Redacción en Inglés

Académico
Unit 3. Planning and Research

Grado en Estudios Ingleses

Curso 2018/2019
 3. Planning and research
CONTENTS
Introduction
1. Key points and Keywords
2. Note-taking
3. The planning process
4. Analysing essay titles
5. Brainstorming
6. Outlines
7. Essay length
 Introduction

Survey text features

(e.g. contents, index,
introduction...)

Scan text for information

you need (e.g. names,
dates...)

Read intensively to make

notes on key points
 1. Key points/ideas + Keywords
• Key points/ideas: information and ideas relevant
to you subject. You can find several key
points/ideas in the same paragraph
*(they are NOT the same as “thesis
statements” or “topic sentences”)
– We use “skimming” technique to identify them

• Keywords: words or phrases that describe

content
– We use “scanning” technique to identify them
Exercise 1
- Find key points in this paragraph
 2. Note-taking
• Importance of note-taking:
- focus on the points relevant to your purpose
- structure your own thoughts
- make the writing process much more efficient
- avoid plagiarism
• Before taking notes:
- analyse the essay question (→keywords in titles)
- overview of the topic
• While taking notes:
- use symbols and abbreviations to save time
- include sources
 2. Note-taking
• What kind of task? Why and how do you want to use the
information?
• Steps:
1) identify the main line of argument and reasoning that
runs through the entire article & try to summarise it
into a few sentences
2) identify the author's purposes and assumptions
(explicit and implicit)
3) key points & keywords
4) details or facts and items to follow up (further
research, unfamiliar words…)
 3. The planning process
Planning is necessary in academic writing: exams,
coursework...
Steps:
1. Analyse the title wording.
2. (Do some research on the topic if you are
writing a coursework).
3. Use brainstorming technique and create an
outline.
4. Decide how long each section should be.
 4. Analysing essay titles
Crucial step! To approach an essay topic…
• Pick out the keywords from the title:
– academic keywords: WHAT to do
– content keywords: ABOUT x issue

• E.g. Essay topic:

While some EEUU citizens believe that Donald
Trump was a fair winner in the latest presidential
elections, others state that Hilary Clinton should
have won them. Compare and contrast both
political figures.
Exercise 1: Link each academic keyword with its
definition
Academic keyword Task
Analyse Give a detailed account of something.

Suggest Set in opposition to each other two or

more things in order to identify clearly
their differences.
Compare Break down an argument, a theory, or a
claim into its elements or component
parts and their relationships.

Contrast Make a proposal and support it.

Describe Look for similarities and differences
between two or more things.
 4. Analysing essay titles
Academic keyword Task
Analyse Break down an argument, a theory, or a
claim into its elements or component
parts and their relationships.
Assess/Evaluate Decide the worth or value of something
in the light of their truth or usefulness.
Compare Look for similarities and differences
between two or more things. Perhaps,
although not always, reach a conclusion
about which you think is preferable.
Contrast Set in opposition to each other two or
more things in order to identify clearly
their differences.
 4. Analysing essay titles
Criticise Identify the weaknesses of certain theories,
opinions or claims, and give your judgement
about their merit. Support your judgements
with a discussion of the evidence and the
reasoning involved.

Describe Give a detailed account of something.

Discuss Investigate or examine by argument; sift

through the arguments and the evidence
used to support them, giving reasons for and
against both sides; examine the implications.
Arguing not just for the side of the argument
that you support, but for the side with which
you may have little sympathy.
 4. Analysing essay titles
Illustrate Give examples.
Outline Explain a topic briefly and clearly, omitting
minor details.
Suggest Make a proposal and support it.
Summarise Deal with a complex topic by reducing it to
the main elements.
 5. Brainstorming
Crucial step!
- Topic → write down all the ideas you have
- Three types of brainstorming: making a
list, freewriting or mapping technique

Don’t worry about grammar mistakes

 6. Outlines
- It is like the “skeleton” of the essay. It provides the
structure needed to build the rest of the essay.
- It will help you to answer the question as
effectively as possible.
- The more detail you include in your outline, the
easier the writing process will be.
- “Waste” time at this stage, you will “save” it later!
- No fixed pattern but → 2 methods
1. Writing a list
2. Mind map
 7. Essay length
Planning stage → proportion guide:
20% → introduction + conclusion
80% → main body
This calculation is useful since...
- It indicates the amount of reading required
for each section.
- It provides the basis for your outline.
- It prevents you from writing an unbalanced
answer → each question is fully dealt with.
 Redacción en Inglés
Académico
Unit 3. Planning and Research

Grado en Estudios Ingleses

Curso 2018/2019