for thousands of years. But
there are limits to what can be done in this way. The more a community is linguistically
mixed, the less it can rely on individuals (translators) to ensure communication between the
different groups” (Crystal, 2003, p. 11).

Although translation has played a central role in human interaction for thousands of years,
there are limits to what can be done in this way because the more a community is
linguistically mixed, the less it can rely on individuals (translators) to ensure communication
between the different groups” (Crystal, 2003).

Although translation has enabled interaction between people since ancient times, its
effectiveness is limited especially in a multilingual community (Crystal, 2003).
Let’s Practice
Task 5: Paraphrase the following ideas by changing the sentence structure.
1. The clinical researchers developed the instrument by taking into consideration views and
needs of the people who had the disease” (Templeton & Hazel, 2005, p. 78).
Step 1 :
Step 2 :

2. “The upgrading of the teaching profession is clearly one area that needs real change. This is
mainly because the key to the ultimate success of the education and training of the future
workforce depends on effective teachers” (Thomas, 2009, p. 135).
Step 1 :
Step 2 :
E. Summarising
• Summarising is also a paraphrasing technique which helps to retain the meaning of
statements while focusing on the important points or main idea.
• It is important to eliminate examples or wordy elaborations when summarising.
• Consider the following quote:
“Culture shock’ is the state of being confused when in contact with a different and
unfamiliar civilisation. Typically, a person going to study in another country for the first time
may miss family and friends and consequently, feel homesick. The person may have
sleeping difficulties and in extreme cases may become depressed and ill” (Andrews & Jill,
2004, p. 55).

Culture shock’ is the state of being confused when in contact with a different and unfamiliar
civilisation. The person may have sleeping difficulties and in extreme cases may become
depressed and ill (Andrews & Jill, 2004).

According to Andrews and Jill (2004) culture shock happens when people face situations
which are new to their experience. It could result in insomnia and eventually lead to
psychological and physical problems.

Let’s Practice
Task 6: Summarise the given information by focusing on the main idea.
1. Ayurveda dates back an estimated 5,000-10,000 years. It is widely considered to be the oldest
form of health care in the world. Scholars believe that knowledge of Ayurveda spread from India
and influenced the ancient Chinese system of medicine and even the system of medicine practiced
by Hippocrates in Greece.
Step 1 :
Step 2 :
Further Practice
Paraphrase the following quotations. You may do it on your own and let your instructor check. Also,
you can post your answers in the e-learning page for Academic English 2 for checking.
1. “Teachers, due to their lack of familiarity with postgraduate level academic work, have the
potential to express mixed messages when they are interviewed” (Jones, Ahmad, Lim, & Rodgers,
2006, p. 14).
2. “Language learners with some computer skills can build their own corpus based on their own
needs” (Okamoto, 2012, p. 4).
3. “An experienced IELTS assessor was asked to rate the expressiveness of each essay on a scale of
1 to 10” (Sadoughvanini, 2012, p. 27).
4. “While the interviews took a long time to describe, the researchers decided to go ahead with it
because it was important for them to study how certain ideas were expressed” (Roach, 2012, p.
101).

PART 3: Reporting Verbs
When you are paraphrasing, it is always good to use suitable reporting verbs for the citations rather
than using “According to” extensively. If possible, always choose the best verb. For example, if you are
taking statistics from AuthorA, then use the verb “reported” as in AuthorA (2010) reported that….
Instread of “According to AuthorA,…”
Here are some useful ones:
Common ways of bringing in the ideas of other writers:

X states/stated that … As stated in X’s study Though X states that …,
As X mentions, … As mentioned by X…
X found that … A study by X found …
X is of the view that … In X’s view, … X expresses the view that
X suggests that … Research by X suggests that
X recommends that … The recommendation by X is….
X pointed out that …
X observed that …
X maintained that …
X claims that …
X argues that …
X believes that …
Note: that the reporting verb can either be in present tense or past tense. Although the publication is
in the past, it is acceptable to use present tense because the facts/information presented in that
publication remain “true” until now. However, if you are reporting historical facts, then it is better to
use past tense.

Below is a list of some words that can be used to introduce an author's ideas, grouped by
approximate meaning:
States: Identifies:
• articulates • characterises
• comments • recognises
• mentions • defines
• maintains • embodies
• notes • differentiates
• points out • distinguishes
• says • highlights
• suggests • specifies
• indicates
• refers Argues:
• acknowledges • challenges
• asserts • compares
• claims • contradicts
• reports • contrasts
• concludes • debates
• summarises • defends
• refutes
Demonstrates: • holds
• shows • justifies
• conveys
• portrays Relates:
• supports • connects
• substantiates • links
• corroborates • associates
• verifies • correlates
• confirms
Investigates: Predicts:
• researches • hypothesises
• experiments • theorises
• conducts • conceptualises
• administers • understands
• observes analyses
• examines
• evaluates
• scrutinises
• criticises
Adapted from Massey University (n.d.). Paraphrasing techniques. Retrieved from

http://owll.massey.ac.nz/referencing/paraphrasing-techniques.php

UNIT 2 Reading Skills

Learning Objectives
✓ explain why identify what the writer has stated literally (read the lines)
✓ infer what the writer has stated (read between the lines)
✓ apply ideas within the text to what you already know (read beyond the lines)
Warming Up
Read the following text and see if you are struggling to comprehend it:
As rperoted in a rseaecrh at Cabmridge Uienrvtisy, it deson't mttaer in

waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the
frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a ttoal mses
and you can siltl raed it wouthit pborelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn
mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.
Azmnaig rgiht?
If you have problems understanding the text, then you are most likely having very limited vocabulary.
Reading depends a lot on words that you know. If there are many words that you have never
encounter before, you will struggle to understand the whole text.
So what can be done to solve this? What are your strategies in coping with “difficult” words?
PART 1: Reading Academic Texts

Academic texts are relatively formal in structure and style. To increase the amount of information
that you can extract from a single reading of a section, chapter or article in an academic text, you need
to use efficient academic reading strategies.
Most reading experts agree that some of the most effective reading skills which are essential in
academic reading are using what you already know about the topic to make meaning of new words or
information, skimming and scanning for specific information or details, extracting main ideas, making
inferences based on what are stated and applying ideas with the text to what you already know. These
are the strategies to help you read articles EFFECTIVELY for the tasks in THIS course as well as OTHER
academic ventures you set out to do. Practise it often.

Relating to Previous Knowledge

We seldom read with an empty mind. We have within us all the previous knowledge about many
things that can help us to read effectively. This prior knowledge includes general understandings and
experiences about how things operate in the world to specific issues like language and culture.
Some pre-reading strategies that are useful to organize yourself before you reads are brainstorming,
group discussions, concept mapping, KWHL chart and pre-reading questions.
KWHL Chart
Know Want How Learnt
A KWHL chart is one of the pre-reading strategies often used to help you read strategically. You will
list all that you already know about the reading topic in the column under K, what you want to know
from the text about the topic under W, and how you will accomplish your goals while reading the text
under H. In the process of reading the text, you try to apply those strategies to look for the information
that you want to learn. After answering the comprehension questions, you can then review your KWHL
chart to see what you have actually learned (L) and which strategies (listed in the H column) were most
effective.
For example, you are reading a topic about “Aids”. There are certain things you already know about this
topic such as it is a dangerous disease. However, you are not sure if it is of any danger to you. Before you
read the article you just want to quickly get to know more about the topic. Your pre-reading strategy will
include asking a friend, scan the text for the specific information about the risks of Aids, skim for main
ideas, etc.
A disease Am I at risk? Ask someone
dangerous Scan text
Skim text
After that, you can start reading the text as quickly as you can. You will learn some new things. Put the
things you have just learnt in the last column “Learnt”. You can also include which of your strategies in
the ‘How’ column is effective to confirm these new ideas you have learnt.
A disease Am I at risk? Ask someone Aids is dangerous to all
dangerous Scan text Caused by a virus called HIV
Skim text Passed from one person to another
through blood-to-blood and sexual
contact, contaminated hypodermic
needles.
Scanning for details is useful

Another pre-reading strategy commonly used is pre-reading questions.

Let’s Try.
Task 1 You are going to read an article called Myths About Reading in the next part.
Answer the following pre-reading questions first before you read the text.
1. Here are some statements about reading. Do you think they are true (T) or false (F)?
2. Silent reading involves looking at a text and saying the words silently to yourself. (T/F)
3. There are no major differences between how one reads in one's mother tongue and how
one reads in a foreign language. (T/F)
4. To understand a word, you have to read all the letters in it; to understand a sentence, you
have to read all the words in it. (T/F)
5. Students reading aloud can help them understand better. (T/F)
PART 2: Identifying Specific Information

To identify specific information, you should begin by scanning the topic sentences (i.e. the sentence
which makes the point of the paragraph and which is usually the first sentence of the paragraph).
Locating the topic sentence helps you to stay focus on finding the needed information.
Task 2: Read the following passage and provide the most appropriate answers for the while-
reading questions in the column at the right side of the text.
While-reading
Qestions
Myths About Reading
1 If we are to help students develop reading skills in a foreign language, it is Why is
important to understand what is involved in the reading process itself. If we understanding
have a clear idea of how 'good readers' read, either in their own or a foreign the process of
language, this will enable us to decide whether particular reading techniques reading
are likely to help learners or not. important?
2 In considering the reading process, it is important to distinguish between two What is silent
quite separate activities: reading for meaning (or 'silent reading') and reading reading?
aloud. Reading for meaning is the activity we normally engage in when we read
books, newspapers, road signs, etc.; it is what you are doing as you read this
text. It involves looking at sentences and understanding the message they
convey, in other words making sense of a written text. It does not normally
involve saying the words we read, not even silently inside our heads; there are
important reasons for this, which are outlined below.

