1. Academic Writing
The Mechanics

2. Sentences Must have a subject and a verb Pay attention to the tense
and maybe an object
Who, what the subject is doing, to what
Pay attention to the tense
Keep the main subject and verb close together
Create complex compound sentences
Use connecting words
And punctuation
Check for clarity
Do you have a long preamble at the start?
Makes it difficult for the reader to get the point
Are the subject and verb close enough together?

3. How to write a sentence Start with the subject
What the sentence is about
E.g. Software Development Projects
Perhaps add a short introductory phrase
Keep subject and verb close
E.g
Software development projects frequently fail due to a lack of understanding of requirements by the project team. OR
However, it is widely recognised that software development projects frequently fail due to a lack of understanding of requirements by the project team

4. Problems Sentence Fragments Incomplete, cannot stand alone E.g.
Emphasising the fact that software development is difficult.
Corrected
The consistent level of software project failure as reported in the Standish Chaos reports emphasises the fact that software development is difficult.

5. Punctuation - Comma Separate items in a list
E.g. Software development consists of the phases analysis, design, implementation, testing and maintenance.
To mark a phrase at the start or end of a sentence
E.g. However, …
To mark a phrase in the middle of sentence
E.g. The number of software development projects considered to be failures, as identified in the Standish Chaos reports, has remained largely consistent for the last five years.
Follows template: First part, non-essential part, second part

6. Punctuation - Comma To join main clauses To introduce a quote
E.g. The waterfall model is still widely quoted as a model of software development, but it is recognised as being unrealistic.
To introduce a quote
As Boehm states, “
Beware of the ‘comma splice’
Joining two sentences with a comma

7. Incorrect?
Business analytics has been identified as one of the top ten technologies in the last few years, typically it is in the top five.
This proves that sequential software development processes do not reflect the reality, detailed surveys of project teams will support this.

8. Punctuation – Colon
Use after a statement to introduce explanation, clarity, illustration or reinforcement of that statement
Initial Statement : Second Statement
Can be used to introduce a quote

9. Punctuation – Semi-Colon
Join two sentences closely related in meaning
To replace words like ‘and’, ‘so’, ‘but’…
To replace words like ‘however’, ‘moreover’, ‘further’ in the middle of sentences
To separate items in a list if commas are already used
Key researchers in the field of software development are Barry Boehm, creator of the Spiral model; the main developer of the RAD methodology, James Martin; and Kent Beck, creator of the XP methodology.

10. Punctuation – Apostrophe
Indicate possession
Comes directly after the affected owner
David’s…
The student’s …
The students’…
It’s = ‘it is’ or ‘it has’
Its – belongs to it
Generally do not use contractions
Can’t, don’t, won’t etc

11. Paragraph
A collection of related sentences dealing with a single topic.
Use to decompose your narrative
Break it into chunks
Present ideas coherently
Each paragraph
Should have a clear central point
Focus on one topic
Contain only relevant information
If you feel your paragraph addresses more than one topic
Introduce another paragraph

12. Paragraph Construction
Every paragraph should have one and only one independent idea.
A paragraph should always have a beginning, middle and end.
The beginning introduces your idea with a topic sentence.
The middle explains your idea with supporting sentences.
The end connects your idea to the rest of the paragraph or the section with a concluding sentence. In academic writing, the concluding sentence is typically used only for long paragraphs.
Be careful of long paragraphs as they usually contain more than one independent idea.

13. Topic Sentence The topic The main point about the topic
<topic><main point>
The waterfall model of software development is a useful tool in introducing the phases of software development to novice developers.
<main point><topic>
A useful tool in introducing the phases of software development is the waterfall model of software development.
Signals the content of the paragraph.

14. Writing with flow Write Coherent Paragraphs Sentence Connectors
You have to connect your sentences in a paragraph
Provide Flow
Sentence Connectors
used to link ideas from one sentence to the next and to give paragraphs coherence.
placed at the beginning of a sentence.
used to introduce, order, contrast, sequence ideas, theory, data etc.

15. Sentence Connectors Category Sample words addition
again, also, equally important, finally, first, further, furthermore, in addition, in the first place, moreover, second
Sequence
first, second, lastly, earlier, later, in parallel, in addition, further, furthermore, also
comparison
also, likewise, similarly
contrast
although, yet, despite, however, in contrast, in spite of, instead, nevertheless, notwithstanding, on the contrary, on the other hand, otherwise, regardless, compared to
concession
granted, naturally, of course
emphasis/importance
certainly, indeed, in fact, of course, significantly, most significantly, primarily, above all
example
after all, as an illustration, even, for example, for instance, in conclusion, indeed, in fact, in other words, in short, it is true, of course, namely, specifically, that is, to illustrate, thus, truly
summary
as has been said, finally, in brief, in conclusion, in other words, in particular, in short, in simpler terms, in summary, on the whole, that is, therefore, to summarize
conclusion
as a result, as a consequence, therefore, thus, consequently, hence, in conclusion

16. Links between paragraphs
Pick up key points and words from previous paragraphs
Use linking words (see sentence connectors) as transition

17. Concluding sentences Put key points at the end of sentences
Put key findings at the end of paragraphs

18. Writing Paragraphs Create a topic sentence
Introduce the main idea
Explain or define any terms needed to clarify the topic sentence
Show evidence to support the main idea/argument
Comment on the evidence and mention other evidence
Conclude

19. WEED for paragraph construction
What
Is it clear what point I am making
Evidence
Have I provided evidence for what I am saying
Example
Do I need to give an example to illustrate what I am saying Do
So what? What do I do with what I have presented?

20. Start Middle End Using the Diamond Paper is a diamond
Each section is a diamond
Each paragraph is a diamond
Start
Middle
End

21. Using the Diamond Main body is a series of diamonds linked
Section with one or more paragraphs
Main body is a series of diamonds linked
Each section is a series of diamonds linked
Links to the next section
etc

22. Useful Resources Grammar Basics Establishing Arguments
Establishing Arguments
Writing Concisely
Sound Alike Words
Useful Phrases