Transcript Academic Writing It*s not like other writing!*

Academic Writing
It’s not like other
writing!*
*but don’t let that intimidate you
Getting started
Have a clear, concise, focused research
question/statement in mind as you read and research.
• Make notes and use highlighter on the text you
read with your question in mind.
o Don’t just highlight what is interesting to you, make note of the evidence
that actually supports or disagrees with you!
• Write a summary in your own words
• Pick out direct quotes that support your argument
• Write a brief critical response
o In other words: if you had to argue with this person, what would you say?
• Keep note of bibliographic details on your notes so
you know where you got something!
Opening paragraph
• HOOK: hook us with a story, a fact,
something to make us care about your
topic and grab attention
• State your research
question/statement and let us know
this paper will answer that
question/prove this point
Background
• Give us all the background we need to understand
your topic:
o Important events/dates/names/places
o How this topic impacts people’s lives
o Concepts we need to understand
o This can be a few paragraphs or just one. You are setting
the stage for your evidence.
o This part continues to tell us why we should care about your
topic!
The meat: presenting your
evidence
• Each paragraph should present evidence that
supports your argument/answers your question.
• Each paragraph should be about one piece of
evidence!
o For example, if you are writing about school uniforms don’t have one
paragraph that tells us school uniforms help kids study better and that
school uniforms lessen bullying. Each of these ideas should be in its own
paragraph (or paragraphs!)
Start each paragraph with a topic sentence,
then present the evidence, then include your
conclusion/analysis.
Writing paragraphs
A topic sentence accomplishes the following tasks:
 Expresses a claim (not a fact) that supports the thesis
 Indicates the content of the paragraph (central idea)
 Creates a transition from the previous paragraph
 Maintain proper pacing (long/short sentences, etc.).
 Ex: “Although previous studies of weather patterns have
focused on rain and wind, this study proposes an analysis
of tornado formation.”
 Ex: “However, these studies have neglected the
importance of tornado formation.”
 Ex (Avoid): “Tornado formation is a major problem.”
Let’s look at the sandwich technique handout
Ways of writing:
transition words
Transition words signal relationships between your
ideas
 Know relationship between the ideas!
Are you adding information? (furthermore, more
importantly, additionally, etc.)
Or you contrasting information? (however,
conversely, on the other hand, etc.)
Are you telling us about information that has time
order? (previously, subsequently, simultaneously,
etc.)
Using direct quotes
• Quotes must be worked into your sentences.
o Ex: According to John Smith in his recent study, weather
patterns “dictate the very fabric of our lives.”
o Ex: Many New Yorkers like Jane Smith found their lives
forever altered by the “Snowpacalypse: “We had no
power, no food, no hope, really, for nearly a week.” Her
testimony was a common refrain among the community.
o Ex (Avoid): Weather is “dictates the very fabric of our lives”
in Smith’s study.
• Studies must be cited according to field’s conventions.
o Ex: Smith (2001) proposes a new mode of weather analysis.
o Ex (Avoid): Smith (2001) proposes a “new” mode of
“weather analysis.”
Active Voice
The active voice relates subjects to verbs explicitly(“I made a
mistake”). The passive voice uses a “to be” verb (“Mistakes were
made”).
 Use active language!
 Active Voice:
 Captain Ahab’s monomania drives him to pursue Moby Dick.
 Previous studies demonstrate the importance of weather
analysis.
 Passive Voice:
 Moby Dick is pursued by the monomaniacal Captain Ahab.
 The importance of weather analysis has been demonstrated.
 Avoid use of “I” as in “I think” or “I believe” UNLESS a teacher
tells you to write in a personal voice. If not sure, ask!
How to make use of
sources
• When you direct quote or paraphrase a source,
avoid using the verb: says, said.
Try some of these:
argues, affirms, states, takes the
position, observes, maintains,
reports, declares, describes,
identifies
When to
paraphrase/direct quote
• If you can’t say it better yourself, do a direct quote BUT rules to
know:
• In research papers, you should quote from a source
o to show that an authority supports your point
o to present a position or argument to critique or comment
on
o to include especially moving or historically significant
language
o to present a particularly well-stated passage whose
meaning would be lost or changed if paraphrased or
summarized
• You should summarize or paraphrase when
o what you want from the source is the idea expressed,
and not the specific language used to express it
o you can express in fewer words what the key point of a
source is
How to paraphrase
• Reread the original passage until you understand its full
meaning.
• Set the original aside, and write your paraphrase on a note
card.
• Jot down a few words below your paraphrase to remind you
later how you envision using this material. At the top of the
note card, write a key word or phrase to indicate the subject
of your paraphrase.
• Check your rendition with the original to make sure that your
version accurately expresses all the essential information in a
new form.
• Use quotation marks to identify any unique term or
phraseology you have borrowed exactly from the source.
• Record the source (including the page) on your note card so
that you can credit it easily if you decide to incorporate the
material into your paper.
Let’s practice!