Section 7. WRITING
An abstract is a condensed version of a longer piece of writing that highlights the major points covered, concisely describes the content and scope of the writing, and reviews the contents of the writing in abbreviated form. People write abstracts when submitting articles to journals, applying for research grants, writing a proposal for a conference paper, completing a Ph.D./Master’s degree thesis or dissertation, etc.
34. Read the information about some specific features of writing an abstract fora research paper.
The key elements to be included in the abstract.
1. Background: A simple opening sentence or two placing the work in context.
2. Aims: One or two sentences giving the purpose of the work.
3. Method(s): One or two sentences explaining what was (or will) be done.
4. Results: One or two sentences indicating the main findings (or what you hope to accomplish with the project).
5. Conclusions: One sentence giving the most important consequence of the work — What do the results mean? How will they be used?
Words of advice:
6. For the first draft, don’t worry about length. Just try to cover all the important components that are required in the abstract. Use all the information that you highlighted and identified as you read through the article.
7. Take a word count before you begin to edit.
8. Begin editing by deleting words, phrases and sentences that are less important or provide more explanation than necessary.
9. Look for places where sentences can be combined to omit extra words or condense ideas.
10. Delete unnecessary background information.
11. Do not use jargon, abbreviations, direct quotes or citations.
12.Avoid writing in the first person (Z). Rather than saying, “In this essay I discuss...”, try a more formal approach by starting your abstract with as opening similar to:
• This paper discusses the effects of....
• This paper reports on....
• Specifically, this paper investigates....
• This article examines how....
• The present paper attempts to answer the question....
13.Write to the required word count. Abstracts are typically 150 to 250 words. If a 200 word abstract is required, get as close to the required number of words as possible.
35. Read some examples of abstracts.
a) Qualifying Urban Landscapes
Thomas Juel Clemmensen, Tom Nielsen University of Oregon School of Architecture, USA
Abstract
The article presents an attempt to develop alternatives to the dominant planning and design principles used in building and rebuilding the contemporary urban landscape. The basic idea is that the ‘forces of modernization’ driving current development might result in a broader and more interesting palette of places and spaces if supplementary principles of design and organization could be developed. The idea of formulating a normatively oriented theory for practice is based on an ‘almost all right’ approach but moves beyond the purely ‘non-judgmental’ attitude to contribute at a generic level to the task of constructing and improving things. With this goal, a set of objectives based in important insights from recent urban theory are formulated constituting the normative spine of the analysis of a number of found situations as basis for formulating eight generic concepts of qualification for contemporary urban landscape design practice.
Michael Reeds University of London, UK
Abstract
This paper discusses interior design during and after the Gothic revival of the late eighteenth century, noting that true Gothic architecture originally developed from the Romanesque style, emerging in the twelfth century. The paper examines some key pieces of architecture such as Notre Dame, the Abbey Church of St. Denis and the Cathedral of Sens and the paper contains images and pictures as illustrations. According to the paper, this style dominated until the beginning of the Renaissance in the fifteenth century. Gothic architecture is noted for its size and elaborate decoration. However, Gothic architecture is first defined in terms of a change in Romanesque church architecture when diagonal ribs were added to the groin-vault, as is first seen at the Abbey Church of St. Denis near Paris.
c)
Does North American Labor Demand
Adjustment Differ from that in Britain?
Richard Fry Michigan University School of Economics, USA
Abstract
This paper examines the degree of employment and hours per worker adjustment among comparable British, Canadian, and U.S. manufacturing industries. The standard adjustment cost model of dynamic labor demand, assuming firm expectations of the forcing variables, serves as the empirical framework. The results indicate that the estimated speeds of employment adjustment and average hours worked adjustment among British manufacturing industries resemble those of North American manufacturing industries. In addition to the analysis of comparative adjustment behavior, empirical results are also presented regarding the effect of the real wage rate on short-run labor demand.
Following the above instructions, practise writing abstracts of the texts given in the Unit or in the Supplementary Reading Section of the course book. Present the abstracts to the class and discuss them.
