In your university classes, you will be assigned many writing assignments. You may even have to write several of them at the same time. Therefore,it is essential to learn how to write and gain experience in academic writing. In this chapter, you will learn the basic types of writing and the process of completing them.
It is often said that academic writing at university is different from high school essays. In contrast to a high school essay, in which you are free to express your thoughts and feelings, university writing requires you to draw your conclusions on a topic while providing objective evidence. Some assignments require you to read and summarize assigned readings, some require you to argue on a given topic, and some even require you to formulate your chosen topic.
Difference between a book report and a university writing assignment
Frequently used expressions
Highschool essays
Subjective
I think…, I am interested in …, I would like to …
University writing assignments
Objective
According to X …, The graph Y indicates …, Z mentions that …,
That is to say …
Main types of writing assignments
Report type
"Read and summarize XXX."
"Research YYY and summarize the problem."
Argumentation type
(Topic is given)
"Discuss XXX issues."
"Describe your thoughts on YYY."
Argumentation type (You decide the topic)
"Discuss freely any subject of interest from the class."
The most basic structure for an argumentation type of writing is Introduction - Body - Conclusion.
Introduction
Clarify the topic
Introduce the topic and relevant background and give an overview of what your paper will discuss.
Body
Develop an argument
Develop an argument while presenting the evidence (relevant sources, survey/experimental results, etc.) necessary to conclude.
Conclusion
Summarize the argument
Summarize the argument and present your conclusion to the topic.
In addition, you should attach a list of references to the sources of the evidence used in your argument.
For more information on writing references, please refer to the chapter "Putting Information to Use (Citations, Copyrights)."
TIPS
If you have conducted your questionnaire, interview, experiment, fieldwork, etc., include an explanation of the research method and the research results in the body of your paper. In many cases, individual chapters are allocated.
In academic writing, the following attitudes are required.
Be responsible for what you write.
Your work must not include ambiguities, lies, or deceptions. Be responsible for what you write. Write what you have understood, using your own words.
Distinguish your ideas from those of others.
When you present other people's results of research or surveys or writings as evidence to support your ideas, you must clearly distinguish your ideas from those of others. Writing about other people's ideas as if they were your own is plagiarism and will be dealt with severely. To use the research results and writings of others in your writing, use the citation method and indicate the source. Citations are explained in the chapter "Putting Information to Use (Citations, Copyrights)."
Do not change the intent of the original text.
When using other people's texts, you must first understand the point of such texts. Never extract and use only a convenient part of the original text, ignoring the overall context of the original, as this will undermine the true meaning of the original. In addition, do not compile arbitrarily other people's ideas.
This section shows the procedure of what you should do when you are given an assignment.
Step 1
Understanding the aim
First, read the assignment carefully to understand the conditions and purpose.
Deadline
No matter how good the content of your paper is, if you miss the deadline, it may be rejected. Be sure to check the submission method carefully and plan well in advance.
Word count
The number of words you are expected to write will significantly influence the scale of your paper. This is because the length will naturally determine the appropriate issue size to be raised.
Topic
Check your lecture notes or textbook to see how the topic was explained in class. If it was not covered in class, examine the topic's relationship to the content of the class.
Scope of research required by the assignment
What is the depth of research that the assignment requires? Considering the scope of your research will give you a general idea of how much time you will need to complete it.
Step 2
Setting a schedule
Once you understand the purpose of the assignment, make a concrete schedule of what you need to finish by when, including the choice of the topic, research, and the actual writing.
Points to consider when setting your schedule
Start early
If you procrastinate, your classmates who are working on the same assignment may borrow materials from the library before you do, and you may not be able to get the materials you need. Also, there are no guarantees that your schedule will proceed as planned. Therefore, give yourself a lot of time.
Consider the balance with other things you need to do
Consider how much time you can spend on this paper, balancing it with other assignments, class preparation and review, extracurricular activities, part-time jobs, and other schedules.
