People's Democratic Republic of Algeria

Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research

University of Mohammed El Bachir El Ibrahimi
Bordj Bou Arréridj
Faculty of Science and Technology

Course handout

WRITTING METHODOLOGY
MÉTHODOLOGIE DE LA REDACTION

Presented by:
Dr. A. LAMARA

For first year students science and technology

Academic year: 2024 / 2025

 Table of Contents

1. Vocabulary related to writing

2. Writing process
3. Styles of writing
4. Formal and Informal writing
5. Writing tools
6. Scientific writing
7. Email
8. Curriculum vitae (CV)
9. Cover letter
 1. Vocabulary Related to Writing

Writing Vocabulary List

Writer Author Researcher Article book
novel history Legend Letter Paper
thesis paragraph Introduction Main idea Sentence
body Development Background Source Structure
paraphrase Style document Draft Essay
abstract assignment Audience bibliography Citation
clarity cohesion footnote Quotation Summary
support Point of view Tone Headigns Objective

Writing definition
Writing is the process of using symbols (letters of alphabet, punctuation and
spaces) to communicate thoughts and ideas in a readable form.
According to White (1986), writing is the process of expressing the ideas,
information, knowledge or experience. Understand the writing in order to acquire
the knowledge or some information to share and learn.

Writing types
1. Formal writing it includes (books, letters, and emails)
2. Informal writing it includes (abbreviations, slang)

Remark
When people write using pen or pencil it is : handwriting
When people using keyboard to write we call the action of writing on the keyboard:
Typing
2. Writing process

Writing activity includes different steps that mentioned below:

2.1. Read widely: if you want to expand your vocab, expose yourself to as
many pieces of literature as possible, Stephen king said, “If you don’t have
time to read, you don’t have the time or the tools to write”. Reading help,
you become familiar with the language, improve your vocab and develop
sense sentence structure and grammar.
2.2. Create a comfortable writing environment
The purpose is to really get you into your writing zone; you should have
a comfortable seat and perfect mood for all the ideas to come to life.
2.3. Pre-writing
Phase before writing, it is everything you do to get ready to write:
planning, outlining, studying, brainstorming, mid-mapping and note
taking.
2.4. Drafting
Is composing the first draft of your paper, we call it rough draft
2.5. Revising
Revising means make changes. Does the paper need more? Less? Is it
organized? Look for the paper as whole
2.6. Proof reading
Means fixing all the pesky little things: spelling, grammar and punctuation
2.7. Get feedback
Ask someone you trust such as a teacher or a friend to read your writing
and provide feedback (opinions, remarks) this can help you identify areas
where you need to improve and give your ideas for how to do so.
3. Types of writing
You may have observed that different people have different styles of
communicating or expressing ideas or beliefs , not all the musicians have the
same style of composing songs , different dancers have different styles and
genres of dancing .
In writing also, we have different writing styles. It is observable that different
writers write different kinds of stories. Some of them are good at writing
horror stories while other would be good at the dramatic one.
The styles of writing depends upon the objective of writing, the way in which
expresses his/her ideas and thoughts.
Types of writing
3.1. Expository essays: an expository essay is an informative piece of
writing, where the writer explains a topic. Using facts, statistics and
examples. An expository essay never uses personal comments, thoughts and
ideas.
Areas of usage
Textbooks writing
Business writing
Scientific writing
Reports
Encyclopaedias
3.2. Narrative essays: the aim of this type of writing is to tell or narrate a
story. Narrative writing is mostly personal, imaginative and self-expressing.
Areas of usage
Novels
Short stories
Legends
Fairy tales
3.3. Descriptive essays: a descriptive writing is a style of writing which
focuses on describing character, an event or a place in highly detailed
manner. The author visualizes what he sees, hears, tastes and feels.
Areas of usage
Poetry
Novels
Diaries writing
Journals writing
 3.4. Persuasive essays: the main purpose of this type of writing is to
convince, the writer uses justifications, arguments and reasons to make the
readers agree to his or her points.
Areas of usage
Speeches
Cover letters
Letter of recommendation
Advertisements or commercials

