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Academic styleAcademic style

Academic writing is simple plain English in Academic writing is simple plain English in a formal style with the following elements:a formal style with the following elements:

Active sentences: “The cat sat on the mat” not “The Active sentences: “The cat sat on the mat” not “The mat was sat upon by the cat.”mat was sat upon by the cat.”

Full sentences: “The cat sat on the mat” not “Which Full sentences: “The cat sat on the mat” not “Which was nice. Only to find it got up.”was nice. Only to find it got up.”

Impersonal style: “It could be argued” not “I would Impersonal style: “It could be argued” not “I would argue” or “You will see” or “We have seen.”argue” or “You will see” or “We have seen.”

Academic styleAcademic style

Be measured and specific: use words like Be measured and specific: use words like “significant” rather than “massive”.“significant” rather than “massive”.

Write with confidence: put “This assignment Write with confidence: put “This assignment will show” not “This assignment will will show” not “This assignment will hopefully show.”hopefully show.”

Write in short and varied sentences and Write in short and varied sentences and long paragraphs.long paragraphs.

Academic styleAcademic style Things to avoid:Things to avoid:

Short forms: avoid things like “eg”, “etc” and “isn’t” – write “is not” Short forms: avoid things like “eg”, “etc” and “isn’t” – write “is not” instead.instead.

Exclamation marks (!) and question marks (?). Rewrite your Exclamation marks (!) and question marks (?). Rewrite your sentences to avoid these forms.sentences to avoid these forms.

Personal confessional writing: avoid things like “My idea is that… Personal confessional writing: avoid things like “My idea is that… I believe…”I believe…”

Personal words: “I… you… we… our… us… your.”Personal words: “I… you… we… our… us… your.”

Subheadings, lists, slang, chatty, journalistic or informal speech.Subheadings, lists, slang, chatty, journalistic or informal speech.

Academic styleAcademic style Practice by re-writing this in academic style:Practice by re-writing this in academic style:

We canWe can see that Madonna was sometimes contrasted to see that Madonna was sometimes contrasted to another singer of the 1980s, Cyndi Lauper! Whose work another singer of the 1980s, Cyndi Lauper! Whose work was often considered more thoughtful and authentic. By was often considered more thoughtful and authentic. By challenging censorship and maturing in her music, more challenging censorship and maturing in her music, more recently, Madonna has asserted her artistic value: eg. recently, Madonna has asserted her artistic value: eg. critics mumbled that her 2005 album critics mumbled that her 2005 album Confessions on a Confessions on a Dance FloorDance Floor was an attempt to secure a massively was an attempt to secure a massively humungous audience after more personal message stuff humungous audience after more personal message stuff like like Ray of LightRay of Light (1998), etc. You can see that Madge (1998), etc. You can see that Madge remains a significant female performer to us, doesn’t remains a significant female performer to us, doesn’t she?she?

Academic styleAcademic style Practice by re-writing this in academic style:Practice by re-writing this in academic style:

I think that one of the most important black music groups I think that one of the most important black music groups in Japan may have been the blackface doowop group in Japan may have been the blackface doowop group The Chanels…The Chanels… Is blackface racism or respect?? If you Is blackface racism or respect?? If you look at what they did, look at what they did, The ChanelsThe Chanels used blackface to (a) used blackface to (a) stand out and (b) pay respect to black music. Blackface stand out and (b) pay respect to black music. Blackface makes whiteness obvious as a sign! The boundary makes whiteness obvious as a sign! The boundary between different races was what between different races was what The Chanels The Chanels played played withwith.. They retained traces of their previous identity, etc. They retained traces of their previous identity, etc. Also, as working class singers, they used doowop to Also, as working class singers, they used doowop to separate themselves from middle class dudes who liked separate themselves from middle class dudes who liked rock and hip-hop. They didn’t ever top the charts, but rock and hip-hop. They didn’t ever top the charts, but hopefully I have shown that they were central to the hopefully I have shown that they were central to the development of the Japanese music scene.development of the Japanese music scene.

Academic citationAcademic citation

CitationCitation means letting the reader know means letting the reader know where they can find the source from which where they can find the source from which you drew your information. It includes:you drew your information. It includes:

References in the main text of your work.References in the main text of your work.

Entries in a bibliography and maybe a Entries in a bibliography and maybe a filmography or web sources section at the end filmography or web sources section at the end of your work.of your work.

Academic citationAcademic citation We use the APA (Harvard) citation system. In the main body of your We use the APA (Harvard) citation system. In the main body of your

study that means citing sources in a particular way. Assuming you are study that means citing sources in a particular way. Assuming you are citing page 18 from a book by Bill Smith for 2007:citing page 18 from a book by Bill Smith for 2007:

Smith (2007: 18) claims that everyday culture has received little Smith (2007: 18) claims that everyday culture has received little academic attention.academic attention.

Everyday culture is rarely discussed (see Smith 2007:18).Everyday culture is rarely discussed (see Smith 2007:18).

““Academics rarely examine everyday culture” (Smith 2007: 18).Academics rarely examine everyday culture” (Smith 2007: 18).

Smith (2007) claims that “Academics rarely discuss everyday culture” Smith (2007) claims that “Academics rarely discuss everyday culture” (18).(18).

