1、English Academic WritingChapter 3:Research Topic Chapter Three Research TopicLead in:(1)Do you think the research topic is important?Why or why not?(2)When we choose a topic,what should we consider?(3)In groups of three or four,discuss the common methods to choose research topics.How do you usually
2、choose your research topics?(4)Do you use tables and figures in academic papers?Why or why not?(5)What are the common patterns for writing essays?Chapter Three:Research Topic Part One:Choosing a Topic Part Two:Tables and Figures Part Three:Cause and Effect Chapter ThreePart One:Choosing a Title 1.In
3、troduction The importance of choosing a title is self-evident,it is the starting point of scientific research.Indicating the perspective,the direction and scale of the paper Determining the academic value of scientific Bearing on the success or failure of thesis writing Chapter ThreePart One:Choosin
4、g a Title 2.Principles of Title Selection Value Principle Scientific Principle Innovative Principle Feasibility PrincipleChapter ThreePart One:Choosing a Title v3.Methods for Choosing a Title In general,there are six main methods for choosing a research title.(1)Consult your professor or an expert(2
5、)Participate in academic conferences and academic lectures(3)Select from puzzling problems(4)Read books and newspapers(5)Choose from your own interests(6)Literature reviewChapter ThreePart One:Choosing a Title v4.Ways to Narrow Down Titles Step1:choosing a general topic Step2:narrowing it down to a
6、smaller and more feasible topic E.g.Literature Literary Criticism Literary Criticism at Cambridge Development of Literary Criticism at Cambridge The Tradition and Development of Literary Criticism at Cambridge Translation:Factors in Translation Cultural Factors in Translation Cultural Factors in Tra
7、nslation and Their TransferChapter ThreePart One:Choosing a Title vActivity 1:v In pairs or groups,please narrow down the following topics to more practical research topics:Learning strategies v Literaturev Language teachingv Translationv SyllabusChapter ThreePart One:Choosing a Title key:Learning s
8、trategies English learning strategies Affective strategy in English learning Literature Literary Criticism Literary Criticism at Cambridge Development of Literary Criticism at Cambridge Language teaching:Competency-based approach in language teaching Competency-based approach in college-English teac
9、hing Translation Factors in Translation Cultural Factors in Translation Cultural Factors in Translation and Their Transfer Syllabus:Syllabus comparison Syllabus comparison in college Syllabus comparison in college of China Chapter ThreePart One:Choosing a Title 5.Purposes of Titles Attracting the re
10、aders attention Aiding in information retrieval Facilitating review and layoutChapter ThreePart One:Choosing a Title v6.Standards for Good Titlesv Generally speaking,the title should be short,accurate,complete,self-contained,and convenient for retrieval;include key words;avoid inaccurate,vague and t
11、oo-long expressions.v(1)Accuracy E.g.:Original title:Development and Exploration on Utilization of New Resources for the Countrysidev Revised title:Utilization of Marsh Gas for the CountrysideChapter ThreePart One:Choosing a Title v(2)Brevityv E.g.:v Original title:v On the Addition to the Method of
12、 Microscopic Research by a New Way of Producing Color-Contrast Between an Object and Its Background or Between Definite Parts of the Object Itselfv Revised title:A New Way of Producing Color-Contrast in Microscopic ExaminationChapter ThreePart One:Choosing a Title v(3)ClarityThe title should clearly
13、 reflect the subject of the paper.v Title:Incorporation of a Non-Human Glycan Mediates Human Susceptibility to a Bacterial Toxinv Conclude:v This title from Nature magazine clearly reflects the objective,content and method of the paper.Chapter ThreePart One:Choosing a Title Activity 2:Evaluate the f
14、ollowing titles and decide whether they are feasible research topics according to the principles for a good title.(1)The Acquisition of English (2)The Mastery of Modal Verbs by Chinese Learners (3)Structural Analyses Based on a Point Charge ModelChapter ThreePart One:Choosing a Title Key:v (1)too br
15、oad v (2)too broad v (3)plausibleChapter ThreePart One:Choosing a Title v7.Writing Formats for Titlesv Titles are usually written in the following three formats:v All the letters of the title are capitalized.v The first letter of each content words of the title is capitalized.v The first letter of t
16、he title is capitalized.v （The title assigned after the paper is written should truly reflect the basic content and focus of the paper.The number of words in the title is also an important issue.Publishers usually limit the title to no more than fifteen words.Sometimes,when long titles cannot adequa
17、tely express the content of the paper,then,a subtitle approach can be adopted to supplement and clarify.）v v go to mainChapter ThreePart Two:Tables and Figuresv1.Introduction In liberal arts or scientific papers,tables and illustrations are frequently used to help readers understand the content.Tabl
18、es and figures are used as a more efficient way to convey information than verbal description.Chapter ThreePart Two：Tables and Figuresv2.TablesSome widely observed guidelines for the use of tables are:The table should be self-contained.A table is usually placed in a position near its relevant descri
