Academic Writing

Process

Md. Mojibur Rahman

mrahmanelt@[Link]
The academic writing process is like
sketching a portrait
• You need preparation and planning for what you will draw.
• You sketch, and then erase and change what you’ve drawn, and then
show it to others.
• As you continue to work, you grow as a sketch artist.
• The academic writing process is the same.
• You prewrite, write, revise, edit, and create a final draft for others to
read.
• Then you advance your academic writing knowledge and skills.
Prewriting: the First Step in the Writing
Process
• Prewriting is the first step in the writing process and includes any
work a writer does before producing a formatted document. In other
words, if the end goal is a five-paragraph essay, prewriting is every
step that comes before actually writing five paragraphs. Prewriting is
sometimes called the planning stage. Prewriting activities include:
• Topic selection
• Research
• Brainstorming
• Thesis development
• Organization
Topic Selection
• A topic may be assigned by a teacher or selected by a writer.
• The writer should consider both the audience and the goal of their
writing.
• When choosing a topic, a writer must also identify the writing they
will produce, such as narrative, persuasive, or expository.
Research
• Some types of writing require gathering information from various
sources.
• Writers should choose current, reliable, valid sources and keep track
of which information came from which source.
Brainstorming
• Brainstorming is a gathering of ideas. There are many ways to
brainstorm, including:
• Freewriting: On a blank piece of paper, write everything that comes
to mind on the chosen topic. Write continuously for several minutes.
When finished, go through the freewriting and highlight words,
phrases, and sentences useful in the writing.
• Graphic organizers: Graphic organizers come in almost limitless
varieties. They have in common a visual way to write and connect
words, phrases, and ideas. A graphic organizer might look like a
spider web, with circled words connected by lines, or it might look
like a flowchart showing which ideas come first, second, third, etc.

Graphic organizers are one tool that can be

used for brainstorming. Brainstorming is
part of prewriting, the first step of the
writing process.
• Lists: Simple lists of items that need to be included in a text can be an
effective means of brainstorming.
• Pictures: Drawing pictures of text elements can be a way to organize
thoughts during the brainstorming stage.
Thesis Development
• A thesis is a concise statement of the central idea or argument of the
text.
• The thesis, presented as part of the introduction, informs the reader
of what the author intends to accomplish in the text.
• A writer should experiment with several versions of a thesis
statement, then choose the one that best fits the text.
Organization
• It is essential to take the ideas and information gathered during the
prewriting process and organize it into a logical format.
• Organization often takes the form of an outline, but it could also be a
story map, a series of pictures, or a list.
• While organizing, consider how the information can be ordered to
best support the thesis statement.
Drafting: the Second Step in the Writing
Process
• Drafting is the next phase of the writing process.
• The first draft is the first time the prewriting ideas, goals, and
information are written in the paper's intended format, including
complete sentences and paragraphs.
• A first draft should follow the outline or other organizational plan
developed during prewriting and should include the major
components of the paper, such as introduction, body, and conclusion.
• It is important to note that mechanics should not be the focus of the
first draft, and the first draft does not need to be good.
• Once ideas are on the page, they can be revised, rearranged, and
edited as necessary.
• Careful writers should not skip the drafting process.
• Many papers go through several drafts before being completed.
• The goal of a first draft is to put sentences and paragraphs on the
page.
• Write sentences and paragraphs even if they are not perfect.
• Create a thesis statement with your main idea.
• Put the information you researched into your essay accurately without
plagiarizing. Remember to include both in-text citations and a bibliographic
page.
• Read what you have written and judge if it says what you mean. Write
some more.
• Read it again.
• Write some more.
• Read it again.
• Write until you have said everything you want to say about the topic.
Revising: the Third Step in the Writing
Process
• Revision is the key to effective documents.
• Here you think more deeply about your readers’ needs and
expectations. The document becomes reader-centered.
• How much support will each idea need to convince your readers?
• Which terms should be defined for these particular readers?
• Is your organization effective?
• Do readers need to know X before they can understand Y?
• At this stage you also refine your prose, making each sentence as
concise and accurate as possible. Make connections between ideas
explicit and clear.
 • There are 2 types of revision:
(1) self- revision
(2) peer/teacher/coach revision.
• When you revise, read your writing, and analyze the content. Ask yourself:
1. Does everything is your essay or paper connect to your thesis? Does it
prove it? Is it off-topic?
2. Do you have enough content to support your thesis? If not, find more
evidence.
3. Does the organization of your essay or paper make sense?
4. Do you have an engaging introduction that sets up your essay, research
paper, etc.? Is your conclusion powerful?
• Read what you have written again. Rearrange words, sentences, or
paragraphs into a clear and logical order.
• Take out or add parts.
• Do more research if you think you should.
• Replace overused or unclear words.
• Read your writing aloud to be sure it flows smoothly. Add transitions.
• When you have another person help you revise, ask them to read
your work and give you feedback on the content, organization, clarity,
and things they like and suggestions about what to improve.

• The difference between revising and editing writing is that revising

focuses on changing the content and organization of what you write.
Editing is where you fix mistakes: grammar, spelling, omitted words,
punctuation, vocabulary, citations, and references, etc.
Editing and Proofreading
• Editing is where you fine-tune your essay, research paper, or another
project. It is looking at the small details that make your writing
grammatically correct and easy to understand.
• Editing a piece of academic writing involves the same things as other pieces
of writing: sentence mechanics and variety, grammar, punctuation, and
spelling. It also includes looking for omitted words or wording that is
confusing, or vocabulary that doesn’t make sense.
• What makes editing academic writing different is that you need to look for
mistakes with citations, references, and any charts and graphs that you
include. You’ll want to make sure that you are following the correct
reference system for your subject (MLA, APA, Chicago Style, Turabian,
etc.).
• Be sure all sentences are complete.
• Correct spelling, capitalization, and punctuation.
• Change words that are not used correctly or are unclear.
• Make sure you are using the appropriate style formatting.
• APA Formatting
• Chicago Style Formatting
• MLA Formatting
• Have someone else check your work.
Publishing
• Publishing is the last phase of the academic writing process.
• It’s where you take your piece of writing and share it with others
(your classmates, colleagues, professors, online or in a book or
journal).
• What is essential about publishing is you’re sharing your ideas and
knowledge with an audience.
• You have the chance to change what people think, how they act, and
open their eyes to things they never knew before.
You are making your mark on the world through your writing.