Academic Writing Basics

Academic writing uses a specific style and tone. It's formal, structured, and backed up by evidence. Learning to write academically is a foundational skill for any university programme.

This course introduces you to the skills required for academic writing. You'll learn to use a range of reading and research strategies to evaluate and analyse your sources. You'll also learn how to structure the information you've gathered in a concise, logical way.

Throughout the course your presenters will provide guidance and feedback to help you improve your academic writing skills as you work towards developing a complete academic essay, setting you up for academic and professional success. 

There are no prerequisites for this course. It’s for anyone looking to understand what academic writing is and improve their skills to support their future academic pursuits.

It's ideal for secondary students, school leavers, those with English as a second language, and anyone who wants to hone their academic writing skills. 

Technology Requirements
We recommend a laptop or desktop computer and a reliable internet connection. For most courses you'll need to download and populate assignments. These are usually available in Microsoft Word.

Course fees
Course fees must be paid before learning can begin, either via online credit-card payment, or by contacting info@uconline.ac.nz to request an invoice. Please note: fixed invoice payment dates apply, so we recommend getting in touch with us as soon as possible to request an invoice, as this option is subject to availability.

Our courses are flexible, enabling you to plan your study around your other commitments. You can choose to study when it suits you during the 8-week learning period (9 October – 3 December), followed by a 2-week review period for marking and feedback (4 – 18 December).

We recommend completing around 6 hours of study a week during the 8-week learning period – you can view the course overview here for more details on assessment timings. 

Module 1: Academic Reading and Secondary Research
Learn how to use a range of reading strategies to evaluate written texts for academic purposes.

Module 2: Essay Structure and Paragraph Unity
Understand the basic structure of an academic essay and how to write a unified, coherent paragraph.

Module 3: Formal Writing, Editing, and Proofreading
Understand the differences between formal and informal writing styles and learn effective editing and proofreading strategies.

• Module 1 = 30% (submit assignment 1)
• Module 2 = 30% (submit assignment 2)
• Module 3 = 40% (submit assignment 3)

Rebecca Morris

Transition Programme Teacher | BA, PGDipTchgLn

Bradley William Rea

Academic Writing Educator | BA hons, PhD

Rebecca Morris has taught academic writing at the University of Canterbury since 2019 and loves teaching this skill to adults.

She believes strongly in the value of being a lifelong learner. There’s something wonderful about being surrounded by individuals embarking on this journey for themselves and being able to offer a bit of support along the way.

Mā te kimi ka kite,
mā te kite ka mōhio,
mā te mōhio ka mārama.

Seek and discover,
discover and know,
know and become enlightened.

Bradley Rea is an academic writing educator in UC's Transition Programme. After majoring in Education and English, his love of Sci-fi resulted in a doctoral thesis titled 'Science and Fiction: The Narrative Representation of Evolutionary Theory'. This was likely inspired by repetitively watching Return of the Jedi as a child.