Academic writing

• Discourse


  A community where you belong
• Academic writing


  Writing in the health sciences
• Ours is a discourse community
• Types of academic writing

  • Essays
  • Research papers
  • Book reviews
  • Literature reviews
  • Case studies
  • Dissertations and theses
  • Academic articles
  • Reports
• Essays


  Brief, focused pieces of writing that typically explore a single topic or idea
• Types of essays


  • Argumentative
  • Expository
  • Descriptive
• You will be required to write at least one essay or two in this course
• Private healthcare


  • Offers patients a greater choice of healthcare providers and treatments
  • Often criticised for being expensive and inaccessible to those who cannot afford it
• Public healthcare


  • Available to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay
  • More cost-effective than private healthcare
  • Provides a more comprehensive range of services
  • More accountable to the public than private healthcare
• Public healthcare is the best choice for society
• Research papers


  Longer, more formal documents that present original research on a particular topic
• Research papers


  • Include an introduction, literature review, methodology section, results, and discussion
• You will not be writing a research paper as a first or second year student, but you will be required to analyse the layout of a research paper
• Abstract


  A concise summary of a research paper or article that is written for an academic audience
• The purpose of an academic abstract is to give readers a quick understanding of the research without having to read the entire paper
• One of the assignments will require you to read a research paper and write its abstract
• Book review


  A critical evaluation of a book's content, style, and overall quality
• Literature review


  Critical summaries of existing research on a particular topic
• Case study


  In-depth analyses of a particular case or situation, often used in fields such as business, psychology, and law
• Dissertation and thesis


  Comprehensive, original research projects typically completed by students enrolled in Masters and Doctorate studies
• Academic article


  Peer-reviewed publications that report on original research in a particular field or discipline
• Report


  Factual documents that typically present information and data on a particular topic
• Academic paragraphs


  Fundamental building blocks of academic writing, essential for providing structure to organize and present ideas clearly and coherently
• Types of essays


  • Argumentative
  • Persuasive
  • Descriptive
  • Expository
  • Narrative
  • Compare and contrast
  • Cause and effect
  • Process
  • Definition
• Academic paragraphs


  • Critically analyse and evaluate information, evidence, and sources
• Types of academic paragraphs

  • Introductory
  • Evidence/supporting (body)
  • Analysis/interpretation (body)
  • Counterargument/refutation (body)
  • Conclusion
• Introductory paragraph


  Opening section that sets the tone and context for the rest of the document
• Elements of introductory paragraphs

  • Background information
  • Hook or attention-grabber
  • Thesis statement
  • Scope or overview
  • Significance or relevance
• The five elements explained are important in Academic Literacy II
• There might be other elements in the introductory paragraphs
• The key is to effectively engage the reader, provide context, present the main argument, and set the stage for the rest of the academic writing
• Global warming is a pressing environmental issue that has attracted widespread attention in recent years
• As human activities continue to release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, the Earth's climate is undergoing significant changes, resulting in severe consequences for the planet
• This essay will explore the causes and effects of global warming, and propose potential solutions to mitigate its impacts
• Body paragraph


  Paragraph that forms the main part of an essay or research paper, presenting and developing a single main idea or argument
• Elements of a body paragraph


  • Topic sentence
  • Supporting sentences
  • In-text citations
  • Analysis and interpretation
  • Transition words or phrases
  • Closing sentence
• Types of body paragraphs

  • Evidence/supporting
  • Analysis/interpretation
  • Counterargument/refutation
• The increase in greenhouse gas emissions has resulted in a range of adverse effects on the environment and human society
• According to recent scientific research, the burning of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and gas, is a major contributor to global warming
• Some skeptics argue that global warming is a natural phenomenon and not caused by human activities