Fundamentals of Academic Communication
Don't wait for your first paper assignment
at Rice to discover the differences between what was expected
of your writing in high school and what is expected of
it here. Academic writing, whether in the humanities,
social sciences, or physical sciences, is a means not
simply of relaying information, but also of addressing
important questions, understanding problems, and analyzing
issues important to scholars in a particular discipline.
You will need to understand the conventions of the discipline
in which you are writing, and present a clear argument
relevant to issues in that discipline.
Below are links to web sites which
will introduce you to the fundamentals of academic communication
and the important conventions to consider when writing in
the humanities, social sciences, and physical sciences.
Writing
a successful college paper
This page introduces you to the academic
paper and walks you through the basic steps of constructing
such a paper, including formulating a thesis, analyzing,
summarizing, synthesizing, and finding a rhetorical stance.
Transitioning
from high school to college writing
Here you can take a closer look at the differences between
high school and college writing and learn how to assess
and understand you professors expectations of you. Of course
each professor is unique and it is important to meet individually
with an instructor if you are unclear about his or her particular
expectations.
These pages show the different styles, formats, and expectations
of different disciplines. A liberal arts education means
that you will take classes outside of your major field of
interest. For instance, if you are an English major, you
may find yourself required to take a science course. While
strong writing skills are important in both fields, you
must understand the different ways these disciplines structure
their written assignments and organize their written communication.
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