1. Define the term "style" in the context of academic writing:
Style is the manner to present information; syntax, vocabulary, structure, tone.
2. Formal and informal writing:
Formal writing:
Climate gate - the final nail in the coffin of "Anthropogenic Global Warming"?
If you own any shares in alternative energy companies I should start dumping them NOW. The conspiracy of the Global Warming myth (aka AGW; aka manbearpig) has been suddenly, brutally and quite deliciously exposed after a hacker broke into the computers at the University of East Anglia's Climate Research Unit. (aka CRU) and released 61 megabytes of confidental files onto the internet. http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/ / November 20th 2009 by James Delingpole
Informal writing:
Dear GOD, My brother told me about being born but it doesn't sound right. They're just kidding, aren't they? -Marsha http://nicko62.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=2740729
The informal writing uses contractions (doesn't, they're, aren't). The informal text is colloquial with simple sentences and words.
The formal writing uses longer sentences and more correct words. (You do not write as you speak).
3.
The informal text
I have a big, loud family; five kids, one husband, two trotting horses, one dog and three cats. My kids are between five year and twenty two. My oldest son is playing heavy metal on the electric guitar in the room right beside mine. I'm studying with live music all day long!
My dog is barking at the neighbours' dogs, my cats wakes me up at 03.30 every night - they want new food and to go out. My daughters are giggeling, laughing and playing music. My youngest son and my horses are the most quiet family members, but they need more care than the rest of the family. But my husband then? Oh - he is a heavy metal fan too - and he sure loves to play his music loud!!!
The formal text
The Andersson family is both big and vociferous and includes five children, a mother and a father. The children are between five years and twenty two years old. The oldest son is playing the electric guitar in his room located right beside the master bedroom. The three daughters is very cheerful and love to play music on their stereo. The family also includes a dog who is very social with the neighbours' dogs - he always barks a greeting to them, and three cats which have fixed routines - unfortunatly night routines. The youngest son and the horses are quiet family members, but on the other hand they need more care than the rest of the family. The father is a music lover who enjoys listening to his favourite music uninterrupted.
Style is the manner to present information; syntax, vocabulary, structure, tone.
2. Formal and informal writing:
Formal writing:
Climate gate - the final nail in the coffin of "Anthropogenic Global Warming"?
If you own any shares in alternative energy companies I should start dumping them NOW. The conspiracy of the Global Warming myth (aka AGW; aka manbearpig) has been suddenly, brutally and quite deliciously exposed after a hacker broke into the computers at the University of East Anglia's Climate Research Unit. (aka CRU) and released 61 megabytes of confidental files onto the internet. http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/ / November 20th 2009 by James Delingpole
Informal writing:
Dear GOD, My brother told me about being born but it doesn't sound right. They're just kidding, aren't they? -Marsha http://nicko62.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=2740729
The informal writing uses contractions (doesn't, they're, aren't). The informal text is colloquial with simple sentences and words.
The formal writing uses longer sentences and more correct words. (You do not write as you speak).
3.
The informal text
I have a big, loud family; five kids, one husband, two trotting horses, one dog and three cats. My kids are between five year and twenty two. My oldest son is playing heavy metal on the electric guitar in the room right beside mine. I'm studying with live music all day long!
My dog is barking at the neighbours' dogs, my cats wakes me up at 03.30 every night - they want new food and to go out. My daughters are giggeling, laughing and playing music. My youngest son and my horses are the most quiet family members, but they need more care than the rest of the family. But my husband then? Oh - he is a heavy metal fan too - and he sure loves to play his music loud!!!
The formal text
The Andersson family is both big and vociferous and includes five children, a mother and a father. The children are between five years and twenty two years old. The oldest son is playing the electric guitar in his room located right beside the master bedroom. The three daughters is very cheerful and love to play music on their stereo. The family also includes a dog who is very social with the neighbours' dogs - he always barks a greeting to them, and three cats which have fixed routines - unfortunatly night routines. The youngest son and the horses are quiet family members, but on the other hand they need more care than the rest of the family. The father is a music lover who enjoys listening to his favourite music uninterrupted.
Dear Susanne, well done!
SvaraRaderaYou have completed the assignment very convincingly and I love your formal/informal description of the Andersson family.
I would not necessarily agree with you, though, that the text you found on Climategate is particularly formal. It is, on the contrary, written in typical "bloggish" - that is, addressing the reader in a direct, rather informal and slightly humorous way. The first sentence, for instance, addresses the reader "you" and has a non-standard structure (more formal: "If I had owned... I would start...").
Just a few notes on language:
1. "Style is the manner IN WHICH YOU present..." (or "the manner in which information is presented...")
2. "the informal text"/"the formal text" (these particular examples) or "informal writing"/"formal writing" (in general).
3. Concord: ... daughters ARE giggling and LOVE to play music... three cats HAVE fixed routines...
4. Genitive: the neigbours' dog (plural) or the neighbour's dog (singular)
5. "they need more care/attention" or "they need to be taken care of more (than the rest of the family)"
Great work!
Anna