Set a realistic and practical schedule
Even if you have a grand plan, it is completely meaningless if you cannot execute it by the deadline. Make a realistic plan to ensure that you can complete the paper within the allotted time.
Step 3
Decide on a topic to cover and do preliminary research
Even if the assignment has already given you a theme, if the theme is broad in scope, you may need to narrow down the theme to determine which parts of it you will cover or which aspects you will argue.
Once you have decided on a general theme, gather information on the theme. When gathering information, find out what issues and opinions exist around, and look for potential topics for argument based on the questions that arise in your mind.
Main sources of information to do preliminary research
Lecture notes
Textbooks and reference books
Dictionaries and encyclopedias
Information on the Internet
Introductory books on the theme
TIPS
When you are stuck on ideas, brainstorming can be an effective method. Brainstorming is originally a group method of thinking, but it can also be done individually. Write down words and concepts related to the theme and map them out as you think of them.
There are several methods of visualizing thoughts, such as "mind mapping" and "concept mapping".
Step 4
Set up the discussion point
Once an outline of the theme get clear, focus on what you find questionable or interesting and set up the discussion points in your paper. For example, if the theme is "The Globalization of Japan," a question may arise…
(e.g.) It is said that Japanese young people are getting inward-looking and reluctant to study abroad, but is this true? Next, adjust the discussion point to a volume you can handle, considering the word count and deadline of the paper.
(e.g.) Overseas orientation among students at Keio University
Perspectives that can be used to adjust the size of the discussion points
Who
Students, first-year-students, male/female students, Keio students, etc.
When
In recent years, the 1980s, etc.
Where
All over Japan, Tokyo metropolitan area, Keio University, Hiyoshi Campus, etc.
How
From a psychological viewpoint, from a college student's viewpoint, make a comparison with country A, etc.
Step 5
Gather information to support your conclusion
Once you have set up your discussion points, gather the information you need to support your discussion and lead to a conclusion. You should gather more accurate facts, data, and research results that support your discussion than preliminary research. If you can take time, it may be desirable you conduct surveys by yourself. However, sometimes you can not get the information you want. In such cases, you may consult with the reference desk at the library about finding apprpriate information.
Step 6
Review the discussion point
Sometimes you need to revise your discussion point when you have too little or too much information, or find an error in your assumptions. If you feel that you are not making good progress along the way, be flexible in your approach.
Step 7
Create an outline
Based on the information you have gathered, develop the structure of your paper.
(e.g.) Globalization in Japan
Introduction:
It is said that Japanese young people are becoming more inward-looking and reluctant to study abroad, but is this true? I conducted a questionnaire survey on study abroad for Keio students.
Body:
-Recent opinions in the literature about the inward orientation of young people.
-Show changes in the number of Japanese university students studying abroad.
-Show the number of Keio students studying abroad.
-Explain the method of the questionnaire survey.
-Show and analyze the survey results and disprove the inward orientation.
Conclusion:
Japanese young people are not becoming more inward-looking.
Step 8
Make a draft
Following the outline, build your logic using materials (sources and data) to support your argument. Once you make a draft, review the following points:
Are there any jumps in your logic?
Are there any areas that are not sufficiently explained or supported?
Are there any expressions that are difficult to understand?
Step 9
Finish your assignment
Add a list of references
Add a list of citations and references to indicate the sources of the works and data used in your paper. Please refer to the chapter on "Using Information (Citation and Copyright)" for how to write them.
Proofread
Are there any typos or omissions in your paper? Check to see if you are over or under the word limit.
Confirm your title
Does the title accurately reflect the contents? Try to devise a title that is both appropriate and attention-getting.
Prepare your cover page
Add a cover page, if necessary. Make sure you have not forgotten to write your student ID number, affiliation, grade, name, class name, the title of the paper, etc.
Submit the assignment!
Follow the designated submission method and submit by the deadline.
