Assignment 1: Introduction to Academic English

Essay Questions

You must choose one of the essay titles listed below as your essay title. No other titles are accepted and will result in an F grade.
Note that you cannot change your choice after submitting Assessment 1, so be prepared to do some background reading on several titles before you decide.

Essay Titles

1. Explain the process by which electric vehicles move from production to consumer adoption.

2. Examine the causes and effects of tariffs on global supply chains.

3. Describe how globalisation has influenced the meaning and use of English worldwide.

4. Analyse the problem of vaccine hesitancy and propose possible solutions to address it.

5. Compare and contrast the influence of social media and face-to-face interaction on young people’s self-esteem.

6. Discuss the impact of mandatory attendance policies on academic performance.

Assignment One Objective

Assignment one aims to research and plan an academic essay (see the sample in SOUL), which you will write for the second assignment.

The essay plan must include:

• The chosen essay title

• The essay introduction:

  • Hook Statement

  • Create Interest / Background

  • Thesis Statement

• One topic sentence for each body paragraph x 3

• One academic source of evidence for each body paragraph x 3:

  • Supporting Ideas

  • APA reference for each source of evidence

• Screenshot of your sources

Introduction to Academic English

Assignment 1: Essay Plan Guidelines

Tip

Visit the HKU library website and Google Scholar to find relevant academic texts with evidence to support your essay's content.
If you still do not have your HKU library card, use Google Scholar to assist your research

Summary of Assessment Requirements

The Assignment 1: Essay Plan for Introduction to Academic English required students to research and prepare an essay plan for a chosen essay topic that would later be developed into a full essay in the next assessment.

Students were instructed to choose one topic from a list of six essay titles, covering diverse academic and social issues such as globalisation, electric vehicles, tariffs, vaccine hesitancy, social media influence, and attendance policies.

The essay plan had to include:

• Chosen essay title

• Introduction section:

  • Hook statement

  • Background/Interest creation

  • Thesis statement

• Three body paragraphs, each including:

  • One topic sentence

  • One supporting academic source

  • Supporting ideas and evidence

  • APA reference for each source

• Screenshots of academic sources used for evidence

Students were also guided to use the HKU Library and Google Scholar to find credible academic resources for evidence and support.

Academic Mentor’s Step-by-Step Guidance

The academic mentor guided the student through a structured and systematic approach to ensure clarity, research accuracy, and academic quality in preparing the essay plan.

Step 1: Understanding the Task

The mentor began by helping the student analyse the assessment brief, emphasizing that no alternative titles could be used and explaining the importance of background reading before selecting a final topic. This ensured the student understood the expectations and avoided penalties.

Step 2: Selecting the Essay Title

The student, with the mentor’s assistance, reviewed each of the six essay titles. The mentor encouraged brief research on each topic to identify available evidence and the student’s area of interest.
This step helped the student choose a topic with sufficient academic material and clear analytical scope.

Step 3: Research and Resource Collection

The mentor guided the student to use Google Scholar and the HKU Library database for academic sources, explaining how to identify credible, peer-reviewed journals and articles. The student was shown how to:

• Select relevant sources supporting each body paragraph.

• Extract useful quotations, paraphrased ideas, and data.

• Record APA references accurately.

Step 4: Structuring the Essay Plan

Once the topic and sources were selected, the mentor explained how to organize the essay plan as per the given structure:

a. Introduction Section

• Hook Statement: The mentor demonstrated how to begin with an engaging fact, statistic, or question related to the topic.

• Background/Interest: The student was taught how to provide context and relevance to the topic.

• Thesis Statement: The mentor assisted in crafting a clear, concise argument that outlined the essay’s main position and direction.

b. Body Paragraphs

For each of the three body paragraphs, the mentor guided the student to:

• Write one topic sentence expressing the main idea.

• Add supporting evidence from academic sources.

• Include supporting ideas or analysis connecting evidence to the main argument.

• Conclude each paragraph logically to lead into the next one.

c. APA Referencing and Source Documentation

The mentor reviewed proper APA citation format, both in-text and in the reference list, ensuring the student understood citation integrity. Screenshots of each source were included for verification.

Step 5: Review and Refinement

The mentor encouraged the student to review the essay plan for coherence, logical flow, and academic tone. The focus was on maintaining formal language, balanced arguments, and accurate referencing. Feedback was provided to refine the thesis and topic sentences for clarity.

Outcome and Learning Achievements

By following the mentor’s guidance, the student successfully completed a well-structured essay plan that demonstrated research ability, academic writing skills, and understanding of essay composition.

Key Outcomes:

• The student produced a clear and detailed essay plan aligned with the assessment requirements.

• Academic sources were correctly integrated and referenced using APA style.

• The introduction, body structure, and supporting evidence were logically organized.

Learning Objectives Achieved:

1. Understanding Academic Writing Structure – The student learned how to build an essay framework, including an introduction, thesis, and body paragraphs.

2. Research Skills Development – The student practiced finding, evaluating, and citing academic sources using Google Scholar and the HKU Library.

3. Critical Thinking and Planning – The process strengthened the student’s ability to plan arguments and organize ideas before drafting the full essay.

4. Application of APA Referencing – The student gained practical experience in academic citation and referencing conventions.

Final Reflection

The mentor’s step-by-step approach ensured that the student not only completed the assessment successfully but also developed foundational skills essential for future academic writing. Through guided research, structured planning, and focused feedback, the student achieved clarity in writing, critical analysis, and scholarly presentation, meeting all the intended learning outcomes of Introduction to Academic English – Assignment 1: Essay Plan.

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