ACADEMIC WRITING
CONVENTIONS
The Role of the Writing Center

The transactions between tutor and writer support
the Writing Center’s central goal of helping the
student achieve autonomy in his or her learning and
writing.
The Role of the Writing Center

As peer tutors, you should see
yourselves as reflective and
intelligent readers who ask
questions and report your
reading reactions in order to
help students discover what they
have said, what they might want
to say, and how their readers
are likely to understand them.
The Role of the Writing Center


Though “writing” is the reason students seek us out,
we work by engaging students in dialogue about
their assignment and how best to solve the
intellectual problems it sets forth for them.
Some of our time is indeed spent with the
mechanical dimensions of writing, but the largest
part of our time is spent either working with
students to parse conceptual demands of the
assignment itself or developing with them a
research learning plan.
What is an Academic Paper?



Audience: The project involves scholars writing for
other scholars.
Significance: The project explores a topic or
question of interest to the academic community.
The paper should set forth an informed argument.
Academic Writing Conventions We’ll
Cover

Argument
 Claim
vs. Thesis Statement
 Stakes / So what?

Evidence
 Source

integration
Organization/Structure
 The
line of inquiry
 Topic sentences / concluding sentences
 Introductions / Conclusions
Claim vs. Thesis Statement


Many students entering college are most familiar
with descriptive thesis statements.
Many high school English classes, including AP
English, encourage descriptive thesis statements.
Claim vs. Thesis Statement


In 100-level English classes at UW, instructors use
the word “claim” to mean an arguable thesis
statement.
A claim must be…
 Arguable
or contestable
 Specific
 Significant
(meaning that it engages the “So what?” element)
Claim vs. Thesis Statement

Students enter the UW with a range of definitions
for these terms, so instructors often try to simplify
like this:
CLAIM = ARGUABLE
THESIS = DESCRIPTIVE
Now you try: claim or thesis?
In the excerpt from One Writer’s Beginnings, Eudora
Welty conveys a positive tone toward her childhood
experience. She accomplishes this through the use of
descriptive diction, impressionable images, and
unusual syntax.
Now you try: claim or thesis?
The two passages given describe the swamp in very
different lights. Although they are in some ways
familiar, the styles of the authors of these
paragraphs are very different.
Sample English 131 Claim

“Despite the mystery surrounding this famous speech, its contents can
be understood in terms of what Mary Louise Pratt calls a ‘contact
zone.’ In Pratt's article “Arts of the Contact Zone,” she introduces this
zone as the chaotic space in which cultures collide. Essential features
of the contact zone include autoethnography, the representation of
one's own culture that responds to representations made by others,
and transculturation, the selective absorption of the dominant culture
by a marginal group. These features of autoethnography and
transculturation emerge prominently in Chief Seattle's speech,
shedding more insight on the interactions between the Native
Americans and the Euro-Americans; however, in the context of the
unique circumstances surrounding the text, Seattle's speech ultimately
demonstrates the inherent dangers of representation and
misrepresentation in the contact zone.”
Not-so-effective arguable claims…

Arguable claims are less effective when…




They rely on opinion that can’t be supported by evidence.
Their language is opinionated or judgmental.
They make use of sweeping generalizations.
For example…


James Joyce is a better writer than Virginia Woolf.
The media’s exploitation of the Watergate scandal
showed how biased it was already.

Suggested Revision: The media’s coverage of the Watergate
scandal suggests that the media had already determined Nixon’s
guilt.
How can you help a student generate
an arguable claim?

