Precise American Writing: A Guide for International Students & Professionals
Audrey Zenner
Author Bio
Audrey Zenner has taught English as a second language for over thirty years to many students from a multitude of lands. As a second language learner herself, (Spanish & German) she easily relates to the language learning progression of her students. Since 2008, she has instructed international graduate students at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). Through her students’ suggestions, she wrote and compiled materials for publication. Audrey presents this text in hopes that it will assist in your own academic writing.
She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Education/Language Arts/Spanish and a Master’s Degree in Linguistics/TESOL. With scholarship awards for consecutive years from the State of Illinois, Audrey graduated from the Illinois system of state universities and feels privileged to give back through teaching for the largest state-funded public research university in Chicago with approximately 28,000 students.
Description
This text offers basic suggestions and examples to guide one towards successful academic writing. The impetus for creating this book began as various writing handouts for international students and visiting scholars. They urged me to publish this book since it was so useful to them. As a matter of fact, these students also critiqued the material as they worked through the pages during our classes. Initially, each section presents an explanation for the topic introduced; followed by examples; practical exercises using the target writing lesson; and concluding with a final written practice. Therefore, this text may also be utilized as a workbook. The section topics were selected by consensus of importance by my students. Additionally, an Answer Key is supplied in the back of the book for easy reference. Although the multiple choice and matching items are answered in short responses, the exercises requesting a sentence or paragraph writing are labeled as, “Answers will vary.” Notably, students from every corner of the world have contributed to this book. Plus, diverse fields of study have been taken into consideration; such as nursing, additional health fields, engineering, computer science, accounting, business, communications, economics, and political science, just to name more than a few.
Learning to write is no easy task, as it can take several years of adjusting to the American English style of writing. Quite often, students must learn a completely different method of writing as compared to their previous writing education. In this country, we write to the point as soon as possible, without evading the issues or inferring. Just like our speaking, honest, truthful, and sincere writing takes center stage. Therefore, this book’s approach is one of practicality that can easily instruct you on gaining a comprehensive understanding of this writing style and putting it to good use. In fact, my students continue using this book as a reference source when writing their papers.
I invite you to join me in the quest for writing better academic papers by simply following the progressive steps in this book. Good luck!
Audrey Zenner
Book excerpt
American writing styles in academia differ significantly from other countries. As international students, you bring unique sociolinguistic backgrounds to the United States which may pose setbacks in English accuracy; yet, conscientious effort can resolve this. While many American university instructors may not be familiar with individual cultural mindsets, as our international students increase in number, we are ever striving to be sensitive and responsive to diverse needs.
Our writing stresses clear communication in a succinct manner. We do not infer meaning, as other cultures may do so out of respect. Additionally, vague terminology has no place in American academic writing. We strive for explicit words; whereby, allowing your reader to interpret factual meaning through your writing. Complex sentence structures and overt formal language are not necessary in attempting to impress your professors. Remember, less is more! Furthermore, our rich English vocabulary allows for linguistic manipulation to achieve your goals. In order to guide the reader, we aim for good flow throughout the paper. After introducing the main idea at the beginning of the paper, we follow an outline that maintains our focus while demonstrating the important points. Within the paragraphs, transitional words are utilized to guide the reader toward new ideas, comparisons, contrasts, time sequences, restatements, and conclusions. As a result, smooth flow of your ideas will contribute to good coherence throughout your text, allowing for logical presentation.
Typically, the main topic (main idea) is introduced in the first paragraph of your text. The following paragraphs lend support to this topic, concluding with a short summary at your closing. The subsequent outline is a very simplistic view, outlining this format; of course, this design can be expanded upon to include other sections and sub-sections.
SAMPLE OUTLINE
paragraph #1 introduction, stating main idea within thesis statement
paragraph #2 point 1, lending support
paragraph #3 point 2, lending support
paragraph #4 point 3, lending support
paragraph #5 conclusion
Assuredly, language learning is a lifetime session. Attaining skills in American academic writing will certainly sustain you throughout a successful career. I hope this text will ease your pursuit in writing.
Author Website
https://www.marstenpublishing.com