Top 10 Things to Know… …about University Writing ~~~~~~~~~~ Presented by The Student Learning Commons

Top Ten Things to Know… Know and use SFU resources Thesis statements = works in progress Never hand in an unedited paper Don’t try to write about everything! Writing is a social process--consult! “Study” your writing assignment You can do an outline anytime Be sceptical about writing “myths” The library is more than stacks o’ books There’s no mystery to academic writing

There’s no mystery to academic writing... University or academic writing (AW) describes the professional writing that is particular to universities and colleges. It is “workplace” communication.

Most academic writing has… a thesis statement (or in science, a hypothesis) and/or a research questionthesis statement attention to concise and correct expression, along with uses of discipline- specific termsconcise and correct sound, well-developed argumentationargumentation citations—referencescitations—references to other sources— to help justify and support the arguments. As well, much published academic writing is peer-reviewed to ensure quality.

Be sceptical about writing “myths” Each essay must have five paragraphs! Don’t ever begin a sentence with ‘and’ or ‘because’! Never use ‘I’ or the first person!

Study your writing assignment Take time to read and re-read the instructions. Pay close attention to key words, such as … Develop (a thesis) Construct (an argument) Analyze Evaluate Respond Synthesize Summarize Define Explain Provide background Describe (a process, procedure, theory) If in doubt … ASK your prof or TA

Don’t try to write about everything! Try asking a question (sometimes called a “research question”) about the topic. Or start by expressing an opinion about the topic. Do students today work harder than they did twenty years ago? University students work way harder today than their parents did! Can’t focus???

Other ways of generating ideas … Reviewing class notes and readings Making a concept map TOPIC Talking to other people Just to see what’s out there … And 

A thesis statement is a work in process... Simply put, a ‘thesis statement’ is a reasonable assertion that can be backed with evidence. ~~~~~ Don’t confuse a thesis with an opinion, which is a belief that hasn’t been (or can’t be) proven.

Many thesis statements start out as simple claims: “Research shows that post- secondary students work harder than any other demographic group today.”

A formal thesis statement incorporates more complex logical relationships. For example… X because Y Although Z, X Even though Z, X because Y

A well researched, revised thesis statement might look something like this... Even though being a student is usually considered easier than working full-time, post-secondary students are the hardest-working demographic group in Canada today because they typically work part-time or even full-time while going to school.

But to get there, you need to gather information… A formal thesis statement actually represents what you’ve learned or concluded. It’s a feature of academic writing that in most papers it’s placed near the beginning.

The library is more than stacks o’ books... Explore databases, e- publications and journals, and discipline-specific resource links. SFU Library  HELP

HINT: Use KEY WORDS... While reading, taking notes, or researching... to keep your ideas organized as you go.

You can do an outline anytime during your writing process... Intro  WORKING THESIS Body  Part 1: Profile of students 20 years ago: academics, jobs, economics Part 2: Profile of students today… Part 3: Workload comparison: students with similar age demographic Part 4: Analysis of comparisons and conclusions. This is an example of outlining in preparation for drafting...

Assume you’ll need at least two (or more) well developed sub-points under each part of your mini-outline. Integrate opposing or alternative ideas so your paper isn’t one- sided.

Never hand in an unedited paper! lagiarize-proof—acknowledge your sources! The library and the Student Learning Commons can help you learn how. eers—ask a trustworthy second reader to read your writing for expression, flow, or logic. olish!—Use a spell-checker to catch “typos.” Read the paper aloud slowly and mark up problem areas. Keep a list of your problem-areas and their solutions. Use available writing resources to help you learn to edit and proofread. P P P

Use the SFU Learning Commons The Student Learning Commons is your academic success centre! We offer  free writing workshops  a wide range of online writing resources  one-on-one consultations (appointments or drop-ins) with trained peer educators  assistance with learning, reading, and studying skills and strategies.  services at all three SFU campuses Go to

Any questions … ? Best wishes for a successful term at SFU!