Key Academic Writing Styles and Their Importance

This article discusses the four key academic writing styles - descriptive, persuasive, analytical, and critical - and their importance in different types of reports and research papers. Descriptive writing is used to present facts and information, analytical writing involves organizing and analyzing facts, persuasive writing presents the writer's point of view, and critical writing involves critiquing and debating various points. The article also explores the impact of these writing styles on the field of social sciences.

ASS065-1 Skills for the Social Sciences
Project one- Project Portfolio
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Project Portfolio
Unit ASS065-1
Part 1(a) –What are the key academic writing styles and why are they important? (350 words)
There are four basic categories of academic writing that a student or writer can use and
these are descriptive, persuasive, analytical and critical. All four writing styles can be used in writing
different kinds of reports like descriptive writing is used when the facts or information on a
particular thing needs to be presented (Martínez Fernández, and et.al., 2016). This generally
involves a summary or the result portion of the experiment or research that was carried out or
synthesis of any piece of writing. While writing a research paper, the method section or the results
section is generally written using descriptive technique.
Analytical is another technique that is used to write report or present written work in
Universities etc. It involves descriptive writing in them and additionally the writer is expected to re
organise all the facts in a systematic format and then formulate appropriate categories to segregate
them into various parts. Here the writer is expected to contrast, evaluate and examine the various
facts and then analyse and present them accordingly.
Persuasive style of writing is used when the writer wants to provide his own point of view in
addition to the analysis of facts and figures that have been presented in the report. In involves both
analytical writing style and descrip0tive writing style and is used generally to write essays, give
recommendations, present findings and interpretations etc. here the writer discusses what he found
out and establishes a position either in favour or against the argument presented.
Last style is critical writing where the writer develops opinion regarding the main themes or
interpretations that are presented in his work. Sometimes the writer is in favour of a certain
argument and at certain points with certain arguments, he can go against it as well. Along with his
opinion the writer is also required to present a concluding evidence and he basically critiques,
debates and argues about various points.
Part 1 (b)- Introduction
Topic: To analyse the rising level of Obesity in UK’s children and the various interventions that
can be developed to prevent obesity.

Project Portfolio
Unit ASS065-1
Part 2 – Section 1 – (approx. 300 words)
Positivistic (quantitative) articles
Article one: The views of young children in the UK about obesity, body size, shape and
weight: a systematic review
1) The type of research i.e. is positivistic or anti-positivistic?
The research carried out was positivistic in nature i.e. Quantitative data was used
and analysed to produce quantitative results.
2) Introduce the research
The rising level of obesity in children of UK and the various risks portrayed in
long and short term has been discussed where researchers analyse children’s
attitude, belief and perspective.
3) Describe the methods used
28 Case studies published after 1997 on UK children were analysed into two
categories: interpretative form the open ended questions and aggregative from
close ended questions.
4) Describe the results
It was concluded that obese people suffer from abuse and overweight child was
associated with negative characteristics and children continuously wished for
different body shop or size.
5) Describe the conclusion
Initiatives need to be formulated keeping in mind what children actually want and
they should be consulted in policy making.
Article two: The International Study of Childhood Obesity, Lifestyle and the Environment
(ISCOLE): design and methods
1) The type of research i.e. is positivistic or anti-positivistic?
Positivistic using quantitative data
2) Introduce the research

Project Portfolio
Unit ASS065-1
ISOCLE was formulated with the aim to study the relationship between lifestyle
choices and obesity in children between different countries.
3) Describe the methods used
6000 children from 12 countries aged 10 year were taken for study and data was
collected at individual, family and school level using a standard protocol in all
countries.
4) Describe the results
Correlation between adiposity and obesity was analysed and the cultural aspect
and its impact on obesity was analysed.
5) Describe the conclusion
It was concluded that ISOCLE depicts collaboration between nations and a global
effort in research needs to be taken restructuring the policies related to childhood
obesity.
Article three: Effects of parent and child behaviours on overweight and obesity in infants and
young children from disadvantaged backgrounds: systematic review with narrative synthesis
1) The type of research i.e. is positivistic or anti-positivistic?
Positivistic
2) Introduce the research
Understanding socioeconomic disparity in the prevalence of obesity in children
and developing targeted approaches.
3) Describe the methods used
Systematic review on 32 articles investigating causes if weight gain in children
and mixed method appraisal tool was used to ascertain relation between parenting,
eating and physical activities, sedentary behaviour and weight gain.
4) Describe the results
Studies, out of 32, 21 reported relationship of child weight with parenting, 12 with
parenting or eating habits, 8 with child eating only and other socio economic
indicators like ethnicity, diet clustering, effect of risk factors were identified.

