How do you start an academic paragraph?

An academic paragraph should start with a topic sentence that introduces the main idea of the paragraph. This is followed by supporting sentences that provide

How do you start an academic paragraph?

The opening sentence of the paragraph should outline the main idea (topic sentence). Each supporting sentence should directly explain, reference, or be based on the main idea using specific tests and examples where possible. A short 9-minute video on how to write an academic paragraph. A basic 4-part paragraph structure and an example paragraph.

Each paragraph in the body should begin with a transition, either a word or a phrase, such as First, or Another important point is. Then, the first sentence should continue with the topic sentence. The topic sentence tells the reader what the paragraph is about, such as a smaller level thesis statement. The rest of the paragraph will be made up of supportive sentences.

These sentences, at least four of them, will explain your topic sentence to the reader. This is Mary Bloggs, who is a consultant in the academic skills office (information relevant to the person for the job about to be performed). The first step in academic essay writing is to determine your topic and develop a thesis statement, which is simply a concise statement of the main idea of your essay (for example, “Dogs are better than cats. If the individual points start to get longer, then perhaps the way forward is to elaborate on each of them and place them in their own paragraphs.

You can also print articles and web pages and highlight important information so that you can easily find it when you start writing. Now that you have your outline, it's time to develop the text and start writing your academic essay. Five-paragraph essays are incredibly useful in two situations where writers are just starting out and when a writing task is scheduled. Assignment essays are often used as assessment tasks to engage students in research, academic reading, and formal essay writing.

This introduction to a literary analysis essay, on Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, begins by describing a simplistic popular view of history, and then exposes how the author will give a more complex analysis of the literary resources of the text. The use of the Internet in academic contexts is increasing and its role in learning is hotly debated. When you are tasked with writing an academic essay, your teacher may give you a specific topic or ask you to write about a specific thesis statement. This essay will identify and examine the main causes that underpin students' difficulties with This introduction to a literary analysis essay, on Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, begins by describing a simplistic popular view of history, and then exposes how the author will give a more complex analysis of the literary resources of the text. The use of the Internet in academic contexts is increasing and its role in learning is hotly debated. When you are tasked with writing an academic essay, your teacher may give you a specific topic or ask you to write about a specific thesis statement. This essay will identify and examine the main causes that underpin students' difficulties with academic writing and will consider evidence to assess whether programs taught at universities address this problem.

When considering how to write an academic essay, don't wait until the last minute to begin your research. However, if you use information or ideas that you obtained from another source, you should always provide a citation to recognize that the information comes from another place; failure to do so is plagiarism, and academic institutions have strict policies against plagiarism.

Dr. Isla Merrick
Dr. Isla Merrick

The Cognitive Writing ScholarA guide who frames writing not simply as a skill, but as a cognitive process, a lens for understanding the world, and a discipline that teaches precision of thought.Background:Dr. Isla Merrick is a lecturer in Academic Literacy and Applied Linguistics, with a research focus on the cognitive and rhetorical foundations of writing. She has spent over a decade helping undergraduate and postgraduate students understand the why behind academic conventions—objectivity, clarity, argumentation, third-person stance, formality, and structured reasoning.Her work draws from:• rhetoric and composition theory• cognitive science and writing psychology• applied linguistics• research writing + epistemic literacy• academic integrity and ethical authorship• dissertation and thesis pedagogyIsla’s writing style blends analytical calm, conceptual clarity, and supportive instruction, helping students move from confusion to control. She specialises in explaining complex academic principles in simple, structured language.