1. Chapter 1
Introduction to Academic Writing
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2. Academic Writing is a complex task:
As a student you need to learn two processes
simultaneously:
1.Writing is a process of drafting, writing, and
revising
2.Academic writing requires the use of a formal
register.
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3. Two Models for Writing:
1. Writing as a linear process of pre-writing,
drafting, revising, fine-tuning, editing and
post-writing
2. Writing as a recursive process of exploring,
structuring, polishing and publishing,
incubating and unloading
Do task 4b, p. 25
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4. Organisation of an academic paper:
• Introduction, with a thesis statement,
problem statement, research question or
hypothesis
• Main body, with arguments arranged in a
logical order
• Conclusion, which addresses the statement
presented in the introduction
• Do task 7, p. 29
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5. Purpose and audience in Academic
Writing (1):
• Expository essay: aims to explain a (new) body
of knowledge to the reader, using facts and
statistics in a logical order, with examples
Do task 10, p. 31
• Argumentative essay: has a debatable topic,
presents arguments for and against, takes a
clear position
Do task 14, p. 37
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6. Purpose and audience in Academic
Writing (2):
• Scientific article: describes the results of the
writer’s own research, critically reviews
someone else’s research, or develops new
theories on the basis of other people’s
research.
• Its organisation is based on the IMRD model:
Introduction, Methodology, Research and
Discussion
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7. Avoiding plagiarism
Definition:
Plagiarism is a form of intellectual dishonesty or
theft. When a person plagiarises he or she
“steals” someone else’s words or ideas by
passing them off as their own.
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8. That was plagiarism!
The sentence on the previous slide was found in
someone else’s text and not acknowledged as
such. It was taken from:
www.services.unimelb.edu.au/llsu
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9. Purpose and audience in Academic
Writing (3):
• Investigative Business Reports present
information and recommendation in report
format (using headings).
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10. Characteristics of informal writing
• Short, simple sentences
• Phrasal verbs (to carry out), colloquial and
slang expressions
• Simple linking words (and, or, so, but)
• Informal punctuation: !, ?, 
• Contractions used (it’s, doesn’t)
• Active voice (people say)
• Personal tone, use of 1st person (I think)
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11. Characteristics of informal writing
• May not be clearly or logically organised (Oh,
by the way, I forgot to mention)
• Use of abbreviations (asap, fyi, etc.)
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12. Characteristics of formal writing
• Long, complex sentences (use relative clauses,
embedded sentences, inversion)
• One-word verbs of Greek or Latin origin (to
conduct)
• More sophisticated use of linking words and
phrases (in addition to, alternatively, as a
result, however, etc.)
• Formal punctuation (e.g. including semi-
colons)
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13. Characteristics of formal writing
• Full forms (does not, it is, etc.)
• Passive voice (it is said)
• Impersonal tone (in my opinion)
• Clear organisation sign-posted by linking
words; rephrasing of vocabulary items (use of
synonyms / antonyms); clear referencing (this
phenomenon, one of the reasons)
• Words written out in full (as soon as possible,
for your information)
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14. British or American English?
The need to be consistent
British English: American English:
• Differences in • fall, resumé
vocabulary (autumn,
curriculum vitae)
• Differences is spelling • Program, center, color,
(programme, centre, realize
colour, realise, etc.)
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15. Resources supporting academic
vocabulary
• www.academicvocabularyexercises.com
• Academic Word List (AWL)
• Lextutor
• Phrasebank
cf. p. 228
Apps:
Advanced Learners’ Dictionary (Audio)
Chambers’ Thesaurus
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