Success Strategies…

…for Academic Writing

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Baccalauréat en administration publique et services

communautaires ---

Presented by

The Student Learning Commons

Success strategies at a glance…Know and use SFU resources

Start with a ‘working’ thesis, then refine it

3 P’s: Plagiarize-proof, peers, polish

Gather info about and focus your topic

2 C’s: coherence and cohesion

Choose an “angle” that motivates you

Get organized—avoid brain-dumps

Talk to people!

Get to know library resources

Understand your assignment

Most published academic writing has…

a thesis statement (or in science, a hypothesis) and/or a research question

attention to concise and correct expression, along with uses of discipline-specific terms

sound, well-developed argumentation

citations—references to other sources—to help justify and support the arguments.

As well, much published academic writing is peer-reviewed to ensure quality.

Understand your assignment

•Take time to read and re-read the instructions.•Pay close attention to key words, such as …

Develop (a thesis) Construct (an argument)

Analyze

EvaluateRespond

Synthesize

Summarize

Define

Explain

Provide background

Describe (a process, procedure, theory)

If in doubt … ASK your prof or TA

Take time to explore and focus your topic

You could start by asking a question (sometimes called a “research question”) about the topic.

Or you could start by expressing an opinion about the topic.

Do students today work harder than they did twenty years ago?

University students work way harder today than their

parents did!

Other ways of generating ideas …

Review class notes and readings

Making a concept map

TOPIC

Talk to people!

Just to see what’s out there …

And

Get to know library resources

…but don’t just check out stacks of books!

Explore articles, databases, e-publications and journals, and

discipline-specific resource links.

SFU Library HELP http://www.lib.sfu.ca/researchhelp/index.htm

Begin with a ‘working’ thesis

Simply put, a ‘thesis statement’ is a reasonable assertion that can be backed with evidence.

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Don’t confuse a thesis with an opinion, which is a belief that hasn’t been (or can’t be) proven.

A ‘working thesis’ is an assertion that isn’t yet complete. It’s a work in process.

A working thesis might start as a simple claim: “Research shows that post-

secondary students work harder than any other demographic group today.”

Don’t just brain-dump—organize!

While reading, taking notes, or researching, use KEY WORDS to keep your ideas organized.

~~~Record notes and citations using RefWorks (a handy library tool) or old-fashioned note-cards …

CALL NUMBER/DATABASE INFO

Full Bibliographical Info (author/s, title, publication info, year, page-range (for article or chapter), URL, date you retrieved URL …

General summary of source (very brief) and/or exact quote

A “bibliography” card…

A “note-card”…

Last name/short title of source

ONE significant exact quote, paraphrased idea, set of facts, or concept from this source. Adding your own comment is good practice.

+ PAGE number(s) if applicable

KEY WORD(S)

Support a structured position

Assume you’ll need at least two (or more) well developed sub-points under each part of your mini-outline.

Seek out opposing or alternative

ideas…so your paper isn’t weighed too

heavily toward one view.

Formalize your thesis…

Unlike a simple claim, a formal thesis statement incorporates logical relationships. For example…

X because YAlthough Z, X

Even though Z, X because Y

SAMPLE FORMAL THESIS:

Even though being a student is usually considered easier than working full-time, post-secondary students are the hardest-working demographic group in Canada today because they typically work part-time or even full-time while going to school.

You can break your thesis into parts, creating a rough outline

Intro THESISBody Part 1: Profile of students 20 years ago: academics, jobs, economicsPart 2: Profile of students today…Part 3: Workload comparison: students with similar age demographicPart 4: Analysis of comparisons and conclusions.

The 1st C: coherenceMake your INTRO coherent and engaging—so readers will want to keep going …

Hook your reader with an event, anecdote, example, or question.Outline the main issue or problem you’re focusing on.Provide background or context.Present your thesis--typically the final (or close to final) sentence of the introduction (Note: describing what the paper will cover is NOT a thesis).

The 1st C: coherence

Make your CONCLUSION count …

Avoid … “In conclusion”!Bring the reader back to your thesis without repeating it word-for-word Don’t introduce new evidenceBut do outline further areas of inquiry, and/or suggest a sense of significance. Why does what you’ve written matter? What should your reader take away from it?

The 1st C: coherence…also means checking the overall “connectedness” of ideas …Is my thesis clearly stated? Do all my main points develop it?Does my paper answer the research question posed?Are my main points arranged in a logical sequence?

The 2nd C: cohesion

On a finer level, you also need to check for connections between sentences, such as appropriate transitions, summary words, and repetition of key concepts throughout a paragraph.

Go here for some further strategies to improve cohesion.

Use the three P’s of revision

lagiarize-proof—acknowledge your sources! The library and the Student Learning Commons can help you learn more. For example, try the Library’s “do-it-yourself tutorial” on avoiding plagiarism.

Here’s a sneak preview of two common citation styles…

What a parenthetical citation looks like:APA (Volkman, 1998, p. 72) MLA (Volkman 72)

What a References (APA) or Works Cited (MLA) entry looks like: APA Volkman, J. (1998). Cruising through research: library skills for young adults. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited.MLA Volkman, John D. Cruising Through Research: Library Skills for Young Adults. Englewood: Libraries Unlimited, 1998.

Visit http://lib.radford.edu/tutorial/VII/comp.asp for more examples...

Use the three P’s of revision

eers—if possible, ask a trustworthy second reader to read your writing for expression, flow, or logic.

Use the three P’s of revision

Check for usage and tone …

Are you using discipline-specific terms correctly and appropriately?Are you writing at a level of formality that fits the assignment?Are you using passive verbs or active verbs as appropriate for the assignment or discipline?

Passive/Objective (“The experiment was conducted.”)Active/Personal (“As a child, I experienced racism.”)

Is your language unbiased, gender-fair, inclusive?

Use the three P’s of revision

olish!—

Use a spell-checker to catch “typos.”

Read the paper aloud slowly and mark up problem areas.

Keep a list of your problem-areas and their solutions.

Use available writing resources to help you learn to edit and proofread.

Use SFU resources…like the SLC

The Student Learning Commons is your academic success centre! We offer

free writing workshops and workshop follow-upa wide range of online writing resourcesone-on-one consultations (appointments or drop-ins) with trained peer educatorsassistance with learning, reading, and studying skills and strategies.services at all three SFU campuses

Go to http://learningcommons.sfu.ca

Any questions … ?

Merci, bonne chance, and best wishes for success at SFU!