1 Foundations of Academic Writing Free Online FlashCards

What shapes academic writing?

Academic writing communicates ideas in ways shaped by a particular purpose, audience, and scholarly context.

What does an analysis paper explain?

An analysis explains how or why something works, happens, or means what it does.

What does the command verb “evaluate” ask a writer to do?

To evaluate is to make a judgment using stated criteria.

How should writers account for what readers may not know?

Do not assume readers share all your context. Define necessary terms, identify the evidence or works under discussion, and explain your reasoning.

What should you identify first when determining an assignment’s task?

Identify the prompt’s key verbs to determine what the paper must do, such as analyze, explain, compare, or argue.

What should you do when an assignment requirement is unclear?

Ask the instructor rather than guess when a requirement is unclear.

What makes a claim useful in scholarly writing?

A claim should answer the task and be specific enough to discuss and support, rather than merely announce a broad topic.

What should a writer explain after presenting evidence?

Explain how the evidence supports a point and how that point advances the paper’s central reasoning.

What is the central task of a comparison?

A comparison identifies meaningful similarities and differences between its subjects.

What does an academic argument do?

An argument advances a claim and supports it with reasons and evidence.

When is specialized terminology useful?

Use specialized terminology when it is accurate and appropriate; unexplained jargon can obstruct understanding.

What does defining an assignment’s topic and scope involve?

Determine which subject, texts, cases, or time period are included and what should be excluded.