Essay Writing
What are the three main parts of an essay?
Introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.
Which section provides a summary of the entire report?
Abstract (or Executive Summary).
What is the purpose of an in-text citation?
To acknowledge the source of information within the text.
Which phrase is more academic?
A. A lot of people
B. A significant proportion of individuals
B.
Introduction:
"This essay will discuss climate change."
Why is this weak?
It does not clearly state the argument or thesis.
What is the purpose of a thesis statement?
To clearly state the writer's position or main argument and guide the essay.
A report contains detailed results from research. In which section should these appear?
Findings.
What information is typically included in a Harvard in-text citation?
Author surname and publication year.
Rewrite this sentence in a more academic style:
"Lots of teenagers use social media every day."
A significant proportion of teenagers use social media daily.
Conclusion:
"In conclusion, climate change is important. Also, governments should introduce carbon taxes."
What is wrong?
A new idea is introduced in the conclusion.
A student writes: "Social media has many advantages. It helps people communicate." What is missing from this body paragraph?
Evidence, examples, explanation, or analysis.
What is the key difference between Findings and Discussion?
Findings present results; Discussion interprets and explains their significance.
What information is needed for an in-text citation?
Author's surname and year of publication.
Why should first-person pronouns (I, me, my) generally be avoided in academic reports?
Academic writing aims to remain objective and formal.
Discussion:
"According to the survey, 80% of students experienced stress."
Which report section would this sentence fit better?
Findings.
Which thesis statement is stronger?
A. Social media is popular.
B. While social media improves communication and access to information, its impact on mental health means users should engage with it responsibly.
B.
A student writes recommendations before presenting findings. Why is this problematic?
Recommendations should be based on evidence presented in the findings and discussion sections.
Which source should appear first in a Harvard reference list?
Brown, T.
Adams, J.
Williams, R.
Adams, J.
Which linking word best shows contrast?
A. Furthermore
B. Consequently
C. However
D. Therefore
However.
Reference List:
Brown, J. (2020)
Smith, A. (2018)
Anderson, P. (2022)
What is wrong?
The references are not in alphabetical order.
Why is the following thesis statement weak?
‘Technology is good and bad.’
It is too broad, unclear, and does not present a specific argument or focus.
Which report section would be most appropriate for explaining how survey data was collected?
Methodology
A student paraphrases an author's idea entirely in their own words but provides no citation. Is this acceptable? Why or why not?
No. Paraphrased ideas still require referencing.
A student writes:
"Social media is harmful because it affects mental health."
What is needed to make this statement more academically convincing?
Evidence, research, statistics, or citations.
A body paragraph contains evidence and examples but no explanation. What critical element is missing?
Analysis/explanation linking the evidence back to the thesis.