Advice on Academic Writing

1. Advice on Academic
Writing
Subject: PDCE IV
ISFD Nº41
Student: Kaihara Liliana
Teacher: Saubidet Stella
May 2022

2. Index
➔ Reading and Researching
❏ Previewing
❏ Skimming and Scanning
❏ Critical Reading and Writing
➔ Pre Writing Stage
❏ Organizing an Essay
❏ High School vs. University Writing
➔ Writing Stage
❏ Documentation Styles
❏ Introduction
❏ Tips to Write an Introduction
❏ Paragraphs
❏ Conclusion
❏ Tips to Write a Conclusion
❏ How not to plagiarize
➔ Revising Stage
❏ Revising and Editing

3. Reading
&
Researching

4. Previewing
TITLE: What is the central concept of the text?
SUBJECT MATTER: What do you know about the topic?
AUTHOR: What do you know about the author?
TYPE OF PUBLICATION: What would be the audience for this kind of writing?
YEAR OF PUBLICATION: What is significant about the period of time?
HEADINGS: What would be the progression of ideas?

5. Skimming Scanning
Reading to get a general
overview of the text
Read:
● the introductory paragraph
● the first sentences of each
paragraph
● the concluding paragraph
Reading to find
specific
information
You can:
● locate a particular fact
or figure
● see whether the text
mentions a subject you
are researching

6. Critical Reading
In order to write your own analysis of a subject, you
need to do a careful critical reading of the sources.
Do not read looking for primarily information.
Do read looking for ways of thinking about the subject
matter.

7. Pre-Writing Stage

8. Organizing your Essay
➢ Introduction
➢ Body
❏ Supporting evidence
❏ Counter arguments
❏ Refutation of counter
arguments
➢ Conclusion

9. High school vs. University Writing
High School Rules
❖ Essays must include a
thesis statement.
❖ Essays should not
acknowledge opposing
viewpoints, if not the
argument is weakened.
❖ Essays have a five-
paragraph structure
(introduction, three
main points, and
conclusion).
University Expectations
❖ Not all essays need a
thesis statement.
❖ Essays that address
counter-arguments
become stronger and
more persuasive by
acknowledging the
complexity of the
material.
❖ Essays have as many
paragraphs as needed.

10. High School Rules
❖ Argumentative essays
can be based on
personal experience or
opinion.
❖ Provides rules.
❖ Paragraphs are as long
or as short as needed
(five-paragraph
requirement).
❖ Paragraphs may end
with a transitional
sentence to anticipate
the next one.
University Expectations
❖ Argumentative essays
should be supported by
evidence from the
sources.
❖ Encourages critical
thinking.
❖ Paragraphs are usually
between one-third and
two-thirds of a page and
vary in length according
to the needs.
❖ Paragraphs might be
more coherent if the
transition is placed at the
start of the next one.

11. Writing Stage

12. Documentation Styles
★ MLA System: Parenthentical Author - Page References (humanities)
The eighth edition lists “core elements” that cover the basic constituents of any
source: Author, Title of Source. Title of Container, Other Contributors, Version,
Number, Publisher, Publication Date, Location.
★ APA System: Parenthetical Author - Date References (social sciences)
It only uses initials for the authors` given names, no quotation marks or
angle brackets, minimal capitalization for titles, and italics for volume numbers and
journal titles.
★ Numbered Note System (sciences)
This format uses numbered notes in the text that match a numbered list of
sources at the end. They are given in the sequence the sources were
mentioned.

13. Introduction
A good introduction should:
● identify the topic
● provide essential context
● engage the readers´ interest
Important points:
1) The size of the introduction should bear some relationship with
the length of the paper.
2) The thesis will typically appear at the end of the introduction.

14. Tips to write an introduction
➔Find a startling statistic.
➔Quote an expert.
➔Mention a common misperception.
➔Give some background information.
➔Use a brief narrative or anecdote.

