Academic writing and referencing

In this session

• Academic writing

• Essays & reports (purpose, structure and features)

• Stages of the essay writing process

• Paragraph structure

• Referencing

• Reflective writing in academic assignments

• Where to find more resources/support

Assessment

When understanding assignment requirements consider:

– What are you being asked to do?

– What is the purpose?

– Who is the audience?

– How will it be marked?

– How will you structure it?

– What sources are required, and how will you reference them?

– What kind of language is needed?

Essay or report?

How are they different?

What is an essay?

… a structured piece of writing that analyses a topic and persuades a reader of the writer’s point of view.

Features of an essay:

– has a specific structure

– each section of the structure has a certain function

– written in paragraphs

– developed, explained and supported using evidence and/or expert

opinions

– usually uses formal and objective language

Essay writing involves…

• analysing the question • making an initial plan • locating resources • reading and noting • developing the plan • writing the first draft • revising, editing and proofreading

Discuss with a partner: • Are there others? • Which are easiest/most

challenging?

Writing academic assignments

Image taken from:

Marshall, L 1999, A Learning Companion (3rd edn), Murdoch

University, Perth, p. 259.

Not usually a linear

process - involves

backtracking (or

looping).

Analysing the question

• Check any unfamiliar words

• Check the instruction/directive/task words (e.g. ‘compare’) • Check key content/information words Make a question using the task word + what? (e.g. ‘compare what?’) • Check limiting words which - give the topic a particular focus - are included in the information words - identify the scope, scale and timeframe (including length and due date).

Structure and function of essay parts

Introduction: ≈ 10% of word limit • start with background statements on topic

• define key terms if necessary • define scope (what your paper will include) • include your argument/thesis statement • indicate how you will answer the question

Body: ≈ 80% of word limit • a series of points that support the main idea • develop each point as a paragraph

Conclusion: ≈ 10 % of word limit • summarise the main points • restate your thesis statement • show how you have ‘answered the question’

Source unknown

Essay structure

Paragraph structure Body made up of series of paragraphs. Each paragraph has:

- only one main idea

- a topic sentence clearly stating the main idea of the paragraph (also links

to essay question)

- other sentences expand on topic sentence through:

- evidence, explanations, analysis, elaborations or examples

- gaps in evidence? Go back, do more reading and note-taking.

- a concluding sentence that summarises the paragraph content

How does culture affect leadership styles?

Sequencing a paragraph

• order the sentences on the next slide to make a coherent paragraph

• consider:

• which sentence expresses the main idea?(put this first)

• what is the logical order of information?

• which linking words connect one sentence to the next?

• which sentence that sums up the paragraph content?

(put this last)

1. However, the transformational leadership approach has some limitations and is not necessarily a replacement for

transactional leadership behaviours.

2. In a setting where the transformational style is unfamiliar, organisations may not find it beneficial.

3. In this way, the two leadership styles can be seen as complementary, rather than opposing, in that one builds on the

other.

4. Secondly, there is evidence that transformational leadership works best when operating from a ‘solid base of

transactional leadership’ (Zagorsek, Dimovski & Skerlavaj 2009, p.159).

5. The first limitation is that it may be less successful in emerging economies with cultures more attuned to a

transactional style (Zagorsek, Dimovski & Skerlavaj 2009, p.159).

6. In sum, the success of a transformational style of leadership may depend on the context in which it operates, and it

should not be perceived as replacing the transactional model, but rather as working alongside it.

7. Its success can depend on the context in which it is practised.

8. This is supported by the work of O’Shea, Foti and Hauenstein (2009) which concludes that the most effective style

of leadership involves a combination of these two styles.

9. An example of this is if a cultural value, such as ‘high uncertainty avoidance’ is the norm, a leadership style which

may involve modelling innovative or unfamiliar practices could be confronting (Ergeneli, Gohar & Temirbekova 2007,

p. 720).

