Netaji Subhash Open University

CBCS Curriculum - Post Graduate Syllabus-English

Structure of Self Learning Material (SLM)

GE-1

Unit 1: Principles of Academic Writing

Structure

2.1.0. Introduction and Objective

2.1.1. Purpose of Academic Writing

2.1.2. Reader and Audience Engagement

2.1.3.Guidelines for the Writer

2.1.4.A Standardized academic writing example with the format

2.1.5.Academic paper Format

2.1.6. Summing Up

2.1.7. Comprehension Exercises

2.1.0. Introduction and Objective

The dictionary meaning of academic writing is ​writing for education​. A broad definition of academic writing
is any writing done to fulfill a requirement of a college or university course, which may include any writing
assignment given in an academic setting​ (for e.g. essay, paper, research paper, term paper, argumentative
paper or essay, analysis paper or essay, informative essay, etc.)​. ​An academic writing assignment provides
the students with an opportunity to explore something that interests them (related to their academic course).
They have enough freedom to choose a topic and share ideas with readers who are interested in reading what
they think. An academic writing assignment starts-

(i) by asking a relevant/good question

(ii) find and analyze answers to it
(iii) choose the best answer(s) to discuss in the paper
(iv) share thoughts and findings and justify the same with logic and evidence.
(v) Conclude ( significant findings’)
 Main Objectives
● To prove that the student understands and can think critically about the topic (helps the
student earn good grades).
● To help him develop skills in researching, evaluating information, organizing, arguing,
responding to others’ arguments, analyzing, and expressing ideas clearly in writing.
● Presentation of 'new knowledge' via (a) a review of what is currently known about a given topic as
(b) the foundation for the author's new views or perspectives on the topic.

In comparison school, writing in college is a fairly specialized area. It has developed its own codes and
conventions and you need to have a keen awareness if you wish to write successfully in college.
Let’s break down the writing situation in college:
● Who’s your audience? -Primarily the professor and possibly your classmates (though you
may be asked to include a secondary outside audience).
● What’s the context/occasion? -An academic writing assignment, given by the Professor
within a learning context and designed to have you learn and demonstrate your learning.
● What’s your message?- It will be your learning or your interpretation gained from your
study of the subject matter.
● What’s your purpose? -To show your learning and get a good grade (or to accomplish the
goals of the writing assignment).
● What documents/ genres are used?-Subject-specific Literature Review/the essay is the most
frequent type of document used.

2.1.1. Purpose of Academic Writing :

The main objective of the academic writing/ paper is to answer the question posed as the topic, and that
gives the writer a ​purpose. The most common purposes in academic writing are to persuade,
analyze/synthesize, and inform. It could be further differentiated as follows:

● Persuasive purpose – In persuasive academic writing, you will choose one answer to your question
(research), support your answer using reason and evidence, and try to change the readers’ point of
view about the topic.
● Analytical purpose – Analytical assignments often investigate causes, examine effects, evaluate
effectiveness, assess ways to solve problems, find the relationships between various ideas, or analyze
other people’s arguments.
● Informative purpose – In informative academic writing, the purpose is to explain possible answers
to your question, giving the readers new information about your topic.

At times, some assignments may have two purposes. In all cases, the purpose will be clear at the beginning
of your paper, and your paper must achieve its purpose in order to be successful.
2.1.2. Reader and Audience Engagement​
.

When we write, we do more than just put words together to make sentences. Good writers go through
several steps to produce a piece of writing. But before that, the ​student(writer) will have to engage the target
readers/audience with his ideas and his writing style. Any academic writing should have the following
attributes:

(a)​It should not appear like a list of facts or summaries of sources. You will have to ​present other people’s
ideas and research, but the goal should be to show what you think about these things. Your paper will
have and support your own original idea about the topic. This is called the ​thesis statement.

(b)​No unnecessary, irrelevant, unimportant, or contradictory information should be included in the paper. It
should have a clear point of view and focus.

(c)​Academic writing follows a logical and standard organizational pattern. Ideally, academic essays and
papers have an ​introduction, body, and conclusion​.

The ​introduction ​catches the readers’ attention, provides background information and lets the reader know
what to expect. It also has a thesis statement.

Body paragraphs support the thesis statement. Each body paragraph has one main point to support the
thesis, which is named in a topic sentence. Each point is then supported in the paragraph with logical
reasoning and evidence. Each sentence connects to the one before and after it. Each body paragraph will
have sufficient and relevant support (facts, examples, description, personal experience, and expert opinions
and quotations, etc.)

The ​conclusion s​ ummarizes the paper’s thesis and main points and shows the reader the significance of the
paper’s findings.

2.1.3.Guidelines for the Writer.

● Effective Use of Research( Literature Review)​.

Your paper should refer to a variety of current, high quality, professional and academic sources. You will
use your research to support your own ideas; therefore, it must be integrated into your writing and not
presented separately. The source material will be first introduced, analyzed, explained, and then cited.
(Research and APA Style Guide 2010 covers this topic in-depth).

● Correct American Psychological Association(APA) Style.

All academic papers should follow the guidelines of the APA as found in Research and APA Style Guide
2010, regarding -text citations, the reference list, and format. ​ While examples of academic writing from
Social Sciences could follow the A.P.A. format, the example from English Language/Literature should
follow M.L.A. format.

