HANDOUT Report – A description of something a student has done (e.g.
SESSION 1: conducting a survey or experiment)
1. THE PURPOSE OF ACADEMIC WRITING Project – A piece of research, either individual or group work, with
Students should be clear about why they are writing. The most the topic chosen by the student(s)
common reasons include: Essay – the most common type of written work, with the title given
+ to report on a piece of research the writer has conducted by the teacher, normally 1,000–5,000 words
+ to answer a question the writer has been given or chosen Dissertation/Thesis – the longest piece of writing normally done by
+ to discuss a subject of common interest and give the writer’s a student (20,000+ words) oen for a higher degree on a topic chosen
view by the student
+ to synthesize research done by others on a topic. Paper – A general term for any academic essay, report,
Other reasons might include: presentation, or article
- To present a hypothesis for consideration by others 4. WHAT IS AN ESSAY? KINDS OF ESSAYS.
- To make notes on something read, heard, or seen 4.1 What is an essay?
2. FEATURES OF ACADEMIC WRITING An essay is a piece of writing several paragraphs long. It is about
Academic writing is clearly different from the written style of one topic, just as a paragraph is. However, because the topic of an
newspapers or novels. For example, it is generally agreed that essay is too complex to discuss in one paragraph, you need to divide
academic writing attempts to be accurate, so that instead of ‘the it into several paragraphs, one for each major point. Then you need
metal was very hot’ it is better to write ‘the metal was heated to to tie the paragraphs together by adding an introduction and a
65℃’. conclusion. Writing an essay is no more difficult than writing a
Possibilities include: paragraph except that an essay is longer.
+ Semi-formal vocabulary, lack of idioms 4.2 Kinds of essays:
+ Use of citation/references There are many kinds of essays.
+ Use of both passive and active voices + cause-effect essay
+ Precision + comparison essay
+ Caution + argument essay
3. COMMON TYPES OF ACADEMIC WRITING + problem-solution essay
Notes – A written record of the main points of a text or lecture for a + reaction
student’s personal use 5. PARTS OF AN ESSAY
An essay has three main parts: an introduction (introductory • summarize your subtopics.
paragraph), a body (at least one, but usually two or more • paraphrase your thesis.
paragraphs), and a conclusion (concluding paragraph). 3. It leaves your reader with your final thoughts on the topic. This is
5.1 Introduction your opportunity to convey a strong, effective message that your
An introductory paragraph has two parts, general statements, and the reader will remember.
thesis statement.
- General statements SESSION 2:
• introduce the general topic of the essay. 1. UNITY AND COHERENCE
• capture the reader's interest ● Unity refers to the idea that each paragraph should have a
- The thesis statement single main point or focus.
• states the specific topic. ● Coherence means that the ideas in your writing should be
• may list subtopics or subdivisions of the main topic or subtopics. logically connected and flow smoothly from one to the next.
• may indicate the pattern of organization of the essay. ● To achieve unity and coherence, start with a clear thesis
• is normally the last sentence in the introductory paragraph. statement that outlines your main argument or purpose and
5.2 Body then structure your paragraphs around supporting ideas with
The body paragraphs in an essay are like the supporting sentences in smooth transitions between them.
a paragraph. They are the place to develop your topic and prove 2. AVOIDING PLAGIARISM
your points. You should organize body paragraphs according to ● Plagiarism is presenting someone else's work or ideas as
some sort of pattern, such as chronological order or your own without proper acknowledgment.
comparison/contrast. Sometimes, depending on your topic, you will ● To avoid plagiarism, always cite your sources when using
need to use a combination of patterns. direct quotes, paraphrasing, or summarizing information
5.3 Conclusion from another author. Make sure to use the appropriate
The conclusion is the final paragraph of an essay. It has three citation style (e.g., APA, MLA) and include a reference list
purposes. or bibliography at the end of your work.
1. It signals the end of the essay. To do so, begin your conclusion 3. QUOTATIONS, CITATIONS, PARAPHRASING,
with a transition signal. SUMMARIZING
2. It reminds your reader of your main points, which you can do in ● Quotations are used when you want to directly include
one of two ways: You can someone else's words in your writing. Always enclose direct
quotes in quotation marks and provide an in-text citation In block organization, you first discuss all the causes as a block (in
with the author's name, publication year, and page number. one, two, three, or more paragraphs, depending on the number of
● Citations are essential for giving credit to the source of causes). Then you discuss all the effects together as a block. You
information. Include a citation whenever you refer to an can discuss either causes or effects first. Of course, you can also
external source or use someone else's ideas. discuss only causes or only effects.
