1. Features of Academic
Essay

2. Structure
 What is a paragraph?
 A combination of related sentences which aim to
develop the key idea of the paragraph.
 What types of paragraphs are there in an academic
essay?
 Introductory, body, concluding paragraphs
 What is the function of the first paragraph?
 -to paraphrase the rubric
 -outline the plan of the essay
 -present the writer’s position, point of view or thesis

3. Structure
 What is the thesis statement in the essay?
 Such films make violence appear entertaining, exciting
and even something to be copied.
 What do we call the key idea of the paragraph?
 Topic sentence
 Are topic sentences general or specific?
 They tend to be general
 Where does it go in the sentence?
 It can come at the beginning, the end and even at the
middle?
 Identify topic sentences in every paragraph

4. Structure
 What are supporting sentences?
 specific and detailed, providing facts and
example, evidence.
 they answer the questions the reader will
develop in their mind after reading your topic
sentence
 Is the whole essay a logical transition from
one paragraph to another or just a group of
non-related paragraphs?
 Logically-related whole

5. Structure
 How can we link all the paragraphs in a logical sequence?
 That depends on the position of the topic sentence
 Let’s read the first paragraph where the topic sentence comes
first
 How are the first and second paragraphs connected in this
case?
 With the last sentence of the first paragraph that acts as a
connection to link the information with that coming up in the next
paragraph
 Let’s read the paragraph where the topic sentence comes last
 Supporting sentences build up arguments and examples to make a
case for the main idea contained at the end

6. Content
 All the questions raised in the rubric
are to be answered, otherwise the
essay will leave a feeling of being
incomplete.

7. Register-Academic style
 Formal words
 Major cities
 Passive constructions
 Violence is shown in films, to be copied, heroes
are shown
 to be copied, what is needed, must be
prevented
 General nouns
 concern, trend, development, problems, reality
action

8. Register-Academic style
 Noun phrases with prepositions
 -cause of concern, sense of reality
 -consequences of violent acts
 Hedging language
 It seems to be increasingly clear
 The government should regulate the films industry
 Producers must be prevented from
 Films could emphasise the tragic consequences of
violent acts
 This would educate people
 Violence can bring serious social problems

9. Register-Academic style
 Signposting
 However, it seems to be increasingly clear; First of all
 They therefore lose their sense of reality
 Heroes are shown as people to be admired even though they are
very violent characters
 and so the levels of violence increase, especially in major cities
throughout the world
 The government should regulate the films industry on the one
hand, and provide better education on the other
 To conclude
 Attributive adjectives
 real consequences, worrying trend, violent characters,
impressionable people, aggressive behaviour, tragic
consequences
 serious social problems

10. Register-Academic style
 Noun phrases with the main headword
 After the headword
 Violence in films (where)
 problems in our society.
 people to be admired,
 Such films make violence appear entertaining,
exciting and even something to be copied
 the only way to improve this situation

11. Criteria
 Structure (5 points)
 Does it follow a clear plan of organization?
 Does it offer effective support for the ideas it puts forward?
 Is there a clear relationship between all the parts and the whole essay?
 Content (5 points)
 Does it answer the question that is asked?
 Accuracy (5 points)
 Does it use appropriate and accurate grammatical constructions, and
vocabulary
 Register (5 points)
 Is it written in an informal style?
 Variety of the language used (5 points)
 Does it use varied and ambitious grammar and vocabulary?

12. Presentations /Essays
 Many bad presentations have too much repetition or
unnecessary information. All irrelevant information must be cut
down
 Successful presentations are easy to follow because they are
well organised
 Effective presentations have their main ideas organised into
three or four points/in essay into three or 4 paragraphs
 The main points/topic sentences can be framed as questions to
which both readers and listeners ( if the questions are good ones)
will want to know the answers.
 Both good presentations and essays don’t end abruptly. They
should leave their readers and listeners with a clear summary of
everything you have covered.