Brainstorm ome steps for helping a student
generate an arguable claim.
 You
can assume the student has chosen a topic and has
made some observations about this topic.
 Perhaps the student has even developed a descriptive
thesis statement. How could you help this student
develop their thesis into a claim?
Tish Suggests



6 step thesis/claim formation method
Asking A LOT of questions +
brainstorming with the student
Keeping the “complex thesis/claim criterion” in your
head
The 6 Step Thesis Formation Method
1.Name your focus topic
 EXAMPLE:
The 2008 Democratic primary
2.Ask a question (make sure it’s not obvious!) about
your focused topic
 EXAMPLE:
Why did Hillary Clinton lose the 2008 Democratic
primary?
3.Revise the question into a declarative statement
 EXAMPLE:
Hillary Clinton lost the 2008 Democratic primary
because she ran a poor campaign.
6 Step Cont.
4. Provide specific reasons (that you can support with
evidence, quotations, argumentation, expert opinion,
statistics, and/or telling details) to back up your
declarative statement
 EXAMPLE:
Hillary lost due to her gaffes, election strategy, and
inability to raise sufficient funds as well as Barack Obama's
superior oratory skills, political organization and strong campaign.
5. Recognize the opposition
 EXAMPLE:
Some critics argue she lost because the media was
sexist and “in the tank” for Obama from the beginning.
.
6 Step Cont.
6. Use revision to put it all together
Although some critics argue that Hillary Clinton lost
the 2008 Democratic primary due to sexism in the media, it
was because of Clinton herself – her gaffes, election strategy
and inability to raise sufficient funds – as well as Barack
Obama's superior oratory skills, political organization and
campaign that account for her second-place finish
 EXAMPLE:
Criterion to determine if your thesis
is “complex”?




Is it debatable?
• A simple thesis proves an obvious, nondebatable idea. A complex thesis
proves a fresh, debatable idea.
Does it tackle difficult questions?
• A simple thesis rests with easy answers. A complex thesis explores
difficult territory.
Does it progress?
• A simple thesis repeats the same idea. A complex thesis progresses
through several steps.
Does it matter in academic circles?
• A simple thesis doesn't matter. A complex thesis matters.
Stakes / Significance / So what?

Does the student’s paper (implicitly or explicitly)
address any of the following questions?
 Why
does this paper need to be written?
 What risks being lost if this paper isn’t written?
 How does this paper contribute to a larger conversation
about this topic?
 How does this claim respond to existing claims about
this topic? How does it respond to other critics or
scholars?
 How might this paper contribute to its “field”?
Stakes / Significance / So what?



Though students sometimes understand the stakes of
their claim, they sometimes forget to articulate these
in the paper.
Sometimes, a discussion of the claim’s stakes can
help the claim itself develop into something more
complex and arguable.
How can you help?
Stakes / Significance / So what?

Models for helping students consider the stakes of their
argument:
“My argument is important because _______________.”
 “Discussions of ___________ are relevant today because
__________________________________________.”
 “Ultimately, what is at stake here is _______________

___________________________________________.”
 “My discussion of _________ is in fact addressing the
larger matter of
___________________________________.”

So What for Previous Thesis/Claim:




INTRO: New York Times reporter Bob Hepburn says "overt sexism" was at
the heart of Hillary Clinton's loss to Barack Obama. [Will also include
quotes from Sen. Clinton supporters as well as other reporters]
QUESTION: Was Senator Hillary Clinton a victim of sexism in her failed
bid for the Democratic presidential nomination?
HYPOTHESIS/WORKING COMPLEX THESIS: Although some critics argue
that Hillary Clinton lost the 2008 Democratic primary due to sexism in the
media, it was because of Clinton herself – her gaffes, election strategy and
inability to raise sufficient funds – as well as Barack Obama's superior
oratory skills, political organization and campaign that account for her
second-place finish.
SO WHAT/STAKES: Clinton proved what many have always known — a
woman running a high-profile race for president can be tough, tireless,
savvy and resilient. She didn’t win, but she still broke barriers. Making her a
victim diminishes her accomplishments.
Stakes / Significance / So what?

Now take a look at Jane Doe’s paper.
 Is
Jane currently addressing the stakes of her
argument? If so, where? Is she doing so effectively?
Why/why not?
 How could you help Jane expand her discussion of the
stakes?
 How could you help Jane develop her claim with
regard to its significance?
 How would you help Jane understand the rhetorical
importance of addressing this “So what?” issue?
Academic Writing Conventions We’ll
Cover

Argument
 Claim
vs. Thesis Statement
 Stakes / So what?