● Paraphrasing involves rephrasing someone else's ideas in In block organization, a short paragraph often separates one major
your own words while still retaining the original meaning. section from another major section. This paragraph is called a
● Summarizing entails condensing the main points of a source transition paragraph. Its purpose is to conclude one section and
while omitting less crucial details. introduce another section. You do not always have to write a
SESSION 3: transition paragraph, but it is helpful when your topic is long and
1. WHAT IS A CAUSE-EFFECT ESSAY? complex.
A cause-effect essay explains the relationship between an event and In short, a block-style cause/effect essay could have many different
its consequences, or between actions and results. patterns. Some possibilities are shown below.
Cause-effect essays can be informative, analytical, and insightful. In
addition to being able to write a cause-effect essay, you should
know how to write a single paragraph discussing cause, effect, or
both to be included in a longer essay you are writing.
Example:
+ Explain the cause and effects of “Stockholm syndrome”.
+ Discuss the cause of the U.S. Civil War.
+ Discuss the effects of global warming on the environment.
In a cause-effect essay, you discuss the causes (reasons) for
something, the effects (results), or both causes and effects.
2. ORGANIZATION FOR CAUSE/EFFECT ORDER
You can organize a cause/effect essay in two main ways: "block"
organization and "chain" organization.
2.1 Block Organization:
causes of a particular disease or phenomenon in nature such as a
2.2 Chain Organization thunderstorm or a rainbow.
Chain organization causes and effects are linked to each other in a • The block pattern is usually easier with larger, complex topics such
chain. One event causes a second event, which in turn causes a third as global warming or homelessness.
event, which in turn causes a fourth event, and so on. Each new 3. CAUSE AND EFFECT SIGNAL WORDS AND
cause and its effect are links in a chain. Depending on the PHRASES (more practicing in Material 3, page 111)
complexity of the ideas in each link, you can devote an entire 3.1 Cause Signal Words
paragraph to one link, you may include several links in one
paragraph, or you may describe the entire chain in one paragraph. - Co-ordinators: for
Chain organization usually works better than block organization - Subordinators: because, since, as
when the causes and effects are too closely linked to be separated. - Others: to result from, to be the result of, due to, because of, the
effect of, the consequence of, as a result of, as a consequence of
3.2 Effect Signal Words
- Transition words and phrases: as a result, as a
consequence, therefore, thus, consequently, hence
- Co-ordinators: so
- Others: to result in, to cause, to have an effect on, to affect,
the cause of, the reason for, thereby,
SESSION 4: COMPARISON ESSAYS
A comparison/contrast essay focuses on how two items or texts are
similar, different, or both. The essay can compare and contrast any
2.3 Difference between the block and chain organization in number of items including theories, events, books, or people.
cause and effect essay: Getting Started
• A chain pattern is usually easier if the causes and effects are very Here are a few suggestions that will help create a successful
closely interrelated. You might use a chain pattern to write about the comparison and contrast essay:
• Choose a topic that you can argue. Remember that you need to 2. DEVELOPING AN ARGUMENT ESSAY:
do more than just list how items are similar or different! There are several ways to organize an argumentative essay. You can
• Write a clear thesis statement that is true for both items/texts use a block pattern or a point-by-point pattern. The outlines in the
being discussed. following chart show these two possible patterns.
• Discuss both items equally.
• Connect the ideas. Students often only summarize information
about a point and forget to make comparisons. Use transitional
words to emphasize how the points are connected.
• Use the conclusion to restate the thesis, summarize the main
points, and tell the reader why the findings are significant.
Getting Organized
There are two ways to organize a compare and contrast essay:
• The first method is the Point-by-Point method.
• The second method is the Block method.
SESSION 5: ARGUMENT ESSAYS
1. WHAT IS AN ARGUMENT ESSAY?
- In an argument essay, sometimes referred to as a persuasive
argument, the writer’s purpose is to persuade the audience to
agree with his or her ideas about a controversial topic. (M1,
P. 98)
- An argumentative essay is an essay in which you agree or
disagree with an issue, using reasons to support your
opinion. Your goal is to convince your reader that your
opinion is right.
- In an argument essay, the writer states the claim of belief,
gives reasons to support it, and tries to convince others that
he or she is correct.
o Summarizes the main points and may encourage the
reader to take action to help correct the problem.
2. ORGANIZING A PROBLEM-SOLUTION ESSAY
There are two basic ways to organize a problem-solution
presenting one solution or two or more solutions.
SESSION 6: PROBLEM-SOLUTION ESSAY
1. WHAT IS A PROBLEM-SOLUTION ESSAY?
A problem-solution essay is written to identify and explain a
problem and offer one or more solutions. It is a very common essay
type on standardized exams and in classroom assignments.
o The introductory paragraph presents the problem. This may
include background information about the problem or the
history of the problem. 3. WRITER'S NOTE FOCUSING YOUR ESSAY
o The body paragraphs offer possible solutions. The One of the most common mistakes that writers make in writing a
information here should explain why or how the solution problem-solution essay is just listing a number of problems and
will be effective. One solution can be presented with two some solutions. Remember, focusing on one problem and one or
or three points or two or three solutions can be presented. two solutions will result in a well-developed essay with strong
o Finally, the concluding paragraph summarizes the points examples and details. After reading the essay, the reader should
and may offer a call to action recommendations or steps have a clear understanding of the issue and how the solution or
for the reader to take to help solve the problem. In solutions address it.
summary, the problem-solution essay: 4. GRAMMAR: ADVERB CLAUSES
o Clearly identifies and explains the problem. An adverb clause is a dependent clause that indicates time, reason,
o Give background information or the history of the concession, contrast, condition, purpose, or refutation. An adverb
problem, if needed. clause begins with a connector called a subordinating conjunction,
o Offers one or more solutions to the problem. such as after, although, if, since, and when. In the following
sentences, the subordinating conjunctions are circled and the adverb - It is also common to use the literature section to clarify the
clauses are underlined. varying positions held by other researchers.
Note that when the adverb clause begins the sentence, it is
followed by a comma. 2. WHAT IS BOOK REVIEWS?
5. DEVELOPING IDEAS FOR WRITING: CHOOSING Book reviews can be written by graduate students for academic
THE RIGHT TOPIC journals to broaden their knowledge and achieve publication.
If you are given a problem-solution essay to write and you must
choose your topic, remember these guidelines: Writing a book review allows a student to critically examine a topic
o The essay should be about a general or relatable in detail. Journals normally specify the length they require (only
problem. Topics that are too personal in nature may about 400 words). In general, a review should contain two parts:
not be interesting to the reader.
o The essay should have at least one solution. If the topic a) A description of the scope and organization of the book. Who is
is avoiding death, there is no solution to speak of the author and what has he/she written before? What kind of reader
o The topic should be one about which you can easily is the book aimed at? In the case of an edited volume, who are the
find some basic information. If the topic is the lack of editors and principal contributors?
selection at your local grocery store, you are unlikely b) The second part should evaluate how successful the book is in
to find much information about it. its aims. It is better to avoid excessive praise or criticism and to
mention both positive and negative features. Is the book breaking
SESSION 7: LITERATURE REVIEWS, BOOK REVIEWS new ground and adding significantly to current debates? It is also
1. WHAT IS LITERATURE REVIEWS? worth commenting on the author’s style and how easy it is to read
- Literature reviews are sections of a paper in which the writer for specialist or non-specialist readers
summarizes recently published work. They are standard in
dissertations, but in most essays, a summary of relevant and SESSION 8: INTRODUCTIONS AND CONCLUSIONS
recent authorities may be included in the introduction. An effective introduction explains the purpose, scope,e, and
- A literature review is not simply a list of sources that you methodology of the paper to the reader. The conclusion should
have studied. It can be used to show that there is a gap in the provide a clear answer to any questions asked in the title, as well as
research that your work attempts to fill. summarize the main points under discussion. With coursework, it
may be better to write the introduction after writing the main body.
1. INTRODUCTION COMPONENTS
Introductions are usually no more than about 10% of the total length
of an assignment. Therefore in a 2,000-word essay the introduction
would be approximately 200 words.
2 INTRODUCTION STRUCTURE
There is no standard pattern for an introduction since much depends
on the type of research you are conducting and the length of your
work, but this is a common structure:
o Definition of key terms, if needed
o Relevant background information
o Review of work by other writers on the topic
o Purpose or aim of the paper It is important to avoid opening sentences which are over-general
o Your research methods and vague.
o Any limitations you imposed 4. CONCLUSIONS
o An outline of your paper Conclusions tend to be shorter and more varied in format than
3. OPENING SENTENCES introductions. Some articles may have a 'summary' or 'concluding
It can be difficult to start writing an essay, but especially in exams, remarks. However, student papers should generally have a final
hesitation will waste valuable time. The first few sentences should section that summarizes the arguments and makes it clear to the
be general but not vague in order to help the reader focus on the reader that the original question has been answered.
topic. 5. CONCLUSION STRUCTURE
A common structure for an essay conclusion is:
o Summary of main findings or results
o Link back to the original question to show it
has been answered
o Reference of the limitations of your work (e.g.
geographical)
o Suggestions for future possible related research
o Comments on the implications of your research
