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Session 1: The Writing Steps
Description: This Session discusses the five basic writing steps for any form of academic writing. Students will learn why each step is important and will practice to get a feel for how to make writing more of a routine.
Session 2: Topic, Purpose and Thesis Statements
Description: This Session will focus on what topic, purpose and thesis statements are, and how and why they should be developed. A thesis statement may be the most important aspect of academic writing because it sets the stage for the entire essay or research paper.
Session 3: Sentences and Paragraphs
Description: At this point in the course, it is important to think about the building blocks that make up a formal piece of writing. This Session will explain the different types of sentences and paragraphs and discuss how to integrate them for maximum impact. Repetition in writing hinders its flow, and the reality is that ideas are not enough to create a quality academic essay. Variety in sentence and paragraph structure helps to attract the reader.
Session 4: The Academic Essay
Description: In order to construct a more formal essay, at least 4-5 paragraphs need to be organized together in a clear and logical fashion. At this stage, we will combine the basics discussed in the first three classes to practice writing short academic essays.
Session 5: Report Writing
Description: There are many kinds of reports, and many have distinct or specialized formats such as a scientific lab report. Book and business reports are also quite popular. A distinguishing factor of most reports is that they are informative in nature, and in the ‘real world’ they target a specific audience. This does not mean that there is no critical thinking involved, but it does suggest a different structure and focus from other forms of academic writing.
Session 6: Review Writing
Description: Reviews combine information and opinions and can be written about books, movies, articles, literature, etc. While a report focuses more on conveying information and making objective, factual conclusions, a review is necessarily more subjective and opinionated because it covers topics related to the quality and merit of the ideas and their presentation. Essentially, a review is a balance of the informative and persuasive approaches, which will both be covered in more detail.
Session 7: Critiques/Criticisms
Description: While there are many similarities between reports, reviews and critiques/criticisms, the important aspects of Sessions 5-7 are the objectives of the writing not the terminology. A critique has a persuasive focus rather than an informative one. Literary criticisms are very common, and this form of prose can support almost any kind of written work.
Session 8: Academic Proposals and Research Skills
Description: Professors often require students to write proposals for research papers and other significant projects. The importance of proposals is that they force you to determine your topic and then to narrow it. This Session will discuss strategies for choosing a topic with a proper focus and for explaining it clearly and succinctly. Additionally, Session 8 will provide approaches for finding, selecting and reading relevant resources. Paraphrasing and quoting sources in the research paper will be emphasized including information on documentation of sources, which relates to footnotes, endnotes, and the bibliography. Information on how to write an annotated bibliography will also be provided.
Session 9: Abstracts and the Research Paper
Description: An abstract is often a required part of a dissertation, thesis or other writing. Its main goal is to briefly summarize the thesis of the paper and give the reader an idea of its content and flow. The exercise of writing an abstract, whether or not it is required, is helpful in thinking generally about one’s topic/proposal and how it will be framed in light of the information retrieved from the research process. Additionally, this Session will cover outlining the research paper as well as constructing its introduction, body and conclusion. Strategies for revision to maximize the effect of the final draft will also be discussed.
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