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Unit ASS065-1
5) Describe the conclusion
Significant gaps were found in the comprehension of relative importance of
parenting and the behaviour of child amongst disadvantageous population group.
Part 2-Section 2 – (approx. 300 words)
Interpretative (anti-positivism/qualitative) articles
Article one: Parent and child perceptions of school based obesity prevention in England: a
qualitative study
1) The type of research i.e. is positivistic or anti-positivistic?
Anti-Positivistic
2) Introduce the research
The role of school in preventing obesity in children and WAVES study obesity
prevention intervention was studied to predict and understand the mechanism
behind controlling weight gain.
3) Describe the methods used
30 parents and 62 children studying in primary schools aged 6 to 7 years from
West Midlands, UK were selected and focus group interviews were held with
them as per the guidance of Framework Approach.
4) Describe the results
Three major themes were identified i.e. Impact, Sustainability and responsibility
and various sub themes were formulated as well. Parent’s role was found to be a
major influential factor and it was identified there were many lifestyle barriers in
raising up a healthy child.
5) Describe the conclusion
WAVES intervention was analysed in better context and various pathways like
increasing knowledge of child and parents, increasing motivation etc. was
formulated to address problem significantly.
Article two: A qualitative insight into informal childcare and childhood obesity in children
aged 0–5 years in the UK

Project Portfolio
Unit ASS065-1
1. The type of research i.e. is positivistic or anti-positivistic?
Anti-Positivistic
2. Introduce the research
The informal childcare and its relation to risk of obesity was analysed on both
parents and caretakers exploring their experiences, effectiveness of informal care
and their preferred interventions for avoiding obestiy.
3. Describe the methods used
4 in depth focus group interviews were conducted with 14 participants including 7
parents and 7 caretakers and data was analysed using thematic approach.
4. Describe the results
4 themes namely significance of informal care, practical and emotional support
roles of parents, four ways in which informal care contributed to obesity and
prevention ideas, were formulated based on the research.
5. Describe the conclusion
The link of informal care and obesity was analysed and it was concluded that the
interventions are indeed low cost and equally effective in minimising the risk
when delivered through primary healthcare centres.
Article three: Proactive Assessment of Obesity Risk during Infancy (ProAsk): a qualitative
study of parents’ and professionals’ perspectives on an mHealth intervention
1) The type of research i.e. is positivistic or anti-positivistic?
Anti-Positivistic
2) Introduce the research
Preventing obesity in child is the utmost priority. ProAsk Intervention helps in
assessing the risk that an infant might become overweight in future and the
experience of parent and health care professionals in communicating the risk
assessment was analysed.
3) Describe the methods used

Project Portfolio
Unit ASS065-1
Four economically deprived localities of UK where 66 parents of infants aged 6-8
years were selected and ProAsk study was conducted on them. 22 health visitors
delivered ProAsk to the parents when child became 3 month old and inductive and
interpretative approach was developed.
4) Describe the results
4 major themes were identified i.e. engaging and empowering with digital
technology, challenges and opportunities of unfamiliar technology, trusting risk
score and resistance to target.
5) Describe the conclusion
An intervention actively engaging the parents was developed so that risk of
overweight could be reduced and cognitive and motivational biases as barriers
could be prevented thus minimising the risk.
Section 3- Discussion – The contribution of research to the topic area (approx. 750 words).
Authors, Rees, Oliver, Woodman and Thomas, (2015), analysed and concluded that
the perspective of an overweight child himself should be taken into consideration before
forming the policies and interventions and it was concluded that majority of obese children
suffered from abuse and constantly tried to reform their body shape and sizes. An active
involvement of overweight children in policy making would help them in addressing the
issue adequately and this research paper helped in developing an effective intervention in
addressing the problem of rising obesity in UK.
Another research paper published by authors, Katzmarzyk, Chaput, Fogelholm, Hu,
Maher, Maia, Olds, Sarmiento, Standage, Tremblay and Tudor-Locke, (2019), identified that
ISCOLE, used to ascertain the relationship of obesity in different countries and it was
concluded by them that lifestyle develoment, environmental and policy interventions are
influential in the chances that a child might become an overweight and the influence of
culture on shaping up of obesity around the world was analysed which showed how children
around the world were suffering from obesity and what were the major factors involved.
According to, Russell, Taki, Laws, Azadi, Campbell, Elliott, Lynch, Ball, Taylor and
Denney-Wilson, (2016), it was concluded that amongst the various factors involved in
development of obesity in the child that were analysed, parenting played a major role in