4. Formal writing
The formal style has the following characteristics:
 It uses an impersonal style: the third person (“it”, “he” and “she”) and
often the passive voice (e.g., “it has been noticed that”).
 It does not use contractions
 It does not use many abbreviations , though there are some abbreviations
used in formal texts , such as titles with proper names (e.g., “Mr”)
 It does not use vague expressions and slang words
 It uses appropriate and clear expressions , appropriate vocabularies
 It uses an objective style, citing facts and references to support an
argument
4. Informal writing
 It uses a personal style: the first and second person “I” and “I” and the
active voice (e.g., I have noticed that ….)
 It uses contractions (e.g., won’t)
 It uses many abbreviations (e.g., “TV”)
 It uses many phrasal verbs in the text ( e.g., find out “)
 It uses a subjective style, expressing opinions and feelings (e.g., pretty, “I
feel “.)
 It uses vague expressions , personal vocabulary ( slang words are accepted
in spoken text , but not in written text (e.g., “wanna” = “want to”)
5. Writing tools
The paragraph: a paragraph is a unit of writing made of a group of sentences
that support one main idea. The purpose of a paragraph is to express a
speaker’s thoughts on a particular point. A good paragraph in academic
writing has the following elements:
Topic sentence
The topic sentence introduces the topic of the paragraph; it is generally
located at the beginning.
Supporting sentences
The supporting sentences of a paragraph are the sentences between the topic
sentence and the concluding sentence, all sentences in a paragraph should
support the topic sentence. A combination of details, examples and statistics
can be used to illustrate the writer’s idea.
Concluding sentence
The concluding sentence is the last sentence in the paragraph. It should
succinctly end the paragraph and transition to the next paragraph.

Some features of paragraphs

Unity, coherence: when all the sentences in a piece of writing relate to one
main idea, it has unity.
Logical order: the sentences need to be in an order that makes sense.

In any type of writing the writer need to use vocabulary for organizing essays
also putting the adequate punctuation
Here are some link words for writing essays and the significance of
punctuation marks
6. Scientific writing
Scientists write to communicate their research results and findings with other
scientists or experts, in this way information is shared easily, so that
researchers can build upon the work of others.
6.1. Scientific writing definition
Scientific writing is a form of technical writing that reports scientific
observations and results in a manner governed by specific conventions.

6.2. Purpose of scientific writing

** To show, demonstrate and explain your knowledge
** To define your research question with arguments
**To give strength to your finding by discussing other literature
**To convince readers

6.3. Main features of scientific writing

Scientific writing is:
-Conciseness
- Formal
- Impersonal
-Clarity

6.4. Structure (Format) of scientific writing

Scientific writing usually follows a standard formal structure frequently
abbreviated IMRAD (Introduction, Methodology, Results and Discussion).
Introduction: background information on the topic
Methodology: technique, process or method adopted for the research
Results: results, findings, outcomes and data of the research
Discussion: arguments and discussion with previous research
6.5. Types of scientific writing communications
There are different ways to share information amongst the scientific
community. Such as oral or poster presentations on scientific
conferences, scientific blogs , scientific workshops or symposiums .
How do you write a successful email?
Email Greetings
Good morning
Good afternoon
I hope this email finds you well
I hope you are doing well
Reason of the email
I am emailing you about
I am addressing you about
I am just emailing to ask
I am contacting you to inform
I am reaching out because
I wanted to let you know that
I am writing to you about our last meeting / your presentation yesterday / our
next event
Confirm receipt of email
I would like to follow up making sure you got my previous email
When you get a minute, could you please drop me a line regarding my last
email?
Replying email
I just got your request for
I just read your email about
Thank you for your email about
Thanks for your feedback
Thanks for your quick reply
Thanks for getting back to me so quickly
Apologizing
I apologize for the delayed reply
Sorry, that it took me so long to get back to you
I was sorry to hear about
Body lines (attachments and information)
I have attached ( file)
I am enclosing ( file)
Here is the document that you asked for
The parts in bold / in red are my comments
I am sending you ….. as a pdf file
Please look at the attached file
Closing an email
I look forward to your reply
I look forward to hearing from you
I really appreciate you finding some time to answer my email
I look forward to seeing /meeting you
Thank you in advance
 What is a CV?
CV: Curriculum Vitae in Latin and it has translates to “course of your
life “
CV Definition: is a formal document providing an overview of your
professional background and relevant skills.
The CV format (structure)
Most CVs include the following sections:
- Contact information
- Academic history
- Professional experience
- Qualifications and skills
- Professional association
- Grants and followships
- Licenses and certificates
- Volunteer work
- Hobbies and interests
How do you write a CV?
1- Include your contact information : full name , phone number ,
email address , home address and date of birth
2- Detail your academic history in reverse chronological order:
this section can include your graduate school, undergraduate
school and high school.
3- Record your professional experience: list the company or
organization, job title and dates employed starting with your most
recent job. List your job duties, your experience gained and your
achievements.
4- Include relevant skills and qualifications: this part can include
both hard and soft skills that make you the best candidate for the
job.
5- List honors and Awards: use this section to outline your
achievements in the fields related to your application.
6- Proofread your CV for errors: before submitting your job
applications be sure to review your tailored CV for any errors or
inconsistencies.
How do I format a CV?
The layout of your CV also has an effect on its success. Keep in
mind the following tips when crafting your CV:
1- Avoid titling the document : Curriculum Vitae or CV it’s
waste of space , instead let your name serve as the title
2- Section headings are a good way to break your CV: ensure
they stand out by making them larger (font size 14 or 16) and
bold.
3- Avoid fonts such as Comic Sans: choose something
professional, clear and easy to read, such as Arial, Calibri or
Times New Roman, use a font size between 10 and 12.
4- List everything in reverse chronological order
5- Double check your margins : having white space around your
CV will make it easier to read and look less cluttered , aim for
2.5 centimeter margins all the way around
6- Save with a PDF file extension.