3 Reading aloud is a completely different activity; its purpose is not just to What do we
understand a text but to convey the information to someone else. It is not an actually do when
activity we engage in very often outside the classroom; common examples are we read aloud?
reading out parts of a newspaper article to a friend, or reading a notice to
other people who cannot see it. Obviously, reading aloud involves looking at a
text, understanding it and also saying it. Because our attention is divided
between reading and speaking, it is a much more difficult activity than reading
silently; we often stumble and make mistakes when reading aloud in our own
language, and reading aloud in a foreign language is even more difficult.
4 When we read for meaning, we do not need to read every letter of every word, Do we need to
nor even every word in each sentence. This is because, provided the text see every word
makes sense, we can guess much of what it says as we read it. To see how this to understand?
happens at the level of individual words, try reading this sentence:
A m_ _ was walk_ _ _ d_ _n the s_ _ _ _ t, c_r_ _ing a gr_ _n _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.
Even though more than half the letters were missing, you could probably read
the sentence without difficulty, and even guess the last word without the help
of any letters. You may also have noticed that as soon as you guessed the
second word, it helped you to guess the whole of the first part of the sentence.
This example is an isolated sentence; if you are reading connected sentences
in a text, each sentence helps you to guess what the next one will be, and so
on through the whole text. Reading is an active process. When we read, we do
not merely sit there as passive 'receivers' of the text; we also draw on our own What do we do
knowledge of the world and of language to help us guess what the text will say as active
next. It is only if we are reading a series of words that makes no sense at all, readers?
such as:
Man walking elephant the onto reading to help.
that we have to slow down and read every single word, as we can no longer
make guesses.
5 Normally when we read our eyes take in whole phrases at a time; they do not (Use a piece of
move from word to word in a straight line, but flick backwards and forwards paper to cover
over the text. You can easily test this for yourself. Try covering a text with a the text here)
piece of paper and reading it literally word by word, moving the paper along
from each word to the next. You will probably find that you soon lose track of
the meaning, and you need to keep looking back to take in whole sentences.
This highlights another important aspect of reading: it is not just that we do What happen
not need to read word by word, but rather that it is almost impossible to read to our eyes in
and understand a text in this way. Attempting to read one word at a time slows the reading
down reading so much that we lose the sense of what we are reading. process?

There are of course differences between reading in our own language, where
comprehension does not usually pose a problem, and reading a foreign
language, and the differences are even greater if the foreign language uses a
different writing system. But the characteristics of 'good reading' are the same What about
in any language, and in developing reading skills we need to be sure we are good reading in
other
not hindering our students but helping them to become good readers, efficient
languages?
at extracting meaning from written texts.
(adapted from Ur, 1999)
Most modern day reading experts support that reading is not a passive but an active process in which
we construct meaning based on our prior knowledge and experience. While-reading questions such
as the above help you as a reader to remain focus on the text. You can also use the pre-reading
questions to guide you as you read the text. This is what is meant by reading as a socially interactive
process where we collaborate with the text to interpret what the write is trying to convey to us as
readers.
Discussion:
Look again at the Pre-reading questions in task 1. Are your answers still the same?
Task 3: Provide the most appropriate answers to the four questions about the text below.
Practice skimming and scanning the text for the best answer.
1. Based on the information provided in paragraph 1, why is understanding the process of reading
important?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
2. What does the underlined phrase ‘making sense’ in paragraph 2 mean?

____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
3. According to the passage, is reading aloud necessary for reading a text? Why? Why not?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
4. Briefly explain TWO (2) differences of reading aloud and silent reading.
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

PART 3: Making Inferences
Writers often tell you more than they say directly. They give you hints or clues that help you "read
between the lines". Using these clues to give you a deeper understanding of your reading is called
inferring. When you infer, you go beyond the surface details to see other meanings that the details
suggest or imply (not stated). Don’t forget to refer to your prior knowledge!
Try to infer the possible message of the following cartoons. Discuss the messages with your
peers and explain why your message is acceptable.
The frog jumps

over the fence
After landing on the other side

The frog says, “I’ve heard the
the frog now says, “Maybe they
grass is always greener on the
meant the other side”
other side”
What is the possible message:

________________________________________________________
Possible message:
______________________________
______________________________
Two people are quarrelling and one of

them says, “ My words came out fine!
They were processed incorrectly in your
brain!!!

Task 4: Making Inferences: Read the short excerpts taken from several academic articles and
answer the questions given.
Excerpt 1
During the recession of the mid-1980s, there was an increase in graduate unemployment in Malaysia.
With the recovery of the economy towards the end of the 1980s, graduate unemployment was slightly
reduced thanks to government’s effort to create more jobs. However, graduate unemployment that
existed during the 1998 currency crisis still persists until today as many companies were forced to
merge and lay off workers. It has been reported that the number of unemployed graduates had
increased from 45,000 in 2000 to 85,000 in 2005 (Sim, 2006).
What is the main cause of the increasing rate of graduate unemployment in Malaysia?
A. Limited job opportunities due to economic instability.
B. Currency crisis in 1998 reduced salary of many jobs.
C. Lack of efforts by the government to improve the economy.
D. The impact of the global economic recession in the mid-1980s.
Excerpt 2
Students are required to take English exam as a compulsory requirement for entrance to public
university. MUET (Malaysian University English Test) result for new entry student for the 2007/8 intake
at one public university which can be considered as a typical sample for other public universities
indicated that most students scored below the satisfactory level in English competency. From the
population of 2916 new students’ intake at this public university, about 72.7% has a score of Bands 1,
2 and 3. This is because all they need is to get the MUET certificate regardless of their Bands (Mohini,
2008).
Why did many students still score below the satisfactory level though MUET is a compulsory
entrance requirement?
A. Students lack initiatives to improve their English.
B. English is often taken for granted since it is accepted as unimportant.
C. Majority of the programmes at university does not have a minimum Band requirement.
D. A high MUET band is not a necessity for university entrance.
Excerpt 3
It is all too apparent in this study that many students, often very good students, suffer needlessly when
doing group assignments. While some academics might claim that it is good to let students face
problems arising from group work, it is pointless having them to face problems that they will not see
in the workplace. Simply making students do assignments together is not preparing them for team
work in industry. It is not simulating “real life in industry”. It causes stress to many students and gives
them grades they do not deserve, especially when the better ones are penalized for the lack of efforts
by others (Ford & Maurice, 2011).
Why do good students suffer from doing group assignments?

A. Group assignments reduce lecturers’ marking load.
B. Group assignments do not relate to their future work life.
C. Group assignments’ grades do not reflect their actual ability.
D. Group assignments help them manage problems when working together.
PART 4: Applying Academic Reading
Practice makes perfect and in reading there is this cycle called the virtuous cycle. The more you read
the more you understand. The more you understand, the more you read. And it goes on.
Task 5: You are going to read a text by Amy Novotney. Write your pre-reading questions in
the blanks provided below and your while-reading questions in the column at the right side
of the text.
Break Your Bad Habits

By Amy Novotney
Pre-reading Questions
What do you expect from this article? Or what do you want to know from this article?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Break Your Bad Habits While-reading

Questions
As an undergraduate student, you probably got A's despite less-than-ideal study
habits: reading in front of the television, staying up all night cramming, checking
e-mail every 10 minutes while working on a paper. These behaviors may have cut
it in college, but graduate school calls for a better set of strategies, says University
of Virginia psychology professor Daniel Willingham, PhD.
According to psychology faculty and other experts, here are the top five habits
that hold graduate students back:
1. Highlighting. Dog-earing pages and highlighting journal article passages are
popular but worthless exercises when it comes to helping you remember
information later on, Willingham says. That's because they don't require
students to engage with the material. Instead, he suggests students find a
more active strategy that forces them to think about the meaning of what
they're reading. This might be something as simple as taking notes on
important points, outlining how journal articles fit together or spending a
moment after reading a paragraph to reflect on how it fits into a piece's
bigger picture. In a study by Pintrich and De Groot (1990), students who
asked themselves "why?" at the end of each sentence while reading a factual
passage about a university were significantly more likely to remember
important points than students who were simply told to read the passage
and remember it.
2. Cramming for exams. When you pull an all-nighter, your memories of the
concepts you’re studying becomes associated with a particular time and
environment, making them harder to retrieve, says Willingham. That's bad

news for crammers, as most tests aren't handed out at 2 a.m. There are
several reasons why distributing your studying throughout the semester is
more long-lasting. One is that your brain doesn't make that association
because the knowledge is cued and retrieved at many different points over
time. Willingham's claims are backed up by Webb and Sheeran’s (2006) meta-
analysis of 317 experiments examining the spacing of student study periods.
The authors found that when participants studied at two different points in
time, they recalled a greater percentage of the material than when the same
amount of study time was nearly uninterrupted.
3. Unhealthy eating. With both time and money in short supply, graduate
students often skip lunch when rushing to class or hit the vending machine
for a late-night snack. Yet the high-fat, empty-calorie foods they often choose
don't provide the energy needed to work effectively, and can also take a toll
on the brain. A study by Manos (1999) linked memory loss to a diet high in
saturated fat and cholesterol. And a 2008 meta-analysis of 160 studies
examining food's effect on the brain showed that omega-3 fatty acids, which
are found in salmon, walnuts and kiwi fruit, improve learning and memory
(Hillman & Erickson, 1999).
4. Multitasking. Many students pride themselves on their ability to attend to
several tasks at once, but multitasking undermines efficiency, according to a
study by Miller (2006). It takes extra time to shift mental gears every time
you switch tasks—that means when you sit down to work, close your e-mail
program so it doesn't distract you. “If you ask any graduate student what they
do first when they sit down to study, 99 percent say they check their e-mail,
and then the next thing you know, an hour has gone by,” Miller says. When
you're studying, you may even need to disable your Internet connection and
turn off your cell phone, she says.
5. Assuming you remember what you've read. According to a Pickering and
Ferreira’s (2006) meta-analysis of 30 years of research, we aren't very good
at assessing how well we understand something. You may feel well-versed in
the social psychology theories you learned in class after reading over your
notes several times, but familiarity doesn't mean you'll be able to recall the
material for a test, Willingham says. To gauge whether you've studied
enough, explain the material to someone else or create a test for yourself, he
says.
"Quizzing one another is the No. 1 thing I recommend to students,"
Willingham says. "It's a much more realistic assessment of what you know
because it forces you to get inside the professor's head and think about what
they are likely to ask about the material."
(adapted from Novotney, 2009)

Post-Reading Questions
Task 6: Still based on the previous text by Amy Novotney, answer these questions. For
Questions 1-5, choose a word/phrase that is closest in meaning to the underlined word as
used in the text.
1. Dog-earing pages … (paragraph 2)

A. marking with book marks
B. drawing pictures on pages
C. folding the corners of pages
D. writing down notes on the side
2. … making them harder to retrieve (paragraph 3)

A. organize
B. process
C. recall
D. stimulate
3. … can also take a toll on the brain (paragraph 4)

A. charge
B. disaster
C. bad effect
D. loud ringing
4. It takes extra time to shift mental gears … (paragraph 5)

A. speed up work
B. slow down thinking
C. think at analytical level
D. change focus of concentration
5. You may feel well-versed in … (paragraph 6)

A. competent
B. enthusiastic
C. habitual
D. remember
For Questions 6-10, choose the most appropriate answers based on your reading.
6. Which of the following is an ideal study habit for undergraduate students?

