Help! I'm NOT hedging!

You're 2 weeks away to writing your best essay.
What ought to be the final takeaway to this life-skill ?



Here are some extracts from 2 sources in tertiary education to show you the end product / fruits to all that you are learning in preparation for undergrad studies.
I love the second link. Some of you should yawn loudly when you review it because you are already doing such a good job at it. I hope they would enrich the way you review past assignments, re-work current ones including the AQ.


All PYTS feature some of these traits.

1. Maturity of Thought in Writing Part 1

When you engage in critical writing you are developing your own academic voice within your subject. Wellington et al. (2005 p.84) offer some suggestions for distinguishing between the academic and the non-academic voice. They suggest that the academic voice will involve:

• “healthy scepticism … but not cynicism;
• confidence … but not ‘cockiness’ or arrogance;
• judgement which is critical … but not dismissive;
• opinions … without being opinionated;
• careful evaluation of published work … not serial shooting at random targets;
• being ‘fair’: assessing fairly the strengths and weaknesses of other people’s ideas and writing … without prejudice; and
• making judgements on the basis of considerable thought and all the available evidence … as opposed to assertions without reason.”

Wellington J., Bathmaker A., Hunt C., McCulloch G. and Sikes P. (2005). Succeeding with your doctorate. London: Sage.

2. Part II

http://www.time4english.com/aamain/writing/wacmainf.asp

Your worst scripts betray the lack of these features too. Look at them again.
Exorcise them, forever.

By the way, I once screened parts of this movie in class to help everyone (myself, included) reflect deeper on the conflicts between science and religion. Catch it after your exams k, or till we meet again :P
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