Academic Writing
Writing Essays
General Concepts:
What any essay should do
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Distinguish yourself
Be specific
Be realistic (don’t overdo it)
Be honest
Be concise
Distinguish Yourself
• Show that you are a unique
individual, write something
memorable
• Use the essays as a chance to
expand on something that is
important to you
• Show personal initiative
Bring Out Your Most Appealing
Qualities*
• Seriousness of
Purpose
• Intellectual
Ability
• Intellectual
Curiosity
• Creativity
• Open-mindedness
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Initiative
Enthusiasm
Confidence
Sense of Humor
Diligence
Independence
Bring Out Your Most Appealing
Qualities*
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Maturity
Responsibility
Trustworthiness
Consideration
Social
Responsibility
• Integrity
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Commitment
Personal Growth
Candor
Tact
Goal Oriented
Mastery
Leadership
From a Graduate School
Admissions Officer:
“We want to know what students do with
their free time, what makes them tick
outside of work, and whether they’ve
demonstrated the ability to work with
and help others.”*
Questions to Ask Yourself
• What details of your life
(personal or family history,
genuine accomplishments,
people or events that influenced
your goals) might help set you
apart from other applicants?
Questions to Ask Yourself
• When did you become interested in
this field and what have you since
learned about it – and about yourself?
• How have you learned about this
field?
• Can you demonstrate personal
characteristics that would help you
become a success in this field?
Which of these examples would be appropriate
for the essay on professional and personal
plans?
• I’ve always wanted to go to America, so if I
go it will be a very good thing.
• I am going to be a teacher.
• I think that when I come home from
America I will know many things.
• There are many aspects of education
methodology that I can learn in America
that are still unknown in Kyrgyzstan. I plan
to apply these new methodologies to my
own future profession of teaching English
in Kyrgyzstan.
Which of these examples would be appropriate
for the essay on leadership?
• I am a good leader.
• I want to be a leader after I finish
university.
• When I was young, I always told my
little sister what to do.
• During my first year of university, I
had the opportunity to be the vicepresident of the ecology club.
Distinguishing Yourself
“I attended School # 7, got almost all 5’s,
was president of the ecology club, and
worked on a UNDP project.”
•What was unique about your experience at school,
what teacher affected you the most and why did
you participate in the ecology club and what did
the club do, and what did you value about working
on the UNDP project?
•“In America, I will be able to
learn about the American
economics system, which is the
best in the world.”
•“When I was working with a
journalist from the US last year,
I began to understand that the
forces influencing the American
economy are quite different from
what we are taught in textbooks.”
Be Specific
• Application readers want to see
concrete examples of what
separates your experience from
that of others. Don’t generalize.
Being Specific
“Kazakhstan is
facing many
difficulties since
its independence
in 1991 such as
poverty,
corruption, and
economic crisis.”
“The issue of rural
poverty is the most
pressing for
Kazakhstan, as the
country’s villages
suffer from a lack of
job opportunities.
Consequently, many
young educated
people have been
forced to seek work
in the cities, and
often in shuttle
trade.”
Structure
• Make an outline first
• Structure your essay to show you are
able to organize your thoughts
• Concentrate on the opening
• Set out what you plan on telling the
reader
• Conclusion should bring lessons
together
Make an Outline First:
Opening Statement
• Write an opening statement
that is interesting, catches the
readers attention, is
memorable and lets the reader
know what you will be talking
about.
Make an Outline First:
Supporting Paragraphs
• The main part of the essay
should be paragraphs that
support only the topic you
introduced.
• Use many examples.
• Explain your thoughts clearly.
Make an Outline First:
Conclusion
• Finish the essay with a
conclusion paragraph.
• The conclusion should remind
the reader of the topic and the
supporting evidence.
• The conclusion should be
memorable.
Introductions
“I live in Almaty. Most people
think I am a good person. My
family is quite close. My
father is a lawyer and my
mother works in a theater. I
am also a good student.”
Introductions
“Lawyers have played an important
role during three important
moments in my family’s life and
impressed upon me the
significance of what they do.
Before I describe those events,
though, I must provide you with the
context of the unusual
circumstances under which I grew
up.”
Final Advice
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Write it yourself
Spell check! Make sure it’s neat.
Don’t try to flatter
Don’t sound like you must go on
the program
• Start early; take your time.