A. Studying while watching television
B. Studying into the wee hours of the morning
C. Interacting in emails while doing an assignment
D. Searching the internet for information on assignments

7. Which sentence contains the main idea for the paragraph on highlighting?
A. Dog-earing pages and highlighting journal article passages are popular but worthless
exercises when it comes to helping you remember information later on, Willingham says
B. That's because they don't require students to engage with the material.
C. Instead, he suggests students find a more active strategy that forces them to think about
the meaning of what they're reading
D. This might be something as simple as taking notes on important points, outlining how
journal articles fit together or spending a moment after reading a paragraph to reflect
on how it fits into a piece's bigger picture.
8. According to the paragraph 3, why are crammers unable to remember what they studied the
night before?
A. Memory is better at night but tests are usually not conducted at night.
B. People usually lose their concentration if they study in one long sitting.
C. What is studied is stored in the memory as a single episode and is not easily recalled.
D. The amount of time spent studying in one night is less than that for a whole semester.
9. Why do students end up with unhealthy eating habits that affect their memory and learning?
A. Food stalls are not open at night.
B. They are busy and short of money.
C. High-fat, empty-calorie food is tasty.
D. They have lectures during lunch hour.
10. What is the main idea for the paragraph on multitasking?

A. Multitasking is an ability to be proud of.
B. Multitasking is not an efficient way to study.
C. Checking email should not be part of multitasking.
D. Internet connection is a distractor when multitasking.
IMPORTANT Note: In the final exam, the reading comprehension section will only include multiple-
choice question as shown in this Task. Please refer to the course e-learning page (on Morpheus) for
more reading comprehension practise.
You are strongly advised to read more academic text in order to master more words.

UNIT 3 Oral Presentation Skills

Learning Objectives
✓ Produce an effective oral presentation for academic settings
✓ Use accurate and appropriate expressions in presenting
✓ Communicate ideas and opinions clearly and precisely
IMPORTANT: This unit covers two oral presentation assessments in this course.
Warming Up
Speaking Effectively… To One or One-Thousand - Not many people think that they are good
public speakers, yet it is a highly necessary skill in many of today's workplace.
Answer the questions below as best as you can. Then share with the partner next to you. Instructor
will then lead the whole-class discussion.
1. What frightens you the most in life?
2. Have you ever spoken in front of many people? If yes, how many times?
3. Do you think that speaking to one person is very different from speaking to a group of
audience.
4. What are some of the important things that we must know in order to speak well?
5. What are some of the personal qualities that you have which can make public speaking
difficult for you?
6. What are some of the personal qualities that you have which can make public speaking very
easy for you?
7. What should we do before we speak in front of an audience?
8. What should we do after we have spoken in front of an audience?
PART 1: Elements of an Effective Presentation
You are going to watch a 10-minute video on How to

speak so that people want to listen by Julian Treasure.
Watch and listen for important details about what
makes an effective presentation.
As you listen try to complete the task given in the next
page.
Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIho2S0ZahI

Task 1: While listening to Julian’s talk, pay attention to the following questions:
1. What are the 7 deadly “sins” of speaking that one should avoid?
2. How to overcome these “sins” to ensure our speech is more powerful?
3. What are the elements of our voice that can improve our presentation?
4. Most importantly, look at how Julian presents his talk. What can you take note of from his style
of presentation?
Let’s try to practise what Julian has shared. Let’s start with his warm-up “exercise”! ☺
Task 2: 60 Seconds of Fame

Now, take 5 minutes to prepare a short speech about any topic that you would like to share (as long
as it is not too inappropriate or offensive). Your short speech should be exactly 1 minute (60
seconds). While you are presenting, try to apply what Julian has mentioned.
PART 2: Qualities of an Effective Oral Presenter
No Elements Distinguished Intermediate Novice

1 Volume Presenter is easy to Audience is able to hear Presenter is difficult
hear. as a whole, but there are to hear.
times when volume is
not quite adequate.
2 Rates Rates of speech are Speaker may at times The rates of

appropriate. seem like s/he is rushing speaking are too
or exaggerating pauses. slow or too fast.
3 Mannerisms Speaker makes eye Eye contact may focus Very little eye
contact with everyone on only one member of contact is made
and has no nervous the audience or a select with the audience.
habits. Speaker has few members. Mildly It may sound like
excellent posture. distracting nervous the speaker is
habits are present but reading the
do not override the presentation.
content. Nervous
habits that distract
the audience are
present.

4 Engagement Presentation involves Audience is involved but Speaker does not

audience, allowing inadequate processing involve audience.
time for audience to or response time is
think and respond. provided.
5 Organization Presentation is well Speaker loses train of Presentation shows
organized with a thought, does not little organization,
beginning, middle, and stay with the proposed unclear purpose,
end. There is a strong outline, or connections and/or unclear
organizing theme, with are attempted but not relationships or
clear main ideas and made clear for the transitions
transitions. audience.
6 Content Information is complete Research component is Details and
and accurate. Clear less evident examples are
evidence of research. than in distinguished lacking or not
category or well chosen for the
resources are present topic or audience.
but less than adequate Lacks evidence of
for assignment. research.
7 Visual aids Visual aids are well done Visuals are adequate but Very little or poor
and are used to do not inspire use of visual
make presentation more engagement with the materials.
interesting and material. No hand-outs
meaningful. provided.
8 Length Appropriate length. Time is appropriately Presentation lacks
Clear summary is used, but may run conclusion and/or
provided. Audience is slightly over or under time is not
involved in synthesizing allotted time and/or appropriately used.
the information. information is not tied
together or conclusion is
inadequate.
Task 3: Based on the eight qualities mentioned above, reflect on your own strengths and
weaknesses as an oral speaker?
PART 3: Preparing Your Presentation
One of the most important actions in making an oral presentation happens even before the actual
public speaking is carried out. Many speakers were unsuccessful because they failed to make the
necessary preparations before the delivering the speech. During the Second World War, Winston
Churchill, the famous Prime Minister of Great Britain, was claimed to have said, "He who fails to plan
is planning to fail.” If you do not plan your speech ahead, you may find yourself struggling for what to
say in front of your audience. Worst of all, you might experience a panic attack! In oral presentations,
there are many considerations to be made before facing the audience.

Watch the following 7-minute video entitled “Make a presentation like

Steve Jobs”. Steve Jobs uses several key techniques to electrify his
audience. These techniques are listed below. As you view the video, use
the While-viewing Table below and provide the rationale (why?) and list
the examples (how?) for each key technique;
Make a Presentation Like Steve Jobs at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHX-xnP_G5s
Task 4 While-viewing Table

No Techniques Rationale(Why) Examples (how?)
1 Set the theme
2 Provide the outline
3 Demonstrate enthusiasm
4 Make numbers meaningful
5 Visual slides
6 Give them a show
7 Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse
Task 5: Group Presentation

1. Now, you’re going to prepare another 2-minute speech but to be
presented within a small group.
2. Form a group of five or six people so that you have a small audience to
listen to your 2-minute speech. Each member of your group will have a
chance to do this oral presentation (rotate every 2 minutes)
3. Remember, you only have two minutes for the speech. Appoint a time keeper to keep watch and
make sure the speech must be stopped exactly after the two minutes time limit is up. If you are
ready, you can begin.
To help you prepare for the oral presentation assessment (Assessment 1a and Assessment 2a),
please refer to the marking scheme uploaded on the e-learning page. Make sure you fulfil all
criteria.
Practise, practise and practise
(For more information about guidelines for oral presentations, go to http://go.owu.edu/

~dapeople/ggpresnt.html)

UNIT 4 Information Report

Learning Objectives
✓ Identify the structure of an Information Report
✓ Practice the language features of an Information Report
✓ Produce an Information Report with proper citation and referencing
IMPORTANT: This unit is assessed in Assessment 1 (to be done in groups of 3 students).
Warming Up
Obviously, you have heard of the word “report” before. So, what do you understand by the term
“report”? What are the types of report that you know?
PART 1: Purpose of Information Report
In this course, the term ‘Information Report’ is used here to refer specifically only to texts which
present factual information on a topic, as proposed by Derewianka (1991). It is sometimes known as
classification.
An Information Report serves to classify and describe the phenomena of our world – it describes the
way things are. It talks about a class of things –living things (like plants, animals) or non-living things
(like satellites, social systems). In this case, only facts about the class of things are reported, not your
opinions.
Types of Information Report
Types Type 1: Classification into sub-classes and Type 2: Description of

description of sub-classes characteristics of one class
Examples • Types of blood cells. • Description of red blood cells.
• The types of whales. • Description of baleen whales
• The various types of cancer. characteristics of the different
• Similarities and differences types of whale
between flowering plants and non- • Description of lymphoma.
flowering plants. • Classification of non-flowering
plants.

Type 1 Sample Diagram Type 2 Sample Diagram
Characteristics of
Frogs
Energy
Renewable Non-renewable
Physical Reproductive Eating

description Behaviour behaviour
Wind Solar Natural Coal

gas Figure 1. Description of frogs
Figure 1. Types of energy
Task 1: Form groups of THREE. Brainstorm other suitable topics to be written as information
report? Draw a diagram to outline one of the topics to indicate its scopes/sub-classes.

