AL 2 Unit 5

UoK Faculty of Science – Semester 2 – AL II 1
Unit 5
Writing Academic Essays
Intended Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this Unit, the students will be able to:
 identify the common components of academic essays
 discover the writing process, types, and the generic structure for academic essays
 use the writing process to produce different types of academic essays
 identify features of effective introductions and conclusions
 structure and organize introductions and conclusions coherently and cohesively
 produce coherent argumentative essays
Introduction:
An academic essay is the most common type of written work that you may be asked
to produce at university and it may be the most basic type of written document
written to share research and knowledge. Academic essays, although a distinct type
of academic text popular in certain academic fields, form the basis of any academic
writing assignment most undergraduates are required to do during their university
education. This means that, although academic essays may not directly be a part of
your assignment repertoire, the basics of academic essay writing—which you will get
trained on, in this Unit—will still be the same and make up the basis for producing
academic papers which are well-structured and coherently and cohesively organized.
Academic essays are also referred to as academic papers.
Part I: The Basics of Academic Essay Writing

The basics of academic essay writing deals with identifying the components of
academic essays, the stages of the academic essay writing process, the types of
academic essays, and the essay structure in general. At its most basic level, an essay
comprises both content (what is said) and form (the way in which it is said).
Explore through discussion:
Go through the four statements on the significance of learning academic essay

writing given below and decide whether you would agree/disagree with them.
Writing academic essays allows you to:
 practice a range of transferable skills such as critical thinking
 develop a framework for your assignment and stick to it/support it
 develop a coherent and cohesive argument and support it by evidence
 synthesize ideas taken from various sources and answer a specific question
posed
Discuss in pairs or small groups and share with the class.
COMPONENTS OF ACADEMIC ESSAYS
Components of an academic essay may vary depending on the nature of the written
assignment you receive, but the generic structure of an academic essay consists of a
number of specific components:
Introduction: What is the background to your topic/focus? What is the context

of your topic/focus? What is the aim of your essay? What
structure will your essay take?
Definitions: How would you define any key terms of the subject of the essay?
Thesis: What angle will you take on the material or the assignment
question/problem you are addressing in your essay?
Argument: What is your argument on the topic/focus?
Supporting How can you back up your argument?
evidence:
Literature: Which scholarly information supports or disagrees with your
position?
Conclusion: What is the main evaluation on the topic/focus of your essay?
What is the outcome and significance of your argument and
supporting evidence?
Adapted from MacGibbon, L. (2015). Academic essay writing for students at Charles Darwin University.
[PDF]
THE PROCESS OF WRITING ACADEMIC ESSAYS
Writing an academic essay, just like any piece of academic writing, is a process. The
six stages that many academic writers utilize for writing can be used to produce
effective academic papers.
The six stages of the academic writing process has already been introduced to you in
Academic Literacy I (Refer to the worksheet shared with you in Week 3).
TYPES OF ACADEMIC ESSAYS
Academic essays can be of many types, depending on their purpose.
What are the common types of academic essays you know/have come across /
heard of?
 Argumentative essaysxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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STRUCTURING ACADEMIC ESSAYS
Academic essays, depending on their types, may have slight differences in their
structure and organization. However, the generic structure presented below can be
helpful for students who are beginning academic essay writing or for students who
have difficulty in writing academic essays. Take a look at it below:
Introduction:
General statements (Background/Context/Keywords)
Thesis statement (Aim can also be included)
Outline of your essay (A route map)
Body:
Paragraph N
Topic sentence
Major detail 1
Supporting details/evidence
Major detail 2
Major detail ‘n’
Concluding sentence
Conclusion:
Restatement of aim/main premise
Summary of key points
Final comment/evaluation
Recommendations/implications (if necessary)
Other important aspects to remember when writing academic essays ….

