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Introduction to Academic Writing

Our online guide to academic writing covers the key skills for writing at university level, including style, structure and how to develop your academic voice.

Quick summaries

Download and read the summary handouts from our academic skills workshops and other quick guides. To book a session on developing your academic writing, click here.

External resources

  • A quick guide to academic writing, University of Cumbria - An introductory guide for students writing their first academic essay
     
  • How to paraphrase. Queensland University of Technology - An engaging 6 minute animation, explaining how to paraphrase information and refer to others' work within your writing
     
  • The Academic Phrasebank, University of Manchester - A collection of resources to help you construct an academic essay.
     
  • Using 'signpost' words and phrases, University of East Anglia - How to connect your ideas into a logical argument and signal to the reader the structure of that argument.

Academic Writing Glossary

Have you encountered a term in your module guide or assessment criteria that you're not familiar with? Our glossary includes definitions on the words and phrases associated with academic writing and studying at university:

Check out these examples:

Abstract Methodology Plagiarism

Or browse the glossary index:

F
H
I
K
U
W
X
Y
Z

Adsetts Library
Collegiate Library


Sheffield Hallam University
City Campus, Howard Street
Sheffield S1 1WB