Lesson 1: Academic Writing

What is Academic Writing?

CONTENTS

1. What is academic writing?

2. Characteristics
3. Examples

Academic writing is clear, concise, focused, structured and backed up by evidence. Its
purpose is to aid the reader’s understanding.

It has a formal tone and style, but it is not complex and does not require the use of long
sentences and complicated vocabulary.

Each subject discipline will have certain writing conventions, vocabulary and types of
discourse that you will become familiar with over the course of your degree. However,
there are some general characteristics of academic writing that are relevant across all
disciplines.

Is generally a quite formal, objective (impersonal), and technical.

Characteristics
1. Formal
2. Objective (Impersonal)
3. Technical

Formal
An academic text is formal by avoiding casual or conversational language such as
contractions or informal vocabulary. It uses appropriate language and tenses, and is
clear, concise and balanced.

Objective
 It is impersonal at the same time objective because it avoids direct reference to people
or feelings instead it emphasizes objects, facts, and ideas. It well focuses on the idea
rather than the people or emotion that being portrayed.

Technical
A text is technical by using vocabulary wordings and references used has a clear focus
on the issue. It also includes accurate word choice.

Examples
Academic Texts
 Essays
 Concept Papers
 Reaction Papers
 Position Papers
 Reports (Educational)
 Research Papers

Non-academic Texts
 Resolutions
 Contracts
 Application Papers
 Business Documents
 Oath/Pledges
 Journalistic Articles
 Editorials/Cartoons
 Science Feature

Notes
An academic text should consider…

 Formal Tone (FT)

 Uses Third Person (UTP)
 Clear Focuses on the Topic (CFT)
 Precise Word Choice (PWC)

Lesson 2: Thesis Statement

 What is Thesis Statement?
Contents

1. What is Thesis Statement

2. Characteristics
3. Purpose

Thesis statement is a sentence that states the main idea of a writing assignment and
helps control the ideas within the paper. It is not merely a topic. It often reflects an
opinion or judgment that a writer has made about a reading or personal experience.

A thesis statement contains a subject and a verb, it is a simple declarative sentence,

commonly uses single sentence , and expresses a basic idea.

Characteristics
1. Clear
2. Precise
3. Restricted

Clear
A thesis statement is clear if it is clearly understandable and is not misleading to the
main topic. It is also a strong declarative sentence.

Precise
It is straight to the point.

Restricted
A thesis statement is restricted if it sticks with the topic and do not go over far beyond. It
also give a more relative and clear scope of the topic.
 Purpose
 To answer questions:

1. What is my opinion?
2. What I am going to illustrate?
3. What I am going to define or argue in this article or paper?

Source: Thesis Statements For Professionals

Lesson 3: Plagiarism
What is Plagiarism?
Contents

1. What is Plagiarism
2. Example
3. How to Avoid Plagiarism

According to University of Cambridge

Plagiarism is acclaiming one’s own work, irrespective of intent to deceive, that which
derives in part or in its entirely from the work of others without proper
acknowledgement. Both poor scholarship and a breach of academic integrity.

Source: Cambridge University

Many people think of plagiarism as copying another’s work or borrowing someone else’s
original ideas. But terms like “copying” and “borrowing” can disguise the seriousness of
the offense:

According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, to “plagiarize” means:

 to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one’s own
 to use (another’s production) without crediting the source
 to commit literary theft
 to present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source

In other words, plagiarism is an act of fraud. It involves both stealing someone else’s
work and lying about it afterward.

Source: What is Plagiarism?

Examples

All of the following are considered plagiarism:

 turning in someone else’s work as your own

 copying words or ideas from someone else without giving credit
 failing to put a quotation in quotation marks
 giving incorrect information about the source of a quotation
 changing words but copying the sentence structure of a source without giving credit
 copying so many words or ideas from a source that it makes up the majority of your
work, whether you give credit or not (see our section on “fair use” rules)

Other Cases
Using an image, video or piece of music in a work you have produced without receiving
proper permission or providing appropriate citation is plagiarism. The following activities
are very common in today’s society. Despite their popularity, they still count as
plagiarism.

 Copying media (especially images) from other websites to paste them into your own
papers or websites.
 Making a video using footage from others’ videos or using copyrighted music as part of
the soundtrack.
 Performing another person’s copyrighted music (i.e., playing a cover).
 Composing a piece of music that borrows heavily from another composition.

