This document provides an overview of academic writing. It defines academic writing as a formal style that uses precise language without slang to develop and argue an idea without appealing to emotions. The document outlines five key components of good academic writing: having a clear argument or approach, using a structured format with an introduction, body, and conclusion, providing credible evidence to support claims, engaging respectfully with other sources, and telling a coherent story in a clear manner. It emphasizes developing a thesis, citing evidence, linking ideas between paragraphs, and guiding the reader through your argument step-by-step with clarity.