How can academic writing promote social change?

1 What is CDA?

CDA is an interdisciplinary approach to analyzing discourse that combines linguistic, sociological, and political perspectives. Discourse is not just language, but also the social practices and contexts that produce and reproduce meaning and knowledge. CDA aims to reveal how discourse constructs and reflects social reality, and how it influences and is influenced by power, ideology, and identity. CDA also seeks to expose and resist the dominant or oppressive discourses that marginalize, exclude, or silence alternative or minority voices.

2 How to apply CDA to your writing?

To write with a CDA perspective, you need to consider not only what you say, but also how you say it, why you say it, and what effects it has. You need to ask critical questions about your own and others' discourses, such as: Who is the author or speaker? What is their purpose and position? Who is the audience or reader? What are the assumptions and values behind the discourse? How does the discourse use language, style, tone, structure, and strategies to persuade, inform, or manipulate? How does the discourse relate to the broader social, historical, and cultural context? How does the discourse affect the relations of power, inequality, and resistance?

3 How to evaluate sources critically?

One of the key skills of academic writing is to use and cite credible and relevant sources to support your arguments and claims. However, not all sources are equally reliable, valid, or unbiased. You need to evaluate your sources critically, using CDA as a guide. You need to check the credibility and authority of the source, the quality and accuracy of the information, the relevance and currency of the topic, and the perspective and bias of the author or publisher. You need to compare and contrast different sources, and identify any gaps, contradictions, or controversies. You need to acknowledge and address any limitations or challenges to your sources.

4 How to avoid plagiarism and ethical issues?

Plagiarism is the act of using someone else's words, ideas, or work without proper acknowledgment or citation. Plagiarism is not only dishonest and unethical, but also detrimental to your academic reputation and credibility. To avoid plagiarism, you need to follow the rules and conventions of academic citation and referencing, using the appropriate style and format for your discipline. You need to distinguish between direct quotes, paraphrases, summaries, and your own opinions. You need to use quotation marks, citations, and references correctly and consistently. You need to respect the intellectual property and rights of the original authors or sources.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?