CALL and Academic Writing

CALL ( computer assisted language learning) has been reported to be an effective approach to teach language. Recently, many browser based call tools have been offered as apps in smart phones(Android operating systems).

MALL ( Mobile Assisted Language Learning) is gaining currency. Instead of using a browser to access different online call tools , language learners prefer to download the same tool as an app and run it in the smart phone.

As far as writing fluency is concerned, it really gets improved through the use of ICT. While we type, words rush to our mind and keep stringing them into syntactical units ( phrases,clauses, sentences).

Accuracy takes time. The more we practice the more accurate our writing becomes.

Academic Writing is a kind of communicative writing. Communicative writing has these considerations: purpose, audience , style, coherence, cohesion, logic. We always have a purpose to write such as to entertain, to pursuade, to argue, to convince etc. We always have someone in our mind when we write. We know who our readers are going to be such as friends, teachers, supervisors , general public etc. Keeping in view our audience, we adopt a style such as formal, informal ,colloqial etc. We also try to write something that is structurally strong and cemented together. Our sentences are well connected with cohesive devices. Another consideration of communicative writing is that it has coherence. This is unity of meaning. We try to stay one one topic. A deviant writing does not offer a good piece of composition.Last but not the least is the feature of logic. We need to present our information in a logical way: first things first. An introduction of an idea, considerable development and a suitable conclusion. All these are features of communicative writing.

Academic Writing, being communicative, does have all these featured but it has other features as well. Academic writing is not sentimental and flowery. It is clear and the information offered  is presented in simple terms and in sophisticated vocabulary. Syntax is usually complex. In order to squeeze more ideas in less space ,complex and compound sentences are used. Academic writing is factual. It does not tell stories. It offers facts. These facts and figures are supported by strong evidence. We never write anything which we can not defend with a clear reference to an authority. So academic writing is always evidence based. A formal tone is maintained throughout the composition. Passive voice is another feature of academic writing. Subject of a sentence usually comprises many nouns. Classic vocabulary is found in abundance. Words of Greek and Latin origins can be found everywhere.

We use academic writing in scientific exposition or in research report writing. Argumentative and expository writings are usually termed as academic writing.
Our thesis, dissertation, a research plan( proposal), a research journal article and a conference paper are few examples of academic writing.

Different universities have published their own style manuals in order to maintain consistency in academic writing products.
These style manuals guide writers on fonts, margins, line spacing, indentation, paragraph structure, use of vocabulary, punctuation, spelling, intext citation, bibliographic references etc. Most popular style manuals are APA and MLA. Click on  APA Style Manual 6th Edition to download it.

( to be concluded)