● Writing Style.
It should be clear, concise, and easy to read. It is also very important that there ​are free from errors. ​There
should be no grammar, spelling, punctuation, or vocabulary mistakes in academic writing​. Errors
convey to the reader that you do not care. The language should be simple and adopt a natural conversational
style. (It’s also important to follow your instructor’s directions to get the most from an assignment).

2.1.4.A standardized academic writing example with the format​:

ACADEMIC ESSAY STRUCTURES & FORMATS

Standard American argumentative essays begin with an introduction that gives a main point (thesis).
The thesis is supported by a series of body paragraphs with sub-points, and the essay ends with a
conclusion. Below is a visual representation of this structure, adapted from the Seattle University
Writing Center; on the back is an example of the typical format for an academic paper​.

paper idea diagram

topic:

introduction:
subtopics - supporting arguments:

details:

conclusion:
2.1.5.Academic Paper Format

Here is an example of what an academic paper typically looks like. Using standard fonts, margins,
and indentations helps your paper gain credibility with an academic audience; readers who are
comfortable with your paper’s format can pay close attention to the ideas you’re communicating.
Papers are typically in 12
point Times New Roman font
with double spacing and
one-inch margins all around.

Write your name, the

Writer’s Name WRIT1201 course, the instructor’s
Professor’s Name September name, and the date here
20,2007 (unless your instructor says
otherwise).
Some papers include a title
that Writing an Organized Paper

suggeststhetopic. The ability to write a well-organized and insightful paper is very important in order tobe

successful at the University of Minnesota. Most classes require at least one written assignment,

and professors expect a high level of writing skill. A good paper generally includes a thesis,

paragraphs that support it, and a strong conclusion.

A good thesis is integral to any academic paper and should work as a general summary of the

argument or main point of the paper. The thesis needs to be clear, and it should outline the main

points to be discussed. Sometimes just making a list of the basic things you plan to write about and

then compiling them into a sentence is enough. The rest of the paper should then follow the plan

laid out by the thesis.

In order for readers to be able to follow the logic of a paper, each paragraph should be related

to what was introduced in the thesis. A good way to start is by making a topic sentence to begin

each paragraph. The topic sentence is often an extended or elaborated version of some part of the

thesis statement. For example, this paper’s thesis mentions “paragraphs that follow [the thesis],”

and the topic sentence for this paragraph expands on that idea. The rest of the paragraph should

include evidence to support or explain the topic sentence.

Once readers have been led through the paragraphs that support your main point, they will

expect to find a solid conclusion that discusses the significance of what they have just read. If the

thesis predicts the main point of the paper, then the conclusion emphasizes the importance of your

main point in some larger context. In the case of this paper, a conclusion might point out that

following the general guidelines for presenting your ideas in an academic setting allows your

papers to make an impact on readers. Readers appreciate your presenting a paper in a way that’s

familiar to them; in turn, they are more likely to be open to your unique perspective.
 These are suggested questions to ask as you write:

● Do I use sufficiently cautious wording e.g.: suggests that …; is evidence for …; it is possible that
…; this could be interpreted as …’

● Have I used an appropriate number of examples?

● Are they good examples? In other words, do they do the job I say they do?

● Have I used enough evidence from the literature?

● Have I given enough appropriate examples from practice?

● Have I made sufficient reference to relevant theory?

The Standardized Process of writing an Academic Paper:

1. Choose a topic.
2. Think (brainstorm).
3. Research.
4. Discover your thesis.
5. Plan, Write, Revise, Edit and Proofread.

How to Choose a topic y​ou will have to first think about things that you are interested in and
related to your course. A little ​general research ​will be required if you do not know much about
the subject. It should include “​Who? What? Where? When? Why? and How?​” questions
about the subject. It may help you limit the subject and determine your interests. As pointed out
earlier​, your purpose will determine the type of question that you ask. A good question has
several alternative answers. In other words, there is no one “right” answer to your question. Your
paper will give and justify your own best answer(s), and it will require research and critical
thinking to do this.

Critical Thinking (Brainstorming​)It will help you see what you already know, and what else
you need to find out about your topic. When you have a topic, write down all the possible
answers to your question, and write down all the information, opinions, and questions you have
about your topic.

Research​This part is comparatively easier as it is covered in the Research and APA Style
Guide. Read them carefully and always remember that “doing good research takes time.” Do not
expect to do research once and find everything that you need for your paper. At the same time
write down the address or bookmark the web page of every good source, even if you are not sure
if you will use it…you may want to later.

A good thesis statement​: The answer to the question, “What does your paper say?”, would be
your thesis statement. A good thesis statement usually includes the ​main i​ dea of the paper-​one
idea. The entire paper is based on this statement. A basic outline is your first attempt to organize
the ideas of your paper. It will help you focus your research and consider the order of your ideas
and organize it. Some sections, especially your strongest, need more than one paragraph, while
others may have only one. Remember to divide your sections into smaller points.

EXAMPLE (Analysis Paper)

Research Question​: Is Narayana a Feminist?

Thesis:​ Feministic Study of R.K.Narayana’s ‘The Guide?’

​Sections: I.​ Important female characters in his writings.

