Academic WritingAcademic WritingAcademic WritingAcademic WritingCarol M. AllenCarol M. Allen

May 2007May 2007

Writing Styles in the Online Program

• Personal/Informal– E-mail– Discussion Topics– Journals

• Formal– Academic Papers– Presentations– Projects

Writing Plan• Regardless of what writing style

you are using, your writing should include:– Title (or topic)– Introduction– Body– Conclusion

Writing Plan: Preparation

• Consider the following:– The purpose of

the writing– The audience

(reader)– Sources of

information available

• For assignments:– Understand the

assignment expectations

– Note guidelines for length of paper and number/type of sources required

– Note the submission dates

Writing Plan: Title

• The title should identify what the writing is about.

• Easily identify content focus• It can help the reader and sender

with organizing communications• Might adjust wording once content

completed

Writing Plan: Introduction

• States your purpose in the writing

• Indicates topics in the content (your main point)

• States your conclusion

• It should– Engage the reader– Spark curiosity

about the topic– Tell the reader

what to expect in the writing

• “This paper will…”

Writing Plan: Body

• The body of the paper develops the concepts and supports the points you cover in the paper

• Using an outline – A rough outline

may be acceptable for most informal writing assignments

– A formal outline should be developed for Formal writing assignments

Writing Plan: Conclusion

• Use the conclusion to wrap up your main point(s)

• It may summarize the key points made in the body of your paper without introducing new concepts

• You may give suggestions, advice, or propose future study needs

• It should be decisive and come full circle (from the introduction)

Writing Plan:Revising

• Regardless of what style of writing you are involved with, you should anticipate revising:

• ALWAYS CHECK YOUR WORK

• Areas to check:– Focus/purpose– Organization of

content (Sequence)

– Completeness of content

– Grammar and Punctuation

– APA format

Writing Plan: Proof Read

• This is the final and most important step before submitting

• Methodical search for typos, omitted or added words, and clarity

• “A carefully proofread essay sends the message that you value your writing and respect your readers” (Hacker, 2007, p. 23).

Qualifying for the WPE• Your papers must demonstrate

three elements of proficiency:– Critical Thinking, effective use of your

own ideas (worth 40%)– Critical Reading: Effective use of

multiple sources (worth 40%)– Elements of Writing: Effective use of

writing skills (worth 20%)

Critical Thinking• Develop a sustained, clear position (often by

using a thesis, central idea, or hypothesis)– Assignment question will instruct you how to focus

on the topic; maintain focus throughout your paper– Paper should go in depth about a single topic– May include: examination of evidence, assess the

source and quality of evidence, distinguish between fact and fiction, acknowledge, analyze, and evaluate value judgments in the readings and your own position

Critical Thinking (cont)• Synthesize source

materials– Develop own position

with clear references– Quote, frame, and

analyze passages with the clear purpose of supporting your position

– Summarize and attribute (cite) any ideas used from readings

• Organize your argument in a clear and appropriate sequence– Support central idea– Sustain throughout– Each paragraph

contains one idea, supported and developed

– Paragraphs are “linked” in a chain of reasoning that develops your argument persuasively

Critical Reading• Identify, Summarize, Define key

terms or categories of classification– Identify the key terms and definitions

in the readings; establish common themes as well as contested

– Summarize: generalizations that condense complex ideas

Critical Reading (Cont)• Analyze and Evaluate

– Begins with summarizing, but goes further, working the meaning

– Evaluation acknowledges various perspectives and explains your position

– Weighs complex issues in terms of strengths and weaknesses of the varied perspectives

Critical Reading (cont)• Synthesize and Assess key

concepts– Pulls together various assumptions in

the readings and assesses them– Synthesize the ideas—connect to your

position. Often a continuation of analysis and evaluation

– Puts the ideas back together to connect your position

Elements of Writing• Organize Paragraphs

– Globally: Each signals a new idea, and how it is related to the paragraphs before and after. Check length, unity, and order

– Locally: Focus on one idea per paragraph, each sentence connects, develop ideas—sentence picks up idea from previous one and advances it further by analysis

Elements of Writing (Cont)

• Sentences should express your meaning clearly– Avoid: clichés, common place knowledge,

contractions, and underdeveloped or overdeveloped sentences

– Organize to make meaning clear and understandable to the reader

– Check for wordiness, spelling, word choice, and mechanics

References• Hacker, D. (2007). A writer’s

reference. (6th Edition). Boston:Bedford/St.Martin’s.

• UMB. (2006). A brief version of the elements of writing proficiency. [Unpublished summary of WPE evaluation tool].