Certainly, these media pose situations in which it can be challenging to determine

whether or not the copyrights of a work are being violated. For example:

 A photograph or scan of a copyrighted image (for example: using a photograph of a

book cover to represent that book on one’s website)
 Recording audio or video in which copyrighted music or video is playing in the
background.
 Re-creating a visual work in the same medium. (for example: shooting a photograph
that uses the same composition and subject matter as someone else’s photograph)
 Re-creating a visual work in a different medium (for example: making a painting that
closely resembles another person’s photograph).
 Re-mixing or altering copyrighted images, video or audio, even if done so in an original
way.

Source: Plagiarism 101

How to Avoid Plagiarism

 Paraphrasing – changing the words and terms with acknowledgement of the source.
 Do not use ideas – without reference to the owner.
 Avoid cutting and pasting – do not sought from the internet to be an online source.
 Submitting the work – identify the owner or who did the work.

Lesson 4: Copyright
What is Copyright?
Contents

1. What is Copyright?
2. Examples
3. Copyright Infringement
4. How to Avoid Copyright Infringement

It intends to protect original works of authorship including literary works, musical works,
graphic works, architectural works, and artistic expressions.

Fundamentally, copyright is a law that gives you ownership over the things you create.
Be it a painting, a photograph, a poem or a novel, if you created it, you own it and it’s
 the copyright law itself that assures that ownership. The ownership that copyright law
grants comes with several rights that you, as the owner, have exclusively.

Examples
 The right to reproduce the work
 to prepare derivative works
 to distribute copies
 to perform the work
 and to display the work publicly

Source: Learn More About Copyright

Copyright Infringement
A copyright infringement is a violation of an individual or organization’s copyright. It
describes the unauthorized use of copyrighted material, such as text, photos, videos,
music, software, and other original content.

Source: Learn More

How to Avoid Copyright Infringement

 Cite the owner of the work;
 Better if you ask for permission
 Do not use the work for commercial use
 Always think before you act
 Lesson 5: Paraphrasing
What is Paraphrasing?
Contents

1. What is Paraphrasing?
2. Examples
3. Things to Remember

This is where “citation” and its partner “paraphrasing” comes along that leads you to
proper acknowledgement

It is also restating a passage and simplifies the use of language

Things to Remember

 Restructuring of the text

 The essence of the idea
 Use of “it” instead of other pronouns
 Use of synonyms
 The structure of the statement
 The use of citation
 The use of intensifiers

Lesson 6: Summarizing
What is Summarizing?
Contents
1. What is summarizing
2. Examples
3. How to create a good summary

A summary is a synthesis of the key ideas of a piece of writing, restated in your own
words – i.e., paraphrased. You may write a summary as a stand-alone assignment or
as part of a longer paper. Whenever you summarize, you must be careful not to copy
the exact wording of the original source.

It is giving the key points of the topic and condensing the information that will be
included in the topic.

Original text:

America has changed dramatically during recent years. Not only has the number of
graduates in traditional engineering disciplines such as mechanical, civil, electrical,
chemical, and aeronautical engineering declined, but in most of the premier American
universities engineering curricula now concentrate on and encourage largely the study
of engineering science. As a result, there are declining offerings in engineering subjects
dealing with infrastructure, the environment, and related issues, and greater
concentration on high technology subjects, largely supporting increasingly complex
scientific developments. While the latter is important, it should not be at the expense of
more traditional engineering.

Rapidly developing economies such as China and India, as well as other industrial
countries in Europe and Asia, continue to encourage and advance the teaching of
engineering. Both China and India, respectively, graduate six and eight times as many
traditional engineers as does the United States. Other industrial countries at minimum
maintain their output, while America suffers an increasingly serious decline in the
number of engineering graduates and a lack of well-educated engineers. (169 words)

A good summary:

 Identifies the writer of the original text.

 Synthesizes the writer’s key ideas.
 Presents the information neutrally.
 Summaries can vary in length. Follow the directions given by your instructor for how
long the summary should be.

Lesson 7: Outlining
What is Outlining?

CONTENTS

1. Definition of Outline
2. Examples
3. Guidelines

An outline is a plan for or a summary of a writing project or speech.

An outline is usually in the form of a list divided into headings and subheadings that
distinguish main points from supporting points. Most word processors contain an outlining
feature that allows writers to format outlines automatically. An outline may be
either informal or formal.

