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Guide to Academic Wri ng: A One Page Guide

Sentences
Sentence types and modes
Introduc on Triangle

Whole text/broad concept

Declara ve ? Interroga ve Impera ve ! Exclamatory

Ques on speci cs: text, Simple Compound Complex

characters, themes

Thesis statement/POV Apposi ves Useful for adding detail and clari ca on to your wri ng:
Success criteria:
Paragraphs apposi ve • The apposi ve doesn’t make sense
the apposi ve describes the noun
noun by itself
1. Topic sentence Photosynthesis, the process plants use to make their own food, is • if you remove the apposi ve, the
Introduce the concept or theme of the paragraph. where carbon dioxide and water react to make glucose. sentence s ll makes sense
This should be a bold statement that needs to be
expanded upon, with evidence to support it.
Subordina ng conjunc ons Useful for evalua on, analysis and comparison:
Although the commandments state that ‘all animals are equal’, it quickly becomes apparent that
2. Suppor ng evidence
inequality is rife on Animal Farm.
Precise evidence that supports your point. Aim for
short quotes (3-5 words in general) or single speci c Consciously vary sentence length Useful for making clear points, ‘hi ng home’ ideas and building details:
techniques if discussing visual texts.
Tax evasion, a surprisingly common prac ce, cost the government (and therefore the taxpayer) £4.6
billion last year. This has to stop.
3. Analysis
Explore the impact of your evidence on your Kernel sentence • Who? students Useful for adding detail and varia on to your wri ng:
argument. Consider: • When? before tests
• WHY that technique/word/structure is chosen Kernel sentence: They study. • Why? because they Expanded sentence: Before tests, students study
above any other want good grades hard because they want good grades.
• HOW it is e ec ve in impac ng the reader/ • How? hard
audience and proving your argument
Excellent analysis considers SASS: Note Taking Useful for ge ng ideas down quickly and recording informa on accurately and e ciently:
• Speci cs (single word/technique analysis)
• Alterna ves (or an awareness with tenta ve b/c w/ w/o
language)
because with without
• Sounds (of words, structural decisions in ac on
etc.) = Cue
+ Column Main notes
• Seman cs ( elds and individual speci cs) de ni on or explana on and Leading to or cause/e ect

/
4. Concluding Link more of/increase less of/decrease start of a new idea
Summarise the paragraph’s main point or argument,
linking clearly to the topic sentence.
Cornell Notes Summary
Backed by cogni ve science, Cornell notes encourages regular revision of your subject content

Academic Vocabulary Advanced strategies

Choosing your paragraph focus
Subordina ng Emphasis Phrases Explore the methods Williams uses to present loneliness in A Streetcar Named Desire
Title
Conjunc ons Structure op on Lead with idea Lead with moment Lead with character
a er especially moreover
before unless in par cular notably Paragraph 1 focus: Paragraph 1 focus: Paragraph 1 focus:
Paragraph focus
if since primarily Loneliness comes from We rst realise that Blanche is lonely Blanche is a lonely character.
undoubtedly notes (not the
disloca on – they cannot belong when she compulsively lies about how
while when above all furthermore topic sentence)
in their world. much she drinks.
although whenever importantly
even though par cularly
Direct, present tense verbs Useful for cu ng wa e and con dently responding to texts:
is able to is able to
Ishiguro is able to present Ishiguro presents
Change in Direc on Time and Sequence the idea of the idea of
currently Ishiguro explores the idea of su ering Ishiguro presents women who su er
especially the fact that the fact that
moreover ini ally earlier
in par cular This shows the fact that su ering comes from being an This shows that su ering comes from being an outsider and a
notably previously meanwhile
primarily outsider and a product of dystopian experiment which product of dystopian experiment which priori ses society
undoubtedly addi onally ul mately
above all priori ses society over the individual. over the individual.
furthermore later on as soon as
importantly
eventually
par cularly
Nominalisa on Useful for conveying an objec ve tone and developing analysis Adjec ve + Nominalisa on
refuse refusal reacts reacts
Illustra on Phrases Conclusion Phrases Frankenstein refuses Frankenstein’s refusal to The Creature reacts The Creature’s violent, vengeful reac on to
to accept the sanc ty accept the sanc ty of life to his rejec on by his rejec on perhaps emphasises the e ect
for example in conclusion
in closing nally of life and limits of and limits of his knowledge becoming violent of trauma on the individual – Shelley shows
such as illustrated by
in summary therefore his knowledge. drives him to his tragic end. and vengeful. criminality is not, in fact, innate.
for instance namely
as a result thus
speci cally expressly
clearly Useful for demonstra ng an understanding of the complexi es of a writer’s ideas
as shown in highlighted by consequently
lastly
Language of the Ac ve Writer
supported by to conclude • The writer explores • The writer ques ons • the reality of • the di culty of/between
• The writer considers • The writer o ers us a view of • the power of • the vulnerability of
• The writer examines • The writer asks us to consider • the complexity of • the pressures of
• The writer reveals • The writer shows a di erent • the inevitability of
side to
• the consequences of theme/concept/
big idea
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