UGRC 110 ACADEMIC WRITING (3 Credits)

WRITE YOUR GROUP NUMBER (AND / OR LECTURE TIME) AND YOUR LECTURER’S NAME

THIS PAPER CONSISTS OF FOUR SECTIONS: SECTIONS A, B, C AND D.

READ THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR EACH SECTION CAREFULLY.

WRITE YOUR ANSWERS.

UNIVERSITY OF GHANA

(All rights reserved)

BA/BSC. FIRST SEMESTER EXAMINATION: 2014/2015

TIME ALLOWED: TWO (2) HOURS

INSTRUCTIONS

A.

B. C.

D.
SECTION A: ESSAY

1. Discuss reasons why drug trafficking is on the increase in Ghana, in spite of the many risks and
effects on society. (Remember to pay close attention to paragraph unity, coherence, and completeness.
Your essay should not be less than 450 words in length.)

SECTION B: FEATURES OF ACADEMIC WRITING

2. Study the two passages below and use them as a basis to explain five major differences between
academic and non-academic writing.

Passage 1

1 Throughout the world, cell phones have become omnipresent in classrooms, cafeterias and hallways,
and research indicates that cell phones are used more frequently to send text messages than to make
phone calls (Mindlin, 2008). 2 Indeed, forty-three percent of teenage respondents in a 2010 report by
the Nielsen Company claimed that they got a cellular phone primarily for text messaging (The Nielsen
Company, 2010). 3 The same report found that American adolescents aged 13-17 send more text
messages than any other age group, averaging 3339 a month. 4 However, this dramatic rise in
popularity has led parents and teachers to question the effect of using this technology on adolescents'
understanding of English grammar during a developmentally critical period of language-skills acquisition.

5 Similar to online communications such as instant messaging, the speed, ease, and brevity of text
messaging have created a platform for adapting English language to better suit attributes of the
technology. 6 This has led to an evolution in grammar, the basis of which we shall call 'techspeak.' 7 As
Jones and Schieffelin (2009) explain this language differs from English in that it takes normal English
words and modifies them, using conventions of abbreviation, such as initialisms (lol for laughing out
loud), omission of non-essential letters (wud for would), and the substitution of homophones (gr8 for
great). 8 In addition, techspeak adapts standard conventions of structure by de-emphasizing proper
punctuation and capitalization (what we call 'structural adaptation'), all in the interest of speed.

9 Understandably, with this evolution of the English language there is much debate among leaders in
education, teachers, and parents as to the effects of techspeak on students' grammar and writing skills.
10 Of particular concern, is the effect on adolescents during their formative learning years in the
classroom setting (Eger, 2007; Sidener, 2003). 11 Indeed, routine use of textual adaptations by current
and future generations of 13-17 year-olds may serve to create the impression that this is normal and
accepted use of the language and could rob this age group of a fundamental understanding of standard
English grammar. 12 As Edmonds (2007) stresses 'there is a need for teenagers to learn to exist in a
world outside of their social networks, which requires them to use proper grammar and spelling when
they speak and write'.

Source: Adapted from Cingel and Sundar, 2012

Passage 2

1 Although the U.S. Department of Education reports that the Averaged Freshman Graduation
Rate (AFGR) is, at 78 percent, the highest it's been in nearly 40 years, it should not obscure the fact that
many students are graduating without learning how to spell even the simplest words.

2 The evidence is starting to show up on resumés and job applications according to some
recruiters. 3 Thanks to the 'art' of texting and anonymous blogging, proper spelling and syntax are
falling by the wayside. 4 Abbreviations that were usually reserved for personalized license plates like "C
U L8R" (see you later), have become standards in text lingo. 5 Improper word construction like 'where
you at' has found its way into the mainstream, and too many children are not being corrected when
they repeat what they hear, likely because their parents and a new breed of teachers don't know any
better either. 6 There is a debate as to whether traditional grammar is even necessary anymore. 7
Since the new generation grew up texting and on Facebook, some say content matters over structure –
that is, what is being said trumps how it is being said. 8 Content does matter, but a well-intended
thought not properly written will most certainly turn readers off.

9 Some may argue that even at its best, professionals and expert grammarians alike tend to disagree on
proper grammar usage (e.g. beginning a sentence with the conjunction "And" is widely found in
newspapers), holding that it comes down to a matter of style. 10 Every writer has his or her own style
or voice, but a writer who wants to be taken seriously, and be read on a wide scale owes it to
him/herself to use universally recognized standards. 11 Texting is alright in its place, but can you
imagine receiving a company manager's e-mail response that reads "F U on this"? I was shocked when I
got it until I realized it meant "Follow up on this."

Source: Adapted from an article on Eurweb.com by Larry Buford, June 25, 2013.

SECTION C: CONCEPTS IN ACADEMIC WRITING

3. In university courses, we continually engage with other people’s ideas: we read them in texts,
hear them in lectures, discuss them in class, and incorporate them into our own writing. Unfortunately,
sometimes some of us are accused of plagiarism.
 a. What is plagiarism?

b. Give five causes of plagiarism.

c. Suggest three ways in which plagiarism can be avoided.