Evidence
 Source

integration
Organization/Structure
 The
line of inquiry
 Topic sentences / concluding sentences
 Introductions / Conclusions
What do you do?

A Political Science professor asks you to write a 5-7
page paper. The paper must include 3-5 scholarly
quotes to prove, support, or explain your thesis
statement. The only problem? You’ve never
incorporated quotes into a paper before and you
have NO idea how to proceed.
So what do you do?
Question:
Why should student writers utilize quotes to prove,
support or explain their thesis statement?
Contrary to popular belief…




the best way to add
“length” to your paper
a substitute for your own
analysis
an effective way to
“prove” you read the text
An easy way to sound
“impressive” and “smart”
in order to get a good
grade
Incorporating quotes…





gives authority to the information you present
indicates that you are an informed member of UW’s
academic community
makes it possible for your readers to locate your
source(s) and learn more about your topic
is an opportunity to teach yourself something new
is a chance to demonstrate to others what you have
learned
The quotation sandwich
The quotation sandwich
1.
2.
3.
4.
Introduce the quotation
The quotation itself
Explain what the author is arguing
Respond to the quotation:
a. Explain
b. Evaluate
c. Challenge
STEP ONE: Introduce the quotation

College provides a diversity of social, academic
and athletic opportunities for students. This can be a
powerful positive force, but it can also detract from
students’ abilities to manage their time. As Malcolm
X states,
STEP ONE: Alternate templates
 According
to Mrs. Expert, “__________
____________________________” (54).
 In
his book, Mr. Scholar maintains that
______________________________ (67).
 Mrs.
Expert complicates matters further when she writes,
“______________________” (85).
STEP TWO: The quote itself

College provides a diversity of social, academic
and athletic opportunities for students. This can be a
powerful positive force, but it can also detract from
students’ abilities to manage their time. As Malcolm
X states, “one of the biggest troubles with colleges is
there are too many distractions, too much pantyraiding, fraternities, and boola-boola and all that”
(227).
STEP THREE: Explain what the author
is arguing


“one of the biggest troubles with colleges is there are too many
distractions, too much panty-raiding, fraternities, and boolaboola and all that” (227). In this example, Malcolm X is pointing
out that the variety of activities that colleges offer students can
keep them from completing their academic work.
The author should agree with how you sum up the quotation
– this will help you establish credibility, by demonstrating
that you do know what the author is saying even if you
don’t agree.
STEP THREE: Alternate templates
 In
other words, ___________________
_______________________________.
 Mrs.
Expert insists that ___________
______________________________.
 In
making this comment, Mr. Scholar insists that
______________________________.
STEP FOUR: Explain, evaluate,
and/or challenge


State the implications of the quotation for your own argument.
(What do you make of the author’s argument?)
In this example, Malcolm X is pointing out that the variety of
activities that colleges offer students can keep them from
completing their academic work. While Malcolm X is certainly right
that distractions are plentiful on college campuses, he fails to
consider the necessity of these social interactions among students.
Without the “boola-boola and all of that,” students would miss out
on an essential part of their education.
Putting it all together…

College provides a diversity of social, academic and athletic
opportunities for students. This can be a powerful positive force,
but it can also detract from students’ abilities to manage their time.
As Malcolm X states, “one of the biggest troubles with colleges is
there are too many distractions, too much panty-raiding,
fraternities, and boola-boola and all that” (227). In this example,
Malcolm X is pointing out that the variety of activities that colleges
offer students can keep them from completing their academic
work. While Malcolm X is certainly right that distractions are
plentiful on college campuses, he fails to consider the necessity of
these social interactions among students. Without the “boolaboola and all of that,” students would miss out on an essential part
of their education.
Now you try! Can you locate all 4
steps in this paragraph?

