D How are the questions in the Subject field of each post different from normal questions?

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 691.

A B C

B Read three recent posts from an online forum (A-C) below. Imagine you belong to the forum where these questions are asked. Which questions could you answer? Which answers could you guess?

A In pairs, discuss the following questions.

B Which of the features in the table (1-8) are appropriate for formal scientific research papers? Which are appropriate for personal communication (such as email)?

Feature Examples Extract

1 Asks the reader questions Has anyone had ... ? D

________________ D

2 Uses multi-word verbs (a verb with ________________ B

an adverb or a preposition) do something about D

3 Uses exclamation marks and emotions Hi! D

________________ D

4 Uses non-specific references to the work ________________ B

of other researchers

5 Uses specific references to the work of ________________ A

other researchers

6 Uses impersonal phrases to avoid saying there are some points to consider A

‘You' or ‘We' ________________ E

7 Uses passive verbs to avoid saying who ________________ A

carries out a process can be rapidly generated C

8 Uses Latin language expressions et al. A

________________ E

1 When you have a problem at work, who do you usually ask for help?

2 Have you ever asked a question on a science internet forum? If so, was your question answered?

Subject:Filovirus Host Range? Subject:Materials which x-rays Subject: Quality of scientific

can't pass through? writing considered in peer

review?

(1) Does anybody know what (1) I've been looking for a while (1) I was wondering how im-

the host range is for filoviruses now, but I can't find anything tell- portant the quality of the

(i.e. Ebola and Marburg)? (2) I ing me what the radiopaque mate- writing of a submitted paper

know that they can infect most rials are. (2) In other words, which is in the peer review process.

(all?) types of mammals and se- materials can't x-rays pass through? (2) I don't mean the quality

veral species of birds, but I (3) Thanks in advance. of the data, but the actual

can't find the actual host range writing. (3) In other words,

anywhere. (3) Any help here will a nicely written paper

would be appreciated. with the same data be more

likely to be accepted?

c Read the posts again. For each post, say which sentence or sentences (1-3) in each one the writer uses to:

a ask the question b say what the problem is c thank the reader