Structuring an Advanced Academic Paper

LESSON 2.31
Structuring an Advanced Academic Paper

This lesson will examine a short, advanced academic paper. An advanced academic paper has sophisticated ideas. A longer one follows the same organization, but it has more material in each section.

You have been asked to write a college-level paper on some subject dealing with heart disease. You selected an academic article you understood and have written the following What Statement:

Title

    1. Choose a title that is specific.
    2. Make sure it is not a sentence.
    3. Capitalize the first word and all the important words.

                           Two Reasons Ouabain Can Cause Hypertension

Introduction

    1. If you are responding to a prompt, then usually write a tag phrase. Here, none is necessary due to the prompt’s structure.
    2. Write a What Statement. It should be a short sentence with two variables. At least one of the variables (or their relationship) must likely be New. That means the reader must not know much about it and must probably be interested.

     As you have learned, a What Statement forms an image that looks like a barbell:

In this case—
Variable 1: New
Variable 2: Old

3. Write a Why Statement. It tells why the What Statement is true or important.

    • Your answer will tell why the What Statement is true or important. Given what the article says, you select
    • Beware of tautology! (circular reasoning). For example:
    • Make the Ys consistent with the type of essay you are writing. In this case, it is meant for an academic audience:

Ouabain may cause hypertension because it triggers erratic heart contractions and interferes with sodium calcium transfer.

Individual or Small-Group Activity

Write the title and the hyperthesis.

Old Section

    1. Start a new paragraph.
    2. Introduce the Old Section subject. Write a Claim. It should—
      • Be short.
      • Be arguable.
      • Summarize your feelings about the Old idea.

     Hypertension is the world’s number one risk factor for death from disease.

  3. Define, describe, and/or discuss the Claim.

      1. Write short sentences. Short sentences are easier to write than long ones and easier to read.
      2. Keep paragraphs to about 3-10 sentences.

Also known as high blood pressure, hypertension occurs when the pressure in the blood vessels is higher than 140/90 mmHg. The first number refers to the pressure in blood vessels with the heart contracts – that is, when it beats.  The second number refers to the pressure in blood vessels when the heart rests – that is, between beats.

4.  Provide evidence to prove the Claim.

About one in four men and one in five women have the illness. As of 2015, approximately 1.28 billion people age 30-79 had it. Up from 594 million just ten years earlier. Two-thirds of the sufferers live in low- to middle-income countries. Africa has the highest prevalence, with 27%, whereas the Americas have the lowest, with 18%. Untreated, hypertension can cause kidney disease, heart disease, and stroke, among several other illnesses.

Individual or Small-Group Activity

Write the Old Section. Turn in this part only.

Individual or Small-Group Activity

Rewrite the title and the Summary if necessary.  Incorporate instructor’s suggestions.

New Section

  1. Insert and center one asterisk.

∗

   2. Introduce the New Section: Write a Claim

Use the What Statement as the Claim for the New Section. You will likely have to add a few words. For example:

Ouabain is one cause of hypertension. 

    3. Define, describe, and/or discuss the first sentence.

Define ouabain. Be complete.  Mention experts.  Make sure you know what you are talking about; it is impossible to write about what you do not understand.

    4. Provide evidence for the Claim.

Prove that ouabain may cause hypertension.  Cite studies and, if possible, statistics.  . Be complete.  Make sure you know what you are talking about; it is impossible to write about what you do not understand.

Individual or Small-Group Activity

Write the New Section.

Individual or Small-Group Activity

Rewrite the Old Section.  Incorporate instructor’s suggestions.

Why Section

  1. Insert and center one asterisk.

∗

   2. Introduce Y1.

    • Constructing a Claim for a Y is simple.
    • Start with “One reason” or something similar.
    • Then insert the hyperthesis.

One reason ouabain may cause hypertension because it triggers erratic heart contractions.

and interferes with sodium calcium transfer

    • Insert is before because.

One reason ouabain may cause hypertension is because it triggers erratic heart contractions.

   3. Define, describe, and/or discuss.

Define erratic heart contractions. Be complete and concrete.  What is meant by “erratic”? Mention experts.  Make sure you know what you are talking about; it is impossible to write about what you do not understand.

   4. Provide evidence.

Prove that ouabain can cause erratic heart contractions. Cite studies and, if possible, statistics. 

   5. Insert and center one asterisk.

∗

   6. Introduce Y2.

    • Start with “A second reason”
    • Then insert the hyperthesis but skipping Y1.

A second reason ouabain may cause hypertension because it interferes with sodium calcium transfer.

    • Insert is before because.

A second reason ouabain may cause hypertension is because it interferes with sodium calcium transfer.

   7. Define, describe, and/or discuss.

Define sodium calcium transfer. Be complete and concrete.  What is meant by “erratic”? Mention experts.  Make sure you know what you are talking about; it is impossible to write about what you do not understand.

   8. Provide evidence.

Prove that ouabain can interfere with sodium calcium transfer. Cite studies and, if possible, statistics. 

I found that path my sophomore year. My friends and I had gathered around a kitchen radio, listening to the Clay-Liston fight. So many sports pundits said that Clay would get clocked. Me, I loved the man. “I am the greatest!” he said. Lest we forget, he said it before the fight. He was trying to psyche out Liston. But he was also, it occurred to me, raising his own game. Clay wasn’t bragging. He was willing himself to greater resolve. Having said such a thing publicly, there was no backing down.

Individual or Small-Group Activity

Write the Why Section.

Individual or Small-Group Activity

Rewrite the New Section.  Incorporate instructor’s suggestions.

Conclusion

    1. Insert and center one asterisk.

*

2. Show the “bigger picture.” For example, what other types of damage can ouabain do? Do not just name them. Provide enough information that readers are not confused.

3. Do not write, In conclusion or In summary.

4. Do not tell readers what they already know.

Individual or Small-Group Activity

Write the Conclusion.

Individual or Small-Group Activity

Rewrite the Why Section.  Incorporate instructor’s suggestions.

Formatting the Essay

Teachers will often have a way to format a paper. The most accepted format, though, is as follows:

    1. Highlight the entire paper.
    2. Set the paragraph. Move the top half of the ruler’s cursor to the ½” line. Not five spaces.
    3. Format the spacing—
      • In Home, go to Paragraph. Click on the little dialog box on the lower right.
      • Set BOTH left-hand scrolls to 0.
      • Set the right-hand scroll to Double.
      • Click the little box on the bottom of the page.
      • Click OK.
    4. Go into Insert. Click on Page Number. Put it upper-right.
    5. Add your name, class, and date as your instructor sees fit.

Small-Group or Class Activity

Rewrite the essay. Check grammar and spelling.

Individual or Small-Group Activity

Complete the exercise:     Hudson’s Bay and the Churchill Polar Bears

Optional Activity