 Incorporating others’ ideas accurately (using direct quotes, paraphrases, and
summaries), followed by citing and referencing
 Synthesizing ideas taken from similar/different sources
 Coherence in writing (i.e., use of linking words to connect sentences and paragraphs)
 Cohesion in writing (i.e., the unity in paragraphs)
 Academic style of writing
Task 2: Analyse a sample academic essay (Group Work)
Based on your learning of this lesson, analyze the structure and organization of the
academic essay annexed. Annotate the essay.
Additionally, analyze the strengths and weaknesses of this essay. Keep in mind to
think critically. Write your points below. Work in groups and share your ideas with
the class.
Strengths Weaknesses
Writing Introductions and Conclusions

Introduction:
Introductions are the elements of essays or any type of writing that provide readers
with a first impression of your writing. While there is no single way to organize an
introduction in academic writing, it would be safe to say that introductions in all
genres of academic writing serve the same purpose: to introduce your paper by
providing a background to your topic and stating the focus of your writing.
Imagine you are writing an essay on ‘The importance of scientific research for
university students’. How would you begin your essay? What is the topic of your essay?
What is the focus of your essay? What position or stance would you take?

FEATURES OF EFECTIVE INTRODUCTIONS

Adapted from Marshall, S. (2018). Advance in academic writing 1. Pearson.
The main purpose of an introduction to an essay is to guide the reader: tell the
reader what the essay is about, explain how it is structured, and present an initial
position on the topic. Many writers do this by shifting from general to specific,
beginning with general background information and then shifting to information
about the specific focus of the essay.
General-to-Specific Shift
Figure 1 presents the image of a funnel that narrows the focus from general to
specific.
• The introduction begins with one or more
sentences that provide brief background
information.
• The following sentence or sentences shift to
the specific focus of the essay, often by
including keywords from the essay question.
• The shift to specific information is completed
with a sentence or two describing the
structure of the essay.
• This description is followed by a thesis
statement, which gives the reader an
indication of the writer's position in the
debate. Note that some writers place the
thesis statement before the description of
the essay structure.
Figure 1. General-to-Specific (Marshall, 2018, p.
84)
Task 1: Identify features of effective

introductions
The following paragraph is a model introduction for an essay about 21st century
skills in science education. The essay question is as follows: "Discuss the
significance of 21st century skills in science education and how these skills can be
fostered by science literacy ". Read the model introduction and do the task that
follows.
[1] The rapid development of technology and information dissemination in the 21st
century has resulted in the expansion of knowledge that has impacted the economy,
culture, and politics of a country, particularly including the effective implementation

of the higher education system. [2] An era of a digital economy such as this requires a
workforce that is knowledgeable and skilled to generate innovation and improve
productivity of a country, (NCREL & Metiri Group, 2003; Nur Aishah et al;, 2009), and
21st century skills have now become a prime focus of education worldwide. [3] In
discussing 21st century skills, a conversation about digital-age literacy skills that
consist of basic literacy, scientific literacy, economic literacy, technological literacy,
visual literacy, information literacy and multicultural literacy has surfaced in the world.
[4] Science education, as a prime source of enriching innovation and productivity in a
country, has been tasked with the active promotion of scientific literacy as one of its
major goals (BouJaoude, 2002; National Research Council [NRC], 1996; Zembylas,
2002). [5] Scientific literacy, which is recognized as the combination of both insights
related to science and scientific knowledge, as well as skills such as scientific inquiry,
critical thinking, problem solving ,and decision making, plays a key role in fostering
many of the 21st century skills. [6] This essay introduces 21st century skills and
scientific literacy and discusses the rationale behind integrating 21st century skills in
science education along with the practical ways in which scientific literacy can be
utilized to foster 21st century skills. [7] It will be argued that the effective integration
of technology in science education and the implementation of innovative means of
student-centered approaches to science education with a view to equipping students
with science process skills can be a crucial means of enhancing scientific literacy,
which in turn fosters the development of 21st century skills of undergraduates.
Reference: Turiman, P., Omar, J., Daud, A. M., & Osman, K. (2012). Fostering the 21st century
skills through scientific literacy and science process skills. Social and Behavioral Sciences, 59,
110-116.
The model introduction shifts from general to specific. Identify the following
features by sentence number.
Feature Sentence
a) General background information
b) Beginning of the shift to the specific focus of the essay
c) Description of the essay structure
d) Thesis statement (giving the writer's position)
Forming thesis statements
Writers often include a thesis statement in an introduction, usually at the end. The
thesis statement presents the reader with a main idea or argument: a thread that
will run through the essay, holding it together. The following are three common
strategies for writing thesis statements.
State a Position – This refers to your stance on the topic, which can be done
explicitly or implicitly.
It is believed that integrating scientific research in higher education is vitally