PART 2: Structure/Organisation of Info Report
Information Report first classifies the thing and then describes its characteristics. It organises the
information in terms of classes and subclasses, whole and parts, and/or in terms of attributes. Here is
an example of a Type 1 information report on the topic of ‘Learning Styles’ This report classifies
‘Learning Styles’ into three categories followed by their descriptions.
Components Function Example

Title Announces the field (topic). Types of Learning Styles
Introduction
General statement Begin with a general statement Learning is part of life. Everybody
about the topic and capture the experiences learning. Learning is the
interest of the reader. This acquisition of knowledge (Gagne, 1962).
locates the topic in the universe Each person has his or her own learning
of things. style, governing how he or she prefers
to receive and process information.
Learning styles are defined as “a certain
specified pattern of behaviour and/or
performance, according to which the
individual takes in new information and
develops new skills, and the process by
which the individual retains new
information or new skills” (Dunn &
The classification statement tells
Statement of types Dunn, 1978, p. 2). In general, learning
the purpose of the text by
styles can be classified into three major
identifying the class (and sub-
categories: visual, auditory and tactile
classes, if any) of things
(refer to Figure 1 in Appendix 1).
described. Include the reference
to Figure 1 for the diagram.
The first type of learning style is visual
learning. Visual learners usually learn
Body consisting of A series of factual descriptions
things faster via visual imagery. A visual
paragraphs on each for each type.
learner is a student who learns
type of learning
You are advised to use separate holistically rather than in a step-by-step
style
paragraphs for describing fashion. They like to see what they are
different types. Use learning and usually benefit from
elaborations, examples, illustrations and presentations that use
Descriptions for
comparisons and contrasts in colour. According to Mills (2002), visual
type 1:
your description. Make sure that learners take numerous detailed notes
you start each paragraph with a and often close their eyes to visualise or
remember something. Besides, they
prefer stimuli to be isolated from
topic sentence that mentions auditory and kinaesthetic distraction

the type. (Mills, 2002).
Start with a topic sentence that Auditory learning is the second type of
Descriptions for
mentions the type. We usually learning style. Unlike visual learners
type 2:
do the comparison of the classes who remember by visual images,
after the first class has been auditory learners remember things by
described. verbalising lessons to themselves and
reading aloud. They prefer to hear the
lesson rather than to read the notes.
Auditory learners prefer to hear what is
being said in order to understand and
may have difficulty with instructions
that are written. Hence, they learn best
by listening to information (Mills, 2002).
Descriptions for Start with a topic sentence that The third type of learning style is tactile
type 3: mentions the type. learning. Unlike, visual and auditory
learners, tactile learners need to be
active and take frequent breaks. They
usually remember what was done, but
have difficulty recalling what was said or
seen and speak with their hands and
with gestures (Pashler, McDaniel,
Rohrer, & Bjork, 2009). Tactile learners
enjoy field trips and tasks that involve
manipulating materials. They find
activities such as cooking, construction,
engineering and art helpful in perceiving
and learning effectively. In addition,
they communicate by touching and
appreciate physically expressed
encouragement, such as a pat on the
back (Pashler et al., 2009).
Conclusion If you include a conclusion, you In conclusion, there are three major
(optional) can: types of learning style and they are
differentiated by the dominant organ
- You don’t have • Summarise information
presented but do not used during the learning process. That is
to provide
include any new why different people learn different
conclusion
information. ways.
• Paraphrase the
Classification Statement.

References
(Provided on a new page after the essay. List all the references used in the essay)
Dunn, R. S., & Dunn, K. J. (1978). Teaching students through their individual learning styles: A
practical approach. Reston, VA: Reston Publishing.
Gagne, R. M. (1962). The acquisition of knowledge. Psychological Review, 69(4), 355-365.
Mills, D. W. (2002). Applying what we know: Student learning styles. Retrieved from
www.csrnet.org/csrnet/articles/student-learning-styles.html
Pashler, H., McDaniel, M., Rohrer, D., & Bjork, R. (2009). Learning styles: Concepts and evidence.
Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 9(3), 105-119.
(Note: You must follow APA referencing style. Refer to Unit 1b)
Appendix 1 (The figure must appear on a new page after the References)
Learning
styles
Visual Auditory Tactile

learning learning learning
style style style
Figure 1. Types of learning style
Note: This is how figure number and captions are written in APA style.
1. Figures are numbered consecutively in the order in which they are first mentioned in the
text.
2. The caption is placed below the figure.
3. Italicise Figure 1 but do not use italics for the caption.
4. Use a full stop after the number; not a colon, or a semi-colon, or a dash.
5. You must refer to the figure in your text. For example, “Figure 1 shows …”, “… as shown
by Figure 1” or “(see Figure 1)”.

Here is an example of a Type 2 information report on the topic of ‘Mars’ This report provides a
description of ‘Mars’ based on its characteristics rather than it sub-classes.
Title Announces the field (topic). Description of Mars
Introduction
General statement Begin with a general statement There are many planets in our Solar
about the topic and capture the system. Mars is the fourth planet from the
interest of the reader. This Sun and is named after the Roman god of
locates the topic in the universe war. In the night sky it appears as a
of things. periodically striking reddish object. Mars
receives half as much sunlight as the Earth
and has two small moons named Phobos
The classification statement tells and Deimos. In general, planet Mars has
the purpose of the text by stating three major characteristics which are the
Statement of each class of the characteristic of physical, structural, and climate (refer to
characteristics the thing described. Figure 1 in Appendix 1).
Body consisting of State the characteristics of the The first major characteristic of Mars is
paragraphs on each one class followed by the areas the physical aspect. This aspect includes
characteristic of under it. the shape, size, and colour of the planet.
Mars Mars is approximately spherical in shape
while the shape of its orbit is oval. In
Start with a topic sentence that terms of size, the diameter of Mars is
Descriptions for mentions the characteristic. approximately 6,787 km. The size is half
characteristic 1: the diameter of Earth and its mass is 6.42
We usually do comparison after
the first characteristic and its x 1023 kg. Mars’ mean density is measured
areas have been described. at 3.94 g/cm3, while its volume is
measured at163,115,609,799 km3.
You are advised to use separate

paragraphs for describing the As for its colour, Mars is also known as the
areas under the one “Red Planet”. The presence of iron
characteristic. minerals in the Martian soil affects its
physical appearance reflecting a reddish
coloured surface which is thought to
indicate desert-like regions. However, this
red surface is only skin deep and beneath
Make sure that you start each the surface, as this planet’s actual colour
paragraph with a topic sentence is greyish (Christensen et al., 2001).
that mentions the Christensen et al (2009) who studied
characteristic/area. samples from Mars’ soil drilled out a few
centimetres below the surface, found a
grey coloured powder indicating signs of
long-ago exposure to liquid water.

Descriptions for Start with a topic sentence that The second major characteristic of Mars
characteristic 2: mentions the characteristic. concerns its structural aspects. Unlike the
physical characteristics described earlier,
Mars’ structural characteristic is further
subdivided into the composition, gravity
and hydrology. In terms of its
composition, the crust of Mars which is 30
miles thick consists of volcanic basalt rock
and the soil contains sodium, potassium,
chloride magnesium (Christensen et al.,
2001). Beneath this crust is the mantle
which is 900-1200 miles thick. It is made
up of primarily silicon, oxygen, iron and
magnesium and has the consistency of
soft rock paste. At the centre of Mars is a
solid core with a thickness of about 1800-
2400 miles consisting of iron, nickel and
sulphur.
Meanwhile, Mars’ gravity level is at 38%

which is 62% lower than the earth’s and a
person weighing 100kg on earth would
weigh approximately 38kg on Mars. This
low level gravity is one of the factors
contributing to the formation of gigantic
sand dunes Results from Mars Global
Surveyor (MGS) showed that each of half
part of Mars gives different value for the
gravity field. Approximately about 160
m/gal value raises up in the gravity
variation from the north to the south of
the planet. There are differences in the
longitudinal gravity variation between
both the south and north poles (Zuber,
Smith, Lemoine, & Neumann, 1994).
As for the hydrology of Mars, the

presence of water has been detected. The
low temperature of Mars’s surface results
in liquids freezing at rapid rates or
disappearing completely. Mars’s surface
has traces of channels and river valleys,
indicating that liquid water gushes onto
and flows across it. The presence of
shergottite magmas which are a type of
meteorite found on Mars indicate
different amounts of water on its surface
and provide the best source of
information about its mantle and its

dissolved water (Balta & McSween, 2013).
Balta and McSween’s (2013) study
suggests that the “dehydration of the
Martian mantle has led to changes in
magmatic chemistry over time, with
shergottites representing melts of water-
bearing mantle and rocks” (p. 26).
Descriptions for Another prominent characteristic of Mars

characteristic 3: is its climate and this aspect involves the
temperature. Mars records differing
values in the average temperature with a
common value of minus 55 °C (minus
67 °F). Eydelan (2001) reported that
surface temperatures at the equator in
the summer have been recorded as
reaching a high of about 20 °C (68 °F) at
noon and a low of about minus 153 °C
(minus 243 °F) at the poles. Temperature
measurements on-site were obtained
through the space probes sent through
the Viking programme initiative by the
United States. Temperature
measurements taken at Viking landers'
site ranged from minus 17.2 °C (1.0 °F) to
minus 107 °C (minus161 °F) while the
warmest soil temperature on the Mars
surface was estimated at 27 ⁰C (81 ⁰F).
The maximum daytime air temperatures
were recorded as in the shade of 35 ⁰C (95
⁰F), and regularly recorded temperatures
were well above 0 ⁰C (32 ⁰F). According to
Yung and DeMore (1999), Mars is a much
warmer and wetter planet, and these
conditions are conducive to the origin and
evolution of complex life. However, the
changing geochemical forces effecting
energy flow on the planet could make it
impossible for complex life to live or to
continue to evolve on Mars (Yung &
DeMore, 1999).
Conclusion If you include a conclusion, you
(optional) can:
In conclusion, Mars can be described
• Summarise information based on three main characteristics which
presented but do not include are the physical, structural, and climate. It
any new information. makes the planet unique in the Solar
• Paraphrase the Classification system.
Statement.
References (Provided on a new page)
Balta, J. B., & McSween, H. Y. (2013). Water and the composition of Martian magmas. Geology,
41(10), 1115-1118.
Christensen, P. R., Bandfield, J. L., Hamilton, V. E., Ruff, S. W., Keiffer, H. H., Titus, T. N., …Greenfield,
M. (2001). Mars global surveyor thermal emission spectrometer experiment: Investigation
description and surface science results. Journal of Geophysical Research, 106(1), 823-871.
Eydelman, A. (Ed.). (2001). Temperature on the surface of Mars: The physics factbook. Retrieved
from http://hypertextbook.com/facts/2001/AlbertEydelman.shtml
Yung, Y. L., & DeMore, W. B. (1999). Photochemistry of planetary atmospheres. New York, NY:
Oxford University Press.
Zuber, M. T., Smith, D. E., Lemoine, F. G., & Neumann, G. A. (1994). The shape and internal structure
of the moon from the Clementine Mission. Science, 266(5192), 1839-1843.
Appendix 1 (This figure must appear on a new page after the References)
Figure 1. The characteristics of Mars
Task 2: Now that you have seen two types of information report, in your group, decide the
topic that you will be using for your Assessment 1. Please confirm with your instructor
before proceeding. You need to make sure you have enough information to produce a 3-
page essay for the topic. Prepare a draft to be discussed in class

PART 3: Language Features of Information Report
These language features are needed to effectively classify and describe a class of things:
Generalised participants/generic participants

