Language analysis

Language Analysis

First draft due: Thursday, 11/10

Final draft due: Tuesday, 11/29

Assignment

To learn more about language and grammar choices common in your discipline, look at the journal article you analyzed for the last assignment. Analyze the following topics:

1) Level of formality/informality of the language (Swales and Feak, 2012)

2) Use of specialized vocabulary and/or technical vocabulary: Do they define or explain the specialized terms or not? If they don’t define the concepts, how do they explain them?

3) Other language features in specific sections of the article. Hint: Look at Introduction, Methods, Discussion sections and find grammar or language differences between them.

4) Citation Format and Patterns (e.g., integrated vs non-integrated citations)

a. Integrated e.g. “Sanchez (2019) argued that international students benefit from social support.

b. Non-integrated e.g. “International students benefit from social support (Sanchez, 2019).

c. Why might a researcher use integrated vs. non-integrated citations?

d. Citation style or format, e.g. APA or IEEE - small numbers after the idea

Write a paper summarizing and explaining these findings. Don’t just report what you see in the journal article. Explain what this information suggests about language and grammar choices in your field.

Your paper should be ~2 double-spaced pages with 12-point font.

Points: 100

Grading Criteria

An excellent paper will meet the following criteria, showing that you can:

· Identify and summarize various language and grammar choices in your discipline

· Use examples and direct quotations to illustrate your understanding.

· Effectively synthesize information in a logical and ordered way

· Offer reasonable explanations for features of the article

· Edit your paper for errors in grammar and word usage

A Paper

This paper will meet all grading criteria and be well written. It need not be perfect but it will be well structured and demonstrate varied information about language use in the chosen academic journal article. The paper will summarize relevant language features using concepts discussed in class (use of definition, formal language style choices and specific grammar choices from the text). This paper will provide specific examples and quotations to demonstrate understanding of important features. Moreover, this paper will reasonably explain what these features suggest about language choices in the discipline. There are few errors in grammar or sentence structure.

B Paper

This project offers an organized presentation of information. Specific information is chosen well and integrated, but there may be missing one piece of relevant information or it need more development. Or this paper may not use sufficient examples or quotations to illustrate language features. This paper may be missing a statement that indicates the nature or aim of this assignment. It may demonstrate some distracting grammar errors.

C Paper

This paper summarizes information, but not in an organized or strong way. Information is chosen and there is an attempt to integrate it, though it may not be entirely relevant or lacking in appropriate development. There may be simple descriptions, but few examples or quotations. In addition, this paper may not display any analysis using concepts discussed in class. The paper may be missing two or more relevant pieces of information. In addition, the paper may contain frequent errors in grammar.

D/F Paper

This paper shows superficial understanding of assignment and is missing relevant information. The paper incorrectly identifies language features. It does not discuss language or grammar use adequately or present information in an organized away. There are frequent grammar errors that make the paper difficult to understand.

Language Analysis Self-editing Checklist

1. Does your paper clearly state the purpose of this present assignment?

2. Does your paper identify the title of the journal article you analyzed?

3. Does your paper discuss academic style choices suggested by Swales and Feak (2012) and provide examples to illustrate them? For example, Swales and Feak suggest that direct questions may not be as formal as indirect questions, but in your article, are questions part of the Introduction Move 3 section?

4. Does your paper discuss the use of discipline specific vocabulary and provide examples? Do you see definitions of any terms? What might this suggest about audience?

5. Does your paper identify higher frequency of certain grammar choices in specific parts of the article? (For example, is there a high frequency of past tense in the methods section?) Do you explain why those choices might be made?

6. Did you cite any concepts by Swales and Feak (2012) when you discussed the various grammar or formal style language choices?

7. Did you analyze the citation patterns (i.e. integrated or non-integrated) in the article? Which pattern seems to be the most common? Why?

8. Did you copy anything from the article without citing it appropriately? Did you cite the article? Is there is a reference page?

9. Overall, does your paper analyze what these language choices suggest about writing in your discipline?