EXAMPLES

Thesis: Though many things make me want to score goals, I love scoring most of all
because it momentarily gives me a sense of power.
I. Common reasons for wanting to score goals
A. Help team
B. Gain glory
C. Hear cheers of crowd
II. My reasons for wanting to score goals
A. Feel relaxed
1. Know I’m going to score a goal
2. Move smoothly, not awkwardly
3. Get relief from pressure to do well
B. See world in freeze-frame
1. See puck going into goal
2. See other players and crowd
C. Feel momentary sense of power
1. Do better than goalie
 2. Take ultimate mind trip
3. Conquer anxiety
4. Return to earth after a moment

GUIDELINES

Arrangement of Letters and Numbers in a Formal Outline

I. (main topic)

A. (subtopics of I)
B.
1. (subtopics of B)
2.
a. (subtopics of 2)
b.
i. (subtopics of b)
ii.

Note that subtopics are indented so that all letters or numbers of the same kind appear
directly under one another. Whether phrases (in a topic outline) or complete sentences
(in a sentence outline) are used, topics and subtopics should be parallel in form. Make
sure that all items have at least two subtopics or none at all.

Lesson 8: Abstract
What is an Abstract?

CONTENTS

1. Definition of Abstract
2. Types of Abstract
3. How to write an Abstract?
4. Example

An abstract is a self-contained, short, and powerful statement that describes a

larger work. Components vary according to discipline. An abstract of a social
 science or scientific work may contain the scope, purpose, results, and contents
of the work. An abstract of a humanities work may contain the thesis,
background, and conclusion of the larger work. An abstract is not a review, nor
does it evaluate the work being abstracted. While it contains key words found
in the larger work, the abstract is an original document rather than an excerpted
passage.

TYPES OF ABSTRACT
Descriptive abstracts
A descriptive abstract indicates the type of information found in the work. It makes no
judgments about the work, nor does it provide results or conclusions of the research. It
does incorporate key words found in the text and may include the purpose, methods, and
scope of the research. Essentially, the descriptive abstract describes the work being
abstracted. Some people consider it an outline of the work, rather than a summary.
Descriptive abstracts are usually very short—100 words or less.

Informative abstracts
The majority of abstracts are informative. While they still do not critique or evaluate a
work, they do more than describe it. A good informative abstract acts as a surrogate for
the work itself. That is, the writer presents and explains all the main arguments and the
important results and evidence in the complete article/paper/book. An informative abstract
includes the information that can be found in a descriptive abstract (purpose, methods,
scope) but also includes the results and conclusions of the research and the
recommendations of the author. The length varies according to discipline, but an
informative abstract is rarely more than 10% of the length of the entire work. In the case
of a longer work, it may be much less.

HOW TO WRITE?
The format of your abstract will depend on the work being abstracted. An abstract of a
scientific research paper will contain elements not found in an abstract of a literature
article, and vice versa. However, all abstracts share several mandatory components, and
there are also some optional parts that you can decide to include or not. When preparing
to draft your abstract, keep the following key process elements in mind:

 Reason for writing: What is the importance of the research? Why would a reader be interested
in the larger work?
 Problem: What problem does this work attempt to solve? What is the scope of the project? What
is the main argument/thesis/claim?
 Methodology: An abstract of a scientific work may include specific models or approaches used
in the larger study. Other abstracts may describe the types of evidence used in the research.
 Results: Again, an abstract of a scientific work may include specific data that indicates the results
of the project. Other abstracts may discuss the findings in a more general way.
 Implications: What changes should be implemented as a result of the findings of the work? How
does this work add to the body of knowledge on the topic?

EXAMPLE
Humanities Abstract
Kenneth Tait Andrews, “‘Freedom is a constant struggle’: The dynamics and
consequences of the Mississippi Civil Rights Movement, 1960-1984” Ph.D. State
University of New York at Stony Brook, 1997 DAI-A 59/02, p. 620, Aug 1998

This dissertation examines the impacts of social movements through a multi-layered

study of the Mississippi Civil Rights Movement from its peak in the early 1960s through
the early 1980s. By examining this historically important case, I clarify the process by
which movements transform social structures and the constraints movements face when
they try to do so. The time period studied includes the expansion of voting rights and
gains in black political power, the desegregation of public schools and the emergence of
white-flight academies, and the rise and fall of federal anti-poverty programs. I use two
major research strategies: (1) a quantitative analysis of county-level data and (2) three
case studies. Data have been collected from archives, interviews, newspapers, and
published reports. This dissertation challenges the argument that movements are
inconsequential. Some view federal agencies, courts, political parties, or economic elites
as the agents driving institutional change, but typically these groups acted in response to
the leverage brought to bear by the civil rights movement. The Mississippi movement
attempted to forge independent structures for sustaining challenges to local inequities
and injustices. By propelling change in an array of local institutions, movement
infrastructures had an enduring legacy in Mississippi.