This refers to a whole class of things in general (e.g., planet, mountains, human being, computers)
rather than specific participants (e.g., My Family, Gunung Mulu, my i-Phone).
Linking verbs
These are verbs which show states of being and of having (are, is, have, belong, etc…). These are
needed because they help locate the phenomenon being described within a class [Example 1] or
describe parts and characteristics of the phenomenon [Examples 2 and 3]. Linking verbs should not be
confused with passive (e.g. have gone) or continuous verb forms (e.g. are going)
Example 1:
Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars are terrestrial planets.
(linking the thing/phenomenon to its larger group – classification)
Example 2:
An example of a superior planet is Mars.
(linking the thing/phenomenon to its sub-classes)
Example 3:
The surface of terrestrial planets is solid and rocky.
(linking the thing/phenomenon to its characteristics: size, colour, shape, etc.)
Task 3: Identify the linking verbs in the sample text (Types of Learning Styles)

Action verbs
These are verbs which describe behaviour, actions and happenings.
e.g., The asteroid belt forms the boundary between the inner and the outer solar system. The
presence of iron minerals in the Martian soil affects its physical appearance.
Task 4: Identify the action verbs in the sample text (Types of Learning Styles)
Timeless present tense

This is used because an Information Report describes a phenomenon which exists all the time, not
one which is located at a particular point in time. The information Report presents universal
truths/facts which are not open to argument.
e.g. The sun rises in the east. The sun is the centre of our solar system.
Task 5: Identify the timeless present tense in the sample text (Types of Learning Styles)
Language for defining and classifying
Defining Classifying
are called … belong to …
… classified into … classes
Example: Oxygen is a … categorised … categories
type/ kind/ form/ … grouped … groups
example of a gas. … divided … divisions
… arranged …
Definitions are usually … put into …
found in the … placed in…
Introduction. … distinguished into …
… differentiated into …
Scientists classify … classes
… consists of …
… comprises …
… contains …

Example of Classification Statement: Whales are sub-categorised into

(two main/two broad) groups of whales, that is, toothed whales and
baleen whales.
To reduce the certainty of classification, “are” can be replaced by “can
be”, “could be” or “may be”.
Sub-classified
Sub-categorised
Sub-grouped
Sub-divided
Language for comparing and contrasting

To be effective in the description, it is not enough for you to just describe the characteristics of the
categories but you also need to make comparisons, where relevant.
Comparing similarities Contrasting differences
Are similar to Are more powerful than
Like A, B is also … Are different from …
Similarly Compared to A, B is more/less than …
In the same manner Unlike A, B is …
A is like this whereas B is …
Besides However,
In addition to On the other hand,
Furthermore Although
Moreover Even though
Other than that But
Apart from that On the contrary
Not only that In contrast
Instead of
Rather than
Whereas
Factual and precise language

To describe:
• what the phenomenon looks like (colour, shape, size)
• what is has (body parts, components)
• what it does (habits, behaviour, functions, uses)
May involve technical vocabulary for precision in description

Language must be relatively formal and objective - no expression of personal feelings and attitudes.
Hence, avoid use of personal pronouns (e.g., I, you, we).

Task 6: Writing Practise - The following text describes types of plagiarism.

(1) Write the introduction paragraph (general statement and statement of classification)
(2) Write the topic sentences for each type of plagiarism.
Introduction:
……………………………………………………………………………………..…..…………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………..…..…………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………..…..…………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………..…..…………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………..…..…………………………………………………………
1. Copy & Paste Plagiarism
………………………………………………..………………………………………………..………….…………
Any time a sentence or significant phrase is taken from a source, quotations marks must be used
and the source must be cited.
2. Word Switch Plagiarism
………………………………………………………………….………………………………………………………
If a sentence is taken from a source and only a few words are changed, it is still plagiarism. When a
sentence is quoted, quotation marks must be placed and the source must be cited. However,
quotations should only be done if it is particularly useful in the point being made in the writing. In
many cases, paraphrasing and then citing the original sources is a better option.
3. Style Plagiarism
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
When a source article is copied sentence-by-sentence or paragraph-by-paragraph, it is plagiarism,
even though none of the sentences are exactly like those in the source article or even in the same
order. What is being copied in this case is the author's reasoning style.
4. Metaphor Plagiarism
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Metaphors are used either to make an idea clearer or give the reader an analogy that touches the
senses or emotions better than a plain description of the object or process. Metaphors, then, are
an important part of an author's creative style. If the writer is unable to come up with his/her own
metaphor to illustrate an important idea, then the metaphor in the source article can be used, but
the source must be cited.
5. Idea Plagiarism
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
If the author of the source article expresses a creative idea or suggests a solution to a problem, the
idea or solution must be clearly attributed to the author. Students seem to have a hard time
distinguishing author's ideas and/or solutions from public domain information. Public domain
information is any idea or solution about which people in the field accept as general knowledge.
For example, what a black hole is and how it is defined is general knowledge. You do not need to
reference a general description of the black hole. The escape velocity of earth is also general
knowledge and needs no reference. The distance to the centre of the Galaxy is also general
knowledge. However, a new idea about how to look for black holes or a new solution to a physics
problem needs to be attributed to the authors. If the write is unsure about what is accepted as
public domain in a particular field, further research is required.
Adapted from Barnbaum, C. (n.d.). Plagiarism: A student's guide to recognizing It and avoiding It. Retrieved from
http://www.valdosta.edu/~cbarnbau/personal/ teaching_MISC/plagiarism.htm
Task 7: Write a paragraph comparing two types of plagiarism described above. You may
expand upon the ideas in the text. Remember to use language of comparison such as similar
to, compared to, unlike and so on.
Task 8: Tenses - The following text describes types of flowers. It should be written in the
present tense. Identify the errors and correct them.
Most flowers that were planted in the spring were annuals. Annuals were plants that live only one
summer. They sprouted from seeds that were planted in the spring. In the summer, their flowers
will grow and will make seeds. In the fall, the plants died. To plant these flowers again in spring,
new seeds will be needed.
Some flowers did not have to be planted every year and they were called perennials. Perennials will
be planted only once and they will bloom every year. Some examples of perennials that grew from
underground buds were lilies, tulips, crocuses and irises. Other perennials grew from seeds or
seedlings. For example, delphiniums and chrysanthemums. Many perennials will need protection
during winter.

Task 9: The following text contains some informal language, which should not be present in
an Information Report. Identify and correct them accordingly.
Orders of Insects
Through my reading, it is said that the great variety of insect life can be seen in the species’ diverse
forms and striking differences in habits. Yet all insects were classified together until quite recently
in a single order – the Orthoptera. Frankly speaking, the name is taken from the Greek orthos:
‘straight” and ptera: “wings”. Some zoologists continue to group all insects in the single order
Orthoptera. The tendency nowadays, however is to divide this up into six separate orders:
Ortoptera, Grylloblattodea, Blattaria, Phasmida, Mantodea and Dermaptera. It feels like the name
‘orthopateroid’ is used to refer to all insects in these six orders. The largest of the orthopteroid
groups retains the old order name ‘Orthoptera’. There’re over 28, 000 species in this order and
they are widely distributed throughout the world. This order is divided into two suborders – the
Acridodea and the Tettigoniodea. The suborder Acridodea is made up of two families; the
Locustidea and the Tettugidae. The familiar grasshoppers found in fields and along the roads are
made up of the pygmy locusts, which are small insects that prefer rather damp places. In my
opinion, the suborder Tettigoniodea forms a large group with some 8,500 known species, making
up five generally recognized families.
Task 10: Based on the draft for your group’s information report, look through the language
used and try to identify errors in it. Note down the problems that you have in writing your
information report. This would allow your instructor to help you:

Assessment 1: Information Report

In a group of three (3), decide on a topic, which is related to your field of study that is suitable to be
written as an information report. Remember, information report deals with facts, so you must ensure
that you are referring to factual sources.
Bring the related reading articles, draft of diagram, introduction paragraph, and at least two body
paragraphs to class for feedback from your instructor (in the second week for this unit).
This assignment is divided into two parts. Read the requirements carefully.
1a Oral Presentation (10%)

1. Prior to submitting your written essay, your group is required to present an overview of your
topic.
2. Each member of your group must present in a continuous flow and you will be given only 2
minutes each (total of 6 minutes for the whole group).
3. Your presentation must cover the essential parts of your oral presentation (not the whole essay).
4. Make sure your presentation is clear and effective (not reading out loud your essay). Present
with confidence without referring to the text or keep reading from the slides.
5. You will be assessed individually for your presentation and also as a group for the overall
cohesion/flow and the use of visual aids. (Please download the criteria from the course page).
1b Written Essay (20%)
1. Your essay must contain the followings:
• sufficient information for the chosen topic (3 pages).
• sufficient citations provided using APA style (paraphrases and quotes) (minimum 5 citations
from at least 2 books and 2 journal article)
• quotations - either one short or one long quotation.
• list of references at the end of the essay (accurate formatting based on APA Style)
• figure that tally with the essay in the Appendix. (Label as Figure 1. with caption)
2. Typing specification:
• 3 pages of essay excluding References and Appendix
• Font 12, Times New Roman
• 1.5 spacing within and between paragraphs
• 1-inch margin on the right, bottom and top of the pages and 1.5 inches margin on the left.
• Cover page with your names, matriculation numbers, registered group number, the title of
your essay, your instructor’s name, and the submission date. (refer to the sample provided
on the course e-learning page)
3. Submit a print copy of your essay to your instructor in class and upload the soft copy (in
Microsoft Word format) of your essay online via Morpheus Turnitin. Refer to your course
instructor for deadline and further details. Marks will be deducted for late submission. For work
handed in late, 3% will be deducted for each day.
4. Plagiarism is a serious offence and will be reported for disciplinary action.
IMPORTANT: Please refer to the e-learning page for Academic English 2 for the full marking scheme
as well as further details about this assignment.