beneficial in enriching the quality of education and enhancing the students’
employability prospects.
[Explicit]
Integrating scientific research in higher education can have a number of

effects on undergraduates. Most of these are educational and employment
benefits. [Implicit]
While the explicit position statement makes it clear to the reader what the writer
thinks, the implicit thesis statement gives an indication of the writer's position. It
requires the reader to read on to gain a clear idea.
Refer to a Key Idea or Factor – This refers to a key idea or several key ideas that will
run throughout the essay.
It will be argued that the quality of undergraduate education and training, soft
and hard skill building of undergraduates, and the employability prospects are
enriched through an integration of scientific research in higher education.
In this thesis statement, the writer presents what he or she considers to be the main
benefits of the integration of scientific research in higher education. The reader will
therefore assume that these benefits will be analyzed during the discussion of the
essay.
Present a Purpose – This refers to stating the purpose of writing, which will help
readers understand the direction taken in the essay.
The aim of this essay is to present an objective argument on the significance

of teaching scientific inquiry to undergraduates.
No Thesis Statement – Not all types of essays require thesis statements. For example,
in lab reports and other forms of scientific writing, a thesis statement may be
unnecessary, if the task is to describe the process of an experiment. The choice to
omit a thesis statement can also depend on the individual: some writers prefer not
to include a thesis statement but to build up their positions, key ideas, or purposes
for writing as they write the essay. However, writing a thesis statement is
recommended to improve clarity of writing.
Task 2: Analyse thesis statements
A) Match each of the examples of thesis statements below to the corresponding

strategy: (1) state a position, (2) refer to a key idea or factor, or (3) present a
purpose. Write the strategy number within [……..] after the example.
a) This essay is aimed at examining the process of fatigue failure in carbon steel,
with a view to assessing the role of coatings in combatting this problem. –
[……..]
b) It will be argued that equipping the students with science process skills can
significantly enhance their scientific literacy. [……..]
c) It will highlight two key reasons for the integration of an inquiry-based science
education: a) growing opportunities to participate and practice the activities
involved in inquiry in specific disciplines, and b) the implementation of digital
libraries as a means of improving higher-order thinking skills of students in
science disciplines. [……..]
Discuss answers with the class.
B) In groups, write a thesis statement for the ‘The importance of scientific

research for university students in Sri Lanka’. Make sure to choose on of the
strategies discussed above.
Thesis statement:
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Even for introductions, you need to consult other sources to help you with
background information as well as a standpoint for your thesis statement. To do this,
you need to synthesize information.
Task 3: Synthesizing information from multiple sources and write an

introduction
(Task adapted from Bottemley, 2015)
You are going to write an introduction to the following essay: Are antibiotics a
thing of the past?
1) Start by noting down what you already know in the table.
What is an antibiotic?
How does it work?
How have antibiotics benefitted society?
What are the current problems
associated with antibiotic use?
2) Now use the table to make notes from the texts below.
• Select information which is relevant and interesting
• Use your own words, except for technical terms or anything that you think is
‘quotable’
• Distinguish between fact and opinion
• Indicate any differences of opinion or perspective
• Add in-text citations; indicate where information comes from more than one
source
Text A
Antibiotics, also known as antibacterials, are types of medications that destroy or

