Notes about academic writing.

The Topic Sentence

The topic sentence briefly indicates what the paragraph is going to discuss.
Here are some important points to remember about a topic sentence:

  • A topic sentence is a complete sentence.
  • A topic sentence contains two parts: a topic and a controlling idea.
  • A topic sentence gices only the topic and the controlling idea. It doesn’t give any specific details.(not too general or too specific)

The topic sentence is usually (but not always) the first sentence in a paragraph. Experienced writers sometimes put topic sentences in other locations, but the best spot is usually right at the beginning. At times, topic sentence comes at the end of the paragraph. So the paragraph is usually like this:

  • topic sentence
  • support
  • support
  • …
  • concluding sentence

Essay

An essay has three main parts: an introduction (introductory paragraph), a body (at least one, but usually two or more paragraphs), and a conclusion (concluding paragraph).

  • introduction
    • general statements
    • thesis statement
  • body
    • topic sentence A
      1. support
      2. support
      3. …
      4. (concluding sentence)
    • topic sentence B
      1. support
      2. support
      3. …
      4. (concluding sentence)
    • topic sentence C
      1. support
      2. support
      3. …
      4. (concluding sentence)
  • conclusion
    • restatement or summary of the main points; final comment

As is showed above, an essay introduction consists of two parts: a few general statements to attract your reader’s attention and a thesis statement to state the main idea of the essay.

The body consists of one or more paragraphs. Each body paragraph develops a subdivision or subtopic of the topic, so the number of paragraphs in the body will vary with the number of subtopics.

The conclusion, like the concluding sentence in a paragraph, is a summary or review of the main points discussed in teh body.

The Introductory Paragraph:

General statements

  • introduce the general topic of the essay;
  • capture the reader’s interest.

The thesis statement

  • states the specific topic;
  • may list subtopics of the main topic;
  • may indicate the pattern of organization of the essay;
  • may indicate the writer’s position or point of view;
  • is usually the last sentence in the introductory paragraph.

There’re several different styles of introductory paragraphs. Two of them are: the funnel introduction and the attention-getting introduction.
Funnel Introduction: It begins with one or two very general sentences about the topic. Each subsequent sentences becomes increasingly focused on the topic until the last sentence, which states very specifically what the essay will be about.
Attention-Getting Introducion: It captures reader’s attention. Three of the most common attention-getting techniques are telling a dramatic or funny story, using surprising facts or statistics, and offering historical background.

Sentence Problems

Sentence Fragments

Sentence fragments are incomplete sentences or parts of sentences. Remember that a complete sentence must contain at least one independent clause.
Problem
FRAGMENT: Becasuse some students work part-time while taking a full load of classes.
CORRECT: Some students work part-time while taking a full load of classes.

Choppy Sentences

Choppy sentences are sentences that are too short. And it also caused by too many short sentences in a row. Overuse of short sentences is considered poor style in academic writing.
Problem:
CHOPPY: Wind is an enduring source of power. Water is also an unlimited energy source. Dams produce hydraulic power. They have existed for a long time. Windmills are relatively new.
CORRECT: Both wind and water are enduring sources of power. Dams have produced hydraulic power for a long time, but windmills are relatively new.

Run-on Sentences and Comma Splices

A run-on sentence is a sentence in which two or more independent clauses are written one after another with no punctuation.
A similar error happens when two independent clauses are incorrectly joined by a comma without a coordinating conjunction. This kind of error is called a comma splice.

Problem
RUN-ON: My family went to Australia then they emigrated to Canada.
COMMA SPLICE: My family went to Australia, then they emigrated to Canada.
CORRECT:
ADD A PERIOD: My family went to Australia. Then they emigrated to Canada.
ADD A SEMICOLON: My family went to Australia; then they emigrated to Canada.
ADD A COORDINATOR: My family went to Australia, and then they emigrated to Canada.
ADD A SUBORDINATOR: My family went to Australia before they emigrated to Canada.

RUN-ON: Two emails from Jane came on Monday a third one came on Wednesday.
CORRECT: Two emails from Jane came on Monday; a third one came on Wednesday.

COMMA SPLICE: If you cannot find any information on a subject, you can always ask a librarian to help you, they are paid to assist students.
CORRECT: If you cannot find any information on a subject, you can always ask a librarian to help you, because they are paid to assist students.

Stringy Sentences

A stringy sentence is a sentence with too many clauses, usually connected whit and, but, so, and sometimes because. It often results from writing the way you speak, going on and on like a string without an end. To correct a stringy sentence, divide it and / or recombine the clauses, remembering to subordinate when appropriate.

Problem
STRINGY: Many students attend classes all morning, and then they work all afternoon, and they also have to study at night, so they are usually exhausted by the weekend.
CORRECT: Many students attend classes all morning, and work all afternoon. Since they also have to study at night, they are usually exhausted by the weekend.
OR Because many students attend classes all morning, work all afternoon and have to study at night, they are usually exhausted by the weekend.