Waiyee Loh
Associate Professor of World Literature

Week 1. Introduction

Overview of the academic essay-writing process

Lecture slides: W1. Introduction.pptx

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Week 2. Text

Reading: Extracts from Aw, Five Star Billionaire

Lecture slides: W2. Text.pptx

W2. Map of South and East China Seas.jpg

PDF of Five Star Billionaire extracts:  Tash Aw. Five Star Billionaire extracts.pdf

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Week 3. Context and Criticism

Reading: Lim, “National and Diasporic Identity in Shirley Geok-lin Lim’s Among the White Moon Faces and Tash Aw’s Five Star Billionaire”

Lecture slides: W3. Context and criticism (for students).pptx

PDF of article: Lim. National and Diasporic Identity in Lim and Aw.pdf

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Week 4. Brainstorming

Designing a research question

Lecture slides: W4. Brainstorming (for students).pptx

Template: W4. Research question template.docx

Research question due

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Week 5. Drafting

Beginning to answer your research question

Identifying areas for research

Lecture slides: W5. Drafting.pptx

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Week 6. Doing research

Looking for appropriate sources

Lecture slides: W6. Doing research (for students).pptx

Library research skills workshop

Recommended reading list: Recommended reading list.pdf

​​Template: W6. Bibliography template.docx

Bibliography due

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​Week 7. Doing research

Taking notes

Lecture slides: W7. Doing research.pptx

Template: W7. Annotated bibliography template.docx

Annotated bibliography due

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Week 8. Writing the first draft

The structure of the essay

Lecture slides: W8. Writing first draft (for students).pptx

Template: W8. First draft template.docx

Essay formatting instructions: Essay formatting instructions.pdf

First draft due

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Week 9. Revising the first draft

Students peer-review each other's work

Identifying areas for further research

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Peer-review worksheet due

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​Week 10. Writing the second draft

Doing further research

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Second draft due

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​Week 11. Revising the second draft

Instructor feedback on the second draft 

(Stage 1: Major issues regarding content and structure)

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Third draft due

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Week 12. Revising the third draft

Instructor feedback on the third draft

(Stage 2: Writing issues on the level of the paragraph)

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Week 13. Editing

In-text citations and the list of works cited

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Proof-reading the fourth draft: students peer-review each other's work

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Week 14. Conclusion

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Submit final essay (fifth version)

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