II​. Rosie - represents a modern woman who is educated and ambitious.

III.​ Raju’s mother and Velan’s sister(Compare and Contrast: Traditional with the Modern)

IV.​ Traces of Feminism in ‘The Guide’ (Verbal Communication and Plot).

V​. The emergence of New Women-Revolt against subordination and Patriarchy.

Therefore, in connection with the above example, you need to think and/or research on
questions like:

Research question:

Is Narayana a Feminist?

What do you understand by the term ‘feminism’?

Could you call Narayana a feminist?

Thesis: Feministic Study of R.K.Narayana’s ‘The Guide?’

​ ection: I​. It is found in all of his novels that his women are modern in thought and belief
S
though the old women observe the traditional customs of India with devotion. Section II. Rosie is
a modern, educated woman-unconventional in her views and ways of life. 1. She doesn’t attach
much importance to traditional norms and has moved from being a devadasi to a highly educated
girl.2. She changes and grows and recovers from folly as the novel progresses. III. Typical Hindu
women, suffering and drudging through life 1.Accepts the patriarchal form of society. 2. Remain
faithful to their homes and husbands.3. They are essentially simple, modest and gentle.IV Rosie
throws both Marco and Raju away from her life. 1. She defies the well-defined place of women.
2. She rejects the society that treats women as puppets and tries to stand on her own feet. V.
Though she is exploited by both Raju and Marco, Rosie has a multi-faceted personality.1. She
establishes herself as an independent professional dancer.2. Shee becomes independent. 3. She
sets herself free from the patriarchal descriptions of mythical ​Sitas a​ nd ​Savitris t​ hat have fettered
women for centuries.

Once you are ready with the topic you need to adhere to the following :

(1)Taking down notes​: Start taking notes from/on your sources during or after your research
period. It seems to be time-consuming, but writing the paper will go faster if you already have all
your ideas marked and written down. As discussed at the beginning of the chapter, there are
generally 5 sections in academic writing- with a total of 7-8 paragraphs(depending on the topic).
Therefore you need to start writing the paper as soon as possible, since it takes a lot of time,
thinking, and re-thinking to develop good outline descriptions, including relevant examples and
quotes, etc. to each.

(2)Avoid Unintentional plagiarism​: Don’t forget to include the author’s name. Place text
copied from web pages in quotation marks. Be very careful – this often leads to unintentional
plagiarism. Don’t forget to include the author’s name and web address.

(3)Editing: ​Editing will make your writing more precise and easier to understand.When you are
happy with your paper's content, it's time to edit. Try to do this in the week before your paper is
due. When editing, you examine every sentence and ask yourself if it has a purpose and if it’s
complete, clear, and concise in English. (A Spell/grammar check functions in Microsoft Word
and an English-English dictionary are both helpful editing tools.)

Editing strategies:

(i)The connection between ideas: Read your paper out loud but slowly. Read the beginning and
end of every paragraph to make sure they flow together as well as go through the paper sentence
by sentence and find connections between them. If the ideas don't connect, add a transition,
pronoun, repeated word, synonym, or another sentence.

(ii)Wordiness: Check very long sentences (25 words or more) and see they be rewritten more
clearly and concisely? Look at the length of every sentence. There should be a variety of short
and long sentences. Make sentences shorter by dividing them or longer by combining them. Read
each sentence word by word. Ask yourself if every word is necessary? Use a thesaurus to find
other words to use.

(iii)Sentence structure: Make sure each sentence has a subject and a verb. Make sure there are
not too many subject-verb combinations in each sentence and that word order is
Subject+Verb+Object.Go through the essay sentence by sentence and label the subject(s) and the
verb(s) in every sentence. Fix fragments, run-ons, and word order.

(iv) Word choice: Make a list of long words. Could some be replaced with shorter, clearer
words?

(v) Clarity: Read your paper again. If you have to read something twice, it's not clear. Read your
paper again and translate it into your native language in your head. If it's really easy to translate,
then maybe the writing is not following the English structure and style. Say your ideas out loud
in English. Write exactly what you said.

(4)Proofreading: (check for mistakes). If you don't proofread, your paper may be full of careless
errors, which shows that you were too lazy, rushed, or uncaring to fix your paper.

Strategies for proofreading:

(i)Leave your paper aside/ untouched for a day.

(ii) Print your paper – you'll notice mistakes that you might not see on a computer screen.

(iii) If possible, start with the last sentence of your paper and read your paper sentence by
sentence, going backward. You will be able to focus on grammar, and not content. Think about
the grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, meaning... of every word. If you are unsure
about anything, use a dictionary or grammar book. If you are still unsure, mark the line and ask
someone for help. Fix any mistakes that you found. Print your paper and proofread it again! It is
a long, slow, unpleasant experience at first. However, the more you proofread, the easier it gets,
the better your English gets, and the higher your grades get too.

Paper Checklist​: ​Clear Objective, Thesis, and Focus

-​The objective ​of the paper is clear.

-​The thesis ​answers the research question, is clear, without errors and has a point of view.

-Every paragraph supports and relates to the thesis

-Focus-​Cohesion(Organization): Clear introduction, body, conclusion.

-​Introduction: The t​hesis statement is easy to find.