However, the transformational leadership approach has some limitations and is not

necessarily a replacement for transactional leadership behaviours. Its success can

depend on the context in which it is practised. The first limitation is that it may be

less successful in emerging economies with cultures more attuned to a

transactional style (Zagorsek, Dimovski & Skerlavaj 2009, p.159). In a setting

where the transformational style is unfamiliar, organisations may not find it

beneficial. An example of this is if a cultural value, such as ‘high uncertainty

avoidance’ is the norm, a leadership style which may involve modelling innovative

or unfamiliar practices could be confronting (Ergeneli, Gohar & Temirbekova 2007,

p. 720). Secondly, there is evidence that transformational leadership works best

when operating from a ‘solid base of transactional leadership’ (Zagorsek, Dimovski

& Skerlavaj 2009, p.159). In this way, the two leadership styles can be seen as

complementary, rather than opposing, in that one builds on the other. This is

supported by the work of O’Shea, Foti and Hauenstein (2009) which concludes that

the most effective style of leadership involves a combination of these two styles. In

sum, the success of a transformational style of leadership may depend on the

context in which it operates, and it should not be perceived as replacing the

transactional model, but rather as working alongside it.

Original paragraph

Topic sentence

• Introduces the topic of the paragraph

Clarification

• Explains the topic more directly in simpler language

Argument • Presents the main point

Support

• Supports the main point with in-text referenced evidence, e.g. example

Close

• Summarises the key message of the paragraph

Example paragraph structure

• acknowledges the ideas of others and allows you to

build on these ideas

• shows you have read widely and been informed by many sources

• is standard academic practice – not referencing is considered plagiarism

Why do we reference?

1. In-text referencing (in the body of your essay)

………(Dyson 2008, p. 7).

Dyson (2008, p. 7) states that…….

2. List of references (at the end of the essay)

Dyson, JR 2008, Business organizations, Roadhouse Publishers,

London.

Two components of Harvard UniSA referencing

Reports: planning to writing

It is recommended that ....

It would be advisable to ...

In order to … X should …

X would be a suitable

strategy for … because …

The most effective

solution would be to ...

Reflection is ‘the mental process through which human

beings convert experience into personal knowledge’ (Jones

& Shelton cited in Kathpalia & Heah 2008, p. 303).

Reflective practice is 'consciously thinking about and

analysing what one has done (or is doing)'. It is a process of

looking back over our experiences, reflecting upon them and

making sense of them. (Mezirow 1991; Rolfe, Freshwater &

Jasper 2001).

Reflective writing

Can facilitate:

1. Confidence in dealing with the uncertainties of professional life

2. Greater awareness of personal values, ethics, prejudices,

assumptions, decision-making processes that can influence how we

work

3. Increased critical awareness of our professional field and its ethics

4. Review of ‘forgotten’ areas of practice

5. Analysis of hesitations and knowledge/skills gaps

6. Constructive awareness of relationships with colleagues

7. Ability to face problematic episodes

8. Sharing of experience and expertise

(Bolton 2005, p. 24)

Reflective practice in the workplace

Further resources and references For information on planning see Massey University’s assignment planning calculator Marshall, L 1999, A Learning Companion (3rd edn), Murdoch University, Perth. Stott, A 2004, ‘Issues in the socialisation process of the male student nurse: implications for retention in undergraduate nursing courses’, Nurse Education Today, vol. 24, pp. 91-7).

Referencing website

Resources for referencing

www.unisa.edu.au/Referencing

Roadmap to Referencing

Need help Referencing? Not sure what type of

source you have?

Follow the Roadmap! The Roadmap to

referencing site will help you decide what your

source is and show you how to reference it

according to Harvard-UniSA style

roadmap.unisa.edu.au

Learning support Learning Advisers can provide you with resources and advice on areas such as:

Understanding different assignment tasks Academic writing Referencing and academic integrity Adapting to university study

Participate in a workshop, drop-in with a quick query, explore our online resources or make an appointment (f-2-f, phone or email)

www.unisa.edu.au/StudyHelp Contact Campus Central for appointments: 1300 301 703

Bolton, G 2005, Reflective practice: writing and professional development, SAGE, London

Kathpalia, S & Heah, C 2008, ‘Reflective writing: insights into what lies beneath’ RELC

Journal, vol. 39.

Mezirow, J 1991, Transformative dimensions of adult learning, Jossey -Bass, San

Francisco, CA.

Rolfe G, Freshwater D & Jasper M 2001, Critical reflection for nursing and helping

professionals: A user's guide, Palgrave, New York.

References