MCD6010 : Academic Writing

Week 3: Positions, Bias, Citations, Referencing, & Paraphrasing

Review from Week 2
• What is an opinion
• What are the features of an opinion piece or article
• Language features
• Use of pronouns
• Emotive language
• Informal language (e.g., rhetorical questions)
• Claims
• Categorical claims and statements
• Qualified claims and statements
• Understanding the requirements of Assessment 2: Critical Analysis of
Opinion Piece
Assessment A1: Weekly Quizzes

Week 3 Quiz: Referencing is now open!!

3
Learning objectives and
outcomes This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

• By the end of today’s lectorial, you will:

• Identify and define all the language features of an position

piece.
• Understand the meaning of argument and structure in This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

academic writing
• Understand bias
• Develop understanding of how to cite academic sources in
your essays.
• Understand detailed requirements of Assessment A2: This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

Opinion Piece Analysis

 Lecture outline
1) What is position in academic arguments and differences to an opinion.
2) What is bias?
3) Citing sources in academic writing (Harvard referencing)
a) In-text citations (author and information prominent citations)
4) Using sources in academic writing
a) Using direct quotations
b) Paraphrasing
c) Strategies for including sources in academic writing
5
New terms and concepts coming your way …

Opinion Personal Impersonal Claims

Evidence Research Categorical Qualified

Rational Precise Position Pronouns

Emotive Informal Formal Bias

Argument Structure Pronouns Tone Citations

Author-prominent Information-prominent Paraphrasing

Position (in
academic
arguments)
 What is a position?

• According to Brick et al. (2016), a position is:

• an academic opinion.
• not the same as an opinion
• found in many academic articles (e.g., journal articles)

• In simple terms, a position = where you stand on a topic.

• Your position is also known as your thesis or your argument.
• A claim supported by evidence = position
• In academic writing, having a position and supporting it with evidence from
research strengthens your academic argument.
8
Arguments vs Academic Arguments

9
 Positions vs Opinions
Question: Should shoes be worn indoors?

Shoes not be worn indoors because

research has shown that shoes that I feel shoes should not be worn
have been worn outside contain indoors because they bring germs
bacteria that could be dangerous for into the house.
babies with health issues (Lee
2022).
 Differences between Opinion articles and Position papers

Opinion articles Position papers

Language use is personal Language use is impersonal

Subjective Objective

Evidence not required or used Evidence is required and used

(Categorical) claims may be used Claims are qualified

No thesis-statements in opinion pieces Thesis-statements used in position papers

(e.g., journal articles)
Brick et al. (2016 : 17)

In academic essays, having a position means you are willing to take

a stand on a topic, and are able to support it with evidence from
research. It shows that you have a strong argument. 11
Arguments
and Essay
Structures

12
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC
Bias
 Bias in the real world

• Bias often happens in the real world.

• We often hold biased opinions certain people, sexes, gender,
religion, cultures, organisations, political parties (without even
knowing it).
• This is called unconscious bias.
• Bias is defined as an unfair preference for or against something,
without a good reason.
• In academic arguments, bias can occur.

14
 What is bias in argument?

According to Brick et al. (2016), an argument is biased if:

• If ‘cherrypicks’ the evidence
• ‘Cherrypicking’ = only choosing evidence that supports your
position
• Misrepresents the facts
• Claiming a researcher said something when they did not.
• To avoid bias when you write your essays, you should
• Support your position with evidence
• Attempt to present both sides of the argument.
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 Activity

Go to Week 3 → In class activities → Lecture activities →

Lecture activity 1

16
Citing sources in
academic writing
(Harvard Referencing)
Using sources in academic writing
• For your assignment, you need to include at least 3 sources.

• There are different academic sources that you will need to use in your
assignments.
• Using academic sources will enable you to develop your academic
writing skills.
Academic sources
• A source is where information
on a particular topic is found. Specialised
academic books are
• Academic sources, also known written for an
as scholarly sources, are academic or
professional
sources which typically include audience and deal
journal articles, specialised with technical or
academic books (e.g., academic topics
textbooks), reports, edited such as academic
culture or writing
books.
• Sources and the words
research or evidence are used
interchangeably in academic For Assignment A2, you need to include information from
writing. your textbook as it is a specialised academic book.
Journal articles are academic
papers on specialised
academic topics written for
academic or professional
audiences (Brick et al
2016:90).

You do not need to include journal

articles for Assignment A2, but you will
need to include journal articles for
Assignment A3 and A4 (more of that a
little later in the course)
 Research
reports
describe
how and
why a piece Annual
of research reports
was done, contain
and they information
discuss on companies,
organisations,
results.
government
Most agencies or
research departments
reports are (Bricks et al.,
published 2016: 99).
in journals
(Bricks et
al., 2016:
90).
Labelling sources

• In academic writing, when we use

an academic source, we need to
label the source (Bricks et al.
2016).
• Labelling the source allows the
reader to know where the
academic source comes from.
• Labelling your academic sources is
called referencing
• Referencing is a very important
skill to develop.
How to reference?
• In your studies at Monash College and Monash University, you will
encounter several referencing conventions or styles. The 4 most
common styles are:
• APA referencing
• MLA referencing
• Harvard referencing
• Vancouver style referencing
• Different units (disciplines) use different referencing conventions. It is
your duty to find out which style to use. Check your unit outline for
information on which style to use.
• Question: which style do we use in MCD 6010: Academic Writing?
 • Go to Moodle –> Assessments –> Harvard Referencing
The Harvard Guide–> Download that link.
Referencing Style

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

Types of references – Harvard referencing
• There are two types of references. They are:
• In-text references & end-text references
• In-text references are found in your assignment.
• This what an in-text reference looks like for a specialised academic book
Wang (2015) states that using in-text citations is an important part of academic
writing and it help you to develop your academic voice.

