Writing

WRITING

Writing assignments at British University Vietnam (BUV) is a keyway students demonstrate their understanding and critical engagement with course material. Producing high-quality academic writing requires clear planning, adherence to academic standards, and awareness of institutional policies on originality and integrity. This section provides guidance on effective writing practices, grading standards, and academic expectations at BUV.

Key Considerations When Writing Assignments

Originality & Academic Integrity

Avoid duplication and plagiarism. Each assignment must be your own work. If reusing content, get instructor approval and cite it properly. BUV has strict policies on academic misconduct.

Clarity & Structure

Organise your writing logically: clear introduction, body, and conclusion. Use headings and subheadings. Ensure arguments are coherent, evidence-based, and directly address the question.

Referencing

Always cite sources accurately using Harvard, APA, or the required style. Proper referencing supports your arguments and acknowledges others’ work — it’s essential for avoiding plagiarism.

Word Count

Adhere to prescribed word limits. Check your document’s word count and know what is included (e.g., in-text citations, footnotes). Be precise and concise.

Objective & Impersonal

Focus on facts, ideas, and evidence — not personal opinions. Use third-person language unless the assignment asks for reflection. This maintains a formal, academic tone.

Technical Vocabulary

Use precise, discipline-specific terminology (e.g., “sustainability”, “algorithm”). Avoid slang, contractions (e.g., “don’t”), and informal expressions. This demonstrates professionalism.

Academic Writing Characteristics Checklist

Use this checklist to review your assignment before submission and ensure it meets academic standards.

Open the Checklist

Planning Your Writing

Effective writing begins long before you put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard). Thorough planning is crucial for a well-structured and coherent assignment.

Steps for Effective Planning:

1. Understand the Task

Revisit your assignment brief. Ask:

What are the key instruction verbs? (e.g., “evaluate”, “discuss”, “compare”)
What topic, theories, or issues are you expected to cover?

2. Brainstorm Ideas

Generate initial thoughts and concepts using one of these techniques:

Mind Mapping: Visually connect ideas around a central theme.
Free Writing: Write continuously for 5–10 minutes without editing.
Listing: Create bullet points of all relevant ideas.

3. Develop a Thesis Statement

For essays: Your main argument or point you will prove.

For reports: The primary objective or key finding.

This usually appears at the end of your introduction.

4. Create an Outline

Organize your brainstormed ideas logically. Your outline acts as a blueprint for your assignment.

Ensures a clear flow of ideas
Helps you allocate word count to each section
Prevents you from going off-topic

Structuring Your Written Work

Most academic assignments follow a logical structure to guide the reader through your arguments and findings.

1. Essay

2. Report

3. Case Study

4. Presentation

5. Reflective Journal

Essay Structure

Section	Purpose
Introduction	Present thesis statement or research question
Body Paragraphs	Each paragraph starts with a topic sentence and includes evidence and explanation
Conclusion	Consider thesis and summarize key points

Report Structure

Section	Purpose
Executive Summary	Brief overview of key findings and recommendations
Introduction	Background, objectives, and scope
Methodology	Research methods used
Findings	Data analysis and results
Discussion	Interpretation of findings
Conclusion & Recommendations	Summary and actionable suggestions

Case Study Structure

Section	Purpose
Introduction	Context and background of the case
Problem Statement	Key issue(s) to be addressed
Analysis	Application of theories and frameworks
Solution	Proposed solutions and justification
Conclusion	Summary of insights and implications

Presentation Structure

Section	Purpose
Opening	Capture attention, introduce topic, state purpose
Overview	Outline key points and structure
Main Content	Present key ideas with visuals and data
Conclusion	Summarize key messages and call to action
Q&A	Engage audience and clarify points

Reflective Journal Structure

Section	Purpose
Description	What happened? Provide context and facts
Feelings	How did you feel during the experience?
Evaluation	What was good or bad about the experience?
Analysis	Connect to theory or personal beliefs
Conclusion	What have you learned? How will you apply it?

Structure Template

Use this template to plan and structure your essay, report, or case study effectively.

Open the Template

Match Your Writing to the Task Verb

The instruction verb tells you what kind of writing is expected.

Instruction Verb	Writing Strategy
Describe	Be thorough but avoid over-analysis. Focus on key features, sequence, or characteristics.
Explain	Clarify complex ideas in your own words. Show cause-and-effect or how something works.
Outline	Provide a structured summary. List main points clearly without detailed discussion.
Analyze	Break down elements and explore relationships. Go beyond description to show deeper understanding.
Evaluate	Judge using criteria and evidence. Weigh strengths and weaknesses to reach a supported conclusion.
Design	Create something original and justify your approach. Explain your choices and reasoning.

Pro Tip: Always underline the instruction verb in your assignment brief. Ask: “What does this verb require me to do?” Use this table as a checklist before writing.

BUV – Match Instruction Verbs to Writing Style

Match Instruction Verbs to Writing Style

Drag each verb to the category that best matches its required writing style.

Click to Start Quiz →

Instructions: Drag each instruction verb to the category it belongs to. Use what you know about academic writing to make your decision.

Instruction Verbs

Describe

Analyze

Evaluate

Outline

Compare

Explain

Summarize

Justify

Use the Right Tone and Style

Mastering academic language is key to conveying professionalism and credibility.

Formal Vocabulary: Use “insufficient” instead of “not enough”, “demonstrate” instead of “show”.
Avoid Contractions: Use “do not” instead of “don’t”, “cannot” instead of “can’t”.
Objective Language: Write “The findings indicate…” not “I believe the findings indicate…”
Use Modality: Use “may”, “might”, “suggests”, “appears to” — not absolute claims.
Precision: Use exact words (e.g., “78% of participants”) — avoid vague terms.
Signposting: Use transition words: “however”, “furthermore”, “in contrast”, “as a result”.

Tip: A formal tone improves credibility and helps you avoid accidental plagiarism.

Working with Evidence and Referencing

Every claim you make in academic writing needs to be supported by credible evidence from your research. Proper referencing is essential to avoid plagiarism and give credit to original sources.

Integrate Evidence: Don’t just drop in quotes. Introduce them, explain their relevance, and analyze how they support your argument.
Paraphrase and Summarize: Use these skills (as discussed in Section 3.1) to integrate source material into your own words, maintaining your academic voice.
Cite Correctly: Always attribute information, ideas, and direct quotes to their original authors using the required referencing style (e.g., Harvard style used at BUV).

Editing and Proofreading

The writing process isn’t complete until you’ve thoroughly reviewed your work.

Drafting: Don’t aim for perfection in your first draft. Focus on getting your ideas down.
Revision: Step back and review your entire paper for overall structure, argument clarity, and logical flow. Does it answer the assignment question?
Editing: Check for sentence-level issues, conciseness, academic tone, and appropriate vocabulary.
Proofreading: The final check for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and referencing errors. Reading aloud can help catch mistakes.

➡️ Citing – Harvard Style