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Tips on Writing Academic Essays (Introduction and Body)

The document provides comprehensive guidelines for writing academic essays, detailing the structure of the introduction, body, and conclusion. It emphasizes the importance of presenting a clear thesis, organizing information logically, and supporting claims with evidence. Additionally, it offers tips on language use to enhance clarity and formality in academic writing.

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7 views

Tips on Writing Academic Essays (Introduction and Body)

The document provides comprehensive guidelines for writing academic essays, detailing the structure of the introduction, body, and conclusion. It emphasizes the importance of presenting a clear thesis, organizing information logically, and supporting claims with evidence. Additionally, it offers tips on language use to enhance clarity and formality in academic writing.

Uploaded by

aula5601gerena
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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TIPS ON WRITING ACADEMIC ESSAYS

(Introduction, Body, Conclusion)

1. INTRODUCTION
- Give some relevant background on the topic.
- Give your thesis statement: Mention the aspects of the topic that will be described (‘describe’
essays); briefly present the different positions (‘discuss’ essays); say what your position is on
the topic (‘defend’ essays). This part must also reveal how you plan to approach, analyse or
evaluate the subject or the issue.

2. BODY
- Describe and organize the information in a logical and orderly way: describe aspects; present
the different positions; provide arguments and maybe sub-arguments for your own position.
- Present each aspect or claim with supporting evidence (give references and follow the
established conventions consistently).
- Expand on the ideas provided.

3. CONCLUSIONS

* ‘DESCRIBE’ ESSAYS:

a) Include a brief reminder of the aims of your essay.


b) Include a summary of the main points of your description.

* ‘DISCUSS’ AND ‘DEFEND’ ESSAYS:

a) Write a brief reminder of the aims of your essay.

b) Include a summary of the different positions on the topic.

c) Give a restatement of your position.

d) Provide an evaluation of how the evidence you have presented supports


your position.

e) For discuss papers, include as well an evaluation of how the evidence you
have presented supports each position.

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*OTHER ELEMENTS THAT MAY BE INCLUDED IN A CONCLUSION:

a) Suggestions or actions that should be taken


b) Predictions that might happen in the future
c) Generalizations from what has been said
d) Comments on the implications of what has been discussed
e) An acknowledgement of the limitations of your essay

USE OF LANGUAGE IN ACADEMIC WRITINGS:

- Use common-knowledge expressions in the introduction (see Unit 1, p. 23).


- Avoid repetition by using pronouns (see Unit 1, p. 24), expressions with so (Unit 6, p. 92)
or synonyms (Unit 7, p. 102; Unit 8, p. 114).
- Use derived words from the same family to maintain cohesion (see Unit 1, pp. 24-25).
- Use collocations (see Unit 1, p. 25; Unit 2, p. 28, 37; Unit 4, p. 57; Unit 6, p. 87).
- Use cause-effect markers (see Unit 2, p. 29; Unit 8, p. 119); complex prepositions (see
Unit 5, pp. 80-81); conjunctions and sentence connectors (see Unit 4, pp. 62, 64); use
contrast expressions (Unit 10, pp. 145-146).
- Make use of inserts with the em-dash ( — ……………. — ) to present extra information
added to sentences (see Unit 2, p. 32).
- Use a variety of reporting verbs (see Unit 2, p. 35; Unit 3, pp. 51 & 53; Unit 4, pp. 60-61).
- Use complex noun phrases (see Unit 2, p. 36) / nominalizations where possible to express
yourself more efficiently (Unit 7, p. 107).
- Be careful with the use of countable / uncountable nouns (see Unit 2, p. 36) and the use of
the definite article and the zero article (see Unit 5, p. 80).
- Paraphrase and give in-text references by using the author-date system (see Unit 3, pp. 48-
50; Unit 5, pp. 77-78; Unit 6, p. 91).
- Use the three types of impersonal clauses (see Unit 3, p. 52; Unit 7, p. 108).
- Use academic single-word verbs and replace at least some multi-word verbs with them; use
formal verbs (see Unit 4, p. 65; Unit 5, p. 74; Unit 7, p. 107; Unit 9, p. 130).
- Avoid directness by using hedges (Unit 5, pp. 74-75; Unit 6, p. 90; Unit 7, p. 102; Unit 9,
130; Unit 10, p. 143).
- Use academic expressions to refer backwards and forwards in the text and replace those
used in oral presentations (Unit 6, p. 88; Unit 7, 104; Unit 9, 134-135).
- Use clauses with where, why, how, when (Unit 6, pp. 92-93).
- Use viewpoint adverbs to restrict what is said (Unit 6, p. 93).

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- Use verb / adjective + preposition combinations (Unit 6, p. 93).
- Avoid colloquial words and phrases and use specific vocabulary (Unit 7, p. 107).
- Avoid long expressions where there are shorter ones with the same meaning (Unit 7, p.
107).
- Unless you are referring specifically to men or women, use gender-neutral language (Unit
7, p. 107).
- Avoid contracted forms (Unit 7, p. 107).
- Avoid referring to the reader as ‘you’ or ‘the reader’ (Unit 7, p. 107) and an excessive use
of the first person: avoid using ‘I think’, ‘I believe’, etc. when you express your opinion
(Unit 7, p. 107).
- Use abstract nouns + of + -ing / to infinitive (Unit 7, p. 108).
- Use ‘such as’ — when giving examples — rather than ‘like’ (Unit 7, p. 107).
- Do not use ‘besides’ to add another, stronger reason (Unit 7, p. 107).
- Avoid using questions to organize your writing (Unit 7, p. 107).
- Do not use exclamation marks to show your surprise (Unit 7, p. 107).
- Use more appropriate negative forms (‘few’ rather than ‘not many’, ‘little’ rather than ‘not
much’, ‘no’ rather than ‘not any’) (Unit 7, p. 107).
- Use finite and non-finite relative clauses (Unit 7, pp. 108-109; Unit 9, p. 136; Unit 10, p.
149).
- Use time phrases to describe events in a time sequence (Unit 8, p. 118).
- Use the passive voice (Unit 8, p. 120).
- Use the past perfect for past events that took place before other past events; that took place
before or up to a particular time in the past; for events reported after a past tense reporting
verb (Unit 8, p. 121).
- Use -ing nouns and other derived noun forms (Unit 8, p. 121).
- Use opposites to express contrast (Unit 9, p. 131).
- Use structures with verbs followed by a noun phrase or a that clause (Unit 9, p. 136).
- Use adverbials to comment on what you are saying (Unit 9, p. 137).
- Use demonstratives to connect sentences (Unit 10, p. 142, p. 149).
- Use evaluative adjectives and adverbs (Unit 10, 148-149).
- Express agreement / disagreement using the academic register (Unit 10, pp. 146-147).
- Use the quantifying expressions that are common in academic writing (Unit 10, pp. 148).

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