This document provides advice on academic writing. It discusses including an argument in an essay with evidence to support a thesis. Essays should be well-organized with an introduction, body, and conclusion. When writing, one should start by exploring ideas and revising extensively by rewriting sentences and reviewing transitions, word choice, and conciseness. Index cards and outlining on a computer can help organize ideas. Paragraphs should have a clear central topic developed with examples. Effective introductions engage readers and conclusions summarize key points or recommend actions. Proper use of quotes, revision, and punctuation are also covered.

1. ADVICE ON ACADEMIC
WRITING
Ledesma, Erica
LEE IV 2017
ISFD N°18

3. SOME GENERAL ADVICE
 An essay should have an argument. It should answer a question or questions. It should try to prove
something by reasoning and evidence, examples and confirming citations are included. Gathering
some evidence normally entails some reading of the text or sources with a question.
 A well presented essay shoul be well organized (beginning, development and ending) to be clear and
persuasive.

4. SUCCESFUL METHODS OF COMPOSING
 You will start writing as a mean of exploration and discovery.
 You will write what seems to be readiest to be written.
 You will keep the overall purpose and organization on mind, amending as draft precedes.
 You will revise extensively: sentence by sentence. Attending to the whole essay and draft and redraft.
Sometimes, putting the essay aside for some days to work objectively.
 Once the draft is completed and organize, you will revise transitions (sequences of ideas), diction
(exactness and aptness of words) and economy (words with clear and full thought).
 Lastly, you will proofread the final copy.

5. SOME TECHINIQUES
 INDEX CARDS: When you are searching, write every idea, fact, quotation or paraphrase on
separate index card. Reshuffle them into the best posible order (outline). Yoy should transcribe
it to paper to reduce it.
 THE COMPUTER: The “outline view” in Word makes it easy for you to arrange your points.
 THE CIRCLE METHOD: When you have an idea, write it on a paper and draw a circle around it.
Do the same for supporting ideas. Then, you can see at a glance how things tie together.

7. ORGANIZING AN ESSAY
An essay is made up of: a INTRODUCTION, PARAGRAPH(s), also known as the main body, and a
CONCLUSION.
 INTRODUCTION AND CONCLUSION (Both demad attention)
- A good introuction should identify the topic, provide essential context and indicate your focus.
Also, it needs to engage readers interest.
HOW TO WRITE AN EFFECTIVE AND INTERESTING INTRODUCTION
- Set the topic .
- Quote an expert (introduce him or her first).
- Provide the reader with background information.
- Illustrate a common real scenario using a brief narrative or anecdote.
- Clarify especific words

8. HOW TO WRITE AN EFFECTIVE AND INTERESTING CONCLUSION
- In case the essay deals with a contemporary problem, you should warn the reader about the
posible consequences.
- You should recommend a specific course of action.
- You should be clear enough to let the reader understand your point.
- When writing a personal reflection, you should conclude with a relevant narrative drawn from your
own life experiences.
- Return to an anecdote, example, or quotation that you introduced in your introduction, but add
further insight that derives from the body of your essay.

9. PLANNING YOUR PARAGRAPH
 A paragraph is a series of releated sentences developing a central idea (TOPIC).
The most effective idea to achieve a paragrapf unity is to express the central idea in a topic
sentence.
 The topic sentence forecast the central idea of main point. The rest of the paragraph will
develope the topic sentence.
 Illustration in a paragraph supports a general statement by providing examples, detail and
relevant quotation ( with your comment).

10. TYPES OF PARAGRAPH
 The DEFINITION PARAGRAPH describes a term and, often, making comparison between other terms.
The aim is to use words related to the subject area.
 The ANALYSIS OR CLASSIFICATION PARAGRAPH develops a topic by distinguishing its component
parts and discussing each of these parts separately.
 A COMPARISON OR CONTRAST PARAGRAPH seeks similarity or difference between sources,
positions, or ideas. Decide whether to deal only with similarities or only with differences, or to cover
both. Also, keep in mind that a single comparison can be spread out over two separate paragraphs.
 A QUALIFICATION PARAGRAPH is the acceptance of what you previously stated is not absolutely
true or applicable.
 The PROCESS PARAGRAPH follows a chronological order.