Project Portfolio
Unit ASS065-1
ascertaining the probability that a child might become overweight in future and this was
followed up by the eating habits of children and its impact on the children belonging to the
disadvantaged group. The researcher also concluded that the disadvantaged population group
and ethnically minor groups face many issues in the parenting and upbringing of the child
which increases the risk factor associated with the child becoming overweigh in future. The
researcher helped in identifying that the cultural background and the society in which the
child is being raised plays a major role in lifestyle and eating habits of the child thus
determining the chances that he might become obese.
As per the view of, Clarke, Griffin, Lancashire, Adab, Parry, Pallan and WAVES
study trial investigators, (2015), the researchers identified that there were three major themes
that played a big role in the school setting i.e. Impact, Sustainability and responsibility and
under these three major themes, various sub themes were formulated such as involvement of
the parents, role of teachers etc. and it was concluded that although the primary responsibility
lies with the parents only, yet there are various barriers such as lack of knowledge and thus
schools also paly an extremely important role in ensuring that children are trained right from
the beginning regarding their health and its importance.
In accordance with the above study, another research paper published by, Lidgate, Li
and Lindenmeyer, (2018), helped in determining that the informal care that is given to the
children at homes and by parents, the local physicians etc. is very effective and further the
cost of such interventions that are formulated at home is also low thus making it an effective
mechanism for preventing obesity in the children. Authors, have further suggested that if
interventions are properly backed with correct knowledge and the primary healthcare
institutes also adopt and emphasize these interventions, then it will be possible to diminish
the risk of children getting overweight.
Authors, Rose, Glazebrook, Wharrad, Siriwardena, Swift, Nathan, Weng, Atkinson,
Ablewhite, McMaster and Watson, (2019), suggested in their study that there are four themes
on the basis of which the ProAsk interventions for preventing obesity in children could be
developed. These are engaging and empowering of digital technology, challenges of
unfamiliar technology and the risk score that has been developed should be regularly tracked
so ta the chances of child becoming obese in the future can be minimized. However, there
was a greater risk that was identified in the infants and the chances that they might not suffer

Project Portfolio
Unit ASS065-1
from an average risk score that was developed of them becoming obese. It was therefore
concluded that regular tracking of risk score of child could help them in minimising the
chances of child becoming obese in future.
Section 4- Conclusion (approx. 150 words).
It was concluded from the research carried above that rising obesity is indeed a major
concern for the UK’s government and therefore, the research conducted helped in
developing various interventions and interpreting the results. This helped in ascertaining
various causes behind the rising obesity amongst the children where lifestyle choices,
eating habits of the child, parent’s involvement in child’s upbringing turned out to be
some of the most prominent causes. Appropriate interventions were developed amongst
which the most effective one was that the perspective of the child who is actually
suffering from obesity must be taken onto consideration while formulating policies and
the informal treatment used by parents and local caretakers must also be included and
given importance.

Project Portfolio
Unit ASS065-1
Reference List
Clarke, J.L., Griffin, T.L., Lancashire, E.R., Adab, P., Parry, J.M., Pallan, M.J. and WAVES
study trial investigators, 2015. Parent and child perceptions of school-based obesity
prevention in England: a qualitative study. BMC Public Health. 15(1). p.1224.
Katzmarzyk, P.T., Chaput, J.P., Fogelholm, M., Hu, G., Maher, C., Maia, J., Olds, T.,
Sarmiento, O.L., Standage, M., Tremblay, M.S. and Tudor-Locke, C., 2019.
International study of childhood obesity, lifestyle and the environment (ISCOLE):
Contributions to understanding the global obesity epidemic. Nutrients. 11(4). p.848.
Lidgate, E.D., Li, B. and Lindenmeyer, A., 2018. A qualitative insight into informal childcare
and childhood obesity in children aged 0–5 years in the UK. Methods. 1. p.2.
Martínez Fernández, J.R., and et.al., 2016. Exploring conceptions about writing and learning:
undergraduates' patterns of beliefs and the quality of academic wrting.
Rees, R., Oliver, K., Woodman, J., and Thomas, J., 2015. The views of young children in the
UK about obesity, body size, shape and weight: a systematic review. BMC public health.
11(1). p.88.
Rose, J., Glazebrook, C., Wharrad, H., Siriwardena, A.N., Swift, J.A., Nathan, D., Weng,
S.F., Atkinson, P., Ablewhite, J., McMaster, F. and Watson, V., 2019. Proactive
Assessment of Obesity Risk during Infancy (ProAsk): a qualitative study of parents’ and
professionals’ perspectives on an mHealth intervention. BMC public health. 19(1).
p.294.
Russell, C.G., Taki, S., Laws, R., Azadi, L., Campbell, K.J., Elliott, R., Lynch, J., Ball, K.,
Taylor, R. and Denney-Wilson, E., 2016. Effects of parent and child behaviours on
overweight and obesity in infants and young children from disadvantaged backgrounds:
systematic review with narrative synthesis. BMC public health. 16(1). p.151