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At the heart of every academic essay is the thesis statement, a single sentence, usually placed at the end of the introductory paragraph, that presents the main argument or claim of the paper and guides the direction of everything that follows. A strong thesis is specific, arguable rather than merely factual, concise,...
Academic writing is recognizable not only by what it says but by how it sounds. A formal academic tone is objective and impersonal, avoiding slang, contractions, emotional language, and (in many disciplines) first-person pronouns. Colloquial language reduces credibility and precision, so scholarly prose relies on forma...
Most academic disciplines expect writers to credit sources using a standardized citation style, and three of the most widely used systems are APA, MLA, and Chicago. The choice of style usually depends on the field. APA 7th edition is primarily used in the social sciences, including psychology, education, and business;...
Using sources well is both an ethical and a craft issue. Plagiarism is presenting someone else's words, ideas, or work as one's own without proper attribution, whether the misstep is intentional or accidental, and a related pitfall is self-plagiarism, which is reusing one's own previously submitted work, or portions of...
Every empirical or analytical project begins with a research question, a clearly focused and specific question that the study aims to answer and that guides the research design, methodology, and analysis. A good research question is focused rather than sprawling, researchable with available resources, complex enough to...
Much academic writing is designed to argue a position, and argumentative writing presents a claim supported by evidence and reasoning while also addressing and refuting counterarguments. Argumentative writing should be distinguished from persuasive writing: argumentative writing relies on logic and evidence to prove a...