Lesson 8: Academic Writing Topics Why Do We Write in College? Types of Academic Writing Steps to Follow for Academic Writing

ENGLISH COMPOSITION TWO Why Do We Write in College The college community aims to contribute and build knowledge across a range of disciplines.  Academic writing (and reading) is the best way to build to that knowledge.  When you write a research paper, you are making a meaningful contribution to the body of academic knowledge.

ENGLISH COMPOSITION TWO Types of Academic Writing Types of Academic Writing include: Case Studies Research Reports Essays and Papers Exams

ENGLISH COMPOSITION TWO Steps to Follow for Academic Writing Analyze the Audience Determine the Purpose Choose the Structure and Content Use the Appropriate Language

ENGLISH COMPOSITION TWO Analyzing the Audience How you write will partly be determined by who your audience is. Reader’s needs can vary greatly and should be your primary consideration when writing. If your audience are experts, your writing should be written in language accepted by that discipline.

ENGLISH COMPOSITION TWO Writing for an Unknown Audience If you are not sure who your audience is, consider a well-educated, academic audience and make your writing  Clear  Concise  Balanced  Well organized  Well-reasoned

ENGLISH COMPOSITION TWO Determining the Purpose A clearly defined purpose clarifies your writing. The more clearly you understand the purpose of your writing, the easier it will be to convey that purpose to the reader. Your purpose will often be reflected by the type of paper you write.

ENGLISH COMPOSITION TWO Choosing the Structure and Content Standard guidelines to follow when writing academically Develop a central idea or thesis. State the thesis toward the beginning of the paper. Support the thesis with evidence and information. Research and cite sources in your writing. Document all sources used. Organize you paper to meet the acceptable framework and standards for your assignment.

ENGLISH COMPOSITION TWO Using the Appropriate Language Academic Language should Follow conventions of standard American English Use Standard Vocabulary Generally be written in third person Be authoritative and neutral in tone