Revise the instructions to be followed and the linking words and phrases to be used for writing summary essays (See exercise 25 of Unit 5). Practise writing summary essays of the texts given in the Unit.
Unit 9.
POSTGRADUATE STUDENT GRANTS
Section 1. READING FOR DETAIL
1. Before you read Text 9A “Grants and Scholarships”, discuss these questions with your groupmates or teacher.
a) What are the resources for funding postgraduate education?
b) Do you know any programmes offering opportunities for postgraduate students to undertake international study or research?
c) What is required to qualify for such programmes?
d) What do you know about the Fulbright Program?
e) What does the Fulbright Visiting Student Program offer?
Read and translate Text 9A. The Active Vocabulary List following the Text may be helpful. Find out if your answers are right or wrong. Use the introductory phrases given in Unit 1.
Text 9A. GRANTS AND SCHOLARSHIPS
There are many resources for finding postgraduate student grants and scholarships. Thanks to the generosity of charitable organisations, schools, corporations, nonprofit organizations and private donors, finding funding for your education is easy. Students in all fields, from anthropology to women’s studies, can find grants for their specific areas of study. Many of the scholarships, including the ones listed below, allow students to study in foreign countries.
The Rhodes Scholarship allows students studying various disciplines to attend Oxford University. Students generally have the scholarship for two years, in which time they research and work in their designated field. To qualify, students must be U.S. citizens, over the age of 18 but under the age of 24, have a GPA between 3.8 and 4.0 on a 4.0 scale and have excellent leadership qualities. The award amount is full tuition and fees plus a living expenses stipend.
The British Marshall Scholarship is offered to a graduate or postgraduate student from the U.S. to study in the United Kingdom. The scholarship is for unique and academically advanced students.
Students must have excellent leadership qualities and have thoughtful and realistic career and educational goals. The minimum GPA required is 3.7 on a 4.0 scale. Students must also be U.S. citizens and have an undergraduate degree to qualify.
The James Madison Memorial Fellowship is awarded to an American student by the United States Congress. Students studying American history who plan on becoming history, government or social studies teachers upon graduation are encouraged to apply. To qualify, students must be U.S. citizens, have an undergraduate degree, be working on a teaching degree and have a high level of academic accomplishment. The award amount is $12,000 for two years of study.
The Fulbright Program is the largest U.S. international exchange program offering opportunities for students, scholars, and professionals to undertake international graduate study, advanced research, and university teaching worldwide. The Fulbright Program is supported by the U.S. Department of State. Established in 1946 by the U.S. Congress to "enable the government of the United States to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries”, the Fulbright program annually awards approximately six thousand grants, at a cost of more than $250 million. The program funds both American and foreign students, teachers, professionals, and scholars to study, teach, lecture, and conduct research in more than 150 countries and the United States.
The Fulbright Program in Russia offers a variety of opportunities for both Americans and Russians interested in graduate study, lecturing, academic research, and other activities. The Fulbright Program Office in Moscow administers twelve different grant programs in Russia and receives all grant applications from Russians.
The Fulbright Visiting Student Program is open to Russian university graduates and to graduate (kandidatskaya) students in the arts, engineering, natural sciences, humanities and social sciences. This program supports either a year of research to assist in completion of a kandidat nauk degree in Russia or two years of study to complete a U.S. Master’s degree. Applicants must be Russian citizens permanently residing in the Russian Federation who have a university diploma {specialist) or a Bachelor’s degree. Applicants should be no older than 30 years of age by the application deadline. The list of major academic disciplines for Fulbright awards can be found on the
Fulbright Program website. Application materials are available in February each year.
