Academic Writing at the ASC
Resources
ASC Writing Lab
Students in need of extra writing feedback and support can attend the online ASC Writing Lab. To schedule a one-on-one tutoring session, please contact: ascwritinglab@uw.edu.pl. In the Spring 2023, the Lab is operating from March 1 through July 6 (Wednesdays and Thursdays,10.00-15.00).
Mindful of students’ individual needs, tutors will provide feedback on their written work and guide them through the revision process. They might point out grammar mistakes, for instance, but they are not supposed to edit or proofread students’ assignments.
How should you prepare yourself for the Writing Lab online appointment?
- Don’t wait until the last minute to schedule it.
- Bring any assignment guidelines or worksheets with you.
- Come with a set of specific questions. For the research paper proposal, these could be questions about thesis, research questions, etc.
- In the case of long assignments such as the essay draft, focus on a specific section.
- Be active during your consultations: engage in a conversation with the tutor, ask questions, take notes.
Library resources
University of Warsaw Library (BUW)
Online resources
Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS)
Books
*Access to electronic copies of the following titles available upon request to the Academic Writing Coordinator (mj.chambers@uw.edu.pl)
- Booth, Wayne, Gregory Holcomb, and Joseph Williams. The Craft of Research
- Kirszner, Laurie & Stephen Mandell. Patterns for College Writing: A Rhetorical Reader and Guide
- Bailey, Stephen. Academic Writing: A Handbook for International Students
Plagiarism Policy
Plagiarism is the theft and use of another individual’s words or ideas as if they were one’s own. Plagiarism of any length is not permitted at the American Studies Center. The unintentional use of another individual’s work will be considered plagiarism. The judgment of what is and what is not plagiarism resides with the authorities at the American Studies Center. Plagiarism present in either the BA or MA thesis will result in the student having to submit a completely new thesis with a different topic. In cases where plagiarism has been deemed to have occurred, further disciplinary action may be considered by the authorities at the American Studies Center.
Universities consider plagiarism a serious offense as it runs counter to the spirit of sharing and generating knowledge. Any piece of writing submitted will ask of you to demonstrate your understanding of the topic under review, and as part of that demonstration, you will need to cite the material you are engaged with. You must also distinguish your own analysis from those materials, as well as from the analyses of other authors you have read.
The Thesis: Official Submission Guidelines
For more information on requirements and documentation for the BA and MA thesis and examinations:
Formatting your thesis
- Citation: all writing for the ASC, including thesis submissions, must be formatted according to the rules of the Chicago Manual of Style unless otherwise indicated below.
- Font: Times New Roman, 12 point for main body, 10 point for footnotes.
- Spacing: Double-spaced
- Paragraphs: Indent the first line of every paragraph, no line breaks at the end of paragraphs or block quotes.
- Chapters: Each chapter should have a title which is centered at the start of the chapter. It should be headed on the first line as Chapter One, Chapter Two, etc. (16 point font). The second line should contain the Chapter Title (20 point font). (NOTE: For the MA thesis only, each chapter should begin on a new page.)
- Pagination: For page numbers use Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3…). Page 1 should be the first page of your first chapter. Prior to that, you should use lower case Roman numerals (i, ii, iii…) with NO page number on the title page.
