Academic Writing II

Group 2, Class A3
 Member of Group:
M. Ismail Mujid Tabah (131311133019)
Risma Dwi Lestari (131311133022)
Tika Heni Siswanti (131311133038)
Sri Puastiningsih (131311133041)
Zagad Budhi Dharma (131311133107)
Ninik Yusika Ratsari (131311133128)
Jaka Januar Hari Wibowo (131311133140)
 Paragraph Organization
Each paragraph in a text contains a main idea
which is related to the other major points
presented in the text. The main or controlling
idea in a paragraph is generally contained in a
topic statement, often at the beginning of a
paragraph. Although this is the most typical
paragraph pattern, topic statements may be
placed in any position in a paragraph. Unity, or
concentration on a single topic, is essential if a
paragraph is to be effective.
 That way of idea development is called the
pattern of organization.
According to Mikulecky and Jeffries (2007:
134), there are six major pattern of paragraph
organization, i.e. listing, sequence,
comparison/contrast, cause/effect,
argumentation, and extended definition.
 Listing
In the listing pattern, the writer states the
main idea in the form of a generalization and
gives a list of details or examples to support
that general statement. Common key
words/phrases found in the main idea are:
many, several, a number of, a variety of, a few,
kinds of. Transitional words/phrases used in
this organizational pattern are: for example,
for instance, first, second, another, also,
besides, in addition, final, last, most important
 Example:
There are several different theories about the
origin of the Moon. One theory, called the fission
theory, states that early in the life of Earth, a
piece broke off, and that piece became the Moon.
A second, closely related theory is that the Moon
is composed of several pieces of Earth that broke
away from our planet. Yet another theory is that
the Moon formed elsewhere in the solar system
and was captured by Earths gravity. The final
theory states that a huge piece of planetary rock
struck Earth and broke up into pieces. One of the
pieces became the Moon.
 Explanation:
This paragraph discusses about Theories
about the origin of the Moon. This is the
topic. In relation to the topic, writer states,
There are several different theories about
the origin of the Moon. This is the main idea.
To make this idea convincing, he lists four
theories. Thats why the organizational
pattern of this paragraph is listing.
Comparison/Contrast
In the comparison/contrast pattern, the writers main
idea is a general statement about two things and how
they are similar and/or different. A comparison can
include both similarities and differences, or only the
similarities. A contrast states only differences. The
common key words/phrases in the main idea:
similarities, differences, both, in common, same,
different, compare, comparison. The usual signal
words/phrases for similarities are similarly, also, in the
same way, as, like, both, in common. The common
signal words/phrases for differences are: however, but,
on the other hand, although, while, in contrast, than,
conversely, yet, unlike.
 Example:
When Gerald Ford, the thirty-eighth president of the U.S., came to
office, he was fond of emphasizing his resemblance to one of his
famous predecessors, Harry S. Truman. Like Ford, Truman had been
a vice president who became president only by chance. Truman took
over when Franklin Roosevelt died in office, a circumstance that
resembled Fords own ascent to the presidency when Richard Nixon
resigned from office. Truman, like Ford, was not an intellectual, and
he tended to exaggerate his lack of learning, insisting that he was
just a simple man with simple tastes. Ford also like to emphasize
that both he and Truman came to office at a difficult time. Truman
led the nation during the final months of World War II, and Ford
entered office after the nation had been faced with the Watergate
scandals
 Explanation:
This paragraph focuses on some similarities
between Ford and Truman. This is the topic of
the paragraph. The main idea appears in the
first sentence: Gerald Ford liked to point out
how similar he was to Harry Truman. The
remaining supporting sentences develop that
main idea by listing the similarities between
them.
 Argument or Persuasive
In an argument or persuasive paragraph the
author usually uses order of importance. The
usual transition words that signal this pattern
such as, in addition, furthermore, moreover, also,
more importantly, first, second, next, last, etc. A
typical argument paragrah often starts off with a
claim or debatable opinion. Then, by using the
pattern of simple listing or order of importance,
the reasons are given with supporting details
such as quotations, facts, anecdotes, and
experiences
 Example:
The main causes of obesity are: the decreased
level of nutrients intake, and sedentary
lifestyle.For example, the intake of fast food
meals tripled between 1977 and 1995, and
calorie level magnified four times during the
same period. Nevertheless, it is insufficient
explanation of phenomenal rise in the obesity
levels in the well-developed countries. Overall,
obesity is a significant health and social
problem, which has reached pandemic levels
 Sequence / Chronological
the writer explains the main idea with a series
of events or steps in a process that follow one
after the other in time order. The common key
word/phrases in the main idea are: began,
account, story, process, history, sequence. The
common signal words/phrases are: first,
second, then, next, after, while, since, then,
soon, finally, at last, in 1965, last June, later,
over time, the next step, the following week.
 Example:
The years between 1918 and 1945 brought violence and
upheaval to the newly formed Polish nation. In 1918,
Poland was declared independent, and army officer Jozef
Pilsudski took control of the government. After 1926, the
government became a dictatorship, first under Pilsudski and
later, after his death in 1935, under officers loyal to him.
The officers, however, did not rule for long. In 1939,
Germany and Russia invaded Poland, and both powers
divided up the country. During the war years that followed,
the Germans murdered anywhere from three to five and a
half million Polish Jews; they killed more than half of the
population of Warsaw, and the capital itself was completely
destroyed. Warsaw, once one of the most beautiful capitals
n Europe, was reduced to rubble.
 Explanation:
This paragraph focuses on political events in
Poland between the years 1918 and 1945,
and this is the topic of the paragraph. In
addition to the sequence of political dates and
events, this paragraph also expresses the
writers idea that Poland underwent violence
and upheaval during 1918-1945. This is the
main idea of the paragraph, which is
contained in the first sentence. So, this
sentence functions as the topic sentence.
 Cause/Effect
In this pattern, the writers main idea is that
one event or action caused another event or
action. Common key words/phrases in the
main idea and the signal words for details are
the same and often include: causes, leads to,
is the cause of results in, creates, brings
about, makes, provokes, produces, gives rise
to, contributes to, is due to, is the result of,
comes from, results from, is produced by, is a
consequence of, follows, is caused by
 Example:
There are more old people in the world today
because of an increase in medical services. Today,
more people can get medical services from
doctors and nurses in hospitals and clinics. As a
result, fewer people get fatal disease such as
yellow fever, malaria, cholera, and typhoid. This
decrease in fatal diseases causes a decrease in
the number of people who die from these
diseases. Because of this decrease in number of
deaths, people can live longer today. As a result,
there has been an increase in the number of old
people living in the world today
 Explanation:
The topic of this paragraph is the cause of
increase in the number of old people.
According to the writer, there are more old
people in the world today because of an
increase in medical services. This is the main
idea. To support his idea, the author shows
how the increase in medical services has
caused the increase in the number of old
people living in the world today.
 Extended Definition
In this pattern, the writer names a concept or
complicated process that the paragraph will
define and explain. Usually, the main idea or
first sentence of the paragraph states a
dictionary definition of the concept or
process, followed by a description and/or an
explanation. There are usually no signal words
for the details. The common key
words/phrases in the main idea are: consists
of, is, seems to be, are
 Example:
A solar eclipse is an astronomical event during which
the Moon seems to cover the Sun. When the Moon
passes between the Earth and the Sun, all or part of the
Suns light is blotted out. The Moon, in fact, is much
smaller than the Sun, but it is also a great deal closer to
the Earth. As a result, both the Sun and the Moon seem
to be about the same size to us. During a total eclipse,
the Sun, the Moon, and the Earth are all in a straight
line and the Moon completely hides the Sun from view.
A partial eclipse occurs when the three bodies are not
exactly in a straight line. In an annular solar eclipse, the
Sun is visible as a bright ring around the Moon because
the Moon is farthest from the Earth
 Explanation:
The topic of this paragraph is Solar eclipse,
whereas the main idea is the one stated in the
first sentence, i.e. A solar eclipse is an
astronomical event during which the Moon
seems to cover the Sun.
 Essay Organization
An essay is a piece of writing made up of the
number of paragraphs. Each paragraph has a
specific role in an essay. Essay organization
consist of Introductory paragraph, Body
Paragraph, Concluding Paragraph.
 1. Introductory paragraph
The first paragraph of an essay should
introduce the reader to the essay topic. It
should create interest in the essay, outline the
writers main ideas and suggest how these
ideas will be presented within the body of the
essay. The introduction consist of three main
elements: a hook, building sentences, and a
thesis statement
 A. Hook
The first sentence (or sentences) of an essay should catch the readers
attention. It introduces the topic of the essay in an interesting way.
It use the following strategies:
An eye-catching statement uses an interesting idea to introduce the
topic.
A surprising statistic uses a detail that is not widely known to
introduce the topic
A quotation (by an expert on the topic) is a powerfully worded
statement that begins the essay in a knowledgeable and
authoritative way
A general truth introduces something about the topic which the
reader can immediately agree .
A question gets the readers attention by forcing them to think
directly about the topic.
 B. Building sentences
Building sentences help to provide background to the essay and
introduce any ideas or information necessary for the reader to
understand the thesis (Sean Wray et al, 2012). For example,
building sentences could:
Explain the history of the topic
Provide some statistic on the topic
Mention the current situation regarding the topic
Mention attitudes or opinions towards the topic
From general information to more specific information
Using information familiar to the reader to information new to the
reader
Chronologically (from older information to newer information)
 C. Thesis statement
The thesis statement comes at the end of the
introduction. It is the most important sentence in the
entire essay because it presents the essay topic and the
writers position on that topic. It also indicates the
main ideas that will be discussed in the body paragraph
(Sean Wray et al, 2012). In other words, it states the
purpose of the essay. Therefore, a thesis statements
should include:
The topics of the essay
The writers position, opinion, or approach to the topic.
The main ideas that will develop and support the
writers position
 Example:
Solar power is improving peoples lives in developing countries
by providing efficient light safely, linking them to the global
mobile community, and increasing their independence.
This thesis statement show that:
solar power is the topic of the essay.
The writers position in this topic is that it is improving
peoples lives in developing countries
The three main ideas that support the writers position are
It is providing efficient light safely
It is linking them to the global mobile community
It is increasing their independence
 2. Body Paragraph
Each body paragraph explains in detail one of
the main ideas expressed in the thesis
statement. There are three parts to a body
paragraph: a topic sentence, supporting
sentence, and a concluding sentence.
 a. Topic sentence
The first sentence of a body paragraph
expresses the topic of the paragraph and
provides a controlling idea about the topic. All
information in the paragraph support the
controlling ideas (Sean Wray et al, 2012).
 b. Supporting sentences
Supporting sentences explain and develop the topic sentence. They
present logical thoughts, evidence, and explanations in support of
the controlling idea. To do this, organize your supporting sentences
in the following pattern:
1. State a reason
What is a reason for the controlling idea?
What argument supports the controlling idea?
2. Provide evidence
What is an example of the reason?
How is the reason demonstrated?
3. Provide an explanation
What do 1 and 2 mean?
Why are 1 and 2 important?
 c. Concluding sentence
The paragraph may end with a concluding
thought on the paragraph topic. It may also show
a transition to the next paragraph (Sean Wray et
al, 2012).
For paragraph with multiple reason supporting
the topic sentence, a concluding sentence may be
necessary in order to:
Summarize the reason in the paragraph
Show how the reasons prove the writers position
in the thesis
 d. Transitions
These are words or expressions used to help the
reader keep up with the flow and logic of
thoughts. Transitions create coherence in an
essay because they show how the supporting
paragraphs have been arranged or ordered
(Hogan and Gina, 2013).
The most common orders are:
Time or chronological order (first, second, third)
Spatial order (in front, next to, behind.)
Importance or emphatic order (least to most
important)
 e. Unity and Coherence
Unity means agreement. In essay writing,
agreement comes in the form of supporting
paragraph s that present and explain ideas that
relate directly to the thesis statement.
Coherence means consistent or clear. In essay
writing, consistency and clarity help the writers
ideas flow smoothly and logically. Coherence
requires that the supporting paragraphs are
organized in a sequential manner to move the
reader from one supporting paragraph to another
or from idea to idea within each paragraph.
 3. Concluding Paragraph
The concluding paragraph end the essay by
reviewing the main ideas from each body
paragraph and leaving the reader with a final
thought. The conclusion consist of three
elements: a restated thesis, a summary of
main ideas, and a final thought (Hogan and
Gina, 2013)
a. Restated thesis
At the start of the conclusion, the thesis is restated in words
different from those in the introduction (Hogan and Gina, 2013).
b. Summary of main ideas
The main ideas from each the body paragraphs are summarized as
a reminder to the reader (Hogan and Gina, 2013).
c. Final thought
The writer ends the essay by presenting a final thought on the
topic- for example, by stating an opinion, a solution, or a prediction.
The final thought should leave a strong impression and encourage
the reader to think further about the topic (Hogan and Gina, 2013)
Here is the example of conclusion paragraph(Hogan and Gina,
2013).
Restated thesis
In the history of medicine, pain-killing drugs are among the
greatest advances.
Summary of main ideas
If properly used, they ease suffering. However, when their
use is not restricted or controlled, they psychologically
cripple many create painkiller addicts.
Final thought
Ironically, in seeking to control the pain with drugs,
painkiller abusers become controlled by their drugs. Sadly,
many people fear pain more than death itself.
 Harvard Author
The Harvard system is another name given to
the Author-Date style of referencing and
citation.
Examples in this document have been based
on the following text; Style manual for
authors, editors and printers 2002, 6th edn,
rev. Snooks & Co., Wiley, Milton, Qld
 BOOKS IN-TEXT REFERENCE REFERENCE LIST

One author in-text reference Information prominent (the authors Cochrane, A 2007, Understanding urban
placement name is within policy: a critical
Note: There are two main ways to use parentheses): approach, Blackwell Publishing,
intext The conclusion reached in a recent study Malden, MA.
references. Firstly, to focus on the (Cochrane 2007) was that
information from your source OR
information prominent. Secondly, to Author prominent (the authors
focus on the author author prominent. name is outside the
parentheses):
Cochrane (2007) concluded that
One author when fewer than 30 An interesting view was expressed that Cochrane, A 2007, Understanding urban
words are quoted the connection of high profile policy: a critical
Include the material in the paragraph and developments to their surrounding approach, Blackwell Publishing,
include specific page number/s. environment has increasingly been Malden, MA.
Use single quotation marks to show the questioned (Cochrane 2007, p. 117).
exact words. OR
An interesting view was expressed by
Cochrane (2007, p. 117) that
the connection of high profile
developments to their surrounding
environment has increasingly been
questioned.
One author when 30 or more Much has been written about acute care.
words are quoted Finkelman (2006, p. 184),
Begin quoting the material on a new for example, points out that:
line, There are many changes in acute care
indent it 5 spaces (use the Indent services occurring
tool to keep all lines of the quote almost daily, and due to the increasing
evenly indented), and include use of outpatient
specific page number/s. surgery, surgical services have
Omit the quotation marks. experienced major changes. Hospitals are
Use double spacing for your text and increasing the size of their outpatient or
single spacing for the indented ambulatory surgery departments and
quote. adjusting to the need of moving patients
Make sure the quote is exactly as it into and out of the surgical service in 1
was day oreven a few hours.
published. Recently, this trend has been seen in some
Australian hospitals and
research here
Two or three authors When considering the Howard Palmer, GR & Short, SD 2010, Health
Governments Indigenous health care and public policy:
expenditure, Palmer and Short (2010, p. 63) an Australian analysis, 4th edn,
maintain that Palgrave Macmillan, South Yarra,
Vic.
More than three authors when A recent study (Seeley et al. 2011, Seeley, R, VanPutte, C, Regan, J
reference to specific page/s p. 143) concluded that & Russo, A 2011, Seeleys
required OR anatomy & physiology, McGraw-
For in-text references, use the Seeley et al. (2011, p. 143) Hill, New York, NY.
first authors concluded that
family name followed by et al.
Use all names in the reference list

Several works by same author, Leadership and change in schools Fullan, M 1996a, Leadership for
same year have been major topics of change, in International
Arrange alphabetically by title in discussion for several years (Fullan handbook for educational
the Reference List. Place lowercase 1996a, 1996b) and this leadership and administration,
letters conference Kluwer
(a,b,c,etc.) immediately after Educational change has taken on a Academic Publishers, New York,
the new meaning in recent years NY.
year (Fullan 1996b) Fullan, M 1996b, The new meaning
of educational change,
Cassell, London
Several authors, different The cyclical process (Carr & Carr, W & Kemmis, S 1986,
years,referred to collectively in Kemmis 1986; Dick 2000; Becoming critical: education
your work Kemmis & McTaggart 1988; knowledge and action research,
List sources alphabetically by MacIsaac 1995) suggests Falmer Press, London.
family name Dick, B 2000, A beginners guide
in the in-text reference in the to action research, viewed 3 June
order in which 2004,
they appear in the Reference List. http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/gc
Separate each reference with a m/ar/arp/guide.html
semicolon. Kemmis, S & McTaggart, R (eds)
1988, The action research planner,
3rd edn, Deakin University,
Melbourne.
MacIsaac, D 1995, An
introduction to action research,
viewed 28 May 2004,
http://physicsed.buffalostate.edu/
danowner/actionrsch.html