slow
down the growth of bacteria. The Greek word anti means ‘against’, and the Greek
word bios means ‘life’.
Antibiotics are used to treat infections caused by bacteria. Bacteria are microscopic
organisms, some of which may cause illness. The word bacteria is the plural of
bacterium.
Such illnesses as syphilis, tuberculosis, salmonella, and some forms of meningitis are
caused by bacteria. Some bacteria are harmless, while others are good for us.
(Nordqvist, 2013)
Text B
Antibiotics are drugs used for treating infections caused by bacteria. Also known as
microbial drugs, antibiotics have saved countless lives.
Misuse and overuse of these drugs, however, have contributed to a phenomenon

known as antibiotic resistance. This resistance develops when potentially harmful
bacteria change in a way that reduces or eliminates the effectiveness of antibiotics.
(U. S. Food and Drug Administration)
Text C
It is tempting to think that infections are no longer a widespread cause of death and
morbidity. In some places and for some groups, this belief is reasonably valid but
elsewhere, despite many advances in infection control and treatment, infectious
diseases remain a major threat. New antibiotics are being developed for some
conditions, but new and some resurgent viral conditions (such as avian and swine flu,
SARS, viral encephalitis, and several others) are of course not amenable to
antibiotics, and antivirals are rarely very effective. Moreover, certain ‘superbugs’,
such as MRSAs, are emerging in both hospitals and the community, raising the real
threat that antibiotic resistance will become ever more common.
(McCracken and Phillips, 2012, p. 152)
Text D
The discovery of penicillin in 1929 and streptomycin in 1943 heralded the age of
antibiotics, and, coincidentally, the founding of the American pharmaceutical
industry. Within a decade after World War II, a number of important antibiotics were
discovered and developed for therapeutic use. They became the foundation for the
treatment of infectious disease. This, along with the introduction of better hygiene,
led to a dramatic reduction in worldwide morbidity and mortality due to bacterial
infections.
The period from 1950 to 1960 was truly the golden age of antibiotic discovery, as
one half of the drugs commonly used today were discovered in that period.
Unfortunately, the increasing use of antibiotics for human and non-therapeutic
animal use (growth promotion) led all too soon to the development of resistant
bacterial pathogens. Recognizing the correlation between antibiotic use and
resistance development, much of subsequent antibiotic research has been devoted
to the discovery and design of new compounds effective against the successive
generations of resistant pathogens.
(Davies, 2006, p. 287)
Text E
Britain’s most senior medical advisor has warned that the rise in drug-resistant
diseases could trigger a national emergency comparable to a catastrophic terrorist
attack, pandemic flu or major coastal flooding.
Dame Sally Davies, the chief medical officer, said the threat from infections that are
resistant to frontline antibiotics was so serious that the issue should be added to the
government’s national risk register of civil emergencies. She described what she
called an ‘apocalyptic scenario’ where people going for simple operations in 20
years’ time die of routine infections ‘because we have run out of antibiotics’.
(Sample, 2013)
3) Now use your notes to write your introduction, with in-text citations. Make sure
to structure and organize your introduction coherently and avoid any logical
fallacies.
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Get your work reviewed by a peer.
Conclusions are the segments that end works of academic writing. While
introductions provide readers with a first impression of your work, conclusions leave
readers with a final impression of your work; therefore, they have to be powerful
and (generally) summative. As is the case with introductions, there is no single way
to organize a conclusion in academic writing; however, it would be safe to say that
conclusions in all genres of academic writing serve the same purpose: to summarize
the key points discussed in the write-up and present an overall evaluation of the
topic and the focus of your writing.
What should be included in a conclusion?
Take two minutes to note down your ideas. Then, discuss in small groups and share
with the class.
FEATURES OF EFECTIVE CONCLUSIONS