UNIT 5 Explanation Report

Learning Objectives
✓ Identify the structure of an Explanation Report
✓ Practice the language features of an Explanation Report
✓ Produce an Explanation Report with proper citation and referencing
IMPORTANT: This unit is assessed in Assessment 2 (to be done in groups of 3 students).
Warming Up
In the previous unit, you are exposed to a type of academic writing known as “Information Report”.
Can you recall the purpose and key characteristics of an information report? Why do you produce
information report?
In this unit, you will be examining another type of report known as “Explanation Report”.
PART 1: Purpose of Explanation Report
An Explanation Report serves to give an account of how something works or the reasons for some
phenomenon. While an Information Report talks about the way things are and asks questions like
“what is it?”, an Explanation report, on the other hand, asks questions such as “how does it work? or
“why is it so?”. Explanations are therefore part of the characteristics of scientific texts.
An Explanation Report is usually written based on a diagram (flow chart) that illustrates a process in
sequence or order. Thus, the sequence of the process is marked with arrows in the diagram.
The skill of writing good explanations is very useful when you are writing the method chapter of the
final year project report. As the data collection and analysis procedures have been done, past tense
is used. However, for review of articles explaining the current state of knowledge in a particular field,
the present tense is used. In this unit, you will be taught to use the present tense to explain general
universal phenomenon.
In short, explanation report is useful when you are required to write about processes or a flow of
developments. However, it is not similar to procedural writing (as found in instructional manual or
recipes).

Types of Explanation Reports

Types Explaining how Explaining Why
Examples • Mechanical explanation (Explaining why by focusing on the
(How does a pump work?) processes and not merely listing the
reasons/causes)
• Technological explanation
(How does a computer work?) • Why do some things float and
others sink?
• Natural explanation
(How are mountains formed?) • Why do living things need food?
• Why does iron go rusty?
• System explanation • Why does it rain?
(How does the brain work?)
Task 1: Form groups of THREE. Brainstorm other suitable topics to be written as Explanation
report (Process based)? Draw a diagram to outline one of the topics to indicate its flow or
connections.

PART 2: Structure/Organisation of Explanation Report

An Explanation usually focuses on a “process” rather on a “thing”. Logical sequence is important in an
Explanation. Unlike information report, an Explanation report emphasise largely on explaining each
process that take places rather than merely providing facts about it.
Sample Text
Title Announces the The Development of an Advertisement
phenomenon (topic).
Introduction You may begin by stating Products and services need to be made
containing the the topic and capture the known to potential customers. One main
statement of interest of the reader. strategy is through the use of
phenomenon (topic) advertisements. Advertising involves any
paid form of non-personal communication
about an organisation, a product, a service,
or an idea by an identified sponsor. An
effective advertisement is aimed at achieving
the organisation’s communication goals
(Brown, 2011). As elaborated by Harvey
(1993), there are five important steps in
developing an advertisement namely
A statement that briefly identifying the target audience, establishing
indicates the the message, determining the budget,
steps/processes/stages designing the advertisement and lastly,
involved. evaluating the advertisement (refer to Figure
1 in Appendix 1).
Body consisting of A series of factual Firstly, to develop an advertisement, the

paragraphs on explanation for each marketers identify their target audience.
different step/process. Different target audience reacts differently
steps/processes to advertisement. Thus, during this stage the
marketers collect demographic information
such as age, race, gender and income. Then,
the information obtained is carefully
analysed to understand the target audience.
State the
step/process/stages The second step in developing an
clearly in your topic advertisement is to establish the message.
sentence. During this stage, the marketers determine
the message and make sure that the
message of the advertisement is informative,
persuasive, and reminding. A good
advertisement impresses the target

audience. Hence, it motivates prospective
customers to buy the product or use the
service.
Use separate paragraphs The third step in developing an

when explaining the major advertisement is to determine the budget.
steps/processes according After determining the message, the company
to sequence. allocates an affordable percentage of the
company’s communication budget that can
be spent on a particular advertisement. To
Use enough elaborations do this the management has to determine
to explain each the return of investment it can hope to make
step/process/stage in
from this project. So, a lot of factors have to
detail. be considered before coming up with the
budget.
The next step in developing an

advertisement is where the designing of the
advertisement takes place. In this stage, the
Note: Do not give your marketers turn the initially planned idea into
opinion on the an effective advertisement. Creativity plays
steps/processes an important role in designing an
advertisement that catches the attention
and convinces prospective customers.
Besides, the design has to compete with
many other advertisements already present
in the market.
(Continue until all steps/processes are
explained)
Conclusion An Explanation report Finally, the last step to develop an

does not require a advertisement is to evaluate the
(No conclusion)
conclusion. It ends with advertisement. During this stage, post-
the final step/process. testing research is conducted to evaluate the
exposure of the advertisement on the target
audience. This step is carried out to ensure
that the advertisement has effectively
achieved its goal in conveying the intended
message.

The diagram that illustrates the process.
Figure 1. The advertising process
Task 2: Read the following Explanation report.

1. Identify the general statement in the introduction paragraph.
2. Circle the statement that indicates the stages/steps/processes involved.
3. Underline the topic sentences (statements) that mention the main processes/steps.
How Gasoline is Made
The world today needs gasoline for power. The United States alone consumes approximately 21
million barrels of petroleum products each day. Half of this amount is in the form of gasoline
(Churchill, 2000). Gasoline is a volatile, flammable liquid obtained from the refinement of petroleum,
or crude oil. It was originally discarded as a by-product of kerosene production, but its ability to
vaporise at low temperatures made it a useful fuel for many machines. Gasoline is produced through
several processes. They are identifying oil rich area, test drilling, establishing contact with reservoir
rock, extracting of crude oil and separating gasoline from petroleum.
Firstly, the location of the oil rich areas is identified. Often, geologists are hired with the task of
finding the right conditions for the existence of reservoir rocks (Gibbs, 1994). There are many
methods and tools that are currently used to determine these locations. Some of them are gravity
meters, electronic noses, and seismology. Even with modern technology, the success rate of finding
new oil fields is only 10% (Freudenrich, 2001).
Having found the location, the area is then test drilled. Once the site is selected, aspects such as
environmental impact of drilling, legal jurisdictions, and area boundary are taken into consideration
(Langreth, 1995). Subsequently, the land is cleared and levelled. The workers prepare the reserve
pits (large holes in the ground) in which the rock cuttings and mud associated with the drilling are
disposed of. With the land prepared, multiple holes are dug in order to accommodate the main hole
and the oil rig. A rectangular pit, referred to as a “cellar”, is dug around the main hole (Gibbs, 1994;
Langreth, 1995). This excavated area provides work space around the main hole for the workers and
their equipment. Using a small drilling truck, the main hole is started at this point. With these steps
finished, the rig equipment is set up around the main hole.
The third step in producing gasoline is to establish contact with the reservoir rock. This is done
through drilling the main hole to a sufficient depth (Freudenrich, 2001). The main hole is drilled
using rotary drillers attached to the rig as water is added. The water and soil create a thick mud which
prevents the oil from gushing out of the Earth due to internal pressures. After a preset depth is
reached (which may range anywhere from hundreds to thousands of feet), cement casing-pipe
sections are placed into the hole to prevent the hole from collapsing on itself. This process is repeated
until the final depth is reached (Freudenrich, 2001).
The fourth step in producing gasoline is the extraction of the crude oil from the reservoir. Before
extraction begins, controlled oil flow into the well is insured. This is done by first perforating the
bottom of the cement casing with a perforating gun, a device that is equipped with small explosive
charges (Gibbs, 1994). Next, a small diameter pipe is lowered into the oil well, followed by a device
called a packer, which encases the pipe. Under operating conditions, the packer expands and
provides a seal around the outside of the tubing. This forces the oil (once the flow has been started)
to exit the well through the provided conduit only. These preparations are completed by a connection
known as the Christmas tree (a device that allows control over the output flow rate of the oil) to the
top of the tubing. Finally, the flow of oil into the well from the reservoir rock is started (Gibbs, 1994).
For limestone reservoir rock, acid is pumped through the well out of the perforations, while for
sandstone reservoir rock, a special fluid that contains sand, walnut shells, and aluminium pellets, is
used. In both cases, the material pumped in liberates the oil from its resting place and initiates the
flow of oil into the well. A pump at the opening of the well which creates suction, forces the oil to
rise through the pipe. The extracted petroleum is transported to oil refineries.
In the final step, oil refineries then separate gasoline out of the petroleum. Petroleum, the source of
gasoline, is comprised of hydrocarbons of hundreds of different lengths (Smith, 1954). Refineries
take advantage of the fact that the different hydrocarbon chains have different boiling points, and
thus can be separated based on their respective lengths. Through fractional distillation, gasoline is
taken out of petroleum. As stated by Speight (2002), though newer techniques are available,
fractional distillation is the oldest and most widely used method of hydrocarbon separation. The
gasoline is then delivered to gas stations where the consumer may buy at the set price.
References
Churchill, J. J. (2000). Total oil consumption in North America. Retrieved from http://maps.
unomaha.edu/oilconsumption.html
Freudenrich, C. (2001). How oil refining works. Retrieved from http://science.howstuffworks.
com/environmental/energy/oil-refining.htm
Gibbs, L. M. (1994).The changing nature of gasoline. Automotive Engineering, 3(1), 99-102.
Langreth, R. (1995). Less smog, more build up? Popular Science, 246(4), 36.
Smith, P. V., Jr. (1954). Studies on origin of petroleum: Occurrence of hydrocarbons in
recent sediments. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, 38(3), 377-404.
Speight, J. G. (2002). Handbook of petroleum product analysis. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley &
Sons, Inc.

Task 2: Now that you have seen some samples of Explanation Report, in your group, decide
the topic that you will be using for your Assessment 2. Please confirm with your instructor
before proceeding. You need to make sure you have enough information to produce a 3-
page essay for the topic. Prepare a draft to be discussed in class.
PART 3: Language Features of Explanation Report
The following language features are important in producing an effective Explanation.
Generalised participants
Generalised participants refer to the general class of things (e.g. wind, cars, computers) or subject
rather than the specific ones (e.g. typhoons, Toyota Camry, Apple MacPro).
Task 3: Identify the generalized participants in the sample text.
Timeless present tense

Explanation contains facts which should remain true all the time. It does not focus on recounting
historical facts but indicate an action that occurs regularly or repeatedly or a state that has no end.
Verbs used are usually their basic form (e.g. for singular - “it happens, grows, is, has; for plural – they
happen, grow, are, have)
Task 4: Identify the timeless present tense used in the sample text.

Passives
Passives are used in Explanation when the emphasis is on the process/step rather than the subject or
the person who is doing the action. It takes the form of “to be + verb + ed or en (+ by)”
e.g. The phone is used as a communication tool. (Active: People use the phone)
The rat was eaten (by the cat). (Active: The cat ate the rat)
Task 5: Identify the passives used in the sample text.
Action verbs
These are verbs which describe behaviour, actions and happenings.
e.g. Singular - The rain washes away the dirt on the roads. Plural – The cars travel at high speeds.
Task 6: Identify the action verbs used in the sample text.
Conjunctions and Sequential terms

These are markers/signals used to show different types of relationships within sentences or between
different sentences.
e.g. firstly, then, following, because, finally.
Task 7a: Identify the conjunctions and sequential terms used in the sample text.

