Sub sections:
Writing
Writing an assignment for University is not like writing a letter to a friend or a piece of fiction. There are many rules about academic writing. One of the most important ones is that you must justify your statements. If you have a point to make, you need to provide supporting evidence, either in the form of a series of logical arguments or relevant references (or both).
Moreover, your work should flow. Sentences should be grouped into clear paragraphs, and each paragraph should lead into the next one. The person marking your work should not have to guess at your argument; rather each detail should be apparent from what you have written. The old idea that an assignment consists of an introduction, a body and a conclusion is still a useful one.
Assignment writing is a skill that can be learnt and practice is probably the best way to do this.The Academic Skills Office has a number of Fact Sheets in PDF format to help you learn how to write well:
- Writing an essay
- Writing a formal report
- Writing a literature review
- Writing a scientific report
- Hints on style for scientific and technical writing
 | Writers Web Another source of information on writing is Writers Web, which contains topics on stages of the writing process. Writer's Web is a free, public-access handbook designed & maintained by University of Richmond (U.S.) students & faculty. |
In addition, there are many books in the University Library that deal with this topic. If you are finding writing difficult, ask your lecturer or unit-coordinator for advice or a referral to either the Academic Skills Office or the person on the staff of your Faculty who is available to assist you in acquiring academic skills.
Another important resource is Academic Literacy Online. This was designed to help students in the UNE Bachelor of Education programme develop their academic literacy skills. However, the resource contains much of value for students in other disciplines.
In writing your assignment you will need to use information technology applications such as wordprocessing, spreadsheeting, slide show presentations and web publishing. See the UNE Training Options page if you need to develop your skills in using these.
 | Academic Writing: A Handbook for International Students This practical book thoroughly explains the writing process and covers all the key writing skills. >> Complete the short Writing Tests at the end of this book to test some of your writing skills. |
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