19、ption.Provide each table with a number(Table 1,Table 2,etc.)and a title.The title should be clear,concise,complete and accurate.Try to use descriptive words,not abbreviated forms.There should be no punctuation at the end of the title.The title of a table or diagram most commonly follows the same thr
20、ee methods as given above for the paper title.Chapter ThreePart Two：Tables and Figures The format of the column title.The first letter of the first word and proper nouns are capitalized,other words are in lowercase.There is no punctuation in column titles.If you use abbreviations,use common acronyms
21、.Notes of table.To explain the column title,abbreviations,symbols and data,add notes or footnotes at the bottom of the table.Do not repeat information in a table that you are depicting in a graph or histogram;include a table only if it presents new information.It is easier to compare numbers by read
22、ing down a column rather than across a row.Chapter ThreePart Two:Tables and Figuresv3.Figures Figures refer to explanatory materials:maps,photos,images,graphs,histograms and illustrations.v (1)Graphs and Histogramsv (2)Drawings and Photographsv (3)Guidelines for Figures (4)Types of FiguresChapter Th
23、reePart Two:Tables and Figuresv(3)Guidelines for Figuresv Self-contained.v Number each figure(Fig.1,Fig.2,etc.)and give a caption that explains what the figure shows.v Illustrations or note.v Use different names in a series to distinguish different types of figures.v Figures submitted for publicatio
24、n must be“photo ready”.v Proportions must be the same as those on the page of the paper.Chapter ThreePart Two:Tables and Figuresv(4)Types of figuresv Line charts v Bar chartsv Pie charts v Scatter chartsChapter ThreePart Two:Tables and FiguresChapter ThreePart Two:Tables and FiguresChapter ThreePart
25、 Two:Tables and FiguresChapter ThreePart Two:Tables and Figuresv v v v v v go to mainv TransverseaE(V/cmOe)28242016128400100200300400500Frequency(kHz)Chapter ThreePart Three:Cause and Effect v1.Introduction v In everyday conversation,when expressing opinions on a topic,reasons to support it are give
26、n.If beginning with a cause,its effects will be explained.If beginning with some effects,the responsible causes will be explained.The same is true in writing where cause and effect usually go together.Chapter TwoPart Three:Cause and Effect v2.Patterns of Paragraphv(1)Cause-Effect paragraphv Developm
27、ent pattern:v Effect 1v Cause Effect 2v Effect 3 (2)Effect-Cause paragraphv Development pattern:v Cause 1v Effect Cause 2v Cause 3Chapter ThreePart Three:Cause and Effect Activity 3：Analyze the structure of Example Different countries are striving to develop their national tourism because tourism re
28、ally has a lot of advantages.Firstly,beautiful scenery,attractive tourist spots and splendid culture allure tourists with different parts of the world,which provides many opportunities to promote exchanges among people from different backgrounds.For example,since the reform and opening-up,China,a co
29、untry which has rich tourist resources,receives millions of foreign tourists every year.The frequent contacts between foreign tourists and Chinese people promote the exchanges of culture and science,creating international friendship and promoting deeper understanding and strengthening ties.Meanwhile
30、 this has accelerated the development of these countries.Secondly,travel enriches ones knowledge,widens ones vision and enhances mutual understanding.In the past,Chinese people knew little of the outside world.Since the reform and opening-up,with peoples living standard greatly improved,more and mor
31、e people have the chances to go abroad for sightseeing.Through traveling,we Chinese have expanded our scope of knowledge,and we have come to know the world better and have been learning how to develop our own country better.Thirdly,tourism boosts local economy and promotes commercial exchanges.Singa
32、pore is such a good example.It is a small country with scarce natural resources.But owing to the prosperous tourism,the countrys economy develops very well and it is named one of the four economic“tigers”in northeastern Asia.(EN8848原版英语，2011）Chapter ThreePart Three:Cause and Effect vKey to Activity
33、3:v Effect:v Different countries are striving to develop their national tourism because tourism really has a lot of advantages.v Cause 1:v The frequent contacts between foreign tourists and Chinese people promote the exchanges of culture and science,creating international friendship and promoting de
34、eper understanding and strengthening tiesv Cause 2:v Travel enriches ones knowledge,widens ones vision and enhances mutual understanding.v Cause 3:v Tourism boosts local economy and promotes commercial exchangesv Link words:firstly,secondly,thirdlyChapter ThreePart Three:Cause and Effect v3.Useful W
35、ords,Phrases and Sentence Patterns v(1)Order:First of all,Second,In addition,Finally;v(2)ConcludingTherefore,As a result,Consequently,v(3)Cause and Effect Conjunctions:Since,as,for,for this reason,becausev(4)Basic Sentence PatternChapter ThreePart Three:Cause and Effect Homework:vWrite about the following topic:In many countries schools have severe problems with students behaviors.What do you think are the causes of this?Give reasons for answer and include any relevant examples from your own experiences.Write at least 250 words.Chapter Three:Research Topic Thank you
