Lesson 1: Academic Writing

CONTENTS
1. What is academic writing?
2. Characteristics
3. Examples

What is academic writing?

Academic writing is clear, concise, focused, structured and backed up by evidence. Its purpose is to aid the
reader’s understanding.
It has a formal tone and style, but it is not complex and does not require the use of long sentences and
complicated vocabulary.
Each subject discipline will have certain writing conventions, vocabulary and types of discourse that you will
become familiar with over the course of your degree. However, there are some general characteristics of
academic writing that are relevant across all disciplines.
Is generally a quite formal, objective (impersonal), and technical.

Characteristics
1. Formal
2. Objective (Impersonal)
3. Technical

Formal
An academic text is formal by avoiding casual or conversational language such as contractions or informal
vocabulary. It uses appropriate language and tenses, and is clear, concise and balanced.

Objective
It is impersonal at the same time objective because it avoids direct reference to people or feelings instead it
emphasizes objects, facts, and ideas. It well focuses on the idea rather than the people or emotion that being
portrayed.

Technical
A text is technical by using vocabulary wordings and references used has a clear focus on the issue. It also
includes accurate word choice.

Examples
Academic Texts Non-academic Texts
1. Essays 1. Resolutions
2. Concept Papers 2. Contracts
3. Reaction Papers 3. Application Papers
4. Position Papers 4. Business Documents
5. Reports (Educational) 5. Oath/Pledges
6. Research Papers 6. Journalistic Articles
7. Editorials/Cartoons
8. Science Feature

Notes
An academic text should consider…

1. Formal Tone (FT) 3. Clear Focuses on the Topic (CFT)

2. Uses Third Person (UTP) 4. Precise Word Choice (PWC)
Source: Academic Text for Professionals (https://library.leeds.ac.uk/info/14011/writing/106/academic_writing/1)
Lesson 2: Thesis Statement
Contents
1. What is Thesis Statement
2. Tips for Writing a Thesis Statement
3. Characteristics
4. Purpose
5. Examples

What is Thesis Statement

Thesis statement is a sentence that states the main idea of a writing assignment and helps control the ideas
within the paper. It is not merely a topic. It often reflects an opinion or judgment that a writer has made about a
reading or personal experience.
A thesis statement contains a subject and a verb, it is a simple declarative sentence, commonly uses single
sentence, and expresses a basic idea.

Tips for Writing a Thesis Statement

1. Determine what kind of paper you are writing:

An analytical paper breaks down an issue or an idea into its component parts, evaluates the issue or idea,
and presents this breakdown and evaluation to the audience.
An expository (explanatory) paper explains something to the audience.
An argumentative paper makes a claim about a topic and justifies this claim with specific evidence. The
claim could be an opinion, a policy proposal, an evaluation, a cause-and-effect statement, or an
interpretation. The goal of the argumentative paper is to convince the audience that the claim is true based
on the evidence provided.
If you are writing a text that does not fall under these three categories (e.g., a narrative), a thesis statement
somewhere in the first paragraph could still be helpful to your reader.
2. Your thesis statement should be specific—it should cover only what you will discuss in your paper and
should be supported with specific evidence.
3. The thesis statement usually appears at the end of the first paragraph of a paper.
4. Your topic may change as you write, so you may need to revise your thesis statement to reflect exactly what
you have discussed in the paper.
Source: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/the_writing_process/thesis_statement_tips.html

Characteristics
1. Clear
2. Precise
3. Restricted

Clear
A thesis statement is clear if it is clearly understandable and is not misleading to the main topic. It is also a
strong declarative sentence.

Precise
It is straight to the point.

Restricted
A thesis statement is restricted if it sticks with the topic and do not go over far beyond. It also give a more
relative and clear scope of the topic.
Purpose
To answer questions:
 What is my opinion?
 What I am going to illustrate?
 What I am going to define or argue in this article or paper?
Source: Thesis Statements For Professionals (https://gustavus.edu/writingcenter/handoutdocs/thesis_statements.php)

https://eappdaily.wordpress.com/2018/09/18/lesson-2/

Examples
Example of an analytical thesis statement:
An analysis of the college admission process reveals one challenge facing counselors: accepting students with
high test scores or students with strong extracurricular backgrounds.
The paper that follows should:
 Explain the analysis of the college admission process
 Explain the challenge facing admissions counselors

Example of an expository (explanatory) thesis statement:

The life of the typical college student is characterized by time spent studying, attending class, and socializing
with peers.
The paper that follows should:
 Explain how students spend their time studying, attending class, and socializing with peers

Example of an argumentative thesis statement:

High school graduates should be required to take a year off to pursue community service projects before
entering college in order to increase their maturity and global awareness.
The paper that follows should:
 Present an argument and give evidence to support the claim that students should pursue community
projects before entering college
Source: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/the_writing_process/thesis_statement_tips.html
Lesson 3: Plagiarism
Contents
1. What is Plagiarism
2. Example
3. How to Avoid Plagiarism

What is Plagiarism?
According to University of Cambridge, plagiarism is acclaiming one’s own work, irrespective of intent to deceive,
that which derives in part or in its entirely from the work of others without proper acknowledgement. Both poor
scholarship and a breach of academic integrity.
Source: Cambridge University (https://www.cam.ac.uk/)

Many people think of plagiarism as copying another’s work or borrowing someone else’s original ideas. But
terms like “copying” and “borrowing” can disguise the seriousness of the offense:
According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, to “plagiarize” means:
 to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one’s own
 to use (another’s production) without crediting the source
 to commit literary theft
 to present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source
In other words, plagiarism is an act of fraud. It involves both stealing someone else’s work and lying about it
afterward.
Source: What is Plagiarism? (https://www.plagiarism.org/article/what-is-plagiarism)

Examples
All of the following are considered plagiarism:
 turning in someone else’s work as your own
 copying words or ideas from someone else without giving credit
 failing to put a quotation in quotation marks
 giving incorrect information about the source of a quotation
 changing words but copying the sentence structure of a source without giving credit
 copying so many words or ideas from a source that it makes up the majority of your work, whether you
give credit or not (see our section on “fair use” rules)

Other Cases
Using an image, video or piece of music in a work you have produced without receiving proper permission or
providing appropriate citation is plagiarism. The following activities are very common in today’s society. Despite
their popularity, they still count as plagiarism.
 Copying media (especially images) from other websites to paste them into your own papers or websites.
 Making a video using footage from others’ videos or using copyrighted music as part of the soundtrack.
 Performing another person’s copyrighted music (i.e., playing a cover).
 Composing a piece of music that borrows heavily from another composition.
Certainly, these media pose situations in which it can be challenging to determine whether or not the copyrights
of a work are being violated. For example:
 A photograph or scan of a copyrighted image (for example: using a photograph of a book cover to
represent that book on one’s website)
 Recording audio or video in which copyrighted music or video is playing in the background.
 Re-creating a visual work in the same medium. (for example: shooting a photograph that uses the same
composition and subject matter as someone else’s photograph)
 Re-creating a visual work in a different medium (for example: making a painting that closely resembles
another person’s photograph).
 Re-mixing or altering copyrighted images, video or audio, even if done so in an original way.
Source: Plagiarism 101 (https://www.plagiarism.org/article/what-is-plagiarism)
How to Avoid Plagiarism
 Paraphrasing – changing the words and terms with acknowledgement of the source.
 Do not use ideas – without reference to the owner.
 Avoid cutting and pasting – do not sought from the internet to be an online source.
 Submitting the work – identify the owner or who did the work.
Lesson 4: Copyright
Contents
1. What is Copyright?
2. Examples
3. Copyright Infringement
4. How to Avoid Copyright Infringement

What is Copyright?
It intends to protect original works of authorship including literary works, musical works, graphic works,
architectural works, and artistic expressions.
Fundamentally, copyright is a law that gives you ownership over the things you create. Be it a painting, a
photograph, a poem or a novel, if you created it, you own it and it’s the copyright law itself that assures that
ownership. The ownership that copyright law grants comes with several rights that you, as the owner, have
exclusively.

Examples
 The right to reproduce the work
 to prepare derivative works
 to distribute copies
 to perform the work
 and to display the work publicly
Source: Learn More About Copyright (https://www.plagiarismtoday.com/stopping-internet-plagiarism/your-copyrights-online/1-what-is-
a-copyright/)

Copyright Infringement
A copyright infringement is a violation of an individual or organization’s copyright. It describes the unauthorized
use of copyrighted material, such as text, photos, videos, music, software, and other original content.
Source: Learn More (https://techterms.com/definition/copyright_infringement)

How to Avoid Copyright Infringement

 Cite the owner of the work;
 Better if you ask for permission
 Do not use the work for commercial use
 Always think before you act
Lesson 5: Paraphrasing
Contents
1. What is Paraphrasing?
2. Examples
3. Things to Remember
4. How to Paraphrase

What is Paraphrasing?
Paraphrasing means expressing information or ideas from other sources in your own words in a similar number
of words as the source text. Paraphrasing is NOT simply replacing words with synonyms or rearranging the
structure of sentences. It involves rephrasing a text substantially while retaining the original meaning.
Paraphrasing involves acknowledging the original source with proper referencing.
Source: Paraphrasing (https://www.monash.edu/rlo/research-writing-assignments/writing/paraphrasing-summarising-and-
quoting#summarising)

This is where “citation” and its partner “paraphrasing” comes along that leads you to proper acknowledgement
It is also restating a passage and simplifies the use of language

Examples
The paragraph below is a paraphrase written by a student. Its aim is to support one of the key contentions in
their essay on learning motivation among older students studying off campus. Compare the student’s
paraphrase to the original text and answer the following question.