Remark
In the following pages, you will find some CV examples
 COVER (APPLICATION) LETTER
Application letter
An application letter is important to include when you are submitting your CV for
a job, this type of letter allows elaborating on your qualifications and explains why
you want the position.
A well-written application letter can inspire hiring managers to call you for an
interview.
What is an application letter?
An application letter, also known as a cover letter, is a document that accompanies
your resume when you are applying for a job. This letter gives you a powerful
opportunity to emphasize your most relevant qualifications; it allows you to
present a persuasive argument for why you deserve a job interview.
How to write an application letter?
 Research the company and job opening
 Use a professional format
 State (Mention) the position you are applying for
 Explain why you are the best fit for the job
 Summarize your qualifications
 Mention why you want the job
 Include a professional closing
Writing Guidelines for Job Application Letters
Length: A letter of application should be no more than one page long. Three to
four paragraphs is typical.

Format and Page Margins: A letter of application should be single-spaced with

a space between each paragraph. Use about 1" margins and align your text to the
left, which is the standard alignment for most documents.

Font: Use a traditional font such as Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri. The font
size should be between 10 and 12 points.
 Cover letter examples
[Your name]
[Your address]

[Date]
[Hiring manager's name]
[Hiring manager's title]
[Company name]
[Company address]

Dear [Hiring manager's name],

I'm writing to express my interest in the position of [job title] at [company]. [Explain how
you heard about the job and name your contact if you were referred by someone within
the company.] I believe my [skills and qualifications] make me an ideal fit for this job.
[Use the second paragraph to elaborate on how you would help the company.
Reference specific campaigns or projects when possible.]
[Use the third paragraph to summarize your key qualifications. Elaborate on your most
important accomplishments and include details that you were unable to provide in the
more concise format of your resume.]
[Use the fourth paragraph to briefly explain why you want to work for this company.
Mention the additional documents included with your cover letter, and express your
excitement about moving forward in the hiring process.]
Sincerely,
[Your name]
 Elizabeth Johnson
12 Jones Street, Portland, Maine 04101 · 555-555-5555 · elizabethjohnson@email.com

August 11, 2020

Mark Smith
Manager, Human Resources
Veggies to Go
238 Maine Street
Portland, Maine 04101

Dear Mr. Smith,

I was so excited when my former coworker, Jay Lopez, told me about your opening for an
administrative assistant in your Portland offices. A long-time Veggies to Go customer and an
experienced admin, I would love to help the company achieve its mission of making healthy
produce as available as takeout.

I’ve worked for small companies for my entire career, and I relish the opportunity to wear many
hats and work with the team to succeed. In my latest role as an administrative assistant at
Beauty Corp, I saved my employer thousands of dollars in temp workers by implementing a self-
scheduling system for the customer service reps that cut down on canceled shifts. I also learned
web design, time sheet coding, and perfected my Excel skills.

I’ve attached my resume for your consideration and hope to speak with you soon about your
needs for the role.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Johnson (signature hard copy letter)

Elizabeth Johnson