Task 7b: Conjunctions/Sequential Terms

To show time:
• first, second, • third(ly), • next • then • finally
• after • as • before • during • meanwhile
• while • at this • in the end • previously • soon
point
• subsequently • after that • prior to • earlier • later
To show cause-and-effect:
• consequently • for that reason • as a result • results in • so
• thus • therefore • hence • due to • because
Fill in the blanks with a suitable conjunction.

1. ……………… the course was voluntary, only seven students attended.
2. ……………… the instrument was piloted, it was administered to the participants.
3. The government claimed that inﬂation was falling. ………………, the opposition said it was rising.
4. ………………. the equipment was checked, the experiment was repeated.
5. …………..…… most people use the train, a minority walks or cycles.
6. Brick is a thermally efficient building material. It is, …………………, cheap.
7. Demand has increased for summer courses, ……………… extra ones are offered this year.
8. ………………. the peer assessment, the students were given a short peer introduction.
Circumstances/adverbs
Adverbs are used in Explanation when the circumstance of the action is necessary to be explained.
They are used to describe verbs.
e.g. The water flows slowly into the tank. (slowly is used to describe the speed of the water “flow”)
Task 8: Identify the adverbs used in the sample text.

Factual and precise language

• May involve technical vocabulary or jargons for precision in explaining. Jargons are specialized
words used in specific professions or expertise (e.g. intramuscular, water hammer)
• Language must be formal and objective - no expression of personal feelings and attitudes (e.g. I
feel, I think). Hence, avoid use of personal pronouns (e.g., I, you, we).
Task 9: Identify the factual and precise language used in the sample text.
Task 10: Writing Practice

Based on the information provided in Figure 1 and the table, write an explanation essay with
appropriate introduction paragraph and 2 body paragraphs. Remember to use the correct
structure and language features for explanation text.
Figure 1. Life cycle of frog
Stage 1 : Egg mass

• male frog fertilizes the eggs as they are laid
• laid as single eggs in masses
• life starts with central yolk splitting into tow, then into four, eight, and so on
• embryo starts to look like tadpole – moving about in egg
• After about 6 days – eggs starts to hatch

Stage 2 : Tadpole
• After hatching – tadpole feeds on remaining yolk
• Tadpole has poorly developed gills, a mouth and tail
• Sticks to floating weeds
• 7-10 after– tadpole begin to swim around and feed on algae
• After about 4 weeks – skin grows over gill
Stage 3 : Tadpole with legs
• After 6-9 weeks – legs starts to appear
• hind limbs appear first, then forelimbs emerge,
• head becomes more distinct and body elongates
• internal gills replaced by lungs
Stage 4 : Froglet
• By 12 weeks – tail disappears, mouth widens
• Looks more like a frog but smaller in size
• Leaves water
Stage 5 : Mature frog
• By 16 weeks – fully developed frog
• Eats insects and worms
• Mostly live on land, occasionally swims
• Eventually finds mate
• Cycle begins again
(Source: Adapted from http://sciencewithme.com)

Assessment 2: Explanation Report

In a group of three (3), decide on a topic, which is related to your field of study that is suitable to be
written as an explanation report. Take note that explanation report focuses on processes.
Bring the related reading articles, draft of diagram, introduction paragraph, and at least two body
paragraphs to class for feedback from your instructor (in the second week for this unit).
This assignment is divided into two parts. Read the requirements carefully.
1a Oral Presentation (10%)

1. Prior to submitting your written essay, your group is required to present an overview of your
topic.
2. Each member of your group must present in a continuous flow and you will be given only 2
minutes each (total of 6 minutes for the whole group).
3. Your presentation must cover the essential parts of your oral presentation (not the whole essay).
4. Make sure your presentation is clear and effective (not reading out loud your essay). Present
with confidence without referring to the text or keep reading from the slides.
5. You will be assessed individually for your presentation and also as a group for the overall
cohesion/flow and the use of visual aids. (Please download the criteria from the course page).
1b Written Essay (20%)

1. Your essay must contain the followings:
• sufficient information for the chosen topic (3 pages).
• sufficient citations provided using APA style (paraphrases and quotes) (minimum 5 citations
from at least 2 books and 2 journal article)
• quotations - either one short or one long quotation.
• list of references at the end of the essay (accurate formatting based on APA Style)
• figure that tally with the essay in the Appendix. (Label as Figure 1. with caption)
2. Typing specification:
• 3 pages of essay excluding References and Appendix
• Font 12, Times New Roman
• 1.5 spacing within and between paragraphs
• 1-inch margin on the right, bottom and top of the pages and 1.5 inches margin on the left.
• Cover page with your names, matriculation numbers, registered group number, the title of
your essay, your instructor’s name, and the submission date. (refer to the sample provided
on the course e-learning page)
3. Submit a print copy of your essay to your instructor in class and upload the soft copy (in
Microsoft Word format) of your essay online via Morpheus Turnitin. Refer to your course
instructor for deadline and further details. Marks will be deducted for late submission. For work
handed in late, 3% will be deducted for each day.
4. Plagiarism is a serious offence and will be reported for disciplinary action.
IMPORTANT: Please refer to the e-learning page for Academic English 2 for the full marking scheme
as well as further details about this assignment.

UNIT 6 Discussion Essay

Learning Objectives
✓ Identify the structure of a discussion essay
✓ Practice the language features of an discussion essay
✓ Produce a discussion essay based on a given topic
IMPORTANT: This unit is assessed in the final examination (individual writing).
Warming Up
Argumentative vs Discussion: Let’s take a quick moment to compare the

difference between argumentative essays and discussion essays? Are they the
same? Can you note the differences?
PART 1: Purpose of Discussion Essay

Discussion essays are written to present information about and arguments for two sides of an issue.
It ends with a recommendation based on the evidence presented or a stand taken with reasons for
the choice of stand.
Some assignments require a discussion of issues. For example, the ethics in the construction industry,
whether adherence to ethical principles or compliance with construction industry legislation, are
weighed against financial considerations. The writing skills taught in/acquired from this learning unit
can be applied to the final year project report. After the results are reported, a discussion follows. This
is where different viewpoints or different patterns of results are discussed.
Some sample topics:
1. Group assignment should be abolished in universities.
2. The advantages and disadvantages of staying on-campus.
3. The pros and cons of mobile learning.
4. Human inventions have brought more harm than good.
5. Should universities provide free meals to students?
6. Plastic bags should be banned. Discuss.
7. Unemployed graduates should be given living allowances until they find a job.
*Do note that although the topic can seem one-sided, you still have to present two sides of the issue.

PART 2: Structure/Organisation of Discussion Essay

The Pros and Cons of Human Cloning
Introduction When Dolly, the first cloned sheep became news, cloning interested the masses. Not
only did researchers investigate deeper into the subject but even the common people
sought great interest in knowing all about how cloning had been done. Most of us want
(Statement of Issue) to know the pros and cons of cloning, its advantages to society and its potential risks to
(Preview) mankind. While cloning can solve infertility problems and enhance genetic studies, it
also causes controversies related to human rights and religion.
Body
Argument For 1 The first advantage of human cloning is that it provides a solution to infertility. Cloning
has a great potential of serving as an option for producing children. It could enable
Topic sentence childless couples to have their own children. Thus, cloning provides hope for couples
who long to have children. This may also avoid the unnecessary hassle of trying to adopt
children which can be a long and a tedious process.
In addition, human cloning contributes greatly to genetic studies. Researchers would
Argument For 2 have the chance to understand the composition of genes and the effects of genetic
Topic sentence constituents on human traits in a better manner. This may enable medical practitioners
to combat a wide range of genetically related diseases and save many lives. Therefore,
it cannot be denied that cloning might be a good thing to protect humans from harm.
However, one disadvantage of human cloning is that it puts human rights at stake. It
Argument Against 1 remains unclear as to whether cloning is able to fit into our ethical and moral principles.
The cloning of human may leave the world with just another man-made ‘product’.
Topic sentence
Besides, it could devalue human kind and human beings might end up being a product
as people with better traits would be sought after as materials for cloning whereas those
with poor traits would be put aside and forgotten. It is undeniable that cloning is
discriminatory in practice.
Furthermore, human cloning is debatable as it challenges religious beliefs. It has been
Argument Against 2 argued that cloning is equal to emulating God. Many religious groups have stated that
Topic sentence religions prohibit human from trying to imitate the act of God by recreating themselves.
The act of creating life from cloning may be seen as a challenge to God’s authority.
Hence, it would be a very controversial issue should human cloning be allowed and
people are permitted to make multiple copies of human beings.
To conclude, it is clear that human cloning can solve problems related to genetics but it
is also ethically and religiously wrong. Thus, researchers should weigh the pros and cons
of such act before promoting its use to the world. Further research should be done and
Conclusion the outcomes should be made public so that they can be better informed about the
(Summary) consequences of cloning.
(Recommendation
should be more
specific – not too
general)

As can be seen in the sample given, a discussion generally begins with some background information
about the issue. This is followed by the statement of issue. There may also be a preview of what is to
follow.
It then presents the arguments FOR the statement and the arguments AGAINST the statement. This
distinguishes the Discussion from the Argument which is one sided.
The discussion usually ends with a considered opinion and/or a recommendation.
PART 3: Language Features of Discussion Essays

[No differences in language used in Discussion and Argumentative essays – the difference between the
two genres are in the generic structure. Where discussion has to present both sides]
1. Generalised participants – sometimes human (e.g. children, Europeans) but often abstract (e.g.,
issues, ideas, or opinions) (e.g. advertisements, education)
2. Variety of verb types – action (e.g. eats, provides, imitates), linking (e.g. is, are, has, have), saying
(e.g. reports, argues) and mental (e.g. thinks, believes). Mainly timeless present tense when
presenting position and arguments for and against, but might change according to the stage of the
text. For example, if historical background to the issue is being given, the tense will obviously change
to the past (eats > ate); if predictions are being made, the tense might change to the future (eats, will
eat).
3. Some use of passive voice to help structure the text, but mostly active voice is used. Passive voice
is used to remove the actors where necessary (The cat ate the rat > The rat was eaten).
4. Abstraction (verbs expressed as nouns - nominalisation) Actions are often changed into “things”
(nominalised) to make the argument sound more objective and to help structure the text. Once the
actions disappear from the text, then so do those who perform them. No longer is there an identifiable
real person. For example,
Action Thing
• I am worried  a concern
• The bomb might explode  a possible detonation
• Everyone will die  people dying
5. Possibility of technical terms relating to the issue. For example, “worried” has become “concern”,
“explode” has become “detonation” and “die” has become “dying”. These technical terms neutralise
(less personal) the text.
6. Connectives associated with reasoning - comparative, contrastive and consequential conjunctions.

