(also known as ‘writing in your own words’)

Natashia MunaLanguage Develpment Group - CHED

(also known as ‘paraphrasing’)

Fears about Writing

What if I don’t understand what I have

read?

What if I ‘accidentally’

plagiarise?

How do I reference properly?

How do I make it sound more

like me?

I struggle with grammar &

spelling!

Am I allowed to have an opinion?

I’m just in first year – what do

I know?

How do you eat an elephant?

one bite at a time!

Understanding the Text

• Work through the text, one section or paragraph at a time. • Read the section carefully and highlight any words you don’t understand• Look up the words and then read the section again – does it make sense now? • Put the text away and write down your understanding of the section.• Check to make sure you have all the facts correct and that you haven’t left anything out.

YOUR WEEKEND

Hey man, waz up???? I had a sic

weekend in Durbs! heard Cape Town

was rocking – what’d u do?? Reply to

your friends sms

Monday morning you get an sms...

Morning sweetheart - I

haven’t heard from you in a few days

so I just thought I’d check-in. What did you get up to this

weekend? Thinking of you! Love, mom

Reply to your mother’s

sms

Then your phone beeps again...

Thinking about your Audience

• Who is your audience?• What does your audience need? • What is most important to them?• What are they least likely to care about?• What do you want your audience to think

about you? • What impression do you want your writing to

convey?

Thinking about your Writing

• Purpose – Why are you writing this document?• Tone – Formal or informal?• Context – How much background should you

give?• Language – Technical or colloquial?• Explanations/Definitions – How much detail?• Area of focus – What is important/interesting?

ToneRisk factors of necrotizing fasciitis include obesity,

intravenous drug use, alcohol abuse, smoking, cancer and

age.

You’re gonna catch flesh eating bacteria if you’re fat, shoot-

up, drink too much or smoke. Also, it’s bad if you’re old or have

cancer.

You are at greater risk of contracting necrotising

fasciitis if you are overweight, use injectable drugs, drink heavily or smoke. Elderly

people and those with cancer are also at risk.

• Copying someone else’s words exactly as they are written

• Quoting– Ensures accuracy (good for giving definitions)– Feels safe

Quoting

Paraphrasing

• Writing someone else’s ideas in your own words

• Paraphrasing demonstrates:– Understanding– Critical engagement– The ability to relate and explain

Paraphrasing cont...

• Foregrounding:– According to Vayvada et al. (1), Necrotising fasciitis is a

potentially fatal infection, which is characterised by rapidly spreading necrosis of the soft tissue and fascia.

• Backgrounding:– Necrotising fasciitis is a potentially fatal infection, which is

characterised by rapidly spreading necrosis of the soft tissue and fascia (1).

• Puts the emphasis on the source• Position yourself in relation to the source:

– X states – X claims– X has shown

Example: Smith (2) would have you believe that pigs can fly,

however…

Foregrounding

• Puts the emphasis on you, the writer• Position your sources in support of what

you writeExample: Early surgical debridement of all the affected

tissues is the only treatment option in controlling the source of infection (1).

Backgrounding

READ

UNDERSTAND

WRITE

FOLD

PASS

The Writing Centre

Level 6 Steve Biko Building

Telephone: (021) 650 5021http://www.writingcentre.uct.ac.za/

Bookings should be made at least a week in advance!