What Is Academic Writing & Its Types? Dos and Don’ts

Many students are confused about what is academic writing and how to write it because they don’t know the tips and tricks to write an effective academic essay. If you are one of them, then don’t worry! Because you are not the only one. 

Many students have faced the same problem and want to know what academic writing is and the steps to writing it. 

Generally, it is not a big deal to do an academic writing essay; you need to start making a proper structure and planning. 

If you want to know “how to make proper planning and structure to write an academic essay,” here,  in this blog, I will guide you through all steps and complete guidance on academic writing.

What Is Academic Writing?

Academic writing is very important to learn especially for students. It teaches the student how to think critically and accurately while clearly conveying complex ideas in a well-structured, concise format. These types of writing can be defined in many ways. Your instructors can give different names to these assignments – essay, term paper, analysis essay but all of them have the same purpose and are based on the same principles.

Definition Of Academic Writing

” Academic writing must be brief, clear, focused, properly structured, and supported by the evidence. It helps in providing the information.”

Features Of Academic Writing

These are the following features of academic writing; it’s such as:

1. Focused and planned

Academic writing is done with full focus and proper planning. Thorough information of facts is added in any academic paper which can only be done if you are well focused. If you are distracted or not concentrating on the writing then it might result in a writing disaster. The question is answered in a prepared and centered manner and shows an awareness of the subject.

2. Structured

Academic writing structure is consistent, written in a logical order, and includes points and content linked to it. A structure is considered if you write the whole content with fluency. The latter point must connect with the former one. Through this connection only, you will be able to make sense of your academic writing.

3. Evidenced

An academic paper without proper research is not considered a good paper. Good research is considered good evidence of the reliability of that writing. Evidence displays an understanding of the subject region, supports viewpoints and claims with facts, and is correctly referenced.

4. Formal tone and style

Academic papers are always written in a formal tone and you cannot use slang language in them. Many students do the mistake of using loose language that they use in day-to-day life. This creates a bad and unprofessional image of a writer toward its readers. A formal tone is simple, brief, and balanced and uses adequate vocabulary and tenses.

It should involve expressing your own ideas in response to what your teacher said. The goal of completing an academic paper is to show that you have a profound knowledge of a specific topic. You can easily share your own thoughts about a scientific question or an issue that may be of interest to your professor, and other scholars.

How To Write An academic writing Essay?

The rules that must follow while academic writing are explained below- 

Step 1:- Describe ideas clearly

Describing the topic is one of the difficult tasks for students. Try to make the content reader-friendly. 

Step 2:- Create an outline

Planning helps you achieve your goals. You can write consistently by following the outline.

Step 3:- Explain one point in one paragraph

The audience likes to write, which explains the information properly. Help your audience in understanding your point.

Step 4:- Create short sentences

Long sentences are hard to read; that is why try to create short and concise sentences.

Step 5:- Apply active voice

Try to use an active voice in your academic writing.

Academic Writing Structure: 3 Main Sections

An academic paper has three distinct sections:

• Introduction

In the introduction, you must grab the reader’s attention and identify the thesis of the paper. Try to include the thesis statement in a single line so that the purpose of your writing would be clear to the readers.

• Body

This is the main part of the writing, and the paragraphs must be clearly written. Each initial sentence links the preceding paragraph, and the whole section flows smoothly.

• Conclusion

In conclusion, you re-emphasize the thesis and summarize all the main points. The conclusion consists of one paragraph, which shows the final conclusion to the reader.

How Can Academic Writing Be Structured?

Here are some of the things to remember.

1. Planning

You should need to make a plan before starting to write a paper. Your academic paper will be analytical and organized.

2. Outline

A proper outline is a necessity for writing. An outline will not only help you formulate your thoughts but will sometimes make you aware of certain relationships between topics. It will help you determine the pertinent information to be included in your paper.

3. Language

Your paper’s language needs to be clear, and words need to be chosen for their accuracy. A thesaurus is a good tool to help you pick just the right words to explain the issues.

4. Point-Of-View

The third person’s point of view, as the focus of academic writing, is to educate on the facts, not support an opinion.

Bonus point

What Is Academic Plagiarism?

Usually, plagiarism is using another person’s ideas or words as showing them as your own. In academic writing, the work considered plagiarism are-

• Using the content similar to the other person who writes it.

• Not making the reference column at the end of the writing.

• Use images from the content of the other without giving them credit.

We understand students do not know about it, and they use it unintentionally because they are new to this writing. That is why I am explaining here so that you must know about it.

What Are The Types of Academic Writing

These are the following academic writing types.