SECTION D: REFERENCING

4. Using either the APA or MLA format, generate a reference list from the information provided
below:

a. On pages 17 to 27 of the issue 4, Volume 44 of Journal of Health and Medicine, we can find the
article Teenage Musicians and Drugs Usage. The Journal was published in South Africa in May 2010. The
writer of the article is Pearl Johnson.

b. A book published in the year 2011 by Edmonton University Press in London was written by
AnnShirley Brown and titled The Days of Our Lives. c.
Charles C. Thomas contributed a chapter entitled Justice for Prisoners on Remand in Ghana
spanning pages 40-56 in the book Criminal Justice Technology in the Twenty-first Century which was
published in the year 2010 by Ahinson Press at Springfield. The book was edited by John Lewis Moriarty
and Daisy Laura Carter.

Jeremy Jack Keeps, Peter Douglas, Amanda Anderson and Clare Betts are joint authors of the
book entitled Singing His Praise in the Church. The book was published in Lagos, Nigeria by Random

USAID Ghana published a book in 2010. The title is The Use of Treated Mosquito Nets in Ghana.
It was published in Accra by University of Ghana Press.

Examiner: Coordinator Academic Writing

d.

House in the year 1999.

e.
 UNIVERSITY OF GHANA

(All rights reserved)

BA/BSC FIRST SEMESTER EXAMINATION: 2016/2017 UGRC

110 ACADEMIC WRITING 1 (3 CREDITS)
TIME ALLOWED: TWO HOURS (2 HRS.)

INSTRUCTIONS:

• WRITE YOUR INDEX NUMBER, GROUP NUMBER AND LECTURER’S

NAME ON THE ANSWER BOOKLET PROVIDED

• WRITE YOUR ANSWER IN THE ANSWER BOOKLET PROVIDED

SECTION A: CONCEPTS IN ACADEMIC WRITING

1. Write short notes on any two of the following:

a. Introductory paragraph
b. Paragraph structure
c. Paragraph coherence

2. Answer (a) or (b):

a. You have been given an essay writing assignment which involves using
information from multiple sources. Explain at least five strategies you would use
to avoid plagiarism from the note-taking stage to the final write-up of the essay.

OR

b. What is plagiarism? State at least four reasons why plagiarism occurs, and explain
five strategies for avoiding plagiarism in academic writing.
Examiners: Dr D. A. Odoi (Coordinator), Prof G. S.K. Adika, Dr S. E. Jacobs-Quashie, Dr C. C. Asante, Mr S.
N. M. Allotey, Dr N. A. Agyeman, Dr K. Ofori, Mr P. Agordjor, Mr A. Okrah, Mr A. Wornyo, Mr C.
Arthur, Mrs M. Ansre, Mrs J. Amable, Mrs E. J. Mandor, Mrs S. Banini, Mrs M. Gardiner, Mr K. Adjei-Fobi,
Mr I. Darko-Danquah, Ms J. Anku, Mrs D. O. Oyewale-Johnson, Mrs E. E. Ellis, Ms H. S. Jibril, Mr B. Sam,
Mr R. I. Adam, Mrs V. E. Fordjour Aidoo, Mr. Justice Eddie Quainoo. Page 1 of 2

SECTION B: ESSAY WRITING

3. (a) Compose a clear thesis statement from one of the following topics:
i. Managing one’s time in the university
ii. Advertising and people’s behaviour
iii. Environmental sanitation in a developing country

(b) Write a full-length essay (about 500-600 words) in which you develop content for
the thesis statement you composed in (a). Underline the topic sentence for each
developmental paragraph.

SECTION C: REFERENCE SKILLS

4. Generate a reference list from the information provided below using either the APA or
MLA style of referencing.

• A book written by John Ofori with the title “The age of missing information”
and published in 1999 by Arrow and Hammer in Johannesburg.

• “Malnutrition among African children” is the title of a document authored

and published by UNICEF in New York in 1980.

• Shaw King authored a chapter titled “Men at Risk,” which was published in
the book “The World in Danger.” The book was edited by Peter McFairlane
and John Parry and published in 1999 by Sparks. The chapter spans pages
110 of the book.

• A scholarly journal – Education Gazzete – volume 79, issue number 21,

contains an article titled “Computerizing Learning.” The article was written
by Michael Velde and published in 2001. The article can be found on pages
331- 348.

• “Politics and Violence” is the title of a newspaper article that appeared on

page three (3) of the Daily Graphic on 15th October, 2016. The article was
authored by Kofi Brown.
Examiners: Dr D. A. Odoi (Coordinator), Prof G. S.K. Adika, Dr S. E. Jacobs-Quashie, Dr C. C. Asante, Mr S.
N. M. Allotey, Dr N. A. Agyeman, Dr K. Ofori, Mr P. Agordjor, Mr A. Okrah, Mr A. Wornyo, Mr C.
Arthur, Mrs M. Ansre, Mrs J. Amable, Mrs E. J. Mandor, Mrs S. Banini, Mrs M. Gardiner, Mr K. Adjei-Fobi,
Mr I. Darko-Danquah, Ms J. Anku, Mrs D. O. Oyewale-Johnson, Mrs E. E. Ellis, Ms H. S. Jibril, Mr B. Sam,
Mr R. I. Adam, Mrs V. E. Fordjour Aidoo, Mr. Justice Eddie Quainoo. Page 2 of 2