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Video #5
HOW TO WRITE LIKE AN
ACADEMIC
Dr. Matthew Robinson
Appalachian State University
Boone, NC USA
ACADEMIC WRITING: HOW TO …
Start like an academic!
 1) Choose a topic to research that:
is interesting to you
is contemporary/relevant
has available information (articles, books)
is not too broad
is not too narrow
 For example, climate change or global warming …
 OR the role of CO 2 emissions in it …
 OR the role of CH 4 (methane) emissions in it …
ACADEMIC WRITING: HOW TO …
2) Research to find sources
Academic, library databases
Articles, books
Also websites, reports, news
These are NON academic sources!
ACADEMIC WRITING: HOW TO …
3) Read! Read! Read!
Read to learn what we know about the topic
Read to learn what we don’t know about the
topic
ACADEMIC WRITING: HOW TO …
4) Take notes
Use reverse outlining
This is writing ON the source (book, article)
itself to:
Organize the reading by topic
Take notes on important point s
ACADEMIC WRITING: HOW TO …
In the left column, write what the paragraph is
about
Be brief! (few words)
In the right column, write a key point or fact
related to the argument
Be brief! (few words)
ACADEMIC WRITING: HOW TO …
INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL
Risks of
climate
ON
CLIMATE
CHANGE
change
Warming,
Ocean
acidity
Species
extinction
Extinction
caused by
less
oxygen,
more
acids,
higher
temps
Food
scarcity
Less fish,
wheat,
rice,
maize due
to less
water
ACADEMIC WRITING: HOW TO …
4) Take notes (continued)
Use outlining
This is organizing all your information into an
outline
All the information from your research will be
contained in the outline
But it is very brief!
It is like a “roadmap” for your paper
Major topics are organized in a logical way
Minor topics are organized below major
topics
EXAMPLE OF AN OUTLINE
 I. What is Climate Change?
 A. First definition
 1. Insert definition here with source
 B. Second definition
 1. Insert definition here with source
 II. Controversies About Climate Change
 A. Is it real?
 1. Some say it does not exist
 2. Evidence shows it is real
 a. data on temperatures
 b. data on oceans
 c. data on storms
 B. Is it caused by humans?
 1. Yes
 a. CO2 emissions are rising: WHY?
 b. CH4 emissions are rising: WHY?
ACADEMIC WRITING: HOW TO …
5) Write a paper, using the outline
Follow the organization in your outline
Summarize what is known (in writing)
Tell us what we know and don’t know
Can provide information to the public
Can lead to an argument for a policy
Can lead to a question for a new research
study