FAQ
General FAQ
Q. What referencing style do we use in this course?
A. We use APA. You may use a different one in other courses. Always check with your lecturer/tutor to find out what system they prefer. This site assumes APA is used; links to other systems here.
Q. What is academic style?
A. There are no rules as such, but here are some common features of it.
Q. Can I cite stuff I found on the Internet?
A. Yes, but as with citing anything (printed or digital) you need to check that it's a credible source, and provide as much information about the source as possible. Don't cite crap! Follow the correct citation format, as per APA or any other referencing style. Check your referencing guide for details.
Q. How do I know redundant words are redundant?
A. Would the meaning change substantially if you deleted the word? If no, then it's redundant. This is part of the editing process. Here's some advice from The Economist.
Q. How do I ensure that my writing is coherent (i.e. flows nicely) and doesn't go all over the place?
A. Have a clear purpose and thesis in mind. Understand the structure that is required. Plan with an outline and edit carefully before you submit your paper. Use cohesive devices (e.g. linking words) where necessary.
Q. Must I be completely objective and unemotional in academic writing?
A. Not at all. Sometimes, especially in descriptive writing, emotion can help the reader put themselves in your shoes. We all have our biases too. However, it would only be fair to acknowledge explicitly where you are subjective and possibly biased, so that the reader can take that into account.
Q. What does it mean to have a purpose when writing?
A. Why are you writing? And by extension why should the reader read it? If this isn't clear right from the start, the reader is likely to just stop reading. The next time you read an article, a blog post, an email, etc. as yourself if the writer has made their purpose clear and how. In academic writing, the purpose usually comes in the introduction, even before the thesis statement appears.
Q. How do I know if my writing is 'academic' enough?
A. To some extent this is subjective and dependent on the field you are writing in. The only way to know the 'acceptable' range is to read extensively so as to develop a better instinct for it. (Linguistics students may be interested in reading about Genre Studies.)
Q. What's the difference between descriptive, analytical, persuasive and argumentative writing?
A. Here's a succinct summary of each, highlighting some of the differences (you may take 'critical' writing here to refer to argumentative writing).
Revising and editing your writing
Argumentation
Essay writing (this site)
FAQ
Q. I don't know where to start with this topic!
A. Topics generally have to be narrowed down by the author, i.e. you have to decide on the scope because you cannot cover everything related to the topic. The word limit should guide this.
Q. How do I write a good thesis statement?
A. This should help.
Q. How do I balance my own opinions and citations?
A. Writing an academic piece has been likened to entering an ongoing conversation. You want to acknowledge what others have said in this conversation, but you don't want to simply regurgitate what you've read. You may wish to use these sentence frames to help you.
It's often easier to position your view first, before synthesising relevant sources. Non-integral citation (i.e. citation/s at the end of a sentence in brackets) is a good strategy here.
Q. How do I ensure that my argument is strong (especially when addressing counter-arguments)?
A. There are some good strategies here. You may find the Toulmin Method useful. You should also avoid logical fallacies in your argument.
Q. Should I write my arguments first or counter-arguments first?
A. There are 2 general ways to organise your main points (see structuring argumentative essays), and either can come first. It depends on your content/argument.
Q. Must I have an equal number of main points for argument and counterargument? More points for the former than the latter?
A. Not really. Quality and strength of argument is more important than the number of points.
Q. How do I know when I have to cite?
A. Imagine there's an annoying little devil on your shoulder. (This is the same devil who's always arguing with you and has a rebuttal for everything.) This devil is always asking 'How do you know that?' in response to everything you write. Your citation is your response. Of course certain things seem commonsensical, but they may only be commonsensical to you. When in doubt, always cite! You cannot cite too much, only too little.
Q. Can I cite newspaper articles?
A. They are generally ok, but it's advisable to evaluate each one individually. Use a variety of sources; if you cite only newspapers, your argument may come off as being rather superficial.
Q. Can I use personal experience as supporting evidence?
A. Yes, but it would not be sufficiently convincing on its own; evidence in the form of published studies, expert opinion, etc. should also be included and cited. Your personal observations never have to hold up an argument on their own.