Lesson 9: Reaction Paper

What is Reaction Paper?
Contents

1. What is Reaction Paper

2. How to write a Reaction Paper
3. Examples

is a task that requires a student to analyze information and give comments on a certain
text or media. A reaction paper is different from a review in that it is composed in the
first person and assumes subjective point of view. Working on this type of task, you are
welcome to use such phrases as “I believe” or “I think” and even present your thoughts
in an emotional manner.

How to Write a Reaction Paper

PART 1: A SUMMARY OF THE WORK
To develop the first part of a report, do the following:

 Identify the author and title of the work and include in parentheses the publisher and publication
date. For magazines, give the date of publication.
 Write an informative summary of the material.
 Condense the content of the work by highlighting its main points and key supporting points.
 Use direct quotations from the work to illustrate important ideas.
 Summarize the material so that the reader gets a general sense of all key aspects of the original
work.
 Do not discuss in great detail any single aspect of the work, and do not neglect to mention other
equally important points.
 Also, keep the summary objective and factual. Do not include in the first part of the paper your
personal reaction to the work; your subjective impression will form the basis of the second part
of your paper.

PART 2: YOUR REACTION TO THE WORK

To develop the second part of a report, do the following:

 Focus on any or all of the following questions. Check with your instructor to see if s/he wants
you to emphasize specific points.
 How is the assigned work related to ideas and concerns discussed in the course for which you
are preparing the paper? For example, what points made in the course textbook, class
discussions, or lectures are treated more fully in the work?
 How is the work related to problems in our present-day world?
 How is the material related to your life, experiences, feelings and ideas? For instance, what
emotions did the work arouse in you?
 Did the work increase your understanding of a particular issue? Did it change your perspective
in any way?
 Evaluate the merit of the work: the importance of its points, its accuracy, completeness,
organization, and so on.
 You should also indicate here whether or not you would recommend the work to others, and
why.

POINTS OF CONSIDERATION WHEN WRITING THE REPORT

Here are some important elements to consider as you prepare a report:

 Apply the four basic standards of effective writing (unity, support, coherence, and clear, error-
free sentences) when writing the report.
 Make sure each major paragraph presents and then develops a single main point. For example,
in the sample report that follows, the first paragraph summarizes the book, and the three
paragraphs that follow detail three separate reactions of the student writer to the book. The
student then closes the report with a short concluding paragraph.
 Support any general points you make or attitudes you express with specific reasons and details.
Statements such as “I agree with many ideas in this article” or “I found the book very interesting”
are meaningless without specific evidence that shows why you feel as you do. Look at the
sample report closely to see how the main point or topic sentence of each paragraph is
developed by specific supporting evidence.
 Organize your material. Follow the basic plan of organization explained above: a summary of
one or more paragraphs, a reaction of two or more paragraphs, and a conclusion. Also, use
transitions to make the relationships among ideas in the paper clear.
 Edit the paper carefully for errors in grammar, mechanics, punctuation, word use, and spelling.
 Cite paraphrased or quoted material from the book or article you are writing about, or from any
other works, by using the appropriate documentation style. If you are unsure what
documentation style is required or recommended, ask you instructor.
 You may use quotations in the summary and reaction parts of the paper, but do not rely on them
too much. Use them only to emphasize key ideas.
 Publishing information can be incorporated parenthetically or at the bottom of the page in a
footnote. Consult with your instructor to determine what publishing information is necessary and
where it should be placed.

Source: Reaction Paper 101

Lesson 10: Concept Paper

What is Concept Paper?
Contents

1. What is Concept Paper

2. When is the Research Concept Paper Written
3. Elements
4. Examples

Concept Paper lays the foundation for the applied dissertation process, providing an
introductory form of communication between the doctoral student and the doctoral
committee. Essentially, the Concept Paper acts as a proposal; it allows the doctoral
student the opportunity to define a research focus and obtain early feedback on the
research idea. A well-planned Concept Paper will capture the interest of the
dissertation committee and establish a clear plan for the student’s dissertation.

