blog 6

 This post focuses on the three main grammatical errors that I frequently make while writing academic essays. After scrutinizing my assignments I have submitted so far in this module, I found out that the errors that I frequently repeat are related to parallelism, punctuation and transition.

The first recurring error is related to parallelism. The basic idea of parallelism is to maintain two or more words or clauses in the same sentence, giving them equal levels of importance. The parallel structure of the sentence can easily disappear just by mistyping a few words in a sentence. We can avoid this error by using correlative coordinators like ‘or’, ‘and’, ‘nor’ etc.

The next recurring error is related to punctuators. I always find punctuations as complications. From the tutorials, we learned that a comma is added to prevent “run-ons”. For example, “There is also a general notion that despite its environmental advantages green buildings are not beneficial from an economical perspective”, which is grammatically incorrect. The dependent clause has to be separated from the independent clause by a comma - “There is also a general notion that despite its environmental advantages, green buildings are not beneficial from an economical perspective.”

 Lastly, I have trouble with transitions. I generally tend to use inappropriate transitions, like ‘also’, which are not suitable for formal writing. Using transitions like ‘in addition’, ‘however’ and ‘furthermore’ instead of ‘also’, best suits academic writings.

I have realized that its not enough if I just identify my mistakes, I need to work on them to improve my writing skills and this can be achieved only by reading more articles, books, etc. 

blog 7

Dr.Samuel Johnson said, “Language is the dress of thought”. In addition to practical skills in science and maths, a good command over the language is indispensible to be an engineering professional par excellence. It may seem queer to many as to the significance of language in the field of scientific development. The human mind is so creative; its innovative ideas are countless. Getting these ideas across requires good writing skills.

The main challenge I have encountered is the tendency to deviate from the original idea. Coherence is therefore an important area I have been working on in the module EG1471.Coherence is achieved through paragraph unity and sentence cohesion. In order to address this problem, before submitting the final essay I worked on creating mind maps, outlining ideas and preparing rough drafts. The above enlisted steps have ensured that the final outcome is a logical, orderly and aesthetically arranged essay.

Another problem I have encountered with my academic writing is a tendency to be a bit too concise and not elaborate on ideas. Brain storming the internet for information has proved to be very useful in generating more ideas. Reading is another habit which I have cultivated in order to come up with interesting ideas.

The Module EG1471 has been useful in improving the standard of my academic writing and giving me the confidence to confront academic challenges in NUS in terms of Lab reports, Project theses, etc..The internet forum in particular has been of immense help as it has provided a platform to express ideas. The peer review has helped us to learn from other people’s mistakes and in turn correct our own errors. With practise, I am sure I’ll be able to overcome my difficulties.

Blog 4 & 5

Round table discussion

This post is a brief summary of the two articles that I read on Green Buildings and the roundtable conference that took place on the 5^th of March. The topic our group had chosen for roundtable discussion was to identify a technology or set of technologies which certain groups have either fully resisted or partially adopted and to discuss the pros and cons of implementing such technologies. With this background, members of the group came up with thoughts on Green buildings.

The main reason against adoption of green buildings is the initial cost invloved. The article “Do green buildings cost more?” focuses on the expenses involved in incorporating green features in a building. It gives statistical data that proves green buildings are not as expensive as we think it is. In fact, green buildings do have financial benefits in the long run; primarily attributed to low operational costs and the absence of maintenance costs during their lifetime. Profits as high at 10 times the initial investment can be obtained.

Some of our points supporting green buildings focused on the environmental advantages of adopting green buildings. Green buildings have less impact on the environment owing to efficient use of energy, water and other resource. Additionally, green buildings produce less green house gases, thereby reducing the effects of global warming. Green buildings also have less heat (thermal pollution) impact on the environment.

In conclusion, the roundtable conference helped us structure our argumentative essay.  Everyone got a chance to voice their opinions hence providing different perspectives to a problem, which helped us develop a basic idea of the essay.