One of the ways in which Jing Mei’s mother stifles her daughters growth is by constantly comparing
her to other, more ‘remarkable’ children. She collects magazine articles of prodigy children, and
then proceeds to put Jing Mei through ridiculous tests, trying to find in her a remarkable genius, or
special ability. She asks Jing Mei what the capital of Finland is, to multiply numbers in her head, to
predict the temperatures in various cities around the world, and to quote the bible from memory, as
if her daughter would have the magical ability to perform these tasks without study. When, of
course, Jing Mei fails these tests, her mother becomes disappointed. The author writes, “... after
seeing my mother’s disappointed face once again, something inside of me began to die. I hated the
tests, the raised hopes and failed expectations. Before going to bed that night, I looked in the mirror
above the bathroom sink and when I saw only my face staring back - and that it would always be
this ordinary face - I began to cry. Such a sad, ugly girl! I made high-pitched noises like a crazed
animal, trying to scratch out the face in the mirror” (Tan 1152). Her mother had set the bar so high
that Jing Mei would have to be a savant in order to please her. Her hopes are raised, but her
failure to live up to her mothers expectations cripples her self image. When she looks in the mirror,
she sees her face is not that of a genius, but of an ordinary girl. She calls herself ugly and tries to
scratch out the face in the mirror. Jing Mei’s spirit has become so broken, she is literally trying to
erase her own reflection. Here we see an example, of how by continually comparing Jing Mei to
child prodigies, her mother has only helped to cripple Jing Mei’s identity.
Answer key:

(TOPIC SENTENCE/SUB CLAIM) One of the ways in which Jing Mei’s mother stifles her daughters
growth is by constantly comparing her to other, more ‘remarkable’ children. (DEVELOPMENT OF
SUB CLAIM) She collects magazine articles of prodigy children, and then proceeds to put Jing Mei
through ridiculous tests, trying to find in her a remarkable genius, or special ability. She asks Jing
Mei what the capital of Finland is, to multiply numbers in her head, to predict the temperatures in
various cities around the world, and to quote the bible from memory, as if her daughter would have
the magical ability to perform these tasks without study. When, of course, Jing Mei fails these tests,
her mother becomes disappointed. (STEP 1: INTRODUCE QUOTE) The author writes, (STEP 2: THE
QUOTE ITSELF) “... after seeing my mother’s disappointed face once again, something inside of me
began to die. I hated the tests, the raised hopes and failed expectations. Before going to bed that
night, I looked in the mirror above the bathroom sink and when I saw only my face staring back and that it would always be this ordinary face - I began to cry. Such a sad, ugly girl! I made highpitched noises like a crazed animal, trying to scratch out the face in the mirror” (Tan 1152). (STEP 3:
EXPLAIN THE QUOTE) Her mother had set the bar so high that Jing Mei would have to be a savant
in order to please her. Her hopes are raised, but her failure to live up to her mothers expectations
cripples her self image. When she looks in the mirror, she sees her face is not that of a genius, but of
an ordinary girl. She calls herself ugly and tries to scratch out the face in the mirror. (STEP 4:
ANALYZE THE QUOTE) Jing Mei’s spirit has become so broken, she is literally trying to erase her
own reflection. (CONCLUDING SENTENCE) Here we see an example, of how by continually
comparing Jing Mei to child prodigies, her mother has only helped to cripple Jing Mei’s identity.
Quotations and Source Integration
1. Think about the rhetorical importance of source
integration.
 How
would you explain this to a student?
2. Now take a look at one of the quotations in the
Jane Doe paper.
 How
would you help this student with source
integration?
 How would you explain the rhetorical importance of
source integration?
Academic Writing Conventions We’ll
Cover

Argument
 Claim
vs. Thesis Statement
 Stakes / So what?

Evidence
 Source

integration
Organization/Structure
 Roadmap
 The
line of inquiry
 Topic sentences / concluding sentences
Organization/Structure Intro

The purpose of organization/structure can be
summed up with the PB & J metaphor…
Organization/Structure Intro

Remember…
 Readers
read from the top-down
 Academic papers require students to construct a “line
of inquiry” – that is, a sustained engagement with their
thesis/claim throughout their entire paper.
 It’s the writer’s responsibility to clearly and explicitly
lead the reader through his or her paper and line of
inquiry.
Organization/Structure Intro

Steps:
 Intro
with a roadmap
 Body paragraphs that follow a line of inquiry with
clear topic + concluding sentences.
Roapmaps

Introductory paragraph as a “roadmap”
When you’re reviewing a student’s paper, ask yourself:
How well does the introduction set up reader expectations
for the rest of the paper?
Is this an effective roadmap?

