Words to consider:

1. Paragraphs
2. Structure of Paragraphs
3. Topic sentence
4. Structure of Sentences
5. Structure of Academic Texts

Common structures

The structure of your writing depends on the type of assignment, but two common structures used in academic writing are the
three-part essay structure and the IMRaD structure. Even shorter essays that are not divided into titled sections follow such a
structure. Longer texts may be further divided into subsections. Different disciplines or departments may prefer that students
use a certain structure, so make sure to check with your instructor if you are not sure what is expected of you.

The three-part essay structure

Introduction
Body
Conclusion

The Structure of the Entire Text and of Each Section

Most academic texts in the sciences adhere to the model called imrad, which is an acronym for introduction, methods and
materials, results, and discussion. Imrad is often illustrated with the following image (see explanation below).

The model should however be complemented with sections for aims and research questions, as these make up the very backbone
of the academic text. They often appear towards the end of the introduction, but sometimes after a separate heading.

Below is an overview of what should be included in each of the sections of the academic text:

Aim
Research questions
Introduction
Methods and Materials
Results
Discussion
Conclusion

Other parts of academic papers

Apart from the parts that are treated in the above sections about the three-part structure and the IMRaD structure,
academic papers also consist of other often quite formalized parts.

Title
Abstract
Table of contents
Reference list

Prepared By: AC Gonzales Page 1 of 1 EAPP