Assignment 1

1. Define the term “style” in the context of (academic) writing.
Style –”the manner in which way you present the information” (Linzie, 2010)
I would define the term “style” as it is how you say/write things. For example: If friends write letters to each other the style might be informal because they know each other and the language does not have to keep to a certain standard of formalities. It is the opposite if someone writes to the Government or to a company, then you are expected to follow certain “rules” and keep to a formal style. If you do not follow these rules the reader of your text might misjudge you and not take you and what you want with your text seriously.

2. Formal/informal writing
I have chosen two very different texts. The first one is an informal text from Teen Magazine. The Magazine has a page called “Embarrassing Moments From Teen Girls” were young girls share some embarrassing moments with the readers. The second text is a formal text from the European Commission Research information centre. In that text we can read about hydrogen vehicles.

Embarrassing Moments from Teen Girls
http://www.teenmag.com/seen-in-teen/why-me/652295-10-2

“The guys from my grade picked it up and start running around with it! Worst of all, the older guys who have been crushing on me since last year were there, and so were the guys in my grade who I kinda liked!”

What makes it informal?
• The text is very personal; it tells a story about her bra!
• The language includes slang like: guys, kinda, stuff
• She writes like she speaks, it feels like I can hear a teenager’s voice in my head when I read.

Advancing on hydrogen
http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?
p=57&item=Infocentre&artid=14214

“Using the hydrogen energy system for the wheelchair has three primary advantages: a longer travelling range than conventional electrical wheelchairs; it only takes a few minutes to replace an empty hydrogen canister rather than up to 8 hours to recharge an electrical wheelchair; and the lightweight hydrogen makes transportation easier.

What makes it formal?
• The text wants to inform us about the latest news to do with hydrogen energy. It is academic and sticks to its topic.
• The language is academic = it is impersonal and does not include any slang or abbreviations.

3. Two very short texts
Informal:
G’day mate! What’s up? Haven’t heard from you for a loooong time. I’m fine, just
chill’in and wait’in for spring. It’s too damn cold right now if you ask me; if I go out I
will freeze my buns of.

Formal:
Dear Terry,
How are you? It has been a long time since I last heard from you. I am fine; I spend most of my time waiting patiently for springtime. I really think this winter’s cold weather really has reached its limits; it can not be good for humans to go out in such cold weather.