Jane Doe Intro:
The Anita Hill vs. Clarence Thomas case was an extremely different case.
The case involved two highly educated African Americans who were going
to trial on sexual harassment charges in the work place against Anita Hill.
Anita Hill, an educated African American woman, who is a law professor at
a prestigious university. She took Clarence Thomas, who was a nominee for
the Supreme Court during the time, to court on sexual harassment charges.
After reviewing the Anita Hill vs. Clarence Thomas case, in which the verdict
was ruled in favor of Clarence Thomas. I’ve concluded that African
American women do not always have to be the shoulder on which our
African American men have to rely on. Anita Hill had every right to come
forward and speak out against Clarence Thomas. The African American
community should have supported her during the trial instead of supporting
Clarence Thomas.
How about this one?




INTRO: New York Times reporter Bob Hepburn says "overt sexism" was at
the heart of Hillary Clinton's loss to Barack Obama. [Will also include
quotes from Sen. Clinton supporters as well as other reporters]
QUESTION: Was Senator Hillary Clinton a victim of sexism in her failed
bid for the Democratic presidential nomination?
HYPOTHESIS/WORKING COMPLEX THESIS: Although some critics argue
that Hillary Clinton lost the 2008 Democratic primary due to sexism in the
media, it was because of Clinton herself – her gaffes, election strategy and
inability to raise sufficient funds – as well as Barack Obama's superior
oratory skills, political organization and campaign that account for her
second-place finish.
SO WHAT/STAKES: Clinton proved what many have always known — a
woman running a high-profile race for president can be tough, tireless,
savvy and resilient. She didn’t win, but she still broke barriers. Making her a
victim diminishes her accomplishments.
Roadmap Criterion

Can you determine the structure of the essay from
the intro paragraph alone?
Previous Thesis/Claim:




INTRO: New York Times reporter Bob Hepburn says "overt sexism" was at
the heart of Hillary Clinton's loss to Barack Obama. [Will also include
quotes from Sen. Clinton supporters as well as other reporters]
QUESTION: Was Senator Hillary Clinton a victim of sexism in her failed
bid for the Democratic presidential nomination?
HYPOTHESIS/WORKING COMPLEX THESIS: Although some critics argue
that Hillary Clinton lost the 2008 Democratic primary due to sexism in the
media, it was because of Clinton herself – her gaffes, election strategy and
inability to raise sufficient funds – as well as Barack Obama's superior
oratory skills, political organization and campaign that account for her
second-place finish.
SO WHAT/STAKES: Clinton proved what many have always known — a
woman running a high-profile race for president can be tough, tireless,
savvy and resilient. She didn’t win, but she still broke barriers. Making her a
victim diminishes her accomplishments.
Possible Roadmap/Organization


Intro: Although some critics argue that Hillary Clinton lost the 2008 Democratic primary due to sexism in the
media, it was because of Clinton herself – her gaffes, election strategy and inability to raise sufficient funds
– as well as Barack Obama's superior oratory skills, political organization and campaign that account for
her second-place finish.
Background Paragraph:

Tell us who Hillary Clinton is + general info about the 2008 Democratic presidential primary

Further explanation as to why the New York Times reporter Bob Hepburn said "overt sexism" was at the
heart of Hillary Clinton's loss to Barack Obama. [May also include quotes from Sen. Clinton supporters
as well as other reporters]

Body Paragraphs 1: Hillary’s gaffes account for her second place finish.

Body Paragraphs 2: Hillary’s election strategy account for her second place finish.

Body Paragraphs 3: Hillary’s inability to raise sufficient funds account for her second place finish.