1. Descriptive Academic Writing

It is one of the simplest types of academic writing. The main objective of it is to give information or facts about the subject area. An example of descriptive writing would be a summary of a study or a report of an experiment’s results.

2. Analytical Academic Writing

It involves information as that of descriptive writing, but it needs to re-arrange the details and facts and detail them into types, groups, categories, parts, or relationships.

3. Persuasive Academic Writing

Persuasive writing has similar features to analytical academic writing, but you can add your own perspective here. Several essays are persuasive, and a persuasive component in the body paragraphs and summary of a research study.

4. Critical Academic Writing

It has similar features as of persuasive writing, along with at least one individual point of view.

There are several purposes of academic writing, but the main purpose is to provide the information with a clear, appropriate, and thoughtful image of that specific topic. It has several types. Each of them is written to provide for its specific purpose; for example, one type is done to explain the subject, the other is done to describe, etc. Now, moving toward its overall purpose , they are as follows:

1. Accuracy

When you start writing you need to use more accurate and authentic words. Some students use more unclear word combinations like “many people say” or “once a person said” are not considered to feel accurate in academic writing. So one of its purposes is to provide the reader with correct and accurate information.

2. Density

On a daily basis, we use very simple language, and in a very clear way, but when we write or read academic content, you have noticed that it involves complex words and languages that are hard to understand. In academic writing, we have to use more accurate language that includes all points of view, including grammar, phrases, clauses, subordinates, qualifying adjectives, etc.

3. Correctness

Students write academic papers mainly to convey the correct information. During academic writing, you should avoid informal language. Its purpose is to avoid using short forms and dialect words in your writing.

4. Detachment

While writing content, the student must focus more on the topic’s objective rather than what your audience thinks about that topic. So whenever we talk about objectivity, we talk about the topic’s central idea or main theme. So, try to write information relevant to the topic without thinking about what your opinion is.

Above are some of the key points that everyone should keep in mind while reading and writing the content.

What is The Importance Of Academic Writing?

Do you know “why academic writing is important”? If yes, we often underestimate writing as a critical communication skill, yet it plays an essential role. Daily, we write in many different ways, for example, by tweeting or emailing. It’s critical to have good writing skills to obtain academic qualifications. It is the ability to convert your knowledge into real proof.

Academic writing is crucial for codifying, renovating, producing, transmitting, learning knowledge and ideology, evaluating, teaching, etc., in academic specializations. Being capable of writing in a literary style is vital to corrective learning and essential for academic success. These are the following important aspects of academic writing. 

1. Improves Integral Thinking Skills

The first importance of academic writing is improving critical thinking skills. An academic paper can involve more than just giving information – you can use it to present ideas too. The process includes researching and evaluating data to determine if it’s related to your topic. Through this process, you can develop your intellectual capabilities and cultivate the ability to think critically about different issues.

Additionally, it allows you to explore a subject from multiple perspectives and develop appropriate solutions.

2. Best For Analytical Thinking

In essence, academic writing encourages an analytical mindset. It is essential to present information clearly so that readers can understand it. Research provides the data necessary for writing. Once you have gathered the data, it is up to you to assess it and form an opinion. With the power of analytics, you can acquire lifelong skills.

3. Boost Academic Writer’s Knowledge 

At school, students encounter classes and study different topics across multiple areas of study. Students are often tasked with writing papers on these topics. Through this, students can increase their understanding of various academic fields. Reading helps expand their knowledge and sparks conversations on a range of topics. Through essay writing, students gain the ability to have different insights into specific topics by exploring new ideas. Academic writing offers an opportunity to be creative and think of ideas you may not have had before. Additionally, composing documents on various subject matters and areas of study can enhance vocabulary and make the language more formal.

4. Prepares You for Future

College and university writing assignments file your analytical skills, helping you become better equipped for more complex tasks and projects often found in the workforce. Developing strong writing skills can help you assess problems from various perspectives.

5. Helps You Grow Intellectually

Writing an essay helps to enhance your mental capabilities. Engaging in academic writing can file your powers of observation and analysis, improving your memory. When creating an academic paper, you must thoroughly analyze the topic you are writing about to craft a meaningful and engaging piece. Isn’t it intellectual growth?

6. Academic Writing Teaches You to Manage Your Time

Submitting academic papers by the deadline is mandatory. If you finish the work too quickly, there’s a chance your grades will suffer. Students can learn how to prioritize and manage their time by completing such tasks.

It is essential to take academic writing seriously and not underestimate its importance. Assignments like these can help you learn new topics, sharpen critical thinking abilities, push your intellect to grow, build time management abilities and equip you for more difficult challenges. Develop your writing ability to write academic papers clearly and succinctly. To be successful, you must put effort into your