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Academic Writing Textbook

A free, self-paced textbook in 6 chapters. Read a chapter, then drill it with the 100 companion flashcards using spaced repetition.

6 chapters · 100 cards · Updated

Chapters

  1. 1Building the Academic Essay

    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 o...

  2. 2Style, Voice, and Flow

    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...

  3. 3Citation and Documentation

    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 s...

  4. 4Working with Sources

    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...

  5. 5Research Questions and Methodology

    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, me...

  6. 6Argumentation, Critical Analysis, and Peer Review

    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 counterargu...

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