Types of Academic Writing

Prof. Vivian B. Margutti

Faculdade de Letras/UFMG
 Essay

Thesis Paper

Dissertation Report

Article Project
 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
Description of process, procedure and results
of a research.

1. Introduction
2. Methods
3. Results
4. Discussion
5. Conclusion
 Project
Describes the ideas for an investigation on a
certain topic.

1. Title (hypothesis)

2. Background Analysis and Information

3. 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 researchers

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, instructors

name, students 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.