The Academic Phrasebank is a copyright free general resource for academic writers. It aims to provide you with some of the phraseological "nuts and bolts" of writing under the headings below (see contents table). It was designed primarily for international students whose first language is not English. However, if you are a native speaker writer, you may still find parts of the material helpful.
The phrases can be used simply to assist you in thinking about your writing, or they can be pasted into your own work where this is appropriate. In most cases a certain amount of creativity will be necessary when you do this. It is also possible to transfer some of the words used in particular phrases to others. The phrases are content neutral and generic in nature; in using them, therefore, you are not stealing other people's ideas and this does not constitute plagiarism.
Users will need to be aware that Phrasebank is not discipline specific, and it does not claim to be comprehensive.
Contents
Writing Introductions .................................................................................................................... 6
Establishing the importance of the topic: ................................................................................... 6
Establishing the importance of the topic (time frame given): ..................................................... 6
Highlighting a problem in the field of study: ............................................................................... 7
Highlighting a controversy in the field of study: ......................................................................... 7
Highlighting a knowledge gap in the field of study (for research): .............................................. 7
Focus, aim, argument: ............................................................................................................... 8
Outline of structure: