Academic Writing Skills
RPW 305
Research Paper Writing
Basics about Your Instructor
Name & Surname:
Office:
Office Number:
E-mail address:
RPW 305- RESEARCH PAPER WRITING
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COURSE OBJECTIVES
Students will develop their reading and writing skills
needed for academic settings,
advance their competence and confidence in using the
English language form and function.
summarize given short and long texts.
paraphrase sentences and paragraphs.
evaluate sources for relevance to their research topics.
apply research methods,
apply referencing rules (APA style documentation)
Write a documented expository essay.
RPW 305 – Course Requirements
• 2 hours per week / 1 credit
• 6 hours of absence at most
– Doctor’s report (within 15 days)
– Clash (copy of student’s program)
– Excuses related to Çankaya (document from
the university)
– Working (any document)
• All documents about absence will be given
to the instructor
RPW 305 - Grading
* MIDTERM: 30%
* FINAL PAPER: 20% (Writing)
* FINAL: 40%
* TEACHER ASSESSMENT: 5%
* ORAL PERFORMANCE IN CLASS: 5%
RPW 305 - PORTFOLIO
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TASK 1: Making an outline for a research paper
(expository essay) (in-class)
TASK 2: Non-documented expository essay (400500 words) (During the midterm exam)
TASK 3: Referencing, summarizing, and
paraphrasing library and online database sources
(at least 4 sources) (in-class)
TASK 4: Documented expository essay (a revised
and integrated version of task 2 and 3) (600-800
words) (take-home, 20 pts)
ATTENTION: Do not leave gathering your sources to the last
minute, choose your topic and hand in your sources in the 3rd
week.
RPW 305 - COURSE BOOK
Academic English Survival Skills II
Gülcü, M., Gülen, G, Şeşen, E., & Tokdemir, G. (2011).
Academic English: Survival Skills II (4th ed.), Ankara:
Black Swan.
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ENG 305 Study Pack (available at the photocopy
room)
*Both materials need to be brought to the class each
week.
PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT
POLICY
1) Task 1 and 3 will be written in-class and the
teacher will give in-class feedback, but they
will not be graded.
2) Task 2 will be written during the midterm.
Students can bring their outlines to the
midterm exam.
3) Students are not required to write second
drafts.
CANKAYA UNIVERSITY - OFFICE OF BASIC AND ELECTIVE COURSES- ENGLISH UNIT
PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT POLICY
4) You have to type your task 4 on a computer
with the online document called “Student
Assignment Sheet” on top of it. Your final
draft has to be double spaced and typed in
Times New Roman 12 point characters.
5) Due Date for Task 4 is week 14.
CANKAYA UNIVERSITY - OFFICE OF BASIC AND ELECTIVE COURSES- ENGLISH UNIT
PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT POLICY
6) If you don’t submit task 4 on time, late
submission is possible only within 7 days.
However, you should know that half of the points
assigned to that task is extracted from your
grade.
CANKAYA UNIVERSITY - OFFICE OF BASIC AND ELECTIVE COURSES- ENGLISH UNIT
RESEARCH
Sources can only be obtained from printed library
materials or online databases.
Online databases can be accessed from Çankaya University
Library’s website:
http://library.cankaya.edu.tr/onlinevtabani.html
CANKAYA UNIVERSITY - OFFICE OF BASIC AND ELECTIVE COURSES- ENGLISH UNIT
TURNITIN MEMBERSHIP
- All students need to get a turnitin
membership to upload task 4
Go to www.turnitin.com
And get a student account.
It’s easy when you follow the instructions!

RESEARCH TOPICS
Engineering Departments and MCS
• Contributions of 3 Great Mathematicians
to Modern Mathematics (3 or more)
• Sustainable (Renewable) Energy Sources
• How Technology Fosters Education
• Advances in Communication Technology
PSIR and ECON
• US Influence on Third World Countries
• Ways to control Inflation
• Globalization and Economy
• The Dangers-Restrictions / Benefits EU
Would Bring Along
MAN – IE –INTT
• International Economical Unions of which
Turkey is a member
• Restrictions on International Trade
• Competition
IE
• Production Planning and Control Techniques
for Performance Improvement
• Benefits of Total Quality Management
• Major Roles of Industrial Engineers in
Production Process
AR & INAR
• Design Concepts
• Basic Principles of Interior Design
• The Influence of Ottoman Architecture on
Turkish Architecture (Some masterpieces)
• Criteria for Designing Small Spaces
• Examples of Green Architecture
/ Benefits of Green Architecture
PSY
• Good/bad Conditions of Children Living in
the Social Service and Child Protection
Institutions
• Major Subfields of Psychology
• Working conditions of psychologists in
Turkey (handle either negative or positive
aspects)
PSY
• The importance of family/marriage
counseling for the maintanence of healthy
relationships
• Ways of coping with problematic children
in primary or secondary school education
• Psychological challenges that a pubescent
encounters
CHECK OUR WEBSITE REGULARLY!
rpw305.cankaya.edu.tr
You can find all course related materials and
announcements from ppt presentations to
syllabus on this website.
BECOME A REGULAR VISITOR
LETS START WITH THE COURSE...
CHARACTERISTICS of
FORMAL WRITING
(AESS II, p. 311)
• Whether you’re a student, teacher, or
businessperson, academic writing skills are
necessary in today’s world.
• Essays, reports, presentations and research
papers are just some examples of documents
written in the academic style.
What is academic writing?
• In brief, academic writing is 'structured research'
written by 'scholars' for other scholars (with all
university writers being 'scholars' in this context).
• Academic writing is;
*factual,
*objective,
and most importantly,
*FORMAL.
What are the characteristics of formal
writing and informal writing?
• Formal English is used mainly in
- academic writing, and
- business communications
• Whereas informal English is
-casual, and
-appropriate when communicating with
friends and family.
Characteristics of Formal Writing
Formal Writing
Informal Writing
Distant Language
-Personal pronouns are
usually avoided.
-Passive voice is often
preferred.
Personal Language
-Personal Pronouns are
common.
-Personal feelings and
views are expressed.
-Active voice is often
preferred.
Characteristics of Formal Writing
• Formal Writing is ACCURATE:
-Precise evidence is presented.
-Facts are distinguished from opinions and
feelings.
-Sources are carefully used and acknowledged.
-Sentences are clear and constructed carefully.
-Punctuation marks are accurately used.
Characteristics of Formal Writing
• Structure and vocabulary are formal;
-Full forms are used (What have, cannot...)
-More formal, abstract words with Latin or
Greek origins are often preferred.
Yet informal writing is...
• OFTEN IMPRECISE;
-A personal viewpoint is expressed.
-Statements are not necessarily accurate.
-Facts and opinions are not necessarily distinct.
-Sources are used rarely and carelessly.
-Sentences are shorter, and not so carefully
constructed.
-Dramatic punctuation marks (?, !, ...) are common.
Characteristics of Formal Writing
• Formal writing is TENTATIVE;
-There are few definite statements.
-Quick conclusions are avoided.
Yet in informal writing;
• Structure and vocabulary are informal;
-Short forms and contractions (I’ve, he’s,
can’t...) are often used.
-Shorter, less formal language is preferred (e.g.
phrasal verbs, compound words, idioms, slang
and colloquial language).
However, informal writing is
ASSERTIVE;
-There are often definite statements and
generalizations.
-Conclusions may be drawn from insufficient
evidence.
Formal Writing vs. Informal Writing
Formal Writing
Informal Writing
DISTANT LANGUAGE
PERSONAL LANGUAGE
ACCURATE
OFTEN IMPRECISE
FORMAL
STRUCTURE and
VOCABULARY
TENTATIVE
INFORMAL
STRUCTURE and
VOCABULARY
ASSERTIVE
The First Draft
(Study Pack p. 3-4)
• The Short Research Paper
In an academic context, students are required
to write essays including references to other
sources to support their thesis statements and
main ideas.
The First Draft
(Study Pack p. 3-4)
To support their ideas, they need to research
what authorities have to say about their
topics and include relevant support from
outside sources by
- summarizing,
- quoting,
- or paraphrasing it.
The First Draft
(Study Pack p. 3-4)
• However, you should always keep in mind
that no one else’s words are as important as
yours!!!
• As a writer, you use summaries, quotes, or
paraphrases from others only to strenghten
your own points.
• Your instructor wants to see that you have
researched authorities’ ideas and findings,
and that you have integrated those with your
own writing well.
Doing Research (Study Pack p. 1-2)
• CONCRETE SUPPORT
What is concrete support?
- It is information from outside sources, such as
- Books,
- Articles
- and Websites
that you insert into your essay to add weight to your
arguments and make them more convincing.
Doing Research (Study Pack p. 1-2)
Guidelines for Choosing a Piece of Concrete Support
1. Carefully consider the source; use well known
newspapers and magazines – you can also use
online versions of the well known ones.
For Websites: Be extra critical and skeptical about the
credibility of documents on the Web.
1. Ask yourself these questions:
a. What is the source? If you cannot find it, do not
use the site.
b. If you can find the source, is it trustworthy?
2. In general, do not use information that is older than
five years.
3. Choose a passage that directly supports your point.
4. Do not take a passage out of context.
5. Do not use more than two pieces of concrete
support in one paragraph. Most of the paragragh
should be your own words.
6. Do not choose a passage that is too technical or field
specific for your reader to understand (Above all,
you need to understand it well in the firt place).