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Your Guide to Academic Writing
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Your Guide to Academic Writing
From Context to Text



November 2026 | 328 pages | SAGE Publications Ltd

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.


 
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