Academic Writing Example 1: Research Proposals

A research proposal is a document proposing a research project, generally in the sciences or academia,
and generally constitutes a request for sponsorship of that research. Proposals are evaluated on the cost
and potential impact of the proposed research, and on the soundness of the proposed plan for carrying it
out. 

The purpose of the research proposal (its job, so to speak) is to convince your research supervisor,
committee or university that your research is suitable (for the requirements of the degree program)
and manageable (given the time and resource constraints you will face). 

The most important word here is “convince” – in other words, your research proposal needs to sell your
research idea (to whoever is going to approve it). If it doesn’t convince them (of its suitability and
manageability) you’ll need revise and resubmit. This will cost you valuable time, which will either delay
the start of your research or eat into its time allowance (which is bad news). 

Research Proposal Structure

1. A cover letter summarizing your proposal and showcasing why you should be chosen

2. An introduction or abstract

3. An explanation of the background, purpose, and significance of your research

4. A research plan or methodology that includes a timeline (a Gantt chart may be beneficial)

5. A projected budget, if applicable

6. Research Proposal Writing Tips

 Before you format your proposal, contact your targeted university, private organization,
or funding agency to confirm what they require for proposals. Then, try to follow this
format as closely as possible.

 Be detailed when outlining your goals and your funding needs. Connect the objectives of
the research to the resources you're requesting.

 Be realistic in what you ask for as far as resources—don't ask for more or less than you
need, and show evidence to justify your choices.

 Don't dedicate too much text in your proposal to describing past research. A summary of
key points, arguments, theories, and how your research will build on them should suffice.

 Remember that no matter how good your proposal is, it might be rejected. You're likely
up against dozens or even hundreds of other candidates who have equally sound
proposals. Don't be discouraged if this happens. See it as a learning opportunity for your
next proposal.
Academic Writing Example 2: Dissertations
A dissertation is an extended piece of writing of between ten and twenty thousand words on a
topic set by a department or one chosen by the student him or herself. It is usually divided into
chapters and may contain headings and sub-headings, and these are sometimes (though not
always) numbered as in a report.
Dissertations answer a particular research question and can either report on an empirical study or
on a literature-based study.
Although the purpose of a dissertation is to answer the question, the process is more important
than the actual findings. Even if you produce no usable data whatsoever, you can still get a first
in your dissertation - as long as you can show that you have learned about the research process
and are able to analyze it and understand why you were unable to answer the question as
successfully as you may have wished.

Dissertation Structure
1. Abstract

2. Introduction/background and the significance of the study

3. Literature review

4. Methodology

5. Results/findings

6. Discussion

7. Conclusion/contribution to the body of research

Dissertation Writing Tips

 Remember to bear in mind the significance of your study. It doesn't have to be paradigm
shifting, but you want to infuse the dissertation with reminders of why your research is
important.

 Don't get bogged down in trying to show that your research is one of a kind or uniquely
contributive to the body of research. It likely isn't, and it's more effective to show how
you are building on previous research.

 Remember to check with your college or university to ensure that you're formatting your
dissertation according to the school's expectations.

 Ask your advisor questions when you need to.

Academic Writing Example 3: Abstracts
An abstract is a concise summary of a research paper or entire thesis. It is an original work, not
an excerpted passage. An abstract must be fully self-contained and make sense by itself, without
further reference to outside sources or to the actual paper. It highlights key content areas, your
research purpose, the relevance or importance of your work, and the main outcomes.

It is a well-developed single paragraph of approximately 250 words in length, which is indented

and single spaced. The function of the abstract is to outline briefly all parts of the paper.
Although it is placed at the beginning of your paper, immediately following the title page, the
abstract should be the last thing that you write, once you are sure of the conclusions you will
reach.

 A well-prepared abstract allows a reader to quickly and accurately identify the basic

content of your paper. Readers should be able to read your abstract to see if the related
research is of interest to them.

Abstract Structure
1. Background

2. Aims

3. Methods

4. Results 

5. Conclusion

Abstract Writing Tips

 Be conscious of your word count. Stay under the limit.

 Check with your school or target journal to make sure special formatting is not required.

 Don't use abbreviations or citations in the abstract.

 Don't simply restate your thesis or copy your introduction. Neither of these is an abstract.

 Remember that your abstract often gives readers their first impressions of your work.
Despite its short length, it deserves a lot of attention. 
Academic Writing Example 4: ARTICLES
An article is any member of a class of dedicated words that are used with noun phrases to mark the
identify ability of the referents of the noun phrases. The category of articles constitutes a part of speech.
In English, both "the" and "a (n)" are articles, which combine with nouns to form noun phrases. 

Academic articles are pieces of writing intended for publication in academic journals or other scholarly
sources. They may be original research studies, literature analyses, critiques, or other forms of scholarly
writing.

The purpose of an article is to inform the reader about a topic and to provide a perspective on the topic.
Articles are a form of journalism that reports on a particular subject. The purpose of an article is to
provide information about a topic in a succinct and organized way.

Article Structure
1. Title

2. Abstract and keywords

3. Introduction

4. Materials and methods

5. Results

6. Discussion

7. Conclusion

8. References and appendices

.Article Writing Tips

 Follow these detailed steps for writing an article and publishing it in a journal.

 Make sure that you follow all of your target journal's guidelines.

 Have a second set of educated eyes look over your article to correct typos, confusing
language, and unclear arguments.

 Don't be discouraged if your article is not chosen for publication. As with proposal
writing, you are up against countless others with equally compelling research.

 Don't be discouraged if the journal asks you to make changes to your article. This is
common. It means they see value in your article, as well as room for improvement.
Academic Writing Example 5: BOOK REVIEW
A book review is a form of literary criticism in which a book is merely described or analyzed
based on content, style, and merit. A book review may be a primary source, opinion piece,
summary review or scholarly review. A book review is a common assignment that allows the
students to demonstrate the author’s intentions in the book. It also provides them with the
change not only to criticize but also to give constructive criticism on how they can make
improvements.

The purpose of writing a book review is to come up with your opinion about the author’s ideas
presented in the book. On the other hand, a book analysis is completely based on opinions that
are relevant to the book.

Book Review Structure:

1. Title including complete bibliographic citation for the work (i.e., title in full, author,
place, publisher, date of publication, edition statement, pages, special features [maps,
color plates, etc.], price, and ISBN.
2. One paragraph identifying the thesis, and whether the author achieves the stated purpose
of the book.

3. One or two paragraph summarizing the book.

4. One paragraph of the book’s strengths.

5. One paragraph of the book’s weaknesses.

6. One paragraph on your assessment of the book’s strengths and weaknesses.

Book review writing tips

 As many avid readers know, book reviews can be magical.

 Describe the plot.

 Avoid spoilers.

 Consider content warnings.

 Find the hook.

 Make your opinion clear.

 Find your voice.

 Rating system.
ASSIGNMENT
IN
EAPP
“5 EXAMPLES OF ACADEMIC
WRITING”

SUBMITTED BY:

JESSEMAY EASTER L. ESPINA

SUBMITTED TO:

MA’AM JULIET AJOC