Adapted from Marshall, S. (2018). Advance in academic writing 1. Pearson.
The main purpose of a conclusion of an essay is to bring the ideas together and
present a closing argument or position on the topic and the focus of your essay. This
is generally done by shifting from specific to general, beginning with a reminder of
the specific focus of the essay and then shifting to a more general closing statement.
The Reverse Funnel
Figure 2 presents the image of a funnel that broadens the focus from specific to
general. This is a mirror image of the structure of introductions you learned in
Lesson 1 of Unit 3.
• The conclusion begins with one or more sentences that provide a brief
summary of the specific focus of the essay.
• The following sentences synthesize the arguments of the essay.
• The writer then presents a final position on the essay question.
• The conclusion ends with a general closing statement.
Task 1: Identify features of effective conclusions
A) The following paragraph is a model conclusion for an essay about 21st century
skills in science education. The essay question is as follows: "Discuss the
significance of 21st century skills in science education and how these skills can
be fostered by science literacy ". Read the model conclusion and do the task
that follows.
[1] In line with developments in technology and the explosion of knowledge in the
digital-age, the 21st century skills can be cultivated through scientific literacy and
science process skills especially for science students. [2]
Four domains of 21st century are literacy of the digital
era, inventive thinking, interpersonal and social skills
and productivity in the production. [3] Through the
digital age literacy, teachers should be skilled in the use
of multimedia technology, such as construction or use
of computer software blog. [4] In this way, the aspect of
science process skills can be nurtured indirectly through
digital literacy activities such as discussion questions,
blogs, animated explanations of scientific concepts and
scientific methods, quizzes, PBL activities, and virtual
experiments. [5] The impact of using multimedia, or
effective integration of technology, is that students can
explore new concepts that are closer to their daily
experience, explaining the concept of good science and
Figure 2. Specific-to-General (Marshall, 2018, p.
95)
increasing the students' interest in learning science process skills, thus making the
learning process more effective. [6] These steps lead to enhancing a positive attitude
towards learning science or science literacy, which can be nurtured while improving
teamwork and social interaction skills ranked high among the 21st century skills of
undergraduates.
Reference: Turiman, P., Omar, J., Daud, A. M., & Osman, K. (2012). Fostering the 21st century
skills through scientific literacy and science process skills. Social and Behavioral Sciences, 59,
110-116.
The model conclusion shifts from specific to general. Identify the following
features by sentence number.
Feature Sentence
a) Brief summary of the specific focus of the focus
b) Synthesis of the arguments presented in the essay,
highlighting key factors that framed the discussion
c) Final position on the essay question
d) General closing statement
B) Using what you leaned in the previous task “A)”, analyse the following
conclusion and identify the function of each sentence.
[1] With regard to writing and other literacy practices in educational contexts, three
models have been proposed to guide educators: a skills model, an academic
socialization model, and an academic literacies model. [2] Using experiences in two
very different academic programs, we have shown how an academic literacies model
can be used to frame curricular and instructional design. [3] Rather than focusing on
student deficits, an approach using the academic literacies model foregrounds the
variety and specificity of institutional practices, and students’ struggles to make sense
of these. [4] In the two academic contexts described in this article, the instructional
leaders (the tutors) worked closely with the participants (the students in the
Academic Literacy Development Programme and the Law faculty in the Open
University workshops) to collaboratively investigate the range of genres, modes, shifts,
transformations, representations, meaning making processes, and identities, involved
in academic learning within and across academic contexts. [5] Such understandings,
when made explicit, provide greater opportunities for teaching and learning as well as
for examining how such literacy practices are related to epistemological issues.
Reference: Lea, M.R., & Street, B.V. (2006). The "Academic Literacies" Model: Theory and Applications.
Theory Into Practice, 45(4), pp. 368-377.
C) In groups, compare and contrast the model introduction in Lesson 1 Unit 3 and
the model conclusion in Lesson 2 Unit 3, both of which are written on the topic
of 21st century skills in science education. As stated in this lesson, conclusions
mirror introductions in an essay. Try to match the sentences from the model
conclusion (1, 5, and 7) to the sentences they mirror in the model introduction.
Share your analysis with the class.
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Organizing the conclusion in a longer paper
Adapted from Bottemley, J. (2015). Academic writing for international students of science. Routledge.
In longer academic papers such as journal articles/research papers/dissertations, the