In his 2007 book Media Culture, Bill Smith claims that everyday culture In his 2007 book Media Culture, Bill Smith claims that everyday culture has mostly been ignored by academics (see Smith 2007: 18).has mostly been ignored by academics (see Smith 2007: 18).

… … All of these examples are correct.All of these examples are correct.

Academic citationAcademic citation If you want to quote something directly and it is over 40 If you want to quote something directly and it is over 40

words long, give it a separate paragraph, indent it and words long, give it a separate paragraph, indent it and single-space it, without speechmarks:single-space it, without speechmarks:

This quotation, for example, is almost words long if This quotation, for example, is almost words long if the reader wishes to count it from start to finish. Other the reader wishes to count it from start to finish. Other quotations to be kept separate may be longer than quotations to be kept separate may be longer than this one. Always do a word count to check. Smaller this one. Always do a word count to check. Smaller quotations can be kept in their paragraphs. (Williams quotations can be kept in their paragraphs. (Williams 2008: 223)2008: 223)

Academic citationAcademic citation To cite references in a bibliography, do it like To cite references in a bibliography, do it like

this:this:

Surname, First name initial. (Year in brackets) Surname, First name initial. (Year in brackets) Book title underlinedBook title underlined. Place of publication: . Place of publication: Publisher.Publisher.

So for example:So for example:

Smith, B. (2007) Smith, B. (2007) Media CultureMedia Culture. London: . London: Routledge.Routledge.

Academic citationAcademic citation Have a go at citing this book: Have a go at citing this book: Judith Bell’s book Judith Bell’s book

Doing Your Research ProjectDoing Your Research Project, which was , which was published by the Open University Press in 2008 published by the Open University Press in 2008 in Maidenhead.in Maidenhead.

Have a go a citing this book: Have a go a citing this book: published in 2003 published in 2003 by Sage Publishers in New York, called by Sage Publishers in New York, called American Cultural StudiesAmerican Cultural Studies and written by John and written by John Stone.Stone.

Academic referencingAcademic referencing

To cite a book chapter, where To cite a book chapter, where Fred Jones Fred Jones is the editoris the editor of the book and of the book and Bill Smith has Bill Smith has written the chapterwritten the chapter::

Smith, B.Smith, B. (2007) ‘Chapter Title,’ in (2007) ‘Chapter Title,’ in Jones, F.Jones, F. ed. ed. Book Title UnderlinedBook Title Underlined. Place: Publisher.. Place: Publisher.

Academic citationAcademic citation At the end of your piece of course work, you need to put a At the end of your piece of course work, you need to put a

bibliography,bibliography, so give it that so give it that titletitle and make sure that each book or and make sure that each book or article referenced there is in article referenced there is in alphabetical order of the author’s alphabetical order of the author’s surname:surname:

BibliographyBibliographyBenson, M.Benson, M. (1999) ‘End of an Era,’ in Hitchens, C. ed Moments in (1999) ‘End of an Era,’ in Hitchens, C. ed Moments in Film History. Milton Keynes: Open University Press, pp. 37-65.Film History. Milton Keynes: Open University Press, pp. 37-65.

Jones, F.Jones, F. (2009) (2009) Film TheoryFilm Theory. New York: Sage.. New York: Sage.

Morrison, P.Morrison, P. (2001) ‘The Vietnam Film,’ in Smith, B. ed (2001) ‘The Vietnam Film,’ in Smith, B. ed Global Film Global Film GenresGenres. London: Routledge, pp. 30-46.. London: Routledge, pp. 30-46.

Williams, S.Williams, S. (2003) ‘War Movies and Gender,’ (2003) ‘War Movies and Gender,’ Screen Film JournalScreen Film Journal 2, 7, 333-371.2, 7, 333-371.

Academic citationAcademic citation Put a separate end section for web sources. Include the Put a separate end section for web sources. Include the

page author, year and page name (if possible), URL page author, year and page name (if possible), URL address and the date that you looked at the page:address and the date that you looked at the page:

Web sourcesWeb sources

Fox, T. (2009) ‘Theories of the Radio Audience,’ available online: Fox, T. (2009) ‘Theories of the Radio Audience,’ available online: http://www.radiointheory.org/audience.html (retrieved 5/10/09). (retrieved 5/10/09).

Jones, F. (2008) ‘Teatime radio in the 1980s,’ available online at Jones, F. (2008) ‘Teatime radio in the 1980s,’ available online at http://www.radiodays.com/teatime.html (retrieved 3/10/09). (retrieved 3/10/09).

Thomas, R. (2001) ‘Rock and Roll Fever,’ available online at Thomas, R. (2001) ‘Rock and Roll Fever,’ available online at http://www.Rockingthe50s.com/rockfever.html (retrieved 1/10/09). (retrieved 1/10/09).

Academic citationAcademic citation

Have a go at citing David Gauntlett’s 1998 page Have a go at citing David Gauntlett’s 1998 page Ten Things Wrong with the Media Effects ModelTen Things Wrong with the Media Effects Model, , which can be found here: which can be found here:

http://www.theory.org.uk/david/effects.htmhttp://www.theory.org.uk/david/effects.htm

Academic citationAcademic citation

Please ask the library staff to give a Please ask the library staff to give a booklet on APA referencing to help you booklet on APA referencing to help you further with this.further with this.