15. Paragraphs ➢ A paragraph is a series
of related sentences.
➢ It develops a central
idea, the topic.
➢ Its main point is the topic
sentence.
❖ Not all paragraphs need
topic sentences.
❖ Paragraphs should not
be too long nor short.

16. Conclusion
➢ It provides a sense of
closure to the essay.
➢ It places concepts in a
wider context.
➢ It adds a stimulus for
further thought.
❖ It is not just a summary
or a thesis restatement.
❖ It involves critical
thinking.
❖ Its length should reflect
the one of the essay.

17. Tips to write a conclusion
➔ Recommend a specific course of
action.
➔ Use an apt quotation or expert
opinion.
➔ Give a startling statistic, fact, or
visual image.
➔ Return to a previously mentioned
anecdote.

18. How not to Plagiarize
Quotations, paraphrases, or
summaries
If the author's exact words are
used:
➔ enclose them in quotation
marks
➔ indent passages of more than
four lines

19. How not to Plagiarize
Specific facts used as evidence
➔ If the facts are common knowledge, there is no
need to give a reference.
➔ Establish you are relying on facts from an
authoritative source.
Distinctive or authoritative ideas
➔ The way you introduce a reference can indicate
your attitude and lead into your own argument.

20. Revising
Stage

21. Revising and Editing
They mean:
❏ adding or deleting
sentences and
paragraphs.
❏ checking whether the
purpose has been
fulfilled.
❏ looking at the overall
organization.
❏ editing word choices,
sentence structures,
grammar,
punctuation, and
spelling.

22. Revising and Editing
❏ Include a cover page.
❏ Number the pages in
the top right-hand
corner.
❏ Double-space the text.
❏ Leave margins of one
inch (2.5 cm) on all
sides of the page.
❏ Use a standard font in
twelve-point size.
❏ Put the reference list
or bibliography.

23. Bibliography
● Freedman, L. (n.d.). Previewing Writing Advice. Writing Advice University of Toronto. Last visited: May 25th, 2022.
Available at https://advice.writing.utoronto.ca/researching/preview/
● Freedman, L. (n.d.). Skimming and Scanning Writing Advice. Writing Advice University of Toronto. Last visited:
May 25th, 2022. Available at https://advice.writing.utoronto.ca/researching/skim-and-scan/
● Freedman, L., & Plotnick, J. (n.d.). Introductions and Conclusions Writing Advice. Writing Advice University of
Toronto. Last visited: May 25th, 2022. Available at https://advice.writing.utoronto.ca/planning/intros-and-
conclusions/
● Knott, D. (n.d.). Critical Reading Towards Critical Writing. Writing Advice University of Toronto. Last visited: May
25th, 2022. Available at https://advice.writing.utoronto.ca/researching/critical-reading/
● Plotnick, J. (n.d.). Planning and Organizing. Writing Advice University of Toronto. Last visited: May 25th, 2022.
Available at https://advice.writing.utoronto.ca/planning/organizing/
● Procter, M. (n.d.). How Not to Plagiarize. Writing Advice University of Toronto. Last visited: May 25th, 2022.
Available a https://advice.writing.utoronto.ca/using-sources/how-not-to-plagiarize/
● Procter, M. (n.d.). Revising and Editing. Writing Advice University of Toronto. Last visited: May 25th, 2022.
Available at https://advice.writing.utoronto.ca/revising/revising-and-editing/
● Procter, M. (n.d.). Standard Documentation Formats. Writing Advice University of Toronto. Last visited: May
25th, 2022. Available at https://advice.writing.utoronto.ca/using-sources/documentation/
● Procter, M. & Visvis, V. (n.d.). Paragraphs. Writing Advice University of Toronto. Last visited: May 25th, 2022.
Available at https://advice.writing.utoronto.ca/planning/paragraphs/
● Vogan, B., & Plotnick, J. (n.d.). The Transition from High School to Univesity Writing. Writing Advice University of
Toronto. Last visited: May 25th, 2022. Available at https://advice.writing.utoronto.ca/general/transition-to-
university/