Kanora · Free Student Resource
The Academic Writing Guide
1. Structure
- Introduction: context → why it matters → thesis (last sentence).
- Body paragraphs: one idea each. Topic sentence → evidence → explanation → link back to thesis.
- Counterargument: state the strongest objection fairly, then respond.
- Conclusion: answer “so what?” — implications and what remains open. No new evidence.
2. A strong thesis
- Specific: names exactly what you're arguing about.
- Arguable: a reasonable person could disagree.
- Supported: you can back it up with sources you've found.
- Weak: “Social media affects teenagers.” Strong: “Night-time social media use harms adolescents' sleep more than their mood, because it displaces rest.”
3. Using evidence
- Introduce it: “As Lee (2020) found, …”
- Explain it: two sentences on what the evidence shows and why it supports your point.
- Prefer paraphrase; quote only when exact wording matters.
- Match claim strength to evidence: surveys show associations; experiments test causes.
4. Academic tone
- Avoid “I think”, “you”, slang, contractions and empty intensifiers (very, really).
- Qualify claims: “suggests”, “is associated with”, “most studies indicate”.
- Be precise: replace “things” and “stuff” with the actual noun.
- Prefer active voice when it's clearer who did what.
5. Citations
- Cite every quote, statistic and idea that isn't yours or common knowledge.
- APA in-text: (Smith, 2021) · (Smith & Lee, 2021) · (Smith et al., 2021).
- MLA in-text: (Smith 42).
- Always check generated citations against the original source.
6. Before you submit
- Read it aloud — awkward sentences become obvious.
- Check every paragraph supports the thesis.
- Verify every source and citation.
- Follow your institution's rules on AI tools and academic integrity.