ACADEMIC WRITING

INTERNATIONALIZATION
PATRICIA ZAMBRANO
2018 - II
Academic Writing Task

a. Think of a problem/issue (related to your field of study) you are interested in. Keep in mind that you are
going to write an essay about that topic.
b. Find two articles from academic journals related to the thematic you are going to write about.
c. Make a 10 word glossary with definitions of technical words described in the articles.
d. Write an expository essay, following the guidelines below, and using a minimum of 5 words listed in the
glossary.

Expository Essays

What is an expository essay?

The expository essay is a genre of essay that requires the student to investigate an idea, evaluate evidence,
expound on the idea, and set forth an argument concerning that idea in a clear and concise manner. This can be
accomplished through comparison and contrast, definition, example, the analysis of cause and effect, etc.

The key here is that you are explaining an issue, theme or idea to your intended audience. Your reaction to a
work of literature could be in the form of an expository essay, for example if you decide to simply explain your
personal response to a work. The expository essay can also be used to give a personal response to a world
event, political debate, football game, work of art and so on.

What are its most important qualities?

You want to get and, of course, keep your reader’s attention. So, you should:

- Have a well-defined thesis. Start with a thesis statement/research of intent. Make sure you answer your
question or do what you say you set out to do. Do not wander from your topic.
- Provide evidence to back up what you are saying. Support your arguments with facts and reasoning. Do not
simply list facts, incorporate these as examples supporting your position, but at the same time make your
point as succinctly as possible.
- The essay should be concise. Make your point and conclude your essay. Don’t make the mistake of believing
that repetition and over-stating your case will score points with your readers.

The structure of the expository essay is held together by the following.

1. A clear, concise, and defined thesis statement that occurs in the first paragraph of the essay.
It is essential that this thesis statement be appropriately narrowed to follow the guidelines set forth in the
assignment. If the student does not master this portion of the essay, it will be quite difficult to compose an
effective or persuasive essay.

2. Clear and logical transitions between the introduction, body, and conclusion.
Transitions are the mortar that holds the foundation of the essay together. Without logical progression of thought,
the reader is unable to follow the essay’s argument, and the structure will collapse.

3. Signposting.
Signposts explain the logic of your argument. They tell the reader what you are going to do at key points
in your assignment. The author is responsible for making the text as clear as possible for the reader. To achieve
clarity, the author has to ensure that the writing is explicit: in other words, it should anticipate and address the
reader’s questions. An active reader will want to know what the author’s aims are and how they will be achieved;
what the author’s position is about key issues; how the argument is constructed; how ideas relate to each other.
Good writers use signposting language to signal to the reader where these answers can be found.
3.1. Major signposts
They signal key aspects of the work, such as purpose, structure, author’s stance, main points, direction
of the argument, conclusion. For instance:
 ACADEMIC WRITING
INTERNATIONALIZATION
PATRICIA ZAMBRANO
2018 - II
3.1.1. Signposting for an introduction
- To understand the role of (your topic) this essay aims to provide a discussion of (the ideas you will
develop).
- This essay seeks to investigate/evaluate/illustrate/discuss the impact of (your topic) in relation to
(the ideas you will develop).
- Firstly, this assignment examines (your topic) and its links with (your first idea). Next, it closely
examines ... in relation to ... (your next idea). Finally, it focuses on ... and how this affects…(your
next idea).
- The aim of this essay is to…
- The purpose of this thesis is to…
- This essay argues that…

3.1.2. A paragraph that introduces or develops a new idea

- One aspect which illustrates ... (your topic) can be identified as ... (the idea you want to develop).
- This first/next/ final section provides a general discussion of ...(the idea you want to develop)

3.1.3. A paragraph which expands on a previous idea

- Building on from the idea that ... (mention previous idea), this section illustrates that ... (introduce
your new idea).
- To further understand the role of ...(your topic or your previous idea) this section explores the idea
that ... (introduce your new idea).
- Having established ... (mention previous idea), this part of the essay will now/next consider …
- Building on from the idea that ... (mention previous idea), this section illustrates that ...

