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Academic writing

In academia, writing and publishing is conducted in several sets of forms and genres, like essay, précis, abstract etc.

Writing in these forms or styles is usually serious, intended for a critical and informed audience, based on closely-investigated knowledge, and posits ideas or arguments. It usually circulates within the academic world, but the academic writer may also find an audience outside via journalism, speeches, pamphlets, etc.

Typically scholarly writing has an objective stance, clearly states the significance of the topic, and is organized with adequate detail so that other scholars could try to reproduce the results. Strong papers are not overly general and correctly utilize formal academic rhetoric.

1. Essay

An essay is usually a short piece of writing which is often written from an author's personal point of view. Essays can consist of a number of elements, including: literary criticism, political manifestos, learned arguments, observations of daily life, recollections, and reflections of the author.

The writer of the academic essay aims to persuade readers of an idea based on evidence. The beginning of the essay is a crucial first step in this process. In order to engage readers and establish your authority, the beginning of your essay has to accomplish certain business. Your beginning should introduce the essay, focus it, and orient readers.

      1. Topic

Introduce the essay. The beginning lets your readers know what the essay is about, the topic. So the first thing you should do is to study closely the wording of the essay topic. The essay's topic does not exist in a vacuum, however; part of letting readers know what your essay is about means establishing the essay's context, the frame within which you will approach your topic.

Focus the essay. Beyond introducing your topic, your beginning must also let readers know what the central issue is. What question or problem will you be thinking about? You can pose a question that will lead to your idea (in which case, your idea will be the answer to your question), or you can make a thesis statement. Or you can do both: you can ask a question and immediately suggest the answer that your essay will argue.

The fullness of your idea will not emerge until your conclusion, but your beginning must clearly indicate the direction your idea will take, must set your essay on that road. And whether you focus your essay by posing a question, stating a thesis, or combining these approaches, by the end of your beginning, readers should know what you're writing about, and why—and why they might want to read on.

Here are some useful expressions.

  • Mentioning the main topic of something: In this paper/ essay/ chapter …, This paper reports/ sets out/ argues …, The main/ principal topic of this paper is …, The purpose/ intention/ emphasis of this paper is…, The essay is mostly concerned with…/ focuses/ concentrates on the problem …, The paper is dedicated/ devoted to …, The chapter highlights/ tackles …

  • Changing topic: I now want/ wish to consider …, I now turn to …, Leaving …to one side …, Moving on to …, Turning to …, We now need to look at/ examine…

  • Mentioning a part of the topic or a minor topic: As for/ to…, As regards …, In the case of …, In relation to …, With reference/ regard/ respect to…

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