UCC WELCOMES MATURE STUDENTS

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UCC WELCOMES MATURE STUDENTS
Introduction to Academic Writing Lecturer Jenni
Reynolds I
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Introduction to AcademicWriting
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Preparation

• Plan ahead
• Choose a title as soon as possible
• Set realistic timetable
• Organize your lecture notes
• Plan your reading

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Introduction to Prewriting (Invention)

• Step 1 Analyse your research question or essay
  title

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Example of Analysis of Title

• 1. Explain the concerns of sociology and say
  how it differs from common sense explanations
  of society.
• Use examples to illustrate your discussion and
  make reference to sociological
• literature in your answer.

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Analysis of Title

• 1st Instruction to explain
• Explain To clarify, interpret and spell out
  the material you present.
• Give reasons for important features or
  developments, and try to analyse cause.

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Analysis of Title

• 2nd Instruction to show how it differs from
• This would indicate that the essay is a
  comparative essay.

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Introduction to Prewriting (Invention)

• Step 2 Do an Analysis Plan of the Title

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 Analysis Plan

• Write Essay question here
• __________________________
• Do an analysis of question
• __________________________

How does it differ?
Common sense
Conclusion
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Introduction to Prewriting (Invention)

• Step 3 Draw a mind map of the concepts

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Move from sentences to diagram(Mind mapping)

• Put Analysis Plan aside (Linear)
• Move on to a Mind map
• (Schematic diagram)

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Mind Mapping
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Example of Mind map
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When mind mapping 5 finger approach

• When discussing a concept, e.g. Globalisation,
  use the five fingered approach

What is Globalisation? Where did Globalisation
originate? When was the word first coined? Why
was the word coined? Who coined the first word?
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Starting the essay

• Use map to create essay structure form
• Work out the major divisions which your essay
  will discuss

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Essay structure

• I Introduction General Statements Thesis
  statement II Body A. Topic Sentence 1.
  Support 2. Support 3. Support (Concluding
  sentence) B. Topic Sentence 1. Support 2.
  Support 3. Support (Concluding sentence) C.
  Topic Sentence 1.Support 2. Support 3.
  Support (Concluding sentence) III
  Conclusion Restatement or summary of the main
  points final comment

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Introduction (IntroductoryParagraph)

• This has two parts
• Part One
• Introduces the general topic of the essay. Puts
  it in context by giving brief background
  information
• Part Two
• Contains your thesis statement or essay topic

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Body Paragraphs

• The first sentence is the most important sentence
  in a paragraph.
• It has a
• Topic Controlling idea
• John has a good family
• John has a good job

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Example of Body Paragraph Structure
Topic Sentence Topic and controlling idea
Supporting Point Sentence
Example
Supporting Point Sentence
Example
Supporting Point Sentence
Example
Concluding Sentence
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Body Paragraphs

• These are supporting sentences
• These sentences are the evidence you are
  providing to support your controlling idea in
  your topic sentence
• They are the place to develop your topic and
  prove your point

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Concluding Paragraph

• It signals the end of the essay
• It reminds the reader of your main subtopics
• It paraphrases your thesis statement. It leaves
  your reader with your final thoughts on the topic.

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The four elements of a good paragraph

• A good paragraph should contain at least the
  following four elements Transition, Topic
  sentence, specific Evidence and analysis, and a
  Brief concluding sentence
• A Transition sentence leading in from a previous
  paragraph to assure smooth reading. This acts as
  a progression from one idea to the next

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The four elements of a good paragraph(contd).

• A Transition sentence leading in from a previous
  paragraph to assure smooth reading. This acts as
  a progression from one idea to the next
• A Topic sentence that tells the reader what you
  will be discussing in the paragraph.

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The four elements of a good paragraph(contd).

• Specific Evidence and analysis that supports one
  of your claims and that provides a deeper level
  of detail than your topic sentence.
• A Brief concluding sentence that tells the reader
  how and why this information supports the papers
  thesis.

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Using Quotes

• Use quotations from your reading to support the
  points you are making
• You must properly cite each quotation
• You can also paraphrase an authors words but you
  must cite source

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Footnotes and Bibliography

• What is a bibliography?
• Name, Initial, Date, Name of the Book, Edition,
  Place Published Name of Publisher.
• Footnotes / References
• Departmental guidelines

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Style

• Try to develop a clear lucid style
• Short Sentences and
• Long Sentences
• Omit I write in the third person

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• First person writing uses 'I' and 'we'. 'I'
  writing is personal, but 'we' is often used
  collectively to refer to an organization or
  group.
• With second person writing, you talk directly to
  your reader using 'you' language. The second
  person is used extensively in marketing material
  and also to provide information.

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• Third person writing uses 'he', 'she', 'it' and
  'they'. It is more formal than the first and
  second person and is often used in reports,
  policies and scholarly texts

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Active Voice

• Use an active rather than a passive voice
• In sentences written in active voice, the subject
  performs the action expressed in the verb the
  subject acts.
• The dog bit the boy.

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Checklist

• Does your first paragraph reflect the main
  theme of the essay?
• Do all your paragraphs contain and develop a
  coherent idea?
• Does your concluding paragraph sum up the
  main ideas developed?

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In Conclusion

• Check spelling and grammar
• Leave it for a day or two
• Reread with a fresh eye - you will be surprised
  at what you will find to change
• Talk to your lecturer about the essay when it is
  handed back to you