Body Paragraph 4 (maybe 5): Furthermore, Barack Obama’s superior oratory skills, political organization,
and campaign strategy account for her second place finish
Conclusion:

Sum up thesis/claim + supporting evidence

Clinton proved what many have always known — a woman running a high-profile race for president
can be tough, tireless, savvy and resilient. She didn’t win, but she still broke barriers. Making her a
victim diminishes her accomplishments.
Roadmaps/Organization
As a tutor, try to imagine what the roadmap will be
after reading the intro paragraph. If your ideal
roadmap contradicts theirs, you may need to spend
time helping the student reorganize their intro
paragraph or their body paragraphs.
Organization/Structure

Organization/Structure
 Roadmap
 The
line of inquiry
 Topic sentences / concluding sentences
Line of Inquiry

“Flower Petal” visual
 In
many first-year composition courses, students learn to
construct a “line of inquiry” -- that is, a sustained engagement
with their claim throughout their entire paper.
 From an instructor’s point of view, a student’s line of inquiry is
often most evident in the paper’s sub-claims, topic sentences, or
concluding sentences in each paragraph.
Line of Inquiry

RULES TO LIVE BY:
 Every
paragraph must connect back to the claim/thesis
 Every paragraph must substantively engage with their
thesis/claim
 Every paragraph must work to further or progress the claim in
some fashion
Organization/Structure

Organization/Structure
 Roadmap
 The
line of inquiry
 Topic sentences / concluding sentences
Topic + Concluding Sentences


From an instructor’s point of view, a student’s line of inquiry is often most
evident in the paper’s sub-claims, topic sentences, or concluding sentences in
each paragraph.
Topic + Concluding Sentences:




A topic sentence is the first sentence of each body paragraph and it
should state the main idea of that paragraph
A topic sentence should refer to specific parts of the thesis (use keywords
from your thesis/claim!)
A topic sentence should partially answer the instructor’s question (if
applicable)
Like a thesis statement, a topic sentence should be an argument and thus
needs to be both ARGUABLE and SPECIFIC. It is not simply an
observation
Topic Sentences EXAMPLE



Writing Prompt: Do you think Hawthorne’s The Scarlett Letter is
an accurate representation of the time period?
Thesis: By looking at Hawthorne’s treatment of gender roles,
religious views, and daily life, and comparing it to my research
on the time period, one can see that The Scarlett Letter is an
accurate representation of Puritan New England.
Topic Sentence: Through the town’s reaction to Hester Prynne’s
situation, Hawthorne illustrates the traditional puritan gender
roles, thus suggesting the novel is historically accurate.
Topic Sentences Criterion

To help ensure that all topic sentences are arguable
and specific, they should include:
A
reference to the text (The Scarlett Letter, Hester
Prynne)
 A reference to your claim/thesis (the novel is historically
accurate)
 A piece of proof, referred to in your thesis, that helps
you prove your claim (traditional Puritan gender roles
suggest that the novel is historically accurate)

Can be applied to concluding sentences as well
Organization/Structure: General
Strategies
3. Show the student where they do provide signposts
for their readers. Use these examples as models,
and discuss their rhetorical usefulness.
4. Try reverse-outlining: create an outline from the
existing paper, and discuss whether the
organization is working.
Organization / Structure: Strategies
5. Encourage the student to think about their paper
from the reader’s point of view. What does the
reader need to understand at each stage of the
paper?
Now you try…
Scenario:
 You begin to read a student’s paper, and you
quickly realize that the paper is one long string of
overly broad generalizations.
 How do you respond?
Now you try…
Scenario:
 When meeting with a student, you read the
instructor’s prompt… To your surprise and the
student’s frustration, the prompt is unnecessarily
vague!
A. How do you help the student?
B. How do you empathize with the student’s
frustration without criticizing or overtly
judging the instructor?
Now you try…
Scenario:
 While helping a student with her paper, you read
the instructor’s prompt. The instructor, in your
opinion, seems to want the students to construct
arguable claims, but hasn’t articulated this
expectation in the prompt.
 How do you respond?
Now you try…
Scenario:
 You read a student’s paper and discover that the
body paragraphs are little more than a long
collection of quotations, ineffectively integrated and
strung together without much commentary from the
student.
 How do you respond?
Last but not least … Q & A

Do you have any questions for us?

Do you have any questions for returning tutors?