ACTIVE VOCABULARY LIST
grant n — грант, стипендия
research grant — грант на проведение исследования award a grant [o'wo:d] — присудить грант studentship ['stju:d(a)tfip] «— стипендия; студенческие годы stipend [’staipend] п — (АтЕ) стипендия
apply [a'plai] v — обращаться (for — за работой, помощью, справкой, разрешением и т.п.; to — к кому-л.); касаться, относиться; применять, употреблять
apply for a grant — подавать документы для получения гранта application form — анкета
applicant ['asplikant] п — заявитель; кандидат, претендент fund [fAnd] п v — фонд; (pl.) денежные средства; финансировать funding п — финансирование grade ['greid] п — отметка, оценка receive a grade [ri'si:v] — получать оценку
GPA (grade-point average) — средняя (цифровая) оценка fee [fi:] п — взнос, сбор; гонорар, вознаграждение application fee — регистрационный сбор, заявочная пошлина tuition [tju:'ij(a)n] и — обучение; плата за обучение tuition fee — плата за обучение pay one’s tuition — платить за обучение expense [ik'spens] п — расход, трата; (pl.) расходы, затраты at one’s own expense — за свой счет, на свои средства amount [a'maunt] nv — количество, величина; весь объем; общая сумма; составлять сумму, доходить (до), равняться allocate ['aelakeit] v — (пред)назначать; распределять engage [in'geidj] v — занимать, заниматься (чем-л.) reward [ri'wa:d] п v — награда, вознаграждение; награждать, вознаграждать
compete [kam'pi:t] v— состязаться, соревноваться; конкурировать competition [,kampi'tif(a)n] п — соревнование, состязание, конкурс prevent (from) [pri'vent] v — мешать, препятствовать, не допускать borrow ['Ьэгэи] v — занимать, одалживать; брать взаймы
qualify (for) ['kwolifai] v— получать право (на что-л.); обучать(ся) (чему-л.);
приобретать какую-л. специальность
designate ['dezigneit] v — определять, обозначать; предназначать list nv — список, перечень; вносить в список, составлять список by far — намного, гораздо, безусловно
3. Complete the following sentences with details from the Text.
1. The Rhodes Scholarship is awarded to students who have excellent leadership qualities, must be, over the
age of 18 but under the age of 24, have a GPA between 3.8 and 4.0.
2. To qualify for the British Marshall Scholarship must have an undergraduate degree and.
3. is for students studying American history.
4. The Fulbright Program is open to students, scholars, and professionals to undertake university teaching worldwide,, and advanced research.
5. The Fulbright Visiting Student Program is awarded to Russian university graduates and in engineering, humanities,
, natural sciences, and social sciences.
4. Locate the following details in the Text. Give the line numbers.
1. In which lines does the author discuss the areas in which students can find grants?
2. Where in the Text does the author first mention the scholarship award amount?
3. Where in the Text does the author discuss the James Madison Memorial Fellowship requirements?
4. At what point in the Text does the author explain the opportunities offered by the Fulbright Program in Russia?
5. Underline the detail that is NOT mentioned in the Text in each of the sentences below.
1. This program is awarded to postgraduate students from Russia and the United States of America to study in the United Kingdom.
2. The program offers opportunities to lecture, work, conduct research, teach, and study in the United States and many other foreign countries.
3. This program is for those who want to complete a kandidat nauk degree in Russia and a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in the United States.
6. Answer the following detail questions.
1. According to the Text, the Rhodes Scholarship allows students a) to study various disciplines.
b) to designate their field of study.
c) to do research and work.
2. According to the Text, the James Madison Memorial Fellowship is awarded by
a) the U.S. Department of State.
b) the U.S. charitable organizations.
c) the U.S. Congress.
3. According to the Text, the Fulbright Program was set up by
a) the U.S. Department of State.
b) the U.S. Congress.
c) the nonprofit organizations.
4. According to the Text, applicants for the Fulbright Visiting Student Program must have
a) a Bachelor’s degree or a university diploma.
b) a university diploma or a Master’s degree.
c) a Bachelor’s degree or a Master’s degree.
5. According to the Text, when are application materials for the Fulbright Visiting Student Program available?
a) every two years.
b) twice a year.
c) every year.