3.1.4. To sum up an idea in a paragraph

- This evidence highlights that ... (sum up your idea)
- There is general agreement that ... (sum up your idea)
- The strength of such an approach is that ...(sum up your idea)

3.1.5. For a conclusion

- Clearly, this essay has shown that the main factors which impact upon ... (your topic) are ...
(summarise your main ideas)
- The evidence presented in this essay has shown that ... (mention the conclusions you have drawn)
- To conclude, this essay has addressed a number of significant issues which show that ... (mention
the conclusions you have drawn)

3.2. Linking words and phrases 

They show connections between sentences and paragraphs. The following are some examples:

3.1.1. To indicate addition or similarity: also/ besides, / in addition, / furthermore, / as well / similarly,

3.1.2. To indicate contrast: however,/ nevertheless,/ on the other hand,/
3.1.3. To indicate result or consequence: therefore, / thus, / as a result, / consequently,
3.1.4. To reformulate an idea: in other words, / to put it simply, / that is
3.1.5. To add more ideas: again, furthermore, in addition, moreover
3.1.6. To compare or contrast ideas: alternatively, contrastingly, conversely, whereas
3.1.7. To prove something: evidently, for this reason, because, inevitably, due to…
3.1.8. To show exceptions: however, nevertheless, yet, in spite of
3.1.9. To repeat or refer to something: as has been mentioned/noted…/As previously discussed
3.1.10. To emphasise something: definitely, obviously, inevitably, undeniably
3.1.11. To give an example: for instance, in this case, in particular, notably, / for example,/ to exemplify
3.1.12. To show the order of things: previously, following this, initially, subsequently, finally
 ACADEMIC WRITING
INTERNATIONALIZATION
PATRICIA ZAMBRANO
2018 - II

4. Body paragraphs that include evidential support.

Each paragraph should be limited to the exposition of one general idea. This will allow for clarity and direction
throughout the essay. What is more, such conciseness creates an ease of readability for one’s audience. It is
important to note that each paragraph in the body of the essay must have some logical connection to the thesis
statement in the opening paragraph.

5. Evidential support (whether factual, logical, statistical, or anecdotal).

Frequently, students are required to write expository essays with little or no preparation; therefore, such essays
do not typically allow for a great deal of statistical or factual evidence.

6. A conclusion that does not simply restate the thesis, but readdresses it in light of the evidence
provided.
It is at this point of the essay that students will inevitably begin to struggle. This is the portion of the essay that will
leave the most immediate impression on the mind of the reader. Therefore, it must be effective and logical. Do not
introduce any new information into the conclusion; rather, synthesize and come to a conclusion concerning the
information presented in the body of the essay.

7. A complete argument

Perhaps it is helpful to think of an essay in terms of a conversation or debate with a classmate. If I were to discuss
the cause of the Great Depression and its current effect on those who lived through the tumultuous time, there
would be a beginning, middle, and end to the conversation. In fact, if I were to end the exposition in the middle of
my second point, questions would arise concerning the current effects on those who lived through the Depression.
Therefore, the expository essay must be complete, and logically so, leaving no doubt as to its intent or argument.

8. Further guidelines for the essay.

1. Word count: 1000 words.

2. Doble-spaced lines.
3. You must have at least three sources (including the two articles you used for the glossary).
4. List your references at the end of the essay.
5. Your thesis must be clearly identified in the introductory paragraph.
6. Limit the use of 1st person. Instead use:
- The passive: The issue was addressed by experts in the area…
- Pleonastic/Dummy subjects: it, there
- It may be that attention on this problem is focused on…
- There are many reasons why…
7. Academic word choice: avoid the use of phrasal verbs or informal words.
8. Clear development: Several short sentences are better than long convoluted ones.

9. The Five-paragraph Essay

A common method for writing an expository essay is the five-paragraph approach. This is, however, by no means
the only formula for writing such essays. The method consists of:

1. Introductory paragraph
a. Overview of the topic: Definition, causes and consequences.
b. Thesis: The point your essay is trying to prove. The aim of the paper.
2. Three evidentiary body paragraphs
3. Conclusion