Reading for the Academic Writer

Academic Writer: An individual who has agreed to produce original and unplagiarised work for an

academic setting.

Previewing a TextBefore you plunge into a text, take a few moments to survey the territory. Try to get a sense of where the text is going and what you want to focus on. .

Think about the title. What does it reveal about the topic and TONE of the text? Are you expecting a serious argument? An essay that pokes fun at its subject? Something else? Clearly the title of Annie Dillard’s Holy the Firm, for instance, evokes the world of the spirit (holy). Might the other half, firm, suggest something about nature, as in firm ground?

Skim the text for an overview, noting headings, boldfaced words, lists, and so on.

Skim the introduction and conclusion. What insights do they give you into the purpose and message of the text?

Think about your own purpose for reading. Do you want to obtain information, confirm a fact or opinion, fulfill an assignment? How will your purpose affect what you focus on?

Responding to What You ReadAfter you have read and reread a text closely, think about and respond to it in writing. Here are a few tips for doing so:• Summarize what you’ve read in your own words. If you can write a brief, accurate summary of the main point, you probably have a good grasp of what you’ve read.• Think about and record your own reactions. Where are you most inclined to accept the writer’s ideas? Least inclined? Aren’t sure? Indicate specific passages in the text where you think the writer’s ideas are particularly well presented, whether you agree with those ideas or not.• Consider what you’ve learned about writing. Note any techniques that you might want to try in your own writing, such as a particularly tight introduction, cogent use of examples, apt choice of words, or striking application of visuals.

Asking QuestionsJournalists and other writers ask who, what, where, when, why, and how to uncover the basic information for a story. Here is how you might use these questions if you were writing an essay about an argument in a parking lot:• Who was involved in the argument? What should I say about my brother (one of the instigators) and his friends? The police officer who investigated? The witnesses?• What happened? What did the participants say to one another? What did my brother do after he was struck by one of his friends?• Where did the argument occur? How much of the parking lot should I describe? What can I say about it?• When did the argument take place? What time did my brother leave the party, and when did he arrive in the parking lot?• Why did the argument occur? Did it have anything to do with my brother’s girlfriend?• How would my brother have reacted if he hadn’t been drinking? Should I write about the effects of alcohol on anger management?

The Parts of a Draft

Your beginning, or introduction, is the first thing the reader sees. It should grab— and hold— the reader’s attention. The introduction should also tell the reader exactly what you’re writing about and, most of the time, should include a clear statement of your thesis.

The middle, or body, of your draft may run anywhere from a few paragraphs to many pages. This is the part in which you present your best commentary and evidence in support of your main point. That evidence can include facts and figures, examples, the testimony of experts (usually in the form of citations from sources that you carefully acknowledge), and perhaps your own personal experience. How much evidence will you need?

In the ending, or conclusion, of your draft, you sum up what you have to say, often by restating the thesis— but with some variation based on the evidence you have just cited. For instance, you can make a recommendation (“more research is needed to show which frequently prescribed medical tests actually work”) or explain the larger significance of your topic (“lowering health care costs for individuals will allow more people to be covered without incurring additional outlays”).

Questions to consider when using resources:

What is the best example I can give to illustrate my main point? Is one example enough, or should I give several?• Of all the facts I could cite, which ones support my thesis best? What additional facts will the reader expect or need to have?• Of everything I’ve read on my topic, which sources are absolutely indispensable? What others were particularly clear or authoritative on the issue? How do I cite my sources appropriately? (For more information on using and citing sources, see the Appendix.)• Is my personal experience truly relevant to my point? Or would I be better off staying out of the picture? Or citing someone whose experience or knowledge is even more compelling than mine?