For example, on the one hand, because, because of, therefore, so, due to, however, & while.

7. Can employ emotive and persuasive language to convince readers. Usually adjectives (giving more
vivid details about things) are used. For example,
It is an undeniable fact that Malaysia is a vibrant country.

It cannot be denied that Sarawak is a very peaceful place to live.
The severe impacts of crime on Malaysians should not be underestimated.
If Malaysians can accept its diversity in race, religion and culture, then real peace is possible.
It is clear that our education system needs an overhaul to help achieve Vision 2020.
8. Modals (e.g. might, would not, may, could) – modals are commonly used when “cautious language”
is necessary. When a claim is made without being supported by a solid evidence or fact, modals should
be used. For example,
Global warming might be the reason behind the death of the whales.
Lack of reading may contribute poorer cognitive ability.
(Source: Derewianka, 1991; Feez, 1998 - Modals)
Task 1: Look through the sample text on human cloning. Identify the language features as
shown above. You circle or underline the related parts.
Task 2: Read the text on “The Advantages and Disadvantages of Television” and complete
the given tasks.
• (Identify the general background information) in the introduction paragraph.
• Circle the statement of issue.
• Underline the statement of preview.
• Write the topic sentence with appropriate connectors for the body paragraphs.
• Write an appropriate recommendation at the end.
Our generation has been raised in a technological advanced world where various gadgets have
been invented. Television, one of the inventions which has brought about paradigm shift in today’s
world, has a profound impact on everybody's life. It has revolutionised entertainment, education,
advertising and a host of other industries. Nowadays, television has occupied every house,
sometimes in multiple numbers. However, the issue that is often debated is whether television is
beneficial or harmful. On one end, television is favoured because it supplies information and
provides entertainment but some television contents are inappropriate and watching too much
television may lead to health problems.

[Topic sentence 1]:

______________________________________________________________________.
Television brings to our living room various kinds of information. Latest happenings around the
world are often broadcasted on television within a few minutes with enormous clarity. Besides
that, channels such as Discovery, Animal Planet, and History may provide not only current but old
information with equal ease. This opens up the analytical mind of the children and stimulates the
same in older ones.
[Topic sentence 2]:

______________________________________________________________________.
Entertainment programmes from movies and sitcoms allow viewers to relax and be entertained at
the same time. Furthermore, there are many channels which may provide great opportunities
towards fulfilling one’s hobbies as a source of entertainment. Television also serves as a medium to
learn new hobbies. This becomes more interesting when friends and family could gather and enjoy
the television shows together.
[Topic sentence 3]:

______________________________________________________________________. Some
of the television contents containing violence, sex and other inappropriate materials, which should
not be shown, get almost equal exposure. This can become at times harmful for the society. If
adequate parental monitoring is not provided, it may become extremely easy for children and
youths to get swayed with ill ideas shown in various television channels. Eventually, this could lead
to various social problems in our society.
[Topic sentence 4]:

______________________________________________________________________. Some
people tend to watch television for long hours. They would eat and drink while watching television.
Many would do this without realising they are overeating while enjoying the shows or programmes
on television. This may eventually lead to obesity and cause various diseases. It does not contribute
to a healthy lifestyle.
While television is a good resource of information and entertainment, watching television

excessively is bad for health and exposes viewers to undesirable materials.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
(Adapted from Kulkarni, 2009)

Task 3: Exercise on Body paragraph

When present tense is used in presenting ideas, it indicates that the ideas or events are true all the
time and this is often not the case. Also, the use of “will” expresses a level of certainty that is usually
too strong for academic writing. Modals such as “may”, “can” and “could” are often used as a form
of hedging, which is a way for the writer to establish academic integrity in formal academic writing. It
helps the writer to show that he or she is careful not to exaggerate the ideas or claims that he or she
presents.
Example:
There is growing evidence that the long term consumption of the typical high-sugar, high-
calorie Malaysian diet may lead to a variety of health problems.
Read the body paragraphs on the topic “Online Banking: Boon or bane?”
1. Rewrite parts of sentences to include modal verbs to present differing degrees of certainty.
2. Add connectors to show similarities and differences in ideas as well as causal relationships.
Online Banking: Boon or Bane?

The primary advantage of online banking is convenience. Banks with online banking services
are open for business anywhere there is an internet connection. Other than times when website
maintenance is being done, they are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If internet service is not
available, customer service is normally provided around the clock via telephone. Real-time account
balances and information are available at the touch of a few buttons. This makes banking faster,
easier, more efficient and even more effective because consumers are able to always stay on top
of their account balances. Updating and maintaining a direct account is also easier. It takes only few
minutes to change your mailing address, order additional checks and check for current interest
rates. Online banking removes the hassle of queuing at the bank counter.
Online banking is a boon – it offers lower service charge for various banking services and
products. Services such as money transfer, bill payments or even loan application are charged at a
lower rate as compared to over-the-counter banking services or even via automated teller machines
(ATM). A case in point is the use of ATM to transfer money from one bank to the other, which cost
up to two dollars per transaction though it is free using online banking. Some banks also offer
customers reward points for each transaction done online and those points are redeemed for
various attractive prizes. Customers can save money when they do online banking transactions.
The drawback/disadvantage of online banking lies in its inexorable slides towards higher
security risks. Attacks or intrusion attempts on banks’ computer and network systems cause severe
problems to customers’ account and privacy. Ssophisticated encryption software is designed to
protect the account information. Customer’s accounts are subject to phishing, hacker attacks,
malware and other unauthorised activities. No system is perfect. Customers risk losing money from
their accounts when they use online banking.
Another disadvantage of online banking is the lack of relationship between the customers and
the bank. A traditional bank provides the opportunity to develop a personal relationship with that
bank. Getting to know the people at the local branch is an advantage when a customer needs a loan
or a special service that is not normally offered to the public. Unlike online banking, customers

directly talk to the banker and obtain first-hand input on the services and products offered by the
specific bank. Studies in Asian countries showed that customers still prefer face-to-face interaction
due to their perception of greater reliability when talking to a banker in person. The lack of
interpersonal contact in online banking transactions makes it an unattractive option to some
customers.
(Adapted from Sanibel, 2011)
Task 4: Writing Discussion Essay

Write a discussion essay of not less than 300 words on the topic “The advantages and disadvantages
of employing foreign lectures to teach in Malaysian universities”. Discuss with your classmates and
instructor on the possible arguments before you start writing.
The advantages and disadvantages of employing foreign lectures
to teach in Malaysian universities
Introduction Background info Over the past few years there has been a significant increase
in the number of student intake in Malaysian universities. In
order to cater for the increasing number of students, foreign
lecturers from various parts of the world are employed.
Statement of issue
Preview
2 Arguments For 2 Arguments Against
Conclusion/
Assessment of issue
Recommendation
Task 5: Select another issue and write a discussion essay following the correct format. The
list of issues is available at the beginning of this unit.

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UPDATED VERSION (2017)

FACULTY OF LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION

Course E-Learning Website:

© 2016-2017 Faculty of Language Studies and Communication Studies

Unit 1: Essential Academic Skills

Unit 2: Reading Skills 48

Unit 3: Oral Presentation Skills 59

Unit 4: Information Report (Classification) 63

Unit 5: Explanation Report (Process) 79

Unit 6: Discussion Essay 90

Essential Academic Skills:

• What are the characteristics of academic English?

PART 1: Citing Authority

Faculty of Language & Communication Studies, UNIMAS 1

Citing Authority in Your Writing

Take a look at the following example:

Faculty of Language & Communication Studies, UNIMAS 2

PART 2: Searching Relevant References

Titles Likely Audience

1. What is usually included in the foreword

2. Which chapter focuses on the traditional

3. Which page should you turn to if you are

Source: Scott, D. M. (2007). The new rules of marketing and

Faculty of Language & Communication Studies, UNIMAS 3

Google Scholar Microsoft Academic Search

Useful databases: HighWire by Stanford - http://highwire.stanford.edu/lists/freeart.dtl

PART 3: Comparing Different Types of Sources

Always pay attention to the word

_________________, _____________. ( ). ________________________________________.

Faculty of Language & Communication Studies, UNIMAS 5

Faculty of Language & Communication Studies, UNIMAS 6

Parts of a Book and Their Information

Parts of a book Information

1. Publisher (e.g. Cambridge) vs printer (Biddles Sdn Bhd)

2. Place of publication (e.g. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey)

3. Year of publication – reprints vs edition

4. ISBN (International Standard Book Number)

Faculty of Language & Communication Studies, UNIMAS 7

Faculty of Language & Communication Studies, UNIMAS 8

______________, ___________. ( ). _______________________________________________.

Faculty of Language & Communication Studies, UNIMAS 9

Faculty of Language & Communication Studies, UNIMAS 10

D. Web Documents and Other Materials

Faculty of Language & Communication Studies, UNIMAS 11

Faculty of Language & Communication Studies, UNIMAS 12

Essential Academic Skills:

Eradicating the Habit of “Copy and Paste”

“Fine words! I wonder where you stole them”

Faculty of Language & Communication Studies, UNIMAS 13

PART 1: Naming Convention & Citation Focus

Full Name Citation Reference

(Remove bin/binti or any titles

Chinese Dato’ Lee Chong Wei Lee Lee, C. W.

(Omit titles/positions too; Chinese

Wai-Kai Chen Chen Chen, W. K.

Faculty of Language & Communication Studies, UNIMAS 14

Ethnicity Full Name Citation (In-text) Referencing

*Korean surname is placed first before

Ji-Sung Park Park Park, J. S.

Japanese Akimoto Sayaka Akimoto Akimoto, S.

*Japanese surname is placed first before

Haruki Murakami Murakami Murakami, H.

Ayumi Hamasaki Hamasaki Hamasaki, A.

Indian Chandran a/l Sivalingam Chandra Sivalingam Chandra Sivalingam

___________, _. ( ). __________________________________.

________, _. ( ). ___________________________________________.