11. USING TOPIC SENTENCE
 Normally, a topic sentence is place at the beginning of the paragraph but, sometimes, it comes
after a transitional sentence.
 Most of the paragraphs need a topic sentence but there exist some cases in which it is not
necessary (redunduncy or implicit).
 The connection between the topic sentence and the thesis will help you with the coherence of
the essay.
 Use a keyword from the introduction into the topic sentence

13. READING AND SEARCHING
 Critical writing depends on critical reading.
 Writing involves reflection on texts (thinking and reflection on your subject).
 You do not need to write too much, your ideas should be expresed on your own.
USING THE INTERNET
 Don’t rely exclusively on Net resources (sometimes library resources).
 Narrow your research topic before loggin on.
 Keep a detailed record of sites you visit and the sites you use.
 Double-check all URLs that you put in your paper.
PLAGIARISM IS PROHIBITED
You should identify other people when you borrow their work.

14. PREVIEW
When reading for academic purposes, it is preferable to read with certain goals in mind. This will
enable you to place your focus on the proper elements . Recommendations:
- Read the title (it orients the reader).
- Think about the subject matter.
- Think about the author.
- Think of the audience.
- Reflect on the significance of the text.
- Read the chapter titles or headings.
- Include facts or ideas.

15. SKIMMING AND SCANNING
One of the most effective methods for beginning a kind of thoughtful reading necessary to read it in
detail. We refer to skimming:
- Use some previewing techniques.
- Read carefully the introductory paragraph.
- Read carefully the first sentence of each paragraph, including the last sentence.
- Avoid unfamiliar words.
- Read carefully the concluding paragraph.
- Return to the beginning and read through the text carefully.
Scanning is basically skimming with a more tightly focused purpose. Keep a specific set of goals in
mind as you scan the text, and avoid becoming distracted by other material

16. SUMMARIZE
A summary has two aims: First, to reproduce the overarching ideas in a text, identifying
the general concepts that run through the entire piece, and secondly, to express these overarching
ideas using precise, specific language. Some Methods for summarizing:
- Include title and identify autor.
- The first sentence (s) contain author’s thesis.
- Notice stages in the explanation or argument which are built up in groups of related paragraphs.
- Omit ideas which are not central to the text.
- Omit minor details.
- Avoid writing personal opinion in your summaries.
- Be careful not to plagiarize the author’s words. Use quotations.

17. USING QUOTATION IN
AN ESSAY
Use appropiate punctuation. Colon is
placed at the end of a completed
sentence.
When the sentence is incomplete, you
usually place a comma after the
introductory phrase.

18. REVISING AND EDITING
Revising involves some checking of details. Good resivion and editing may improve your first draft to
reach an excellent final paper. Revision involves:
- Reasoning in your paper.
- Adding or deleting sentences or paragraphs, shifting or reshaping them.
- Pay attention to Word choice,sentence, grammar, punctuation and spelling.

19. PUNCTUATION
Learning to punctuate effectively involves learning the rules, and this handout summarizes the most
important of them. But learning to punctuate is about much more than rules. Punctuation provides you
with considerable control over meaning and tone.
- COMMA: Choosing a comma whenever you would pause in speech can get you into trouble,
especially if you write long sentences and lose your breath easily.
- SEMICOLON: The semicolon has two main uses. The first is to combine two closely related
independent clauses into one sentence. The other valid use of semicolons is to separate list elements
that are long or complex.
- COLON: Colons offer a way of urging your reader forward. The words preceding the colon create an
expectation; the words following the colon fulfill it.
- DASHES serve some of the same functions as commas and colons, but they assert themselves more
forcefully. Like commas, dashes 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.
- PARENTHESIS offer a third way of introducing interrupting material. A pair of commas supplies the
standard, matter-of-fact way of doing so.

20. RESOURCES
 https://image.slidesharecdn.com/usingquotesinanessay-130910173718-phpapp01/95/using-
quotes-in-an-essay-3-638.jpg?cb=1378834686
 https://Loki.gq/parts-of-an-essay-609009.html
 http://advice.writing.utoronto.ca/general/general-advice/