 - Clear, logical order of paragraphs and all sentences connect to each other (Section ideas
explained in the introduction)as well as Conclusion.

-Each paragraph has only on logical, convincing point(Alternative/opposing views included).

Topic sentences in every paragraph explain “why/how” and relate to the thesis. ( Balanced
source info and own ideas.)

- No irrelevant ideas or new or superfluous information(Specific explanations as support).

-​Effective closing statement​( Appropriate concluding sentences )

These are suggested questions to ask as you write:

● Is all of the material I have used relevant to the essay title?

● What is the balance in my essay across the different elements of the title?

● Have I used too many words to address one element, and too few to address another?

● Have I answered what was actually set, or have I answered what I preferred to write about?

● Have I stated where I believe that my argument may be weak?

● Have I stated where there may be scope to take a different interpretation from that taken by
another author?

● Have I made the best use of paragraphs to make clear where I am separating description from
critical writing?

Academic Writing for the Humanities

​

The field of Humanities is also known as liberal arts which include subjects like literature,
language, history, philosophy, religion, art, and music. The ultimate goal of writing in the
humanities is to explain or understand the human experience and human values. These
fields are a broad way of studying and understanding how people express ideas,
information, and feelings—the experience of what makes us human. Academic Writing for
Humanities, while following specific conventions of format and documentation, allows
some flexibility in style and voice. It can simply be termed as a collection of academic
disciplines that study human expression, ideas, and thoughts. It could be a research paper
investigating the history of a particular theoretical approach; or a persuasive article that
works to convince a specific audience. Before we look into the various kinds of academic
writing, let us first consider its key features.
Key Features:

● Generally, writing in the humanities falls into one of three categories: research writing,
interpretive/analytical writing, and creative writing.
● One has to collect (and cite) information from a variety of different sources to support an
argument.
● In interpretive/analytical writing, the writer/student will make a claim about what a
particular text (or film, or painting, etc.) means or how it goes about presenting meaning
● Every argument will have to be backed up with specific examples from the
text/corresponding journals and articles.
● You may have to interpret a text through the lens of a relevant/applicable literary
theory(Literature)—for example, postcolonial theory, modernist theory, psychoanalytic
theory, etc.
● Creative writing mostly comprises fiction writing, poems, short stories, novels, and song
lyrics, etc. Creative nonfiction centres around real events.

​Types of Academic Writing for the Humanities:

● Theoretical Writing​: It is written on a topic from a particular theoretical perspective or

combination of perspectives (e.g., post-colonialism, modernism, deconstructionism,
psychoanalytic theory, etc.). Often, students will have to combine the analytical and
theoretical genres: to write a paper interpreting a specific text or film ​through the lens
of​ a particular theory or theoretical text. For example, a student might write an essay on
R.K. Narayan’s ​The Guide​, investigating how its non-native use of language fits into the
theory of post-colonialism. Another example might be a paper interpreting a film like
JudgementalHai Kya​ using certain tenets of psychoanalytic theory.

● Analytical Writing: ​This style of writing involves the discovery of meaning in a text (or
film, or painting, etc.) or the production of meaning in the process of reading a text. As
such, analytical writing focuses on the questions of “how?” and “why?” It tries to assist
the reader in understanding specific events (literary, cultural, or otherwise) rather than
just engaging in summary. Writing about literature, such as poems, short stories, plays,
etc., often involves making an argument that can be backed up with specific examples
 from the text. For example, a student writing an interpretive paper on
JayantaMahapatra’spoem ​Hunger m ​ ay try to explain the author ‘s attitudes or views on
poverty or the famine that struck Odisha in 1866. The writer of the paper must then use
evidence found in that poem-specific lines, motifs, or imageries—to support his claims.

● Creative Writing: ​It attempts to achieve, or create, an effect in the minds of readers.
Poems, short stories, novels, and even song lyrics are all examples of creative writing.
According to some, nonfiction can also be considered as creative writing because it
expresses the writer's point of view in his own inimitable style. The only difference is its
subjectivity.
● Expository Writing: ​It’s a type of writing that explains, informs, or describes a process
or concept- shares personal experiences or explores ideas​.
Some topics for expository writing on Literature could be-

(i) Analyze the use of symbols in the poem​ sailing to Byzantium by W.B. Yeats.
(ii) Analyze flat versus round characters in the novel ​RajMohan’s Wife by Bankim Chandra
Chattopadhyay.
(iii)Analyze the use of “foil” characters in the novel ​Godan by MunshiPremchand.​

● Literary analysis​: A piece of academic writing that explores and interprets the meaning
behind the plot, characters, themes, and purpose of a text. For example, you might write a
literary analysis of a novel, story, play, or poem; an analysis that explains how a written
or visual text works to persuade a specific audience.

● Research paper​: In the humanities, you will likely be relying on a number of different
sources to support a broader claim that you’re trying to make. It is crucial that you
correctly cite and attribute all ideas and information that are not common knowledge and
not your own​. For example, you would need to provide a citation for a statement like ​He
was not of an age but for all time!
which is an observation made by​ Boen Jonson (1573-1637),​ but not for a statement like,
“William Shakespeare was born in 1564,” which is common knowledge and referenced
in many different sources.