Research has shown that citations is an important part of academic writing, and
it helps you to develop your academic voice (Wang 2015).

• An in-text reference is commonly known as a citation.

 Citation at the start of a sentence

• Wang (2015) states that using in-text citations is an important part of academic writing and it helps
you to develop your academic voice.

Year the Reporting verb Indirect voice

Surname of source was + that follows expressed by the
the author published citation essay writer

• If the citation is at the start of the sentence, it is called an author-focused citation.

• The author’s voice is prominent or foregrounded.
• Makes a break with the essay writer’s voice.
Citation at the end of a sentence
• Research has shown that citations is an important part of academic
writing and it help you to develop your academic voice (Wang 2015).

Indirect voice
expressed by the Surname of Year the source
the author was published
essay writer

• If the citation is at the end of the sentence, it is called an idea or information-focused citation.
• The focus is on the ideas and linking them together.
Published in 2012 Published in 2016
Why do we need to reference properly?
• It is part of academic culture.
• To acknowledge or credit the author
of the academic source.
• It lends credibility to your
assignment.
• It shows your marker where you This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

obtained the information.

• It demonstrates and helps develop
your academic voice.
• It helps you avoid academic
misconduct or plagiarism.
End-text references
• End-text references are written as a reference list or just references.
• A reference list:
• Is a list of ALL the sources that you have used in your assignment.
• Every in-text citation MUST have a corresponding end-text citation/reference.
• Are written in alphabetical order – according to author’s surname.
• Is placed at the back of your assignment as the final page.

We will cover
end-text
references a
little later in
the course.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

 Activity

Go to Week 3 → In class activities → Lecture activities →

Lecture activity 2

31
32
Using sources in
academic writing
There are 3 main ways

Using direct quotations

Paraphrasing

Summarising (we will cover this in detail a little later in the course)
Using direct
quotes
• To express the author(s) direct voice.

• E.g., Simon (2019:44) argues that students “develop a strong sense of

independence when living abroad and learn skills that cannot be
taught in any classroom”.

• Used mostly with author-focused citations.

• Quotation marks (“ “) and in-text citations must be used when you

use direct quotes.

• In academic writing, direct quotations (quotes) are not used very often.
Why?
Paraphrasing
• Paraphrasing is to express information from an external source
using your own words, and without changing the original
meaning of the information.

• Paraphrasing is used with indirect and external voices.

• Used mostly with idea or information focused citations.

• In academic writing, paraphrasing is better than using direct

quotes. Why?
Why is paraphrasing
better?

• It reflects your understanding of a topic, idea

or concept.
• It is evidence of your academic voice.
• It demonstrates your critical thinking and
writing skills.
• It develops your academic identity.
• Question: when is using direct quotations
better or acceptable?
• When you are citing famous, experts
from the field (e.g., famous
psychologists, politicians, educators,
theorists)
 Let’s review what we’ve learnt today

Statement True or
False?

1. Opinions and positions are not the same.

2. A position is an academic opinion.

3. A position is where you stand on a topic or issue.

4. Having a position is important in academic arguments.

5. An author-prominent citation is placed at the end of a sentence.

6. An information-prominent citation is placed at the end of a sentence.

7. Paraphrasing is preferred to using direct quotations, in our essays.

References
Allen, M 2012, Smart thinking: skills for critical understanding and
writing, 2nd end, Oxford, South Melbourne.
Brick, J, Herke, M, & Wong, D 2020, Academic culture, 4th edn,
Macmillan, Melbourne.
Rosenwasser, D, & Stephen, J 2012, Writing Analytically, 6th edn,
Wadsworth: Cengage Learning.
A1 Assignment - Weekly quizzes and
activities

• Week 3: Referencing Quiz is now open.

• Go to Moodle 🡪 Assessment 🡪 Week 3: Referencing

Quiz.

• Advice: Do it as soon as possible. Do not leave it to the

last minute.

• Quiz will close Sunday of Week 12.

Next week …

Voice in academic writing

Using sources to support your argument.

Basic structure of your A2 Assignment

Drafting and Consultations

41
Looking to Week 3

Continue to work on your Complete post-lesson activities Complete pre-lesson activities

Opinion Piece Analysis for Week 3 for Week 4
What’ve we learnt today …

Referencing techniques:
Finding your academic Using sources in
In-text and end-text
voice academic writing
references or citations.

Using direct quotations Paraphrasing

Looking to Week 4 …

Continue to work on your Complete Week 4: Pre-lesson

Opinion Piece Analysis activities and readings