Trevor Day - Success in Academic Writing

Success in Academic Writing

www.palgravestudyskills.com the leading study skills website

For a complete listing of all our titles in this area please visit www.macmillanihe.com/study-skills

Palgrave Study Skills

Business Degree Success

Career Skills

Cite Them Right (10th edn) e-Learning Skills (2nd edn) Essentials of Essay Writing

Get Sorted

Great Ways to Learn Anatomy and Physiology (2nd edn)

How to Begin Studying English Literature (4th edn)

How to Study Foreign Languages

How to Study Linguistics (2nd edn)

How to Use Your Reading in Your Essays (2nd edn)

How to Write Better Essays (3rd edn)

How to Write Your Undergraduate Dissertation (2nd edn)

Improve Your Grammar (2nd edn) Information Skills

The International Student Handbook

The Mature Students Guide to Writing (3rd edn)

The Mature Students Handbook

The Palgrave Student Planner

The Personal Tutors Handbook

Practical Criticism

Presentation Skills for Students (3rd edn)

The Principles of Writing in Psychology Professional Writing (3rd edn)

Researching Online

The Student Phrase Book

The Students Guide to Writing (3rd edn)

Study Skills for International Postgraduates Study Skills for Speakers of English as a Second Language

Studying History (4th edn)

Studying Law (4th edn)

Studying Modern Drama (2nd edn)

Studying Psychology (2nd edn) Studying Physics

Success in Academic Writing (2nd edn)

Smart Thinking

The Undergraduate Research Handbook

The Work-Based Learning Student Handbook (2nd edn)

Work Placements A Survival Guide for Students

Write it Right (2nd edn)

Writing for Engineers (4th edn)

Writing for Law

Writing for Nursing and Midwifery Students (2nd edn)

Writing History Essays (2nd edn)

Pocket Study Skills

14 Days to Exam Success

Analyzing a Case Study

Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and More

Brilliant Writing Tips for Students Completing Your PhD

Doing Research (2nd edn)

Getting Critical (2nd edn)

Planning Your Dissertation

Planning Your Essay (2nd edn)

Planning Your PhD

Posters and Presentations

Reading and Making Notes (2nd edn)

Referencing and Understanding Plagiarism (2nd edn)

Reflective Writing

Report Writing

Science Study Skills

Studying with Dyslexia (2nd edn)

Success in Groupwork

Time Management

Wheres Your Argument?

Writing for University (2nd edn)

Palgrave Research Skills

Authoring a PhD

The Foundations of Research (2nd edn) Getting to Grips with Doctoral Research Getting Published

The Good Supervisor (2nd edn)

PhD by Published Work

The PhD Viva

Planning Your Postgraduate Research The PhD Writing Handbook

The Postgraduate Research Handbook (2nd edn)

The Professional Doctorate

Structuring Your Research Thesis

Palgrave Career Skills

Excel at Graduate Interviews

Graduate CVs and Covering Letters

Graduate Entrepreneurship

How to Succeed at Assessment Centres

Social Media for Your Student and Graduate Job Search

The Graduate Career Guidebook Work Experience, Placements and Internships

Successin Academic Writing

Second edition

Trevor Day

Trevor Day 2018

All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication may be made without written permission.

No portion of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted save with written permission or in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, or under the terms of any licence permitting limited copying issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, Saffron House, 610 Kirby Street, London EC1N 8TS.

Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

The author has asserted his right to be identified as the author of this work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

First published 2018 by
PALGRAVE

Palgrave in the UK is an imprint of Macmillan Publishers Limited, registered in England, company number 785998, of 4 Crinan Street, London, N1 9XW.

Palgrave and Macmillan are registered trademarks in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe and other countries.

ISBN 9781352002041 paperback

This book is printed on paper suitable for recycling and made from fully managed and sustained forest sources. Logging, pulping and manufacturing processes are expected to conform to the environmental regulations of the country of origin.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress.

To Anthony and Tessa, a continuing source of inspiration

Contents

Preface to the Second Edition

This book is written for university undergraduates in a wide range of disciplines within social sciences, sciences, engineering, arts and humanities. It will be valuable for students writing at university level for the first time as well as those in their final undergraduate year. It will also be useful for postgraduates on taught courses who have had little recent experience of academic writing. The book focuses on coursework assignments, but the principles of good writing apply to examination answers, so the lessons you learn from assignment writing can be used to help prepare for written examinations.

The book works on the principle that academic writing, like other forms of writing, needs to be tailored to its specific context its purpose and audience. Nevertheless, there are general principles that apply to many kinds of academic writing. Using examples, reflections and self-study activities, the book takes you through the various aspects of academic writing one step at a time. It includes examples from a wide range of disciplines so that you should be able to find some that meet your disciplinary requirements, as well as others that give general principles that you can apply to your discipline.

You do not need to read through this book from beginning to end. Some of you will want to. Others will want to dip into it according to need. Whatever your preference, there are certain chapters and sections that are more vital than others. I suggest that you read first, as it sets the scene for the rest of the book. All the other chapters assume that you are familiar with the content of the first chapter. Chapters are divided into numbered sections to assist you in navigating through the book.

Most of the book is written in a relaxed style as though I, the writer, am helping you, the reader, work step-by-step through various aspects of academic writing. The writing style is different from that of academic writing itself and is more like a conversation a tutor might have with you when discussing your writing. Although the style is quite casual, it is nevertheless rigorous. For example, I will use appropriate conventions for citing and referencing, so demonstrating the practice expected of you in academic writing. A summary of key points is given at the end of each chapter, along with a list of references cited in that chapter plus any suggested further reading and answers to self-study activities. A glossary of terms and a complete listing of references are given at the end of the book.