structure of a conclusion is slightly different. In such papers:
The conclusion should refer back directly to the Introduction, for example, by
restating the aim of the study, e.g.
 The objective of this project was to examine the process of fatigue failure in
carbon steel, and to assess the effects of coatings on fatigue behaviour.
Notice the use of the past tense.
It should then summarize the findings and the argument, e.g.

• The evidence shows/suggests that …
• It was found that …
• It can be concluded that …
It should then mention the significance or implications of the findings, e.g.

• The findings are significant in that they …
• The implications of these findings are that …
It may then indicate any limitations to the current study and suggest areas worthy of
further research, e.g.
• The scope of this study was limited to …
• This study focused on …
• x would benefit from further study.
• Further study on x may reveal/establish/confirm …
Task 2: Analyse conclusions from research papers
Match each of the following example sentences extracted from the conclusion of
research papers to the corresponding function as indicted above: (1) restating the
aim, (2) summarize the key findings, (3) implications of the findings, (4) limitations,
or (5) further research. Write the function number within [……..] after the example.
a) It can be concluded that a lack of awareness of the relationship between the

entry-level English proficiency and the end-level academic literacy prevents the
administration from facilitating a gradual shift from ESL to EAP/ESP to academic
literacy; instead, institutions often continue to deliver ESL or EAP/ESP courses
assuming this will result in developing the undergraduates’ academic literacy.
[……..]
b) This review intended to provide a systematic overview about empirical
research on activities that are important constituents of the instructional
approach of scientific inquiry. [……..]
c) Further research using these manipulations may provide answers to our
current questions and assist us in designing cognitively based science learning
environments that integrate the use of technology-based representational
tools for solving complex scientific problems. [……..]
d) Some implications of this overview are that applied linguists need to better
understand the actual discursive practices and requirements of various fields
and the ways in which students, instructors, and scholars are positioned by
academic discourse, by institutions, and by interactions within them. [……..]
e) A second limitation is that the sample of reviewed publications was almost
exclusively drawn from peer-reviewed, research-oriented journals. [……..]
Discuss answers with the class.
Task 3: Write a conclusion
You are going to write a conclusion to the following essay: Are antibiotics a thing of
the past?
Step 1: Refer to the introduction you wrote in Lesson 1, Unit 3.

Step 2: Note down any main points and supporting points that can go in the body of
your essay. You are not expected to write the body of your essay here.
Step 3: Use your notes to write your conclusion, with in-text citations where
necessary. Make sure to structure and organize your conclusion coherently and
avoid any logical fallacies.
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Get your work reviewed by a peer.
Planning and Drafting an Argumentative Essay

Most forms of academic writing involve some type of argumentation and this is why
there is much emphasis on critical thinking and analytical skills. Argumentation
involves looking at a problem/situation/notion from multiple angles and presenting
your own opinion structured with claims backed by supporting ideas and evidence.
Since an argumentative essay is the most basic type of academic essay which can
form the basis of any other form of lengthy academic writing, it is significant that you
learn how to plan and draft an argumentative essay successfully.
Given below are some factors that are important to write a successful argumentative
essay. Brainstorm what they mean.
 Engage critically with a controversial topic

 Assess pros and cons: argue for and against, analyse advantages and
disadvantages, agree or disagree with statements
 Present your own opinions (i.e., these shouldn’t be personal opinion)
 Offer a closing position in which you answer the argumentative essay
question