When is the Research Concept Paper

Written
The Research Concept Paper is completed prior to the dissertation proposal and serves
as a development tool and summary of the planned dissertation. The Concept paper is
a brief document. Depending upon the requirements of a specific academic program,
the Concept Paper may range from as few as 2-3 pages to as many as 10-20
pages. The essential point of the Concept Paper is to explain the importance of a
particular research project.

The Concept Paper initiates the dissertation phase of a doctoral degree which follows
the completion of necessary coursework and training, and represents a culmination of
the student’s learning. The dissertation is a student’s final academic effort to synthesize
course material by applying their learning to a research project. The project is expected
to add new information to the field of study. The Concept Paper acts as a summary of
this project.

The Concept Paper, although highly abridged, is comprised of many of the same items
found in a dissertation. These specific elements of the Concept Paper may vary
depending upon the academic program and the chosen degree. Programs typically
provide a grading rubric that serves as an outline for the required components and
student are encouraged to follow those rubrics closely in developing their Concept
Paper.
 Elements
Title page — provides a tentative title for the dissertation. The title of the Concept
Paper should be a stand-alone statement that can fully describe the project by
summarizing the main idea of the manuscript. The title should concisely identify the
variables being investigated and the relationship among those variables (American
Psychological Association [APA], 2010). Words should serve a useful purpose; avoid
words that do not add substance or words that are misleading. The title of the Concept
Paper may become the title of the dissertation.

Statement of the Problem — provides the purpose for the research. This section of
the Concept Paper introduces the problem under investigation, addresses why the
researcher wants to investigate this problem, and how the research findings may
help. Supporting documentation, including statistical data if available, should be used to
emphasize the need for this research. This section is one of the most important
sections of the Concept Paper; its serves to gain the reader’s attention and
support. You care about the research, but the reader may need some convincing. The
first few sentences of the Concept Paper should intrigue the reader to spike his or her
interest and encourage further reading.

As you begin to write the problem statement of your Concept Paper, consider your
research. First consider why you feel the problem is important. Consider how your
study relates to previous work in the field, how you will link your hypotheses and
objectives to theory, and how the hypotheses relate to the research design. Finally,
consider the theoretical and practical implications involved in your research project
(APA, 2010). A well-developed, concise, and clear problem statement will lay the
foundation for a strong Concept Paper and the dissertation that follows.

Preliminary Literature Review — provides identification of major literature that

supports and validates the topic; focuses on areas that offer support for new research,
and offers the student an opportunity to analyze and synthesize past research in the
context of their present problem. For the Concept Paper, the student should connect
their research project to a theoretical model reported in the literature. The most
successful research projects have been based on the research of predecessors, and
this section of the Concept Paper provides enough of a description of previous research
to plant seeds in the mind of the reader suggesting more information is needed. A
strong Concept Paper is based on a wide-range literature review that is condensed into
a summary of key points.

Goal Statement — provides a broad or abstract intention, including the research goals
and objectives. This part of the Concept Paper tells the reader “who, what and when”
regarding the research goal.
Research Questions — provides a preliminary view of the questions the student will
investigate. Questions are based on theory, past research, experience, and
need. These questions will direct the research methodology; their inclusion in the
Concept Paper links the research problem with the methodology. For some, composing
the research questions may be the most difficult part of the research project, or possibly
the most difficult aspect of writing the Concept Paper. The questions will direct
everything that will be done; therefore, it is important that they are accurate and focused
to the main research problem. These research questions will specifically direct the
research and the type of analyses conducted, as such their compatibility is essential.

An Abridged Methodology — provides the student’s best idea on how to conduct the
research and analyze the data. The goals and objects identified in previous sections of
the Concept Paper should relate to the research methods described in this section. For
the Concept Paper, the methodology is simplified or summarized, serving as a general
outline of the methods that will be employed.

Timeline — provides a range of time for completion of the project, highlighting key
elements for each stage of the project. This element is unique to the Concept Paper
and provides the student structure for managing sections of the project within a realistic
time frame.

References — provides references to the material cited in the literature review and
elsewhere in the Concept Paper.

Source: Writing Concept Paper