Descriptive vs Evaluative writing & Source synthesis

Descriptive & Evaluative writing

Open Ended

In your academic essays, you are required to evaluate the evidence you've found instead of only listing the sources. What does it mean by "evaluate" (write the answer in your own word)?

Categorize

Options (11)

represents the situation as it stands, without presenting any analysis or discussion.​

not developing an argument

merely setting the background

weighs up the evidence and arguments of others

• Consider the quality of the evidence and argument you have read​

You are required to contribute your own views

• Identify key positive and negative aspects you can comment upon​

Assess their relevance and usefulness to the debate of the issue(s) in your assignment.

report information about something

not perform any kind of reasoning

neither judgement nor analysis of information

Organize these options into the right categories:

Descriptive Writing vs Evaluative Writing

Descriptive Writing

Evaluative Writing

​Reminder!!

Your academic essays (both CW3 and Wiseflow writing exams) needs to be a piece of EVALUATIVE writing. 

You will rarely be asked to complete a descriptive piece of

writing at university​.

Multiple Choice

Which text is more evaluative?

• "The trend, from 1977 until 1993, of a rapid rise in rates of asthma diagnosis in children under 15 years, suggests that one of the causal factors was particularly prevalent during this time, but has since declined in importance or effect."

• "The data shows that the incidence (new cases) of asthma rates in children under 15 years old increased rapidly from 1977, peaking in 1993 and then declining, though rates still remain significantly higher than pre-1976 levels."

Multiple Choice

Which text is more evaluative?

• "Carl Rogers' theory of a person-centred approach focuses on the freedom of the individual to determine what values should be used to measure successful personal outcomes or benefit, and is particularly relevant for social workers when wanting to take into account the diverse needs of the client group."

• "Carl Rogers' theory of a person-centred approach is particularly suitable for social workers wanting to work with a client group with diverse needs because it allows the client to determine what values should be used to measure successful outcomes, rather than those externally determined by, for example, the service, state or dominant culture in society."

Multiple Choice

Which text is more evaluative?

• "In addition to competency-based questions, the candidates were asked to complete an in-tray exercise, which required them to allocate different priority levels to tasks, as an appropriate method to measure their likely performance in the actual job."

• "In addition to competency-based questions, candidates were asked to complete an in-tray task prioritisation exercise. This was because it was considered a more effective way to measure likely performance in the actual role as the majority of the job would involve similar tasks, with little interaction with customers and therefore less requirement for highly developed communication skills."

Persuade, don't just inform!

Source synthesis

Multiple Choice

Which criteria will you lose mark in if you don't include source synthesis?

• use of academic sources

• Task achievement

• organisation

• academic language

The ability to synthesize sources not only shows your understanding of the evidence but also shows your critical thinking - how different sources agree or disagree with your stance & rebuttal/arguments against the sources which disagree.

​

Task achievement

Let's see how to do source synthesis properly!!

Open Ended

Do you agree with this statement: ‘English is now the dominant global world language’? Why? Type your short answer(s) below.

Categorize

Options (4)

Watson (2001)

Lui (2010)

Hannan (2009)

Dowd (2011)

Put the sources which (dis)agree with the statement: 'English is now the dominant global world language’? in the right categories:

Sources which agree

Sources which disagree

Multiple Choice

Does the writer only include the sources which disagree/agree or sources which both agree and disagree with the statement/the writer's stance?

• Only one side (agree OR disagree)

• Both agree and disagree

Need to balance between your own voice & use of sources!

It's important to keep a balance!