QUICK LOOK: BUILDING AN ARGUMENT

Adapted from Marshall, S. (2019). Advance in Academic Wiring 1. Pearson.
Facts vs. Opinions
When building an argument, you need to clearly distinguish between facts and
opinions. Facts are verifiable and acceptable while opinions are not. Opinions are
generally personal and subjective. However, you may be able to form an informed
opinion on something by reading and critically analysing others’ ideas and
information presented in the literature. Study the following example sentences
before you proceed:
 Fact:  Many Asian countries offer science degrees in the English medium.
 Opinion (Personal):  In my opinion, all university degrees in Sri Lanka,
including science, should be offered in learners’ mother tongue.
 Opinion (Informed):  Several scholars depict that there are more pros
than cons in offering higher education in the English medium (Martinez, 2011;
Thomas, 2017; & Zendaya, 2020)
Support your arguments
The claims you make to build an argument should be supported by supplementary

details such as reasons, examples, research/statistical evidence, or counter-
arguments, to make your writing more convincing to the readers. Study the
examples below:
 Claim/Argument: It is strongly believed that tuition fees for higher education

should be abolished.
 Supporting detail – Reason: This is because the system disadvantages the low
socioeconomic families who cannot afford to pay the fees.
 Supporting detail – Example: For example, students from low socio-economic
families may avoid courses they prefer due to financial reasons, worry about
taking or paying off student loans, and opt for low-paying jobs instead of
pursuing their higher educational dreams.
 Supporting detail – Counter-argument: However, if tuition fees were
abolished at all higher educational institutions, governments would have to be
left with the unpopular option of increasing taxes.
Finally, keep in mind that your argument should end with a clear closing position.
PLANNING YOUR ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY
In Unit 4 Lesson 1, you learned the six stages of writing academic essays. This lesson
will help you apply these six stages upon adapting them to an argumentative essay.
Here is an assignment question (generic) that asks you to write an argumentative
essay. Focus on this and complete the following six stages of writing an
argumentative essay. Refer to Lesson 1 Unit 4 when necessary.
Essay question: Analyse the pros and cons of offering science degree programmes in English
and state whether you support the compulsory provision of academic literacy skill
development.
Task 1: Six Stages of Writing an Argumentative Essay

Adapted from Marshall, S. (2019). Advance in Academic Wiring 1. Pearson.
Stage 1: Understand your audience, genre, and purpose
State the audience, genre, and purpose suggested by the essay question above.
Audience:
_________________________________________________________________
Genre:
____________________________________________________________________
Purpose:
__________________________________________________________________
Stage 2: Understand your topic, focus, and task
Break down the above essay question into the topic, focus, and task.
Topic:
_____________________________________________________________________
Focus:
_____________________________________________________________________
Task:
_____________________________________________________________________
Stage 3: Gather information and ideas

There are two processes involved in this stage: gathering ideas from existing
knowledge and searching for reliable information online.
Gathering ideas from existing knowledge: Take five minutes to write down any ideas
and opinions you have about offering science degrees in the English medium, keeping
in mind the specific focus and task. Use one of the following methods to record your
notes (on your own paper). Cross reference to Lesson 1 Unit 4 to remind yourselves
of how to do this.
 Freewriting:
 Concept maps:
 Linear notes:
Searching for reliable information online:
Use a reliable search engine to find credible sources. Take notes as you read. List
below what you consider to be keywords, synonyms, and related words, based on the
essay question.
 Keywords:
 Synonyms and related words:
Stage 4: Form an outline
The next stage is to organize your information and ideas into a coherent outline
ordered logically. Two common ways to do this for an argumentative essay are the
for-then-against outline and the thematic outline.
 For-then-against outline:
In this type of outline, organize your ideas and information in separate
sections: (A) arguments that would be made by people supporting the
offering of science degrees in English, (B) arguments that would be made by
people opposing the offering of science degrees in English, and (C) your
informed opinion. Table 1 in Annex 1 offers a template.
 Thematic outline:
In this type of outline, (A) the pros, (B) the cons, and (C) your informed
opinion are presented together in theme-based sections. Look at Table 2 in
Annex 1 for a template.
Stage 5: Write the paper sections
Write the different sections of your essay. Develop your overall position (i.e., the
thesis statement) and arguments, organize your paragraphs, incorporate others’ ideas
by avoiding plagiarism (i.e., via quotes/paraphrases/summaries with accurate in-text
citations), use language of attribution and semantic markers, and write the
introduction and the conclusion.
Stage 6: Review and edit your work