● Thesis​: A claim ( theory )or an idea that must be supported with evidence to argue for or
against a specific contention or position. ​Remember that a thesis is not the topic itself, but
rather your interpretation of the question or subject. For whatever topic your professor
gives you or you choose, you must begin by asking yourself, “What do I want to say
about it?” Asking and then answering this question is vital to forming a thesis that is
precise, forceful and effective.​Some probable topics from Literature and Language could
 be, domestication of translation and Indian Regional Literature, Narayan as a
post-colonial novelist, Great vowel shift, etc.

Example:

*Gulliver’s Travels(Literary Analysis of the Text)

-By Nicholas Klacsanzky

Gulliver’s Travels is a beloved novel by Irish writer Jonathan Swift, published in 1726. The
popularity of this volume lies mostly in its hilarious satire and commentary on human
nature. It is still enjoyed by old and young, and thus it would be a fine idea to explore its
plot.

The book starts with focusing on its main character: married surgeon Lemuel Gulliver from
England. He has a penchant for traveling, and this time, he goes to the South Seas.
Unfortunately, he gets caught in a big storm and arrives on an unknown island by being
washed ashore. Unbeknownst to him, the island is named Lilliput, and it is inhabited by
super small people not more than six inches tall. As Gulliver sleeps after arriving on the
Island, these tiny humans chain him up and drag him to a temple outside their city walls.

Gulliver is a smart man and finds a way to be in the favor of the king of Lilliput. He starts
learning their language and is introduced to their customs. After a while, the king asks
Gulliver to help fight a war with another group of tiny people named the Blefuscu. Due to
his size, the protagonist captures the entire navy of the enemy.

However, after some time, two people in the Lilliput kingdom become jealous of Gulliver:
admiralSkyreshBolgolam and treasurer Flimnap. They do their best to impeach him and
to also give a punishment of being blinded. However, Gulliver learns of this conspiracy
from a person in the court and escapes. He finds a human-sized boat washed ashore
nearby and goes to Australia first before locating a ship to take him back to England.

After staying in England for a bit with his family—which he does not get along with—he sets
out again. Another storm spins him out of control and he lands on the remote island of
Brobdingnag, where people are around 60 feet tall. Gulliver is found and treated by the
people there like an attraction, and he eventually comes into the presence of the queen of
the island. She claims him as a pet, and a young girl named Glumdalclitch takes care of
Gulliver and teaches him their language.

His stay there is not comfortable though: animals frighten him and almost kill him, such as bees,
dogs, monkeys, and more. He also starts to feel that his self-esteem has been
diminished—especially after having been so powerful on Lilliput. After many talks with
the king of the land, the royal concludes that English people act like pests, and this lowers
 Gulliver’s pride again. In fact, the king refuses a gift of gunpowder from the protagonist,
as the king is convinced that such violence is barbaric.

On a trip to the seaside with the royalty, the box that contains him is picked up by an eagle and it
drops him in the sea. A ship picks him up, and he eventually returns to England. He stays for
about two months in England before he gets the travel itch again. Tragedy strikes again, and
pirates capture him near Vietnam. However, as he sits on an island, the floating island of
Laputa hovers above him. Gulliver makes signals to the Laputians, and they rescue him.

These people are normal-sized but love only music and mathematics. They are not good at doing
practical things, like making clothes. Gulliver also visits the island of Glubbdubdrib,
populated by sorcerers that allow people to meet ghosts of famous people. In addition, he
hops over to Luggnagg, where people are immortal and the king has absolute power. He
decides after visiting this island that he had had enough for now and goes back to England
after visiting Japan.

This time around, he stays in the home country for five months. He decides to become a captain
of a ship and sets out on another exploration. However, his crew commits mutiny against
him in the process, and he washes ashore on another strange island. The land is occupied
by two types of beings: the Yahoos are humans that have not learned the art of
cleanliness, and the Houyhnhnms look like horses but organize and decide on things
based on reason. Gulliver stays a while with the Houyhnhnms and enjoys himself
immensely in their utopia of fairness and logic. The Houyhnhnms, however, tell him soon
enough that he has to leave, and he goes back to England on a Portuguese vessel.

When he returns home, he is disgusted at the thought of being around his family, who are
essentially Yahoos. He spends as much time away from them as he can, and talks to the
horses in his stable often.

[*Academichelp.net/summary-essay/]

These are suggested questions to ask as you write:

● Was the structure I used a useful one in supporting my argument, or does it need to be modified?

● Does my writing fall clearly within the structure I have used, or has it become a bit mixed up in
places?

● Is there anywhere where the reader may have a question that I have not answered?

● With the evidence, I have used, have I made reasonable interpretations, or have I made tenuous
links that the reader will not agree with?

● Have I questioned assumptions sufficiently?

