BREAKING DOWN ACADEMIC WRITING INTO MANAGEABLE CHUNKS By

BREAKING DOWN ACADEMIC WRITING INTO MANAGEABLE CHUNKS By Tamara Milbourn, International English Center, University of Colorado at Boulder

Research Papers What skills do students need to write a research paper?

Selected Skills Selecting a topic Finding sources Making connections among sources Writing topic sentences Identifying solid supporting evidence Summarizing/Paraphrasing Using reporting verbs and phrases Citing in the text Writing concluding sentences Creating end-of-text references

Selected Skills Selecting a topic Finding sources Summarizing/Paraphrasin g Creating end-of-text citations Identifying solid supporting evidence Paraphrasing Using reporting verbs and phrases Citing in the text Writing concluding Making connections among sources Writing topic sentences Identifying solid supporting evidence Paraphrasing Using reporting verbs and phrases Writing a concluding sentence Citing properly

Selected Skills Selecting a topic Finding sources Summarizing/Paraphrasin g Creating end-of-text citations

Three Summaries

Three Summaries Students… Choose a topic Find an article Summarize and respond (critically) to the article, including an end-of-text citation Turn it in with the original article attached When the first summary is handed back, they find a second article and then a third article on the same topic, repeating the process

Three Summaries Benefits… Students get practice picking their own topic Introduces how to find sources Focuses on summarizing and paraphrasing Students comment in written form on the article Only one end-of-text citation per summary The summaries are done separately, so there is time for feedback and direction from the teacher Three chances

Selected Skills Three Summaries Identifying solid supporting evidence Paraphrasing Using reporting verbs and phrases Citing in the text Writing concluding Making connections among sources Writing topic sentences Identifying solid supporting evidence Paraphrasing Using reporting verbs and phrases Writing a concluding sentence Citing properly

Selected Skills Identifying solid supporting evidence Paraphrasing Using reporting verbs and phrases Citing in the text Writing concluding

Two Paragraphs

Two Paragraphs Students… Read two articles on a topic Discuss the articles in class Are given a topic sentence Discuss the best support from each article Paraphrase the support Incorporate the support using reporting verbs and phrases as well as in-text citations Write a concluding sentence Repeat process with for a second paragraph on a different topic

Two Paragraphs Benefits… Not focused on topic sentence Can focus on incorporating sources Practice writing concluding sentences The paragraphs are done separately, so there is time for feedback and direction from the teacher, especially on how to avoid plagiarism Two chances

Selected Skills Three Summaries Two Paragraphs-- Making connections among sources Writing topic sentences Identifying solid supporting evidence Paraphrasing Using reporting verbs and phrases Writing a concluding sentence Citing properly

Selected Skills Making connections among sources Writing topic sentences Identifying solid supporting evidence Paraphrasing Using reporting verbs and phrases Writing a concluding sentence Citing properly

Final Project

Final Project Students… Select two articles from their “Three Summaries” assignments Write a paragraph demonstrating a relationship between the two articles

Selected Skills Selecting a topic Finding sources Making connections among sources Writing topic sentences Identifying solid supporting evidence Summarizing/Paraphrasing Using reporting verbs and phrases Citing in the text Writing concluding sentences Creating end-of-text references 1 3 1 1 6 3/6 6 6 3 4

Final Project Benefits… Focus on connecting sources through a topic sentence Practicing everything else Lessens the amount of mental stress the students have Builds to better writing because academic writing has been broken down into manageable chunks

Suggestions: Three Summaries Make photo copies of the original sources or note the end-of-text citations � When you check the second summary, you can compare it to the first and see if you need to talk to the student about narrowing or shifting the topic � You have them around to double-check the paraphrases in the Final Project � If they are good, you can use them for a “Two Paragraph” assignment in the future

Suggestions: Two paragraphs In your daily life, look for articles that interest you. Then search for another one on the same topic Toxic pollutants in the home � American levees � Adverse effects of cumulative lead exposure in the environment � Disadvantages of English as an international language � Foster care � Newspapers and magazines Most ESL reading texts TOEFL integrated materials Altruism and “The One Where Phoebe Hates PBS”

Suggestions: Final Project If students are having a hard time seeing a connection between their two articles, recommend that they look again at their responses If the sources are not that great, turn it into a learning opportunity (“I should have picked different sources” or narrowed the topic more) Enjoy correcting the grammar

Research Paper Selecting a topic Finding sources Making connections among sources Writing topic sentences Identifying solid supporting evidence Summarizing/Paraphrasing Using reporting verbs and phrases Citing in the text Writing concluding sentences Creating end-of-text references

Research Paper Focus on organization � Introduction paragraph � Thesis statement � Body paragraphs � Concluding paragraph � Transitions between paragraphs Focus on ideas � Developing lengthier essays � Progression of ideas and coherence

Research Paper Refine… � Selecting a topic � Finding sources � Making connections among sources � Writing topic sentences � Identifying solid supporting evidence � Summarizing/Paraphrasing � Using reporting verbs and phrases � Citing in the text � Writing concluding sentences � Creating end-of-text references

Any questions or comments? BREAKING DOWN ACADEMIC WRITING INTO MANAGEABLE CHUNKS By Tamara Milbourn, International English Center, University of Colorado at Boulder

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