The student’s paraphrase:

In the research study undertaken by Kahu (2014), students struggled to learn material that did not interest
them. However, they were highly motivated to learn, and more successful, when studying topics they chose
themselves. Kahu concludes that student interest in learning is greatly influenced by the design and content of
the curriculum.

Original source:

Course design and content were critical influences on interest. For instance, courses that students chose to do,
or that offered opportunities for choice of sub‐topics or assessments, enabled them to follow their interests and
therefore experience that positive spiral. On the other hand, compulsory courses and topics that did not interest
the students often led to boredom and frustration. Boredom was consistently linked with lower behavioral and
cognitive engagement. Bored students procrastinated more, studied less, and, importantly, found the learning
more difficult.

Things to Remember
 Restructuring of the text
 The essence of the idea
 Use of “it” instead of other pronouns
 Use of synonyms
 The structure of the statement
 The use of citation
 The use of intensifiers
How to Paraphrase
The first step in paraphrasing is to read the original text and get a full grasp of it. You may need to read the
original text a few times and check the meaning of key words to fully understand it.
While you are reading, think about the overall meaning of each paragraph or section - don’t just focus on the
individual words and sentences.
After each paragraph or section, put the reading aside and state it in your own words.
When you can do this, you are ready to write your paraphrase.
Finally, proofread, revise and edit your paraphrase as necessary.

NOTE
A paraphrase is particularly useful:
 when you are dealing with facts and definitions
 when you need to refer to a chunk of information from one particular part of a source (e.g. a paragraph
in the introduction of a journal article).

________________________________________________________
Activity
Below is an extract from a text which a student intends to use in an assignment, followed by two attempts at
paraphrasing it. Read through these, then indicate which you think does a better job of paraphrasing.

Assignment topic
It is generally agreed that homelessness is increasing in Australia, yet there is no commonly accepted definition.
What does it mean to be ‘homeless’, and why is it so hard for governments, charities and social commentators
to agree on a definition?

Original text:

Because of the complexity of homelessness from a social policy and service delivery perspective, there are a
wide range of views on what constitutes homelessness. Definitions of homelessness are culturally and
historically contingent. They range from limited objective measures which conflate homelessness with
rooflessness to more subjective definitions founded on culturally and historically determined ideas of ‘home’.

Paraphrasing - Example A

Homelessness is complicated from both policy-making and service delivery points of view. For this reason, there
are many different opinions on what homelessness means. Characterizations of homelessness are linked to
culture and history. They encompass both narrow objective views which define being homeless as being
roofless, and more personal definitions based on cultural and historical understandings of 'home' (ABS, 2012).

Paraphrasing - Example B

A multi-faceted concept, homelessness can be defined in a variety of ways, most simply as the basic lack of
shelter. However, our understanding of what constitutes a ‘home’ is also informed by our culture and history.
This complexity impacts the development of effective policy and services to address homelessness (ABS, 2012).

Which example paraphrases the information better?

Example A.
Example B
Lesson 6: Summarizing
Contents
1. What is summarizing
2. Examples
3. How to create a good summary
4. Rules for summarizing
5. What a Summary Does NOT Contain

What is Summarizing?
A summary is a synthesis of the key ideas of a piece of writing, restated in your own words – i.e., paraphrased.
You may write a summary as a stand-alone assignment or as part of a longer paper. Whenever you summarize,
you must be careful not to copy the exact wording of the original source.
It is giving the key points of the topic and condensing the information that will be included in the topic.
The summary should be in your own words.

Examples
The following paragraph is a summary of the original source below written by a student as part of a report on
the dietary habits of Australian adolescents. Compare the student's summary to the original text and answer the
question.

Original source:

With respect to daily intakes of specific micronutrients, 40% of adolescent girls and 8% of adolescent boys were
at risk for inadequate intakes of iron. While protein intakes were adequate in these subpopulations, the top two
sources of iron were from plant-based, iron fortified sources (breakfast cereals and breads and bread rolls). With
regard to higher iron bioavailability and density, animal-based protein sources may be another strategy to
address iron intake, particularly among females, as it has been previously shown to be a less popular food choice
among Australian children and adolescents and avoided by young female adults (Fayet-Moore et al., 2017).

