Chapter 7 – Voice © 2016. Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Chapter 7 – Voice

© 2016. Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

By the time you finish reading and studying this chapter, you should be able to: LO1 Read for voice. LO2 Write with voice. LO3 Read for word choice and

sentences. LO4 Use specific words and strong

sentences in writing.

Learning Outcomes

© 2016 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

Discuss the following in a small group. Be prepared to share your answers with the class.

1. What is the difference between a public voice and a private voice?

2. In what situations should you use a public voice?

3. Give some examples of instances when you use a private voice. Who are you with? What kinds of things do you discuss?

Opening Activity

© 2016 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

Voice can be defined as the personality projected in a piece of writing.

To establish an appropriate voice, writers must consider: Purpose – specific reason for writing (to

inform, to persuade, to criticize, to share, to entertain)

Audience – intended readership for writing

Reading for Voice

© 2016 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

Reading for Voice

© 2016 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

Determine the purpose and audience for the following reading selections.

Activity

Reading Purpose AudienceA high school geometry textbook

A newspaper article about a local robbery

A politician’s campaign speech

An interview with a famous pop singer

A comedian’s social media post

© 2016 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

Reading for Voice

Types of VoiceAcademic

voice used in textbooks,

professional journals, and

research projects; uses formal

English, sounds serious, and is

factual

Personal voice

used in personal narratives and essays, blogs,

magazine columns, and memoirs; uses informal English, sounds relaxed,

and includes writer’s thoughts

and feelings

Satiric voice used in essays and

commentaries when the writer

speaks sarcastically or

humorously about a topic

© 2016 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

Always consider purpose and audience to pr0ject the appropriate voice in your writing!

Writing with Voice

Type of Writing

Purpose Audience Voice

Narrative To share and perhaps to entertain or inform

Instructor and classmates

Personal voice

Expository To inform Instructor and classmates

Formal, academic voice

Argumentative

To persuade and perhaps to inform

Instructor and classmates

Formal, academic voice

© 2016 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

Features of Personal Voice: Uses first-person point of view

(I, me, my, we, us) Subjective writing that includes

personal thoughts and feelings Easy-reading sentences that are

conversational General, familiar words to

establish informality

Writing with Voice

Blaj Gabriel, 2014 / Use under license from Shutterstock.com

© 2016 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

Features of Academic Voice: Uses third-person point of view (he, she, his, her,

they, them) Maintains objectivity Carefully constructed sentences to establish

formality Content-related words to show knowledge Cites research Avoids informal expressions Adheres to Standard English

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© 2016 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

Word choice, or diction, is closely connected to voice.

The words writers use help create a unique voice.

Reading for Word Choice and Sentences

Word choice in academic texts includes:• Nominalizations• Technical terms• Carefully constructed

language

Word choice in personal texts includes:• Relaxed language• Informal language

© 2016 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

Diction is the author’s choice of words based on their correctness, clearness, or effectiveness.

Reading for Word Choice and Sentences

Diction GlossaryColloquialisms – expressions usually accepted in informal or

casual situationsJargon – specialized language used by a specific group of peopleIdioms – words used in special

ways different from literal meaningsSlang – nonstandard language

used by people among themselvesTrite – lacks depth or original

thinkingVulgarity – abusive or disrespectful language

© 2016 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

Figures of speech (literary devices) – words or comparisons used in a non-literal sense to create meaning Metaphor – comparison of two unlike things without

using like or as Simile – comparison of two unlike things using like or

as Personification – when an animal, object, or idea

takes on a human characteristic Hyperbole – extreme exaggeration or overstatement Understatement – stating an idea with restraint,

often for humor

Reading for Word Choice and Sentences

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Irony – a twist or surprise in the storyline, explanation, or set of circumstances, which is designed to make a point Verbal irony – when a writer says one thing but really means

anotherExample: Upon returning home from a work trip, a stressed woman looks around her messy house and says, “Thanks for keeping everything so neat and clean.”

Dramatic irony – when the reader or viewer knows a critical piece of information that the subject can’t see Example: In a scary movie, viewers see the victim running out of the back of the house not knowing the killer is waiting outside.

Irony of situation – when there is a great difference between the purpose of an action and the result

Example: An actor known for his leading role in a series of famous street racing movies dies in a tragic car crash.

Reading for Word Choice and Sentences

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Authors craft their sentences carefully based on purpose and audience.

In academic texts, sentences are longer and have multiple layers of meaning as information needs to be shared thoroughly and accurately.

In personal texts, sentences are relaxed and conversational in tone so that they can be read quickly and easily.

Reading for Word Choice and Sentences

nasirkhan, 2014 / Use under license from Shutterstock.com© 2016 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

In most cases, specific words are better to use than general ones.

Using Specific Words and Strong Sentences in Writing

© 2016 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

Watch for the following with words: vague adjectives

Original: Over the summer, Carlos made a lot of money waiting tables.Revised: Over the summer, Carlos made over $3,000 waiting tables.

too many adjectivesOriginal: The intelligent, polite, soft-spoken saleswoman could charm her customers into buying just about anything.Revised: The skilled saleswoman could charm her customers into buying just about anything.

too many “be” verbsOriginal: Although he is still in college and is a finance major, Simon is already an expert in day trading.Revised: Although he is still in college studying finance, Simon already runs a successful day trading business.

Using Specific Words and Strong Sentences in Writing

© 2016 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

Watch for the following with words: the same word used over and over

Original: My mother is a professor at a local community college. My mother is head of the service learning committee on campus, and my mother stays very busy.Revised: My mother is a professor at a local community college. As the head of the service learning committee on campus, she stays very busy.

words used incorrectly Original: Would you like too see there new house?Revised: Would you like to see their new house?

Using Specific Words and Strong Sentences in Writing

© 2016 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

Watch for the following with sentences: Avoid sentence errors – fragments, comma

splices, and run-ons. Avoid short, choppy sentences. Avoid sentences with the same beginning. Avoid sentences with passive verbs.

Using Specific Words and Strong Sentences in Writing

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Select a paragraph from a writing assignment you are currently working on, and revise it based on the strategies you learned in this chapter. Consider the following:

Closing Activity

• Appropriate diction• Specific words• Adjective use• Overuse of “be”

verbs• Repetition of words

• Incorrect use of words

• Sentence errors• Choppy sentences• Sentences starting

the same• Passive verbs

© 2016 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.