Types of Academic Writing

Prof. Vivian B. Margutti

Faculdade de Letras/UFMG
• Essay: argumentative text, usually short
(1,500 to 6,000 words).

• Research paper: longer essay involving library

research (3,000 to 6,000 words).

• Research article: an essay written to be

published in scientific journals.
• Dissertation: long essay involving study and
research (6,000 to 20,000 words).

• Thesis: completed over a number of years.

Offers an original contribution to the research
area. (20,000 words).
• Technical report: describes process, progress
and results of scientific research.

• Research project: describes the ideas for an

investigation on a certain topic.
Basic structure of Academic
Writing
Report
 Project
• Describes the ideas for an investigation on a
certain topic.

• Title (hypothesis)

• Background Analysis and Information

• Literature Review
4.Research Questions and Objectives

5. Significance of Project

6. Methodology

7. Timetable

8. Bibliography
 Argumentative Essay
• Presents an argument through reasoning and
the use of evidence.

• Thesis statement: expresses the researcher’s

position in relation to a given problem. It is
normally stated in the introduction of an
essay.
• Topic sentences: give support to the thesis
statement in the body of the essay.

• Evidence and examples: from reading,

reflection and analysis, support the topic
sentences.
Structure of Argumentative Essay

• Title page: title, date, course, instructor’s

name, student’s name.

• Introduction: background of argument,

content of essay, theoretical perspectives
used, definition of key terms, line of argument
and organization of essay.
• Body: presents support to thesis statement,
contains developing sentences that extend
topic sentences, gives evidence to support
topic sentences, provides a concluding
sentence.
• Conclusion: restates the line of argument,
summarises the points that support the thesis,
suggests further research.

• Bibliography: sources cited in paper listed

alphabetically.
Appropriate tone and style
• Formal, impersonal, objective

• Cautious language

• Technical vocabulary

• Structure according to genre

• Analytical and critical

• References to other writers’ publications

 Bibliography
ACADEMIC Essay: Academic Tip Sheet. Edith
Cowan University, Australia. Available in: <
http://www.ecu.edu.au/CLT/tips/docs/essay.pdf
> (access: 21/07/2011).

JORDAN, R. R. Academic Writing Course: Study

Skills in English. Pearson Education: England,
1999.
WHAT IS Academic Writing. Available in: <
www.wwnorton.com/college/film/.../writing
.../what-isacademic-writing.pdf> (access:
21/07/2011).

ZEMLIANSKY, Pavel, LOWE, Charles(ed.). Writing

Spaces: Readings on Writing. Vol 1. Indiana:
Parlour Press, 2010.