Practice #2: Macro-Level Structure – Abstract

So here is the abstract in toto, first…

Abstract from http://doi.org/10.1089/big.2014.0026

What can we do with the Abstract to develop a better overall understanding  of the research before we start to read? Academic writing is dense and includes many ideas in a very concise arrangement. Our job is to mine as much information from the abstract as we can before we start to read.

Strategies

1. Break it down (1 sentence or thought group at a time) – re-state in your own words and
2. Substitute simpler verbiage. Let’s do one section together as an example, before you do the activity:
   Global climate change and its impact on human life has become one of our era’s greatest challenges.   RESTATED:  The effects of climate change affect everyone around the world and it is a very important problem to solve.

Now we’ll go into breakout rooms to work on the rest… 

In your groups:

1. Go to the shared Google slides doc to complete your work – Choose the slide that corresponds to your Breakout Room #.
2. Divide up the sentences among yourselves in your group
3. Restate each sentence in your own words – use simpler word substitutions where needed.
4. Be ready to share your work with the whole group
5. Here is the link: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1g5xLbaEqqbkaotRe-w0I7LHi6Rb79gS60OM9QqjZYlo/edit#slide=id.gd295357407_0_6

I will visit the breakout rooms and discuss your answers.

Now read your restatements/simplifications – can you write a summary statement about the key points?

Which words did you find useful to substitute with simpler language?

Now go onto Practice #3 to continue with Macro structures.

Reference for article:

James H. Faghmous and Vipin Kumar.Big Data.Sep 2014.155-163.http://doi.org/10.1089/big.2014.0026