Academic Writing for the social science disciplines

This goes by the name of expository prose and is usually focused on a basic, straightforward type
of paper-writing. ​Although there may be some differences between disciplines, all writers of
scholarly material are required to follow basic writing standards such as writing clear, concise,
and grammatically correct sentences; using proper punctuation; and, in all Walden programs,
using APA style. While writing an academic paper in the social sciences the only major
difference is that, students must also be familiar with the goals of the discipline as these inform
the discipline’s writing expectations. According to Ragin (1994), the primary goal of social
science research is “identifying the order in the complexity of social life” (para. 1). Serving the
primary goal are the following secondary goals:
The steps involved in genre-specific academic writing:

1. Identifying general patterns and relationships

2. Testing and refining theories
3. Making predictions
4. Interpreting culturally and historically significant phenomena
5. Exploring diversity
6. Giving voice
7. Advancing new theories (Ragin, 1994, para. 2)

To accomplish these goals, social scientists examine and explain the behavior of individuals,
systems, cultures, communities, and so on (Dartmouth Writing Program, 2005), with the hope of
adding to the world’s knowledge of a particular issue. Students in the social sciences should have
these goals at the back of their minds when choosing a research topic or writing an effective
research question. Instead of simply restating what is already known, students must think in
terms of how they can take a topic a step further. The elements that follow are meant to give
students an idea of what is expected of social science writers. You may ask your instructor/
faculty in case you have any content-specific questions.
A thesis is particularly important because it is essentially the heart of your discussion, and it
must be argued objectively and persuasively. It is also important because your readers would
want to know whether the writer has something new or significant to say about a given topic.
Review of literature is also important as it helps in the identification of research gaps and
creative linkages between ideas with the goal of contributing something significant to an ongoing
discussion. In crafting an argument, you must remember that social scientists place a premium on
ideas that are well reasoned and based on evidence. For a contribution to be worthwhile, you
must read the literature carefully and without bias; doing this will enable you to identify some of
the subtle differences in the viewpoints presented by different authors and help you to better
identify the gaps in the literature.
While examining a research question social scientists may present a hypothesis and they may
choose to use either qualitative or quantitative methods of inquiry or both. The methods most
often used include ​interviews, case studies, observations, surveys​, and so on.
The nature of the study should dictate the chosen method. Not all the papers will make you
employ the various methods of social science research. There may be some which will simply
require you to analyze an issue and present a well-reasoned argument The research process as a
whole may include the following: formulation of the research question, sampling and
measurement, research design, and analysis and recommendations (Trochim, 2006). Keep in
mind that your method will have an impact on the credibility of your work, so it is important that
your methods are rigorous.
Organization​ :
The APA manual (see sections 2.01-2.11) provides a useful outline of how a social science paper
is to be organized. Research papers that follow the APA style are divided into the following
sections: title, abstract, introduction, literature review, method, results, discussion, references,
and appendices. Note that the presentation follows a certain logic: in the introduction, one
presents the issue under consideration; in the literature review, one presents what is already
known about the topic (thus providing a context for the discussion), identifies gaps, and presents
one’s approach; in the methods section, one identifies the method used to gather data; in the
results and discussion sections, one then presents and explains the results in an objective manner,
acknowledging the limitations of the study (Dartmouth Writing Program, 2010.
Objectivity:
Social scientists must try to present their findings in a neutral manner, avoiding biases, and
acknowledging opposing viewpoints. They may debate on the ground whether objectivity is
achievable in the social sciences and whether theories really represent objective scientific
analyses, they agree that one’s work must be presented as objectively as possible. Writers are
permitted to be passionate about their subject, but at the same time, social scientists are to think
of themselves primarily as observers and analyzers.
Language:
It is important to note that instructors expect social science students to master the content of the
discipline and to be able to use discipline appropriate language in their writing. Successful
writers of social science literature have cultivated the thinking skills that are useful in their
discipline and are able to communicate professionally, integrating and incorporating the
 language of their field (jargon) as appropriate (Colorado State University, 2011). For instance, if
one were writing about ‘the tribal–centric literature in translation in less developed countries,’ it
would be important to know and understand the different ways in which disability is defined
within the field of development studies. ​The very definition of jargon is language specific to a
particular sub-group of people. Therefore, in modern university life, jargon represents the
specific language and meaning assigned to words and phrases specific to a discipline or area of
study. For example, the idea of being ‘differently-abled’ may hold the same general meaning in
both Literature and Psychology, but its ​application​ to understanding and explaining phenomena
within the research domain of each discipline may have subtle differences based upon how
scholars in that discipline apply the concept to the theories and practice of their work.
Therefore, it is important that specialist terminology [i.e., jargon] must be used accurately and
applied under the appropriate conditions. (Subject-specific dictionaries are the best places to
confirm the meaning of terms within the context of a specific discipline. )
These are suggested questions to ask as you write:
● When I have used evidence or examples, have I always explained why I decided they were
useful to include?

● Have I presented different points of view; evidence for and against; and/or different possible
interpretations of evidence?

● What is my balance between the qualitative and quantitative methods of inquiry?

● Is my material presented in the best order for making my argument?

● Have I used good examples and the most relevant evidence, or can I think of more appropriate
material that would make my argument stronger?

