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Workshop Scenario:

Please think of yourself in the following scenario as you complete this workshop:

You are a student working part-time as a writing tutor. A college student named Hannah approaches you for help. 

She mentions that she is struggling with her academic writing and expresses frustration with her recent essays, which she feels are poorly structured and lack clarity. She strongly desires to improve her writing skills but feels overwhelmed by the expectations of academic writing. 

As you progress through this 24/7 Teach Workshop, you now understand the basic fundamentals of academic writing. You recognize that you need a better understanding of the writing process. Your next step is to differentiate between pre-writing, outlining, and revising in order to improve the structure of your essays.

Today, you will learn how to effectively structure your writing. Please take notes throughout the lesson, as you will need to refer to them in your closing assessment.

Lesson Objective:

Your objective today is to distinguish between pre-writing, outlining, and revising.

As you read, please consider the following questions:

• What are the key components of a well-structured body in academic writing?

• How can you effectively wrap up your essay while leaving a lasting impression on the reader?

Lesson 2: Structuring Academic Essays

Do you struggle with organizing your academic essays in a clear and concise manner? In this lesson, we will explore the key elements of structuring your academic essays, including the introduction, body, and conclusion, to help elevate your writing and convey your ideas with precision and impact.

2.1 Pre-Writing

Have you ever sat down to start writing an essay only to find yourself staring at a blank page with no idea where to begin? If so, you're not alone!

The writing process can be challenging, but you can use tools and techniques to make it easier. One of the most important of these techniques is pre-writing.

What is Pre-writing?

Pre-writing is the stage of the writing process where you brainstorm, plan, and organize your ideas before you start writing. This may seem like an extra step that can be skipped, but in reality, it's an essential part of the writing process that can save you time and effort in the long run.

One of the biggest benefits of pre-writing is that it helps you to generate ideas and identify the main themes or arguments in your writing. By exploring different ideas, you can come up with new and interesting angles that you might not have otherwise considered. This can help to make your writing more engaging and persuasive.

Popular Pre-writing Techniques

You can use many techniques for pre-writing, including brainstorming, clustering, freewriting, and outlining. Each of these techniques offers a unique approach to organizing your ideas and can help you to approach your writing from different angles.

Brainstorming is a great way to generate a lot of ideas quickly. You can do this by listing out all of the ideas that come to mind, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant.

Clustering, on the other hand, is a way to visually map out your ideas in a way that shows the connections between them. This technique can be especially helpful if you struggle to identify the main themes or ideas in your writing.

Freewriting is another popular prewriting technique that involves writing continuously for a set period of time without worrying about grammar, punctuation, or structure. This technique can help you tap into your subconscious and generate ideas you might not have otherwise considered.

Outlining is a more structured prewriting technique that involves creating a detailed plan for your writing, including an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. This technique can be especially helpful if you're working on a longer piece of writing, such as a research paper or a thesis.

2.2 Outlining: Introduction, Body, and Conclusion

Developing a Strong Introduction

If you’ve ever picked up a book and felt immediately drawn in by the first sentence, then you’re already familiar with the power of a strong introduction. In academic writing, introductions are just as important. It's your chance to hook your reader and set the tone for the rest of your piece.

The purpose of an introduction is to provide a clear and concise overview of what the reader can expect to learn from the rest of the paper. It should grab the reader's attention and make them want to read on.

One way to do this is by starting with a hook – an interesting fact, quote, or anecdote that relates to your topic. This can help to pique the reader's curiosity and make them want to learn more.

Another important aspect of a strong introduction is to provide context for your topic. Giving your reader background information on the subject matter that you will discuss can help frame the discussion and ensure that the reader understands the topic's relevance.

The Importance of a Well-Structured Body

The body of an academic paper is where you present your evidence, develop your argument, and analyze your topic. It's where most of your writing should be focused, so it's essential to make sure it’s well-structured.

A well-structured body should have a clear organization and flow. One way to achieve this is by using topic sentences to guide the reader from one point to the next. A topic sentence is a sentence that summarizes the main point of a paragraph. It can help orient the reader and clarify how each section contributes to the overall argument.

It's also essential to make sure that your evidence and analysis are presented in a logical order. This means that you should organize your points in a way that makes sense for the reader. For example, if you're writing a persuasive essay, you might want to present your strongest arguments first, building up to your weaker points.

It's important to ensure that your body paragraphs are connected to each other and to your thesis statement. Every point you make should be related to your overall argument and contribute to the coherence of your paper.

Concluding Your Essay with Clarity and Impact

The purpose of a conclusion is to summarize your main points and restate your thesis in a way that leaves a lasting impression on the reader. One way to do this is by reminding the reader of the key takeaways from your paper. You can summarize your main points concisely by highlighting the most critical aspects of your argument.

Another way to make your conclusion impactful is by providing some sort of resolution or call to action. This could mean offering some final thoughts on the topic, suggesting areas for further research, or making a recommendation based on your findings. Doing so can leave your reader with something to think about and motivate them to take action.

It's also important to avoid introducing any new information or arguments in your conclusion. Your conclusion should be a summary of what you have already said in your paper, not a place to introduce new ideas or information. This can be confusing for the reader and may weaken the impact of your conclusion.

Finally, it's important to consider the tone of your conclusion. You want to leave a strong impression on the reader but also avoid coming across as preachy or condescending. Try to strike a balance between being confident and assertive in your argument while also being respectful of the reader's perspective.

2.3 Revising

Writing is often seen as a solitary activity, but the truth is that good writing is a collaborative effort between the writer and their work. Revising your academic writing is an essential step in this process, as it allows you to refine and improve your work before sharing it with others.

Key Elements to Revise When Improving Your Writing

First and foremost, it's important to revise the structure of your writing. This means making sure that your work has a clear introduction, body, and conclusion and that your ideas flow logically from one paragraph to the next. You may also want to rearrange your paragraphs or add additional ones to strengthen your argument and make your writing more coherent.

Next, you'll want to look at the clarity of your writing. Make sure that your language is clear, concise, and easy to understand. You may need to simplify complex ideas or rephrase sentences to make them more accessible to your readers. It's also important to ensure that your writing is free of grammatical errors and typos, as these can be distracting and undermine your credibility as a writer.

Finally, revising your writing with an eye toward improving its overall impact is important. This means looking at how effectively you've communicated your ideas and whether or not you've achieved the desired effect on your readers. You may want to revise your writing to include additional details, examples, or evidence to support your argument or to emphasize key points and make them more memorable.

By paying attention to the structure, clarity, engagement, and impact of your writing, you can refine your ideas and ensure that your work is effective and engaging for your readers. So don't be afraid to revise your writing, and remember that with each revision, you'll be one step closer to mastering the art of effective communication!

Closing Assessment:

Now that you have reached the end of this lesson, you should be able to answer the following:

1. What are the key components of a well-structured body in academic writing?

2. How can you effectively wrap up your essay while leaving a lasting impression on the reader?

Participate in the 24/7 Discussion Forum

Please answer the following questions in the comment section below and interact with learners from around the world:

1. What criteria would you use to assess the effectiveness of an introduction in an academic essay? Explain your choices.

2. How can you apply these criteria to your own writing?

Please read and reply to other learners’ answers in the forum.

Course created by: Sarah Moutaoukil, a 24/7 Instructional Design Superstar