Academic Writing: An Academic Writing: An OverviewOverview

““Whether you knew it or not when you Whether you knew it or not when you started, conducting research is the started, conducting research is the defining feature of your graduate defining feature of your graduate career. If you plan to stay in career. If you plan to stay in academe, it will be the defining academe, it will be the defining feature of your academic life.”feature of your academic life.”

--Lesli Mitchell--Lesli Mitchell

The Ultimate Grad School The Ultimate Grad School Survival GuideSurvival Guide

The genre of researchThe genre of research

What it’s not:What it’s not: A loose collection of anecdotal informationA loose collection of anecdotal information

What it’s not What it’s not onlyonly:: ReportingReporting of others’ knowledge of others’ knowledge

What it What it isis:: CreationCreation of knowledge of knowledge Added security of academic supportAdded security of academic support Contribution to a larger academic Contribution to a larger academic

discussiondiscussion Problems and solutionsProblems and solutions

Before you write:Before you write:Read sources criticallyRead sources critically Read studies similar to what you want to Read studies similar to what you want to

writewrite Professional journals, master’s theses, Google Professional journals, master’s theses, Google

scholarscholar AbstractsAbstracts Literature ReviewsLiterature Reviews Conclusions/DiscussionConclusions/Discussion

Recommendations for Future StudyRecommendations for Future Study Take notes (don’t highlight!)Take notes (don’t highlight!)

Summarize/paraphrase passagesSummarize/paraphrase passages

Quoting Sources (in Quoting Sources (in brief)brief) Use quotations Use quotations sparingly sparingly and and

strategically.strategically. Use quotations only when the Use quotations only when the

language is so unique that you language is so unique that you mustmust use it; that is, the language adds use it; that is, the language adds “color, power, or character,” to your “color, power, or character,” to your project.project.

Too many quotes are distracting; Too many quotes are distracting; reader needs to hear reader needs to hear your your voice.voice.

Quote useQuote use

Identify quotes with frames that Identify quotes with frames that precede, follow, or interrupt.precede, follow, or interrupt.

Use appropriate verb of attribution.Use appropriate verb of attribution. Punctuate correctly.Punctuate correctly. Quotes should be syntactically Quotes should be syntactically

correct and integrated into your own correct and integrated into your own language.language.

The Art of the The Art of the ParaphraseParaphraseYou are writers, not re-typers.You are writers, not re-typers.

Instances of plagiarism Instances of plagiarism (from the Office of the Associate VP, (from the Office of the Associate VP,

CSU Fresno)CSU Fresno):: ““Failure to use quotation marks when quoting Failure to use quotation marks when quoting

directly from another, whether it be a directly from another, whether it be a paragraph, sentence or part thereofparagraph, sentence or part thereof

Copying phrases or ideas from a book, Copying phrases or ideas from a book, magazine, or other source without giving credit magazine, or other source without giving credit to the authorto the author

Turning in a paper or computer program that is Turning in a paper or computer program that is the work of another individual”the work of another individual”

DraftingDrafting

Should be the least time-consuming of Should be the least time-consuming of all steps in the process all steps in the process

If it’s taking you forever to write 1,000 If it’s taking you forever to write 1,000 words, two things could be happening:words, two things could be happening:

1. You don’t have a clue what you 1. You don’t have a clue what you should be saying.should be saying.

2. You're revising 2. You're revising whilewhile you draft so you draft so that you end up with one sentence an that you end up with one sentence an hour.hour.

The Introduction: Your The Introduction: Your paper’s “first paper’s “first impression”impression”

Introductions should:Introductions should:Introduce subject and Introduce subject and problemproblem

Clearly state purposeClearly state purpose

Strategies for Strategies for IntroductionsIntroductions Begin with a narrative Begin with a narrative

Anecdotes that make the topic more “real” to Anecdotes that make the topic more “real” to reader.reader.

Begin with a question or series of questions.Begin with a question or series of questions. Shows reader that your subject is provocative and Shows reader that your subject is provocative and

interesting.interesting. Begin by quoting a key source.Begin by quoting a key source.

Bold, expert opinion captures readers’ attention.Bold, expert opinion captures readers’ attention. Begin by citing key dataBegin by citing key data

Alarming stats emphasize importanceAlarming stats emphasize importance Writing Studio at Duke University:Writing Studio at Duke University:

http://uwp.duke.edu/writing-studio/resourceshttp://uwp.duke.edu/writing-studio/resources

Review of LiteratureReview of Literature Examine/analyze what has already been Examine/analyze what has already been

published on your topicpublished on your topic Find the gaps (Find the gaps (Recommendations for future Recommendations for future

researchresearch)) Provide framework for scope of the problemProvide framework for scope of the problem Explain where your study “fits”Explain where your study “fits”

Review must be thoroughReview must be thorough Currency, credibilityCurrency, credibility Snowball your sourcesSnowball your sources

Review must be accurateReview must be accurate Follow rules for specific documentation styleFollow rules for specific documentation style

Report your findingsReport your findings

What trends did you find in the What trends did you find in the research?research?

Did you discover something that Did you discover something that hasn’t been addressed? (hasn’t been addressed? (Creation of Creation of knowledgeknowledge))

Did you gather your own data? Did you gather your own data? ((surveys, experimentssurveys, experiments))

Presentation of findings in tables, Presentation of findings in tables, figures, etc.figures, etc.

ConclusionsConclusions

Place the paper in a larger contextPlace the paper in a larger context Convince readers that what they read was Convince readers that what they read was

meaningful.meaningful. Go beyond mere summary and avoid Go beyond mere summary and avoid

repeating word-for-word a statement you repeating word-for-word a statement you wrote earlier in the paper.wrote earlier in the paper.

Answers the question, “Where could we Answers the question, “Where could we go from here?”go from here?”

Makes suggestions or calls to actionMakes suggestions or calls to action

You are the authorYou are the author

Paper should be predominately Paper should be predominately youryour ideas and opinions.ideas and opinions.

Show your critical thinking skills.Show your critical thinking skills. A paper with patched together A paper with patched together

summaries and paraphrases, even if summaries and paraphrases, even if they’re in your own words, will not they’re in your own words, will not succeed.succeed.