The student’s summary:

Fayet-Moore et al. (2017) found that 40% of adolescent girls, compared to 8% of boys, are likely to have an
inadequate amount of iron in their diets, in spite of a sufficient protein intake. They attribute this to a tendency
to avoid foods derived from animals.

How to Create a Good Summary

1. The first step in summarizing is to read the original text and get a full grasp of it. You may need to re-
read the original source a few times and look up the meaning of key words to fully understand it.
2. When reading, ask yourself: What is the overall message? What are the key points?
3. Concentrate on the essentials and leave out details and examples.
4. Put the source aside and state its key points in your own words.
5. When you can do this, you are ready to write your summary.
6. Finally, proofread, revise and edit your summary as necessary.

NOTE
Don't forget to include a proper citation when summarizing and be careful not to add new points or change the
original meaning.

Use your words to tell the key ideas from the text.
Rules for Summarizing
1. Include only important information
2. Combine ideas when writing a summary
3. Add connective words for clarity and coherence
4. Use category items instead of a list of words (for example, use furniture for chair, sofa, or table)

What a Summary Does NOT Contain

1. Your opinion
2. Material directly copied or quotes
3. What you think the author should have said

________________________________________________________
Activity
Read this section of an article and choose which option from the answers below best summarizes it.

Original source:

Longitudinal studies have also confirmed the role of beliefs in teacher practice. The impact of previously held
beliefs was found to be enduring when four school teachers were observed over a two-year period
implementing a new and specific method of teaching reading (Stephens et al., 2000). Despite the teachers
receiving special training, new practice was not comprehensively sustained, with one teacher reverting to
practice based on prior-held beliefs at the end of the training period. Similar reliance on earlier beliefs has been
observed in studies of preservice teachers. In a two year study on development of professional belief systems
about reading instruction the teachers appeared to create fictive images of themselves as teachers consistent
with their prior knowledge of teachers and reading, and the experiences they had on teaching practicum
(Stoube, 2009). These factors seemed more important in forming these teachers’ notions about teaching
reading, than formal reading courses undertaken as part of teacher training. In a similar fashion, research with
preservice teachers at two American universities found that previous, personal experience and beliefs continued
to influence content and instructional choices of these participants (Barnyak & Paquette, 2010).

Which of the following best summarizes the original paragraph?

1. McHardy and Chapman (2016) discuss previous research into preservice teachers (Stoube, 2009;
Barnyak & Paquette, 2010) and experienced teachers (Stephens et al., 2000) and conclude that even
when they have received training in methods of teaching reading that differ from their existing practices
and beliefs, they often revert to the old ways after the training is completed.
2. Teachers’ reluctance to implement new methods of teaching reading to adults is regrettable (McHardy
& Chapman, 2016). By holding onto their old belief systems, they are not making the most of their
training and thereby disadvantaging their students. Studies by Stephens et al. (2000), Stoube (2009) and
Barnyak & Paquette (2010) all support this assertion.
3. McHardy and Chapman (2016) prove that teachers find it impossible to change their approach to
teaching reading to adults despite being trained in alternative methods. They always return to the
practices they believe are best. Their views are supported by at least three other studies.
Lesson 7: Outlining
CONTENTS
1. Definition of Outline
2. Examples
3. Guidelines

What is Outlining?
An outline is a plan for or a summary of a writing project or speech.
An outline is usually in the form of a list divided into headings and subheadings that distinguish main points from
supporting points. Most word processors contain an outlining feature that allows writers to format outlines
automatically. An outline may be either informal or formal.

EXAMPLES
Thesis: Though many things make me want to score goals, I love scoring most of all because it momentarily gives
me a sense of power.
I. Common reasons for wanting to score goals
A. Help team
B. Gain glory
C. Hear cheers of crowd
II. My reasons for wanting to score goals
A. Feel relaxed
1. Know I’m going to score a goal
2. Move smoothly, not awkwardly
3. Get relief from pressure to do well
B. See world in freeze-frame
1. See puck going into goal
2. See other players and crowd
C. Feel momentary sense of power
1. Do better than goalie
2. Take ultimate mind trip
3. Conquer anxiety
4. Return to earth after a moment

GUIDELINES
Arrangement of Letters and Numbers in a Formal Outline
I. (main topic)
A. (subtopics of I)
B.
1. (subtopics of B)
2.
a. (subtopics of 2)
b.
i. (subtopics of b)
ii.

Note that subtopics are indented so that all letters or numbers of the same kind appear directly under one
another. Whether phrases (in a topic outline) or complete sentences (in a sentence outline) are used, topics and
subtopics should be parallel in form. Make sure that all items have at least two subtopics or none at all.