Advice on Academic Writing

1. Language and written expression
Student: Katia Rivadeneira
Teacher: Stella Saubidet
ISFD N°41

2.  It should have an argument
 It has to prove something
 It answers questions
 It develops a thesis( main point of
the essay)
 It is based on a hypothesis
 It has a specific organization/structure
 It focuses on the understanding of the
topic

3.  Write:
 an essay outline to have the ideas
organized.
 a summary statement that reflects the
writer's position. It should explain and give
evidence for its claim.
 an introduction to identify the topic,
provide context, indicate the focus and
engage reader's interest. (Its size depends
on the length and complexity of the paper).
 a conclusion to provide a closure.

4.  They develop a central idea: the topic
 They should be unified: sentences should
relate to the topic sentence, which states
the main point of the paragraph- mini
thesis statements.

5.  The illustration paragraph supports a
general statement by giving examples, details, or r
elevant quotations/ comments
 The definition paragraph defines a term
 The analysis or classification paragraph develops
a topic by distinguishing its component parts and
discussing each of these parts separately.
 A comparison or a contrast paragraph compares
two sources, positions, or ideas.
 A qualification paragraph acknowledges that
what you previously asserted is not absolutely
true or always applicable
 The process paragraph involves a step by step
description

6.  Do not plagiarize: the purpose of any paper is
to show our own thinking, not to create a
patchwork of borrowed ideas.
 Do not include too much quotation:
-only if the language is elegant or powerful or
memorable.
-If you wish to confirm the credibility of your
argument by enlisting the support of an authority
on your topic.
-If the passage is worthy of further analysis.
-If you wish to argue with someone else’s position
in detail.
On the contrary, paraphrase or summarize

7.  Avoid using unnecessary words , try to edit them
out.
 HOW CAN YOU DO THAT?
By:
 Avoiding the doubling of words
 Omitting intensifiers or qualifiers or giving specific
details
 Formulaic Phrases (using a one-word form or omit)
 Padded Verbs (using a one-word form):to have an
expectation > to expect
 Omitting "to be" or "being"
 Omitting passive voice
 Using relative structures when they are necessary

8.  Try not to:
 assume that every individual is male ,use
plural pronouns rather singular ones as well,
otherwise : It seems to exclude women
 focus on group behaviour
or representatives of categories specially
if you are referring to individual clients or
patients or students.
 use gendered terms, terms that are based
on the people's sex

9.  It provides you with considerable control
over meaning and tone.
 This presentation deals with punctuation
that occurs within sentences: commas,
semicolons, colons, dashes, and
parentheses.

10.  Are used:
 after many long introductory phrases.
When the introductory phrase is short, you
can ommit it.
 When the introductory phrase includes a
participle (-ing or –ed)
 When joining two independent clauses with
a coordinating conjunction
 between each element of a list of three or
more parallel words, phrases, or clauses
 To surround interrupting or parenthetical
clauses or phrases with commas

11.  They occur when the comma is used to join two
complete sentences without placing an
appropriate joining word between them.
 Something similar is the run-on sentence
which occurs when two sentences are joined
without any punctuation mark at all.
 How to solve this problem?
 Use a period or a semi-colon
 Use a coordinating conjunction
 Use a subordinating conjunction
 Never try to join two sentences with a
comma followed by a conjunctive
adverb.They should be used to begin
independent clauses, not to join them.

12.  They have two main uses:
 1) to combine two closely related
independent clauses into one sentence.
Sometimesyou can write two separate
sentences, but using the semicolon helps
convey the close connection between two
sequential ideas.
 2) to separate list elements that are long
or complex

13.  They offer a way of urging the reader
forward. The words preceding the colon
create an expectation; the words following
the colon fulfill it.
 The part of the sentence following the
colon can expand on an idea or answer an
implied question.

14.  They are used to set off interrupting
clauses or phrases, but a pair of dashes will
tend to call more attention to what lies in
between.
 They allow you to expand on or to complete
an idea, and dashes used this way are often
interchangeable with colons.
 In a list, a dash allows you to tie things
together with an explanatory independent
clause

15.  Using them is a way of introducing
interrupting material
 They can also enclose full sentences

16.  The clauses or phrases joined by the
conjunctions should have similar
grammatical structures to ensure that your
reader can follow the logic of your sentence
 How to identify them?
 Pay close attention to where you place your
verbs.
 Pay attention to the elements of the
sentence

17.  They are words or phrases, usually at the
start of a sentence, that do not connect
properly to the rest of the sentence.
 Dangling modifiers are often followed by
the expletive it. (Expletives are words that
play a role in a sentence without
contributing anything to the meaning.)

18. Remember to
check:
+ Punctuation
+ Tenses
+ Spelling
+ Plurals
+ Possessives
+ Subject-
Verb Agreement

19.  With fractions, percentages and indefinite
quantifiers(e.g., all, few)the verb agrees
with the preceding noun or clause:
 With a singular or non-count noun or
clause, use a singular verb
 With a plural noun, use a plural verb
 With a collective noun, use either a singular
or a plural verb

20.  Expressions of time, money and distance
usually take a singular verb
 Adjectives preceded by the and used as
plural nouns take a plural verb
 Expressions using the phrase number
of depend on the meaning of the phrase:
1) They take a singular verb when referring
to a single quantity
2) They take plural verbs when they are used
as indefinite quantifiers

21.  Articles are special modifiers that appear
before nouns or noun phrases. There are
two articles: the and a/an
 How to know which article to use? Answer
these questions:
 Is the noun countable or uncountable? Is
it singular or plural? Is
it definite or indefinite?

22.  Cayley ,R. (1996). Advice on Academic Writing. Retrieved
May 24, 2018, from: http://advice.writing.utoronto.ca/