​Co-relating Reading with Writing in different Genres

Genre Specific writing​:

An Overview:
Every research paper is written with a purpose and has an intended audience. This affects its
format, style, and language and characterizes it as part of a ‘genre’. An advertisement, a letter, an
e-mail, and a folk tale are all examples of genres. Let’s take the ‘genre’ of ​advertisements for
example. The purpose of an advertisement is to persuade the reader to buy something. Therefore,
the format is attractive with pictures and few words. The style is direct and persuasive and the
 language uses short, simple sentences with powerful vocabulary. Teaching these features of
genre-specific writing can help set the context for reading.
Let us consider the following samples:
Genre: Advertisements:
Purpose -To persuade the reader to buy something.
Intended audience -Prospective buyers
Format: Concise, Attractive, with pictures
Style: Persuasive Language, Direct and Short, simple sentences, Powerful vocabulary
Benefits of teaching reading and writing through genres:
• It helps to set the context for reading
• Provides a starting point for writing
• Ensures the overall cohesion of a written text
Genre-Movie Review:

It is essential to have a clearly defined outline before you start writing. Movie review essay
requires dedication and time investment therefore before you start watching the film at least two
times, not as a casual moviegoer but with an analytic mindset of a professional reviewer.

To-do list-

● Pay attention to details

● Take notes as you watch
● Follow the guideline laid down by your professor
● Use an outline to organize your work.

A sample outline looks like this:

1. Introduction (an engaging one)

● Title
● Date of release
● Genre (thriller/sci-fi/fantasy etc.)
● Cast
● Director

2. A short summary of the film

3. Analysis of the plot
4. Creative elements
5. Opinions (cite examples from the films to back up your claims) and comment on-

● Characters
● Camera techniques
● Dialogues
● Colours
● Mood
● Tone
● Symbols
● Costumes
● Special effects and so on

6. Edit your work.

7. Powerful Conclusion

Identifying Main Ideas and Supporting Evidence in a Text

After you’ve read an article or essay, your teacher will probably ask, “What’s the main idea?”
You hear this over and over. But why is understanding the main idea so important? It’s simple;
the main idea is the writer’s message. If the writer has not given you enough information to
support his or her main idea, the writer has not done the job well. At times, writers often state
their main ideas clearly before providing supporting ideas to strengthen their work. Other writers
provide supporting details and let their readers infer the main idea.

For example, you have just read a great novel on vampires and when your friend asks “What was
it about?” you answer, “Vampires.”You have just told your friend the topic of the novel. Later,
your teacher asks, “What was the novel’s main idea?” This question takes a bit more thought,
and it may not be easy to answer. The main idea is very different from the topic. The main idea is
the message—the central idea that the writer wants to express. After you think about the
discrimination that vampires suffered in the novel and how mortals learned to be accepting of
vampires, you respond, “Mortals should be tolerant of vampires.” Your teacher seems pleased, as
you took the whole of the novel into consideration and identified ​the main idea.​

The topic​ of reading can generally be expressed in a word or several words. ​The main idea,​ on
the other hand, is expressed as a sentence; it is a complete thought.

Read the following passage:

 She tanned her bright face in the hot sun and dug her toes deep into the earth. Her toes felt cool.
The young man noticed her when a cool breeze set her dancing in the wind. He approached her,
held out his hand, and swept her off her feet. In his apartment, he showered her stalks with cold
water, slit her green throat, and stuffed her in a vase.

The end of this paragraph is brutal, but it helps us infer who “she” is. She is a flower, ​and the
flower is the topic.​ The ​main idea remains unclear​, but you might infer from the brutal ending
that, from the writer’s perspective, ​pulling up flowers and taking them home for enjoyment is a
violent act​. Implicit main ideas can make writing more engaging. By keeping the topic and main
idea to herself, the writer of the paragraph about picking flowers is able to shock her readers.

[Source: Zora Neal Hurston, Library of Congress,

Wikimedia Commons]

● Now if you don’t know what the main idea is, how can you evaluate how well the author
supports it? Let’s say an essay has an implicit main idea, but you just can’t pinpoint what it is.
You will have to use the supporting ideas to figure out the main idea. In this case, you are better
off turning the task upside down.

​These are suggested questions to ask as you write:

● Have I made an appropriate interpretation of the text?

● Have I expressed my ideas clearly, or are there places where my explanations can be improved?

● Have I gone through the supporting details carefully?

Linking Ideas and Writing Definitions

Connecting ideas in writing

How to connect ideas at the sentence and paragraph level in academic writing?

In academic writing, it is important to present an argument clearly and cohesively.

Experienced writers use these special connecting words or phrases to bridge gaps
between ideas that may at first seem unrelated.

Some connecting words or phrases used for connecting ideas are:

● Addition – ​to add an idea additionally​ -and, also, apart from this, as well (as), in
addition, moreover, further, furthermore, too

● Condition – ​to provide a condition if-​ in that case, provided that, unless
● For comparison – ​to show how things are similar correspondingly-​ equally, for the same
reason, in a similar manner, in comparison, in the same way, on the one hand, similarly,
too

● For contrast – ​to show how things are different alternatively-​ although, but, conversely,
despite, even so, even though, however, in contrast, in spite of, instead, on the contrary,
contrary to, nevertheless, nonetheless, notwithstanding, on the other hand, rather, still,
though, yet, whereas, while.

