Q: Metatext at the Beginning of a Section

Example 1 In the following section, I will briefly outline the key concepts within the field of the experience economy. Example 2 To address the second part of my research question, this section will first define the concept of outsourcing and then briefly describe how outsourcing has developed in Denmark over the past ten years.

Q: Metatext at the ending of a section

Example Having explained the technical construction of green roofs, the following sections will examine how these roofs should be maintained. By using metatext, you create both coherence and guidance for your reader. Remember that you are writing for someone who is not as familiar with the assignment as you are. Aim to provide a clear, structured, and guided reading experience that helps the reader follow your line of reasoning throughout the paper.

Question 1

Metatext at the Beginning of a Section

Accepted Answer

Example 1

In the following section, I will briefly outline the key concepts within the field of the experience economy.

Example 2

To address the second part of my research question, this section will first define the concept of outsourcing and then briefly describe how outsourcing has developed in Denmark over the past ten years.

Question 2

Metatext at the ending of a section

Accepted Answer

Example

Having explained the technical construction of green roofs, the following sections will examine how these roofs should be maintained.

By using metatext, you create both coherence and guidance for your reader. Remember that you are writing for someone who is not as familiar with the assignment as you are. Aim to provide a clear, structured, and guided reading experience that helps the reader follow your line of reasoning throughout the paper.

Question 3

Good and bad words

Accepted Answer

Some words are particularly useful for demonstrating an academic approach:

Analyse, argue, justify, nuance, investigate, define, discuss, evaluate, select.

In contrast, you should avoid words that are emotional, subjective, or overly personal, such as:

Agitate, review, assume, feel, believe, entertain, postulate, experience, confess.

Question 4

Passive and active writing

Accepted Answer

Some students have an unfortunate tendency to write in the passive voice (where the actor is hidden) and to use overly complex language in the belief that it sounds more academic and professional. However, this often creates confusion for the reader, making it difficult to follow the purpose of the assignment and the line of argument.

Consider the following passive sentence:

The machine’s productivity is examined, and the results are communicated.

In this example, it is unclear who is examining the machine’s productivity and who receives the results.

A more active and precise version would be:

The operator examines the machine’s productivity and communicates the results to the manufacturer.

Now it is clear who is carrying out the analysis and who receives the results.

Question 5

Keep your assignment academically grounded

Accepted Answer

In addition to being academic and precise, your assignment should not come across as overly personal or informal. But does that mean you can never use “I” in an academic paper? Not necessarily.

Using “I” can be appropriate when you, as the author, are explaining decisions you have made in the assignment. For example, you may use “I” when describing the choices you made in your research or analysis, the way you have structured the assignment, or your interpretation or discussion of the results.

Example:

I have chosen to use questionnaires in order to gain a better understanding of my target group's preferences.

Example:

To answer my research question, I will first explain the key concepts within social media marketing and then (...).

However, it is important not to use “I” to express personal opinions, beliefs, or feelings that are not supported by academic reasoning or evidence.

Remember that academic arguments should be based on evidence, theory, and analysis rather than personal views.

Example: I think that teenagers today use social media far too much.

Example: In my opinion, it is strange that teenagers use social media so much.

If you are unsure about whether using “I” is appropriate, it is always a good idea to ask your instructor about their expectations and preferences.

Question 6

Basic model of argumentation

Accepted Answer

According to Toulmin’s Model, an argument can be broken down into three main components: claim, grounds (evidence), and warrant.

Grounds (evidence): the reasons or evidence used to support the claim.
Claim: the point you want to persuade your audience to accept.
Warrant: the underlying connection between the claim and the evidence.

These three elements must be present for something to qualify as an argument. For example, if you try to convince your audience of a particular viewpoint (the claim) without explaining why it should be accepted (the grounds), your argument is unlikely to be persuasive. Strong arguments require clear justification.

Claim without Grounds (also called a Postulate):

Electric vehicles are better for the environment than petrol-powered vehicles!

Claim with Grounds:

Electric vehicles are better for the environment than petrol-powered vehicles because they emit less CO₂.

The final part of Toulmin’s model of argumentation, namely what is called the warrant, concerns the connection between the claim and the grounds. In other words, it is the shared understanding that both the sender and the receiver have, which makes the argument acceptable. In the case of the electric car, the warrant would be something along the following lines: The less CO₂ that is emitted, the better it is for the environment.

Note that if an argument is really going to be effective, both the sender and the receiver must share the same understanding of the warrant. In the electric car example, most people would probably (by now) agree that less CO₂ in the atmosphere is beneficial, but if you were to encounter people who do not share that assumption, the argument would consequently be received less favourably.

It is therefore always important to understand who your audience is when you are arguing.

In higher education, you are writing within an academic community, which means you should be familiar with the methods, concepts, theories, and standards of reasoning that are accepted within your field of study.

As a rule, the warrant will be implicit in the argument, as we saw in the example above with electric cars, but in academic assignments it can often be a good idea to make the warrant explicit (that is, explain why).

"We need to reduce our CO₂ emissions, as they can otherwise have major consequences for the environment. Electric vehicles are therefore much better for the environment than petrol-powered vehicles because they emit less CO₂"

Even if all the basic elements are included in your arguments, it is also important that you argue in a sound and objective manner. Your argumentation should therefore stay within the framework prescribed by your discipline. In other words, your argumentation should be rational, professional, and academically grounded, rather than personal, subjective, and emotionally driven.

Question 7

Extended model of argumentation

Accepted Answer

Arguments come in different sizes and levels of complexity. According to Toulmin, you can make your argument stronger or more nuanced by adding a number of elements, namely: backing, qualifier, and rebuttal.

Rebuttal: In academic assignments, it is crucial that you are aware of the points where your argumentation may be questioned. This is exactly what the rebuttal is used for. You should explain under which circumstances your argument does not hold up, and why you nevertheless choose a particular solution or approach in your assignment. In this way, you create transparency and nuance in your work, and demonstrate that you are capable of taking a critical view not only of others, but also of yourself and the academic choices you have made.

Backing: You should also make sure that there is valid backing for your argumentation and warrant. In other words, you need to ensure that your warrant is sufficiently supported. This can be done by drawing on relevant backing, such as theories, academic methods, or research studies.

Qualifier: It is also important to consider your qualifier. For example, is your argument certain or merely likely? Academic argumentation often involves weighing different forms of evidence against one another, so in most disciplines it is not a weakness if you do not insist absolutely on a single argument. On the contrary, as with rebuttals, it can be important to emphasise that there may be both advantages and disadvantages to the solutions you have chosen.

Therefore, always consider whether your argument contains sufficient rebuttal and backing, and whether you have chosen the appropriate qualifier for academic purposes.

Example: Electric vehicles are probably better for the environment than petrol-powered vehicles, as they emit less CO₂. However, this requires consumers to keep their electric vehicle for a long time after purchasing it, rather than replacing it after only a few years. Since the production of electric vehicles itself results in higher CO₂ emissions than the production of traditional petrol-powered vehicles, they need to be driven for several years before they can be considered more environmentally friendly than petrol-powered vehicles (Albright, 2020).

Language and argumentation

When writing an academic assignment, your language should be professional and scholarly while also ensuring that your content is clearly expressed for the reader.

Key points

Table of contents

The common thread Coherence and flow

Academic language use

Spelling and punctuation

Argumentation technique