Edit your essay for the following: content (did you answer the question?); accuracy of
grammar, vocabulary, and punctuation; and appropriate style for the genre of writing
(this includes formatting and citing/referencing).
Task 2: Writing Task
In pairs, write an argumentative essay choosing one of the following options. Make
sure to follow the stages of argumentative essay writing you learned in this lesson.
 The essay question given in this lesson

 An essay topic strictly related to your academic discipline (make sure to keep
it current and not-too-technical)
 An assignment topic you have been given by your subject lecturers in other
course modules
Get your draft essay reviewed by a peer and your lecturer. Improve your work based
on the feedback.

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UoK Faculty of Science – Semester 2 – AL II 1

Part I: The Basics of Academic Essay Writing

Explore through discussion:

Go through the four statements on the significance of learning academic essay

Discuss in pairs or small groups and share with the class.

COMPONENTS OF ACADEMIC ESSAYS

Introduction: What is the background to your topic/focus? What is the context

THE PROCESS OF WRITING ACADEMIC ESSAYS

TYPES OF ACADEMIC ESSAYS

Academic essays can be of many types, depending on their purpose.

STRUCTURING ACADEMIC ESSAYS

Other important aspects to remember when writing academic essays ….

Task 2: Analyse a sample academic essay (Group Work)

Writing Introductions and Conclusions

Explore through discussion:

Discuss in pairs or small groups and share with the class.

FEATURES OF EFECTIVE INTRODUCTIONS

Task 1: Identify features of effective

culture, and politics of a country, particularly including the effective implementation

a) General background information

b) Beginning of the shift to the specific focus of the essay

c) Description of the essay structure

d) Thesis statement (giving the writer's position)

Forming thesis statements

It is believed that integrating scientific research in higher education is vitally

Integrating scientific research in higher education can have a number of

The aim of this essay is to present an objective argument on the significance

Task 2: Analyse thesis statements

A) Match each of the examples of thesis statements below to the corresponding

Discuss answers with the class.

B) In groups, write a thesis statement for the ‘The importance of scientific

Task 3: Synthesizing information from multiple sources and write an

(Task adapted from Bottemley, 2015)

1) Start by noting down what you already know in the table.

Antibiotics, also known as antibacterials, are types of medications that destroy or

Misuse and overuse of these drugs, however, have contributed to a phenomenon

Get your work reviewed by a peer.

Explore through discussion:

What should be included in a conclusion?

FEATURES OF EFECTIVE CONCLUSIONS

Adapted from Marshall, S. (2018). Advance in academic writing 1. Pearson.

The Reverse Funnel

Task 1: Identify features of effective conclusions

Share your analysis with the class.

Organizing the conclusion in a longer paper

In longer academic papers such as journal articles/research papers/dissertations, the

It should then summarize the findings and the argument, e.g.

It should then mention the significance or implications of the findings, e.g.

Task 2: Analyse conclusions from research papers

a) It can be concluded that a lack of awareness of the relationship between the

Discuss answers with the class.

Task 3: Write a conclusion

Step 1: Refer to the introduction you wrote in Lesson 1, Unit 3.

Planning and Drafting an Argumentative Essay

Explore through discussion:

 Engage critically with a controversial topic

Discuss in pairs or small groups and share with the class.

QUICK LOOK: BUILDING AN ARGUMENT

Facts vs. Opinions

Support your arguments

The claims you make to build an argument should be supported by supplementary

 Claim/Argument: It is strongly believed that tuition fees for higher education

PLANNING YOUR ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY