Your complete guide to essay writing! Academic writing doesn't have to feel overwhelming. With 22 practical units covering everything from deciphering the assignment to polishing your final draft, this book takes you through every stage of the essay process, giving you the tools to succeed with confidence. What you'll find inside: Context sections that explain the bigger picture behind each stage, connecting your writing to academic life and your discipline. Step-by-step development of a full example essay, so you can see guidance in action. Practice tasks to explore techniques, followed by Output tasks to help you create your own assignments as you go. A Transferable Skills section, showing how academic writing strengthens critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving-skills employers value. Student Success is a series of essential guides for students at every level. From thinking critically and writing great essays to boosting employability and managing wellbeing, these books help you study smarter and get the most from your time at university.
Riccardo Galgani is a Lecturer in English for Academic Purposes (EAP) at the University of Glasgow. He works with postgraduate and undergraduate students across a wide range of disciplines, including social sciences, engineering, maths and statistics, humanities, and education. His teaching focuses on supporting students' transition into academic study by clarifying expectations and helping them develop confidence and autonomy. Riccardo's approach encourages meaningful interaction with texts, teachers, peers, and ideas through listening, speaking, reading, and writing. He has designed and delivered a wide range of academic courses, many of which have shaped this textbook. Committed to criticality and reflection, Riccardo's work supports students whose prior educational experiences may not have prepared them for UK academic conventions. He views academic writing as more than a technical skill: it is a way of engaging with knowledge and participating in scholarly communities.
Introduction Part I: Joining the Conversation: Writing in Disciplinary Contexts Context: Knowledge & Disciplines Text: The Essay Task Linking Text and Context Units 1 to 4 Unit 1: Situating the Essay Task Unit 2: Brainstorming the Essay Task Unit 3: Analysing the Essay Task Unit 4: Academic Vocabulary Part II: Reading with Purpose: Preparing to Write Context: Knowledge & Purpose Text: Reading Linking Text and Context Units 5 to 8 Unit 5: Locating and Identifying Source Material Unit 6: Identifying Relevant Content in Source Material Unit 7: Citation Systems, Noting Source Information & Academic Integrity Unit 8: Talking About Reading and Your Essay Part III: Shaping Meaning: Building Structure and Argument Context: Knowledge & Engagement Text: Shaping Content Linking Text and Context Units 9 to 12 Unit 9: Essay Introductions Unit 10: Essay Structures and Planning Unit 11: Basic Paragraph Organisation Unit 12: Coherence and Drafting Part IV: Positioning Your Voice: Integrating Sources in Academic Writing Context: Knowledge & Communication Text: Developing Content Linking Text and Context Units 13 to 17 Unit 13: Technical & Linguistic Aspects of Integration Unit 14: Integration & Intention Unit 15: Paragraph Organisation in Detail Unit 16: Rhetorical Aspects of Integration Unit 17: Essay Conclusions Part V: Refining Your Voice: Style, Stance, and Academic Integrity Context: Knowledge and Identity Text: Refining Content & Submission Linking Text and Context Units 18 to 22 Unit 18: Academic Style Unit 19: Stance Unit 20: Sentence Level Choices Unit 21: Cohesion Unit 22: Proofreading, Final Checks & Submission Part VI: Transferable Skills: Beyond the Essay
