【英语：基础高阶_学术写作训练】J3.学术写作类别和写作形式

1.ESSAY WRITING

1.1.WHAT IS AN ESSAY?

Essays are shorter pieces of writing that often require the student to hone a number of skills such as close reading, analysis, comparison and contrast, persuasion, conciseness, clarity, and exposition.As is evidenced by this list of attributes, there is much to be gained by the student who strives to succeed at essay writing.

1.2.GENRES OF ESSAYS

The four genres of essays are common paper assignments:

• Expository essays
• Descriptive essays
• Narrative essays
• Argumentative (Persuasive) essays

1.3.GENRES OF ESSAYS

2.WRITING ESSAYS FOR EXAMS

2.1.WHAT IS A WELL WRITTEN ANSWER TO AN ESSAY QUESTION?

It is…
Well Focused

Be sure to answer the question completely, that is, answer all parts of the question.Avoid " padding." A lot of rambling and ranting is a sure sign that the writer doesn’t really know what the right answer is and hopes that somehow,something in that overgrown jungle of words was the correct answer.

It is…
Well Organized

Don’t write in a haphazard "think-as-you-go " manner. Do some planning and be sure that what you write has a clearly marked introduction which both states the point(s) you are going to make and also, if possible, how you are going to proceed. In addition, the essay should have a clearly indicated conclusion which summarizes the material covered and emphasizes your thesis or main point.

It is…
Well Supported

Do not just assert something is true, prove it.What facts, figures, examples, tests, etc. prove your point?
In many cases, the difference between an A and a B as a grade is due to the effective use of supporting evidence.

It is…
Well Packaged

People who do not use conventions of language are thought of by their readers as less competent and less educated.

3.SPECIFIC ORGANIZATIONAL PATTERNS & USEFUL TRANSITION WORDS

3.1.SPECIFIC ORGANIZATIONAL PATTERNS

Most essay questions will have one or more “key words” that indicate which organizational pattern you should use in your answer.

The five most common organizational patterns for essay exams are analysis, cause and effect,comparison/contrast, process analysis, and thesis-support.

3.2.ANALYSIS

3.2.1.Typical questions

Analysis involves breaking something down into its components and discovering the parts that make up the whole.

• “Analyze X.”
• “What are the components of X?”
• “What are the five different kinds of X?”
• “Discuss the different types of X.”

3.2.2.Example

Q: “Discuss the different services a junior college offers a community.”
A: Thesis:A junior college offers the community at least three main types of educational services: vocational education for young people, continuing education for older people, and personal development for all individuals.

3.2.3.Process

Outline for supporting details and examples. For example, if you were answering the example question, an outline might include:

• Vocational education
• Continuing education
• Personal development

Write the essay, describing each part or component and making transitions between each of your descriptions. Some useful transition words include:

• first, second, third, etc. next
• another
• in addition
• moreover

Conclude the essay by emphasizing how each part you have described makes up the whole you have been asked to analyze.

3.3.CAUSE AND EFFECT

Cause and effect involves tracing probable or known effects of a certain cause or examining one or more effects and discussing the reasonable or known cause(s).

Typical questions:

• “What are the causes of X?”
• “What led to X?”
• “Why did X occur?”
• “Why does X happen?”
• “What would be the effects of X?”

Example
Q: “Define recession and discuss the probable effects a recession would have on today’s society.”
A: Thesis:A recession, which is a nationwide lull in business activity, would be detrimental to society in the following ways: it would …A…, it would …B…, and it would …C… The rest of the answer would explain, in some detail, the three effects:A, B, and C.

Useful transition words:

• because
• consequently
• therefore
• for this reason
• as a result

3.4.COMPARISON-CONTRAST

Typical questions:

• “How does X differ fromY?”
• “Compare X andY.”
• “What are the advantages and disadvantages of X andY?”

Example:
Q: “Which would you rather own—a compact car or a full-sized car?”
A: Thesis: I would own a compact car rather than a full-sized car for the following reasons: …A…, …B…, …C…, and …D… .

Two patterns of development:
Pattern 1

• Full-sized car
• Advantages
• Disadvantages
• Compact car
• Advantages
• Disadvantages

Two patterns of development:
Pattern 2

• Advantages
• Full-sized car
• Compact car
• Disadvantages
• Full-sized car
• Compact car

Useful transition words

• on the other hand
• similarly
• yet
• unlike A,B … in the same way
• but
• while both A and B are …, only B … nevertheless
• on the contrary
• though
• despite
• however
• conversely
• while A is …,B is …

3.5.THESIS AND SUPPORT

Thesis and support involves stating a clearly worded opinion or interpretation and then defending it with all the data, examples, facts, and so on that you can draw from the material you have studied.

Typical questions:

• “Discuss X.”
• “A noted authority has said X. Do you agree or disagree?”
• “Defend or refute X.”
• “Do you think that X is valid? Defend your position.”

Example:
Q: “Despite criticism, television is useful because it aids in the socializing process of our children.”
A: Television hinders rather than helps in the socializing process of our children because …A…, …B…, and …C… . The rest of the answer is devoted to developing arguments A, B, and C.

Useful transition words:

• therefore
• for this reason
• it follows that
• as a result
• because
• however
• consequently

4.EXPOSITORY ESSAYS

4.1.EXPOSITORY ESSAYS

The expository essay is a genre of essay that requires the student to investigate an idea, evaluate evidence, expound on the idea, and set forth an argument concerning that idea in a clear and concise manner.This can be accomplished through comparison and contrast, definition, example, the analysis of cause and effect, etc.

The structure of the expository essay is held together by the following.

A clear, concise, and defined thesis statement that occurs in the first paragraph of the essay.
It is essential that this thesis statement be appropriately narrowed to follow the guidelines set forth in the assignment.