Features of academic writing
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Serious tone
Clear process of reasoning
Objective
Exploratory – exploring the topic
Evidence based – weigh up the evidence rather
than expressing thoughts/feelings
• Has an argument: ‘A coherent series of reasons,
statements, or facts intended to support or
establish a point of view.’
• Located in existing body of knowledge
Getting started
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Draw diagrams: spidergrams, wheel diagrams
Brainstorm ideas on paper
Brainstorm on the computer
List your ideas
Talk! Say your ideas out loud
Write questions to get you thinking
Start with the section you know most about
Writing a draft
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For your eyes only: no one else will read it
It’s just a first draft so it doesn’t matter
Don’t worry about writing correctly for now
Don’t worry about missing bits out – you can
fill them in later
• Write quickly and let the ideas flow
Where to get further help
• S3 website: Writing well:
http://www.sussex.ac.uk/s3/?id=26
• The Royal Literary Fund: Writing
http://www.rlf.org.uk/fellowshipscheme/writi
ng/essayguide.cfm
• See videos from a Royal Literary Fund Fellow
and book a free tutorial:
http://www.sussex.ac.uk/tldu/studentskills/rlf
g
Other workshops
• 23rd October 3pm–4pm
How do I plan my essay?
• 30th October 3pm–4pm
How do I write a good essay?