How to write an academic essay

What are the 6 primary sequential stages of the academic writing process?

1. Analyse, 2. Research, 3. Draft, 4. Edit, 5. Formatting, 6. Proofreading

What action is central to the Analysis stage of the writing process?

Underlining keywords, understanding the general topic, and following assignment instructions

Which biomedical database comprises over 30 million citations from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books?

PubMed

What key search tools and filters are used in PubMed to narrow down literature searches?

Keywords, Advanced Search Builder, and publication type filters (e.g., Clinical Trial, Review, Journal Article)

What search function in Web of Science allows combining multiple topics like 'bone regeneration' AND 'osteopontin'?

Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) in the Topic search builder

What reference management software tools are recommended for organizing citations and generating bibliographies in Word?

Mendeley Reference Manager and EndNote

What is the primary difference between paraphrasing and summarizing?

Paraphrasing explains an idea in roughly the same detail; summarizing conveys main ideas in significantly fewer words

What is the definition of plagiarism in academic writing?

Using someone else's words or ideas without proper acknowledgment

Which software program is utilized at the faculty to check manuscript text for plagiarism and similarity reports?

Turnitin

What are the key elements of a good scientific writing style?

Clear, concise, precise, neutral, and formal

How should example lists be formatted to maintain precise scientific style instead of using 'etc.'?

Use 'such as' followed by two or three specific examples (e.g., "diseases such as cancer and diabetes")

Why should personal pronouns and emotive language generally be avoided in formal scientific essays?

To maintain an objective, unbiased tone and avoid presenting a biased or subjective viewpoint

What is the required structural order for a medical faculty manuscript according to the essay guidelines?

1. Title page, 2. Abstract, 3. Introduction, 4. Body, 5. Conclusion, 6. References

What are the specific formatting requirements for the MED101 essay assignment?

Microsoft Word, Arial font, 12-point size, 1.5 line spacing, with wide margins

What are the main categories evaluated in the MED101 essay marking rubric?

Text organisation & essay structure, Content, Quality of evidence, Grammar, and Formatting