A Summary of Academic Writing

8/13/2019 A Summary of Academic Writing

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Academic Writing By Rosemary Jones

Looking at the big pictureAcademic writing is based on analysis - the process of breaking

down ideas - to increase one's understanding. It uses deductivereasoning, semiformal voice, and third person point-of-view.

Use of deductive reasoning - Stating the thesis (mainidea) early and then following with supporting examples anddetails make complicated ideas easier to understand.Semiformal voice - This means no slang, colloquialism(common expressions of ordinary speech), contractions of nouns and verbs, etc.Third person point-of-view - Third person points-of-view (e.g., he, she, it, and they as well as their accusative, dative, and possessive forms) should be used. No first and second person points-of-view

(e.g., I, you, we ) are used in academic writing.

Characteristics of academic writing PurposeGeneral purpose - to present information that displays a clear understanding of a subject

Specific purpose - varies according to the assignment:

Argument and Persuasion - To persuade readers to accept the writer's opinionExposition* - To explain somethingDescription - To describe somethingNarration - To tell a story

* The purpose of writing in HSC English 181 and 182 is exposition.

What is expository writing?Expository writing is an explanation of a topic by answering the following questions:

What is it?What does it do?What does it resemble?How does it work?How does it come about?Why is it important?

What types of development are used for expository writing?Cause and EffectComparison and ContrastDefinitionDescriptionProcess


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sentence to sentence as important terms are defined and the relationship between them is explained.2. Synonyms and substitutions - Synonyms are two or more words that have nearly the same thing.

Substitution is a word that describes the subject.3. Transitional express ions - Transitional expressions are words and phrases that point out the exact

relationship between one idea and another, one sentence and another, e.g. therefore, however, for example, finally, etc.

Just as the sentences within a paragraph should flow smoothly, so the paragraphs within an essay should beclearly linked one to the next. The first sentence of each new paragraph is linked to the thesis statement or to the

paragraph before. The following are four ways to link paragraphs:

1. Repetition of key words or ideas from the thesis statement2. Reference to words or ideas from the preceding paragraph3. Use of transitional expressions4. Use of transitional sentences

A closer look at developmentComparison and ContrastThere are two ways to present similarities and differences between two things being compared or contrasted.

Block (whole vs. whole)This method presents all the information about A and then provides parallel information about B .

First all A: Point 1 Point 2 Point 3

Then all B: Point 1 Point 2

Point 3This pattern is good for short compositions. The reader can easily remember what was said about A by the timehe or she gets around to B .

Point-by-point (topic by topic)This method moves back and forth between A and B , presenting one point about Aand then going to the parallel

point about B . Then, it moves to the next point and does the same.

First A , Point 1 Then B , Point 1First A , Point 2 Then B , Point 2

First A , Point 3 Then B , Point 3This pattern is better for longer papers, where it might be hard for the reader to remember what the writer saidabout A by the time he or she gets to B a few paragraphs later. By going back and forth, the writer makes iteasier for the reader to keep the contrasts or comparisons in mind.

Extended DefinitionThere are five basic methods to expand a definition:

1. Comparing it to something else2. Telling what it is not3. Describing it in detail


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4. Classifying it by explaining the different kinds5. Using exemplification

ProcessThere are two kinds of process essays:

1. The how-to essay gives readers directions on how they can do something, e.g. perform a chemistryexperiment. This process is generally written in the passive voice.

2. The explanation es say tells readers how something develops, e.g., photosynthesis, plasmodium, the lifecycle of the malarial parasite, etc. This process is generally written in the active voice and uses simple present tense.

Citing sourcesWhy use quotations, paraphrases, and summaries?Quotations, paraphrases, and summaries serve many purposes:

Provide proof or credibility to ones writing Refer to work that leads up to the work the writer is doing now

Give examples of two or more points of view on a subject Add depth or breadth to ones writing

What are the differences between quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing?QuotingQuotations must match the source document word for word and must be attributed to the original author.

ParaphrasingParaphrasing is putting another persons ideas into ones own words using ones own sentence structure andstyle of writing. A paraphrase simplifies a selection; it does not necessarily shorten it. Paraphrased material mustalso be attributed to the original source.

SummarizingTo summarize, one must put the main thoughts or ideas into ones own words, but it is only necessary to includethe main points. Summarizing cuts a selection down to about one-third of its original length. Its purpose is toshorten a passage without sacrificing its basic meaning. Once again, it is necessary to attribute the ideas to theoriginal source.

What is meant by APA reference and parenthetical citation?The reference page and parenthetical citation are necessary in essays that contain ideas that are not based on

background knowledge and are not commonly known; in other words, this is information that comes from sourcematerial.

Science students use the APA reference style sheet, one of many style sheet conventions, as a guideline for accurate formatting of academic papers.

Following the guidelines of such a style sheet is important for three reasons:

1. The reader can gain deeper knowledge of a subject matter.2. The reader can check for the relevance of summaries, paraphrases, and quotations.3. The reader can verify quoted, summarized, and paraphrased material.

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A Summary of Academic Writing