It is not enough simply to have information in your essay; you must be able to express clearly and precisely what you want to say.
— William Christian
In this unit you will:
·be familiar with the common types of academic writing
·grasp the differences between academic writing and other types of writing
·learn about the structure of an academic essay or report
·know the stages of producing an academic essay or report
Pre-class work
1. Work with your partner and discuss the following topics.
(1) Can you give any examples of academic writing that students have to do at university?
(2) Have you ever written any academic articles? If yes, please describe your writing process.
(3) What is academic writing like? How is it different from other types of writing?
2. Take the following quiz to see how much you know about academic writing.
(1) The best time to write an introduction is often ______.
A. first B. last C. after writing the main body
(2) An in-text citation looks like ________.
A. (Ellis, 2002) B. (Rod Ellis, 2002) C. (Ellis, R. 2002)
(3) Proof-reading means _________.
A. re-writing B. checking for minor errors C. peer-editing
(4) Phrasal verbs such as “left out” or “picked up” are not acceptable in academic writing. This statement is _______.
A. True B. False
(5) Which sentence is better academic English?
A. It has been shown that girls attain higher grades than boys in Geography and History.
B. Jones (2003) and Smith (2004) have shown that girls attain higher grades than boys in Geography and History.
(6) The main difference between academic writing and normal writing is that academic writing _______.
A. uses long and complicated words B. tries to be precise and unbiased
C. always uses the passive voice
(7) _______ is an account that gives detailed information about a person, group or thing and their development over a period of time.