This document provides advice on various aspects of academic writing such as structure, reading and researching, using sources, and bibliography formatting. It recommends outlining paragraphs with topic sentences, researching before writing, and developing ideas with cohesion and transition words. Sources should be cited using documentation styles like MLA or APA and direct quotes, paraphrases, and summaries need in-text citations and references. The conclusion restates the main points and places the advice in a broader context.

1. Advice on academc writing
Advice on academic writing
Instituto Superior de Formación Docente
Nº 41
PDCE IV
Techer: Stella Saubidet
Student: Paulina Capparelli
May, 24th. 2022

2. Index ● General
● Structure
● Reading and Researching
● Using Sources
● Specific Types of Writing
● Bibliography

3. Some general aspects
When you are wrting an essay you don’t just
only develop concepts. You also have to express
your own point of view and support your
statements. You can analyze the topic, compare
it with other ideas and contrats it with other
topic.
Some things to
bear in mind:

4. Writing essays is not a simple task. Before writing make
researchs on your topic. Then, organize the body of your essay:
What you are going to include in each paragraph, what your
supporting ideas would be, your topic sentences, your thesis
statement, etc.
Write as many drafts as you need before publishing the final
work.
Try to not get overwhelmed, it takes time and it’s very
important to start writing with time. Not the nigh before!
Some general aspects

5. Structure

6. ● They are a serie of sentences
that develop an idea -Topic.
● To make them clearer, begin
with a TOPIC SENTENCE.
● Your paragraphs should end
when you provide enough
evidence to support your topic
sentence.
Structure PARAGRAPH
● Length: They tend to vary in length
but they are approximately between
1/3 and ⅔ of a page.

7. THE DEFINITION PARAGRAPH: It defines a
term, often by drawing distinctions between
the term and anther term that is related to
it.
ANALYSING OR CLASSIFICATION
PARAGRAPH: It develops a topic by
distinguishing its component part and
discussing them separately.
COMPARISON AND CONTRAST
PARAGRAPH: Focuses on an important
similarity or difference between two
sources, positions or ideas. One single
comparison can be spread out through two
different paragraphs.
QUALIFICATION PARAGRAPH: Recognizes
that what you have previously stood for
might no be absolutely true or always
applicable.
PROCESS PARAGRAPH: Involves a step by
step description.
ILLUSTRATION: Example, details, quotations.
Very often, a single paragraph will develop
by a combination of methods.
DEVELOPMENT OF IDEAS

8. COHESION
WE CAN USE SPECIFIC LINKING WORDS TO MAKE A PARAGRAPH
FLOW:
TO REINFORCE IDEAS:
- Also
- In other words
- In addition
- For example
- Moreover
- More importantly
TO CHANGE IN IDEAS:
- But
- Instead
- Although
- On the other
hand
- yet
- Nevertheless
- However
- In contrast
TO CONCLUDE THE IDEA:
- Thus
- In conclusion
- Therefore
- Finally
- Ultimately
- So (informal)

9. Structure
Introduction and conclusion
INTRODUCTION
They have to identify the topic of the
essay, provide context and indicate your
focus and position on the topic.
It has to catch your reader's’ attention.
CONCLUSION
They should provide closure to the
essay while placing context in a wider
concept.
It involves critical thinking and broaden
your focus.

10. Structure
TOPIC SENTENCE
The state the main point of an paragraph, they highlight the most
important.
They usually appear at the very beginning of the paragraph.
However, there are some cases where it appears later.

11. Structure
THESIS STATEMENTS
It is a single sentence which provides an insight
of what the essay is going to be about.
Usually they include the main idea or point of
the essay.
They can also include the purpose of the essay
or tts point of view.

12. Reading
and researching

13. Previewing.
When reading for academic purposes it is good to read with
some goals in mind. This way, the focus will be placed on the
important.
Spend a few minutes previewing the text before starting to read
to orient yourself towar what is important for you in this
reading
Reading and researching
● Read the title.
● Think about the subject matter
● Who wrote this text?
● Where was this text originally
published?
● When was it published?

14. Skimming and scanning.
Reading and researching
Skimming Scanning
To get a sense of its overall logical
progression.
By reading carefully the first
sentences of each paragraph you will
predict its ideas.
Similar to skimming but you will
try to find one particular fact or
keyword or just to see if the text
mention the topic you are into.

15. Summarizing
Reading and researching
● Summarizing is really helpful study technique.
● You can identify general concepts that run through the essay and
then express this ideas using specific language.
INCLUDE:
Title.
Name of the author.
The thesis statement.
Divide the article into sections.
AVOID:
Minor details
Specific examples
Opinions

16. Using resources

17. Plagiarism
Avoid it by quoting, exemplifying or
adding other author’s ideas to
contrast but always adding the
source at the end of the text.
Furthermore, always show your own
possition or point of view, not only the
author’s.
Using resources

18. Documentation.
- Endnotes or
footnotes.
- MLA System
- APA System
- -Numbered notes
system.
- Electronic source.
Using resources

19. Paraphrasing
It must be in your own words and always
providing source and reference,
Paraphrasing is not enough if you don’t
analyze what you wrote.
Using resources

20. Quotation
Always provide a source.
Words to introduce a quote:
Argues
writes
points out
concludes
comments
notes
Using resources

21. Bibliography
Freedman, L. .” Previewing. English Language Learning, Arts &
Science”.
Freedman, L. “Skimming and Scanning”. English Language
Learning, Arts & Science.
Freedman, L. “Summarizing”. English Language Learning, Arts &
Science.
Jerry Plotnick. “Paraphrase and Summary”. University College
Writing Centre.
Plotnick, J. H. “Using Topic Sentences”. University College
Writing Centre.
Plotnick, J. “Using Quotations”. University College Writing
Centre.
Plotnick, L. F. “Introductions and Conclusions” University of
Toronto
Procter, M. “How Not to Plagiarize”. University of Toronto.
Procter, M. “Standard Documentation Formats”. University of
Toronto
Procter, M. “Using Thesis Statements”. University of Toronto.
Visvis, M. P. “Paragraphs”. University College Writing Centre.