Insight into Academic Writing. Учебное пособие

Ex. 7. Correct nine grammar mistakes in the paragraph below about cotton production.

Cotton is grew in hot areas such as Egypt and parts of China. It needs plenty of water, either from rainfall or from irrigation, and good, rich soil. When the cotton will be ready, it must harvested quickly before rain can damage it. The cotton are sometimes picked by hand, but usually it picked by machines. The cotton is collect and placed in machines, where the fibres (called ‘lint’) are separating from the cotton seeds. The lint is then packed into bales and send to factories where cotton cloth are manufactured.

Interpretation of Data

There are writing assignments where students need to discuss data, i.e. describe a graph line, a bar chart, a pie chart, a table. The purpose of these tasks is to:

•highlight the results;

•express trends, progress and statistical information about a specific subject;

•compare and evaluate different data.

A graph line is used to express trends dependent on variables. The vertical part of the graph expresses one value while the horizontal dimension expresses another.

A pie chart looks like a circle divided into triangles. Each triangle represents a specific type of information. These charts show parts of a whole, so if each percentage is added together, it must equal 100 percent.

A bar chart is similar to a line graph in that there are two types of variables. A difference between these graphs is that a bar graph is used to compare two types of data depending on the variables.

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A table is another way of presenting data. It categorizes or summarizes information.

When describing graphs you don’t need to analyze the data and give reasons for why figures are high or low. Sometimes, when there is more than 1 graph, there is a relationship between the two and you can make relevant comparisons but more than this is not necessary. Neither specialized knowledge nor your own opinion nor extra information is needed.

When describing bar charts you first have to decide in what order to describe the bars, highest value to lowest value or lowest value to highest value. It may be a mixture of this. If there are many bars, you can sometimes group them together for a description of 1 or 2 or 3 bars which have similar or the same values. If there are very many and you can’t group them, then just describe the ones that are the most significant.

Pie charts are relatively straightforward as they usually have only a few sections though this is not always the case. You need to describe the segments and their values. If there are very many then just describe the ones that are the most significant. The values are often expressed in percentages but not always, so be careful what scale you are using.

Tables can sometimes be tricky as they provide a lot of information and it is often awkward and difficult to describe every piece of information. You have to decide and describe the values and sections that are the most significant.

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Steps for writing a graph description

Step 1. Read the title and labels on the graph as well as the instructions.

•Note down 2–3 synonyms for key words/phrases.

•Write your introductory sentence, trying not to copy any phrases. Step 2. Analyze the information in the graph, looking at the overall

trend(s).

• Write the rest of your introduction, explaining the main trend(s). Step 3. Plan your body paragraphs (probably one paragraph for each

main trend).

•Draft a topic sentence for each body paragraph.

Step 4. Choose the most important details that will support your statement(s) of main trend(s).

•Write the rest of the body paragraphs.

•Remember to include key figures from the data.

Step 5. Think about how to restate the main trend(s) in the graph using different words.

•Write your conclusion, paraphrasing the main trend(s). Step 6. Proofread your description. Check.

•Content: is the information accurate?

•Organization/coherence: linking words and variety of phrases/conjunctions.

•Grammar: accuracy of noun phrases and verb phrases, correct verb tenses and prepositions.

(!) Begin your answer by writing a summary sentence to introduce what the graphic data or diagram is about.

Do not give reasons for the figures mentioned.

Do not go into too much detail; concentrate on the main features.

The structure of the description of graphs and charts.

1. Introduction (an overall description): the summary sentence must be paraphrased and written in the present tense including: what is being described, location, date.

Example: This graph shows the evolution of oil prices in Russia between 2010 and 2012.

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2.Description of the general trends (overview: is there an upward trend, a downward trend, a fluctuating trend) and summary using the past tense.

3.The main part (1–2 paragraphs) – start with the earliest date or with the most noticeable trend.

4.Conclusion (this is not always necessary).

Practice time

Ex. 1. Look at the graph below and answer the following questions.

1.What do the axes show?

2.Which course has the most students enrolled in it?

3.Order the courses by enrollment from the lowest to the highest.

4.How many students are enrolled in the course with the most students?

5.How many times bigger is the enrollment in Economics than the enrollment in Chemistry?

6.How many more students are in Economics than in Physics?

Ex. 2. Draw a pie chart for 2014 transferring the information given below.

In 2014, spending on training will increase in most sections of the company although, as the figures make clear, the amounts for Product and Line management will not be as high as in 2013. The former will have ₤ 33,000 allocated, the latter ₤ 22,000. Personnel in the Marketing and Research and Development departments were often unable to take part in in-service training in 2013 because of unusually heavy workloads. To compensate for this, the company plans to make large increases in their

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training budgets for 2014; ₤ 20,000 and ₤ 25,000 will be spent on Marketing and R & D respectively. Finally, supervisory staff will have the same amount of ₤ 40,000 allocated as this year.

Ex. 3. The graph below shows the population figures of different types of turtles in India between 1980 and 2012. Add appropriate adverbs and adjectives in the gaps in the text.

The total number of all species of turtles in India has been .................

stable over the last two decades, although there were .................. drops in numbers between 1987 and 1989 and again in 1992 and 1996. Since 2004 there has been an improvement in numbers of all species, although the graph shows a ...................... decrease in 2010.

In contrast, the population of Leatherback turtles has suffered a

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There was also a fall in the number of Green turtles of around 30 %

in population over this period. Their numbers dropped slightly in 2007 and again in 2012 but the overall trend has been a positive one.

Ex. 4. Complete the short texts below by filling the gaps with words from the box below.

European City Tourism showed a ......... growth of 50 % for three consecutive years from 2006 to 2008. European City Tourism grew ........... by 50 % for three consecutive years from 2006 to 2008.

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Diesel consumption showed a ...... increase between 2010 and 2011. Diesel consumption increased ......... between 2010 and 2011.

in consumption of chocolate between 1970 and 2010.

Worldwide sales of

CD-ROM drives climbed

.............. during the first

half of the year before

in worldwide sales of CDROM drives during the first half of the year before a ......... fall in August.

Ex. 5. Complete the text below by filling the gaps with a word or phrase from the box below.

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H.____ Then there is a sharp rise in the next hour to reach its maximum before collapsing again to a lower level by the end of the day.

I.____ This is followed by a gradual decline to its lowest limit of 30000 units at 09:00.

J.____ During the summertime, on the other hand, the demand reaches its top point at around 13:00 and the bottom point at around 09:00, remaining almost constant between 15:00 and 20:00.

K.____ A gradual rise eventually reaches a stationary level of about 40000 units between 15:00 and 21:00.

L.____ 17.5 % is consumed for ovens, kettles and washing machines, 15 % is used for lighting, TV and radio, and 15 % is consumed in the use of vacuum cleaners, food mixers and electric tools.

Ex. 7. Complete the description using the appropriate words given under the table*.

_________

*Words to be used: said, women, because of its good reputation, as, shopping, location, it has.

The table shows the main reasons why ASDA is a popular supermarket for shoppers. The top three reasons are its ...................., its reputation and its parking facilities. Of these, the most important reason why men shop at ASDA is that the shop is close to their

second. A significant number of both men and women also choose to

supermarket. On the other hand, the attitude of the staff does not seem to

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