● For emphasis – ​to put forward an idea more forcefully again, in fact, interestingly-​
indeed, it should be noted (that), more important(ly), most importantly, to repeat,
(un)fortunately, unquestionably

● For illustration ​– to provide examples a further instance of this is.​ .., an example of this
is…, for example, for instance, such as, thus, as follows. ​Avoid using etc in academic
writing (too informal)

● For restatement – ​for rephrasing statements in other words​-more simply, namely, simply
put, to put it differently, / another way, that is

● The cause of things – ​to attribute the reasons for something occurring as​ / the
consequence of, because, due to, for, the effect of …, since, the result of …

● The effect of things ​– to show the effect of something accordingly​, as a

result,/consequence, consequently, for this reason, hence, so, therefore, thus

● For concession/qualification – ​conceding something admittedly-​ although, clearly though,

even though, however, indeed, obviously

● Generalization – ​making a general statement as a rule-​ for the most part, generally, in
general, in most cases, normally, on the whole, usually

● Time order – ​to indicate a chronological sequence first, second, third (etc)​ - next, before,
earlier, finally, following, given the above, later, meanwhile, subsequently, then, to
conclude, while. Several of the words listed above are too informal for use in an
academic piece of writing( check a usage guide or good dictionary for details of
appropriate use).

Connecting paragraphs apart from using the linking words/phrases as mentioned above
could involve writing ​‘hand-holding’​ sentences. These are sentences that link back to the
ideas of the previous paragraph. For instance, when outlining the positive and negative
issues about a topic you could use the following: Example (from the beginning of the
previous paragraph): One of the main advantages of X is . . . One of the positive effects
of X is . . . When you are ready to move your discussion to the negative issues, you could
write one of the following as a paragraph opener: Example: Having considered the
positive effects of X, negative issues may now need to be taken into account . . . Despite
the positive effects outlined above, there are also negative issues to be considered . . . It is
always important to make paragraphs part of a coherent whole text; they must not be
 isolated units unrelated to the whole piece. ‘ This way, the reader will be lead in a logical
order through your argument and will be reminded of your current theme or angle.’
(Gillett, Hammond, &Martala, 2009)

Checking for paragraph links –should look for answers to the questions like-

: ​·​ Does the start of my paragraph give my reader enough information about what the
paragraph will be about?

·​ Does my paragraph add to or elaborate on a point made previously and if so, have I
made this explicit with an appropriate linking word/phrase?

·​ Does my paragraph introduce a completely new point or a different viewpoint to before

and if so, have I explicitly shown this with a suitable connective?

·​ Have I used similar connectives repeatedly? (If yes, may need to vary them using the
above list.) Adapted from Gillett, Hammond &Martala (2009)

2.1.6. Summing Up
In the end, it must be noted that knowing what you need to do won’t guarantee you an “A” on
your academic writing paper. It will take a lot of thinking, hard work, and practice. Having the
right orientation toward your college writing assignments is the first and important step in your
eventual success. The secret for your success in writing college essays, ie. your success with
academic writing depends upon how well you understand what you are doing as you write and
then how you approach the writing task. Hopefully, you now have a better idea about the nature
of the academic writing task and the expectations behind it.

2.1.7. Comprehension Exercises:

I. Fill in the blanks with appropriate answer/s:

(i) A research paper is primarily written with a-------and has an ----------.

(ii)The purpose of academic writing affects its-----,---------- and-------.

(iii) Benefits of teaching genre-specific writing are---------

II.Answer the following questions in your own words:

(i) What is the ultimate goal of academic writing in the humanities?
(ii) What are the key features of academic writing in the humanities?
(iii) What does creative writing mostly comprise of?
 III. Long answer type questions:
Q1. What Is “Academic” Writing? What is its purpose?
Q2. Think of a writing assignment that you will need to complete this semester. What do
you need to know to do it differently?
Q3. Think of two different writing situations you have found yourself in. (Include the
subtopics- Who are your audience? What are the occasions or contexts? What are your
messages? What documents/genres are used?

​Select Reading:

Gillet, A. Using English for Academic Purposes. Academic Writing. Retrieved 2 Feb 2012 from
http://www.uefap.com/writing/writfram.htm

References:
​

academic-skills@unimelb.edu.au Go for excellence V1 1012 ST

“Academic Writing" by Macmillan Publishing
Colorado State University. (1997-2011). Why assign WID tasks? Retrieved February 7, 2011, from
http://wac.colostate.edu/intro/com6a1.cfm
Dartmouth Writing Program. (2005). Writing in the social sciences. Retrieved from
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~writing/materials/student/soc_sciences/write.shtml
Gerring, J., Yesnowitz, J., & Bird, S. (2004). General advice on social science writing. Retrieved from
http://people.bu.edu/jgerring/documents/Adviceonessaywriting.pdf
Gillett, A. Hammond, A. &Martala, M. (2009). Successful Academic Writing. Harlow, UK.: Pearson
Longman 2009.
Ragin, C. (1994). Construction social research: The unity and diversity of method. Retrieved February 7,
2011, from http://poli.haifa.ac.il/~levi/res/mgsr1.htm
Trochim, W. (2006). Research methods knowledge base. Retrieved January 31, 2011, from
http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/
www.services.unimelb.edu.au/academicskills • 13 MELB •
Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing, Volume 1: http://writingspaces.org/essays
https://www.texasgateway.org/resource/reading-main-idea-and-supporting-ideas-english-iii-reading
https://services.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/532900/Connecting-ideas-in-academic-writi
ng-Update-030816.pdf