Course: An Intermediate Guide to Writing in English for University Study

This table shows some common prepositions, conjunctions and adverbs used in academic writing. Language function Prepositions/ prepositional phrases (come before noun phrases) Conjunctions (join two clauses in one sentence) Adverbs/Adverbial …

You can use different methods to link ideas in your academic writing but it’s essential to understand the grammar behind them. In this video Jonathan compares three sentences that have …

Plagiarism refers to presenting someone else’s work as your own, either for publication or for coursework on an academic programme, without making it clear that the ideas or words come …

An effective quotation will express your idea succinctly, and have an impact on the reader. There is a danger, however, in using too many quotations within your work without careful …

Here are some techniques to use when paraphrasing. Remember that these techniques should only be used once you have ensured you fully understood the text; do not try to paraphrase …

In this video Jonathan provides an example of how Patrick has used paraphrasing in his essay on food waste using a credible source; the European Commission (2011). Follow Jonathan as …

When you paraphrase, you rephrase a specific sentence or set of sentences in your own words. It is important to show that you have understood your reading. Here is a …

There are three main ways in which you can integrate information or ideas from other sources into your writing: direct quotation paraphrasing summarising. Read this extract from “Utility Privatisation in …

In academic writing, claims made by the writer should, as far as possible, be supported by evidence. This evidence must come from credible sources eg academic journals or authoritative institutions …

Acknowledging your sources is an essential aspect of academic writing. In this video, follow Jonathan as he examines the three sources of information Patrick refers to within his essay to …

As you have seen in the previous Step, a paragraph can be developed in different ways. 1. Chronological development In the example below, an issue is examined in chronological sequence, …

This Week you looked at the principles behind paragraphing and examined the three component elements: the paragraph leader supporting sentences concluding sentence. You also looked at the different ways you …

This is the first paragraph of the introduction in “Utility Privatisation in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Case Study of Water, Kate Bayliss, The Journal of Modern African Studies, Vol. 41, No. …

Using a dictionary effectively is crucial not only in language learning in general, but specifically in checking or improving your academic writing. If you use a dictionary regularly it can …

A summary noun summarises an idea which has been expressed earlier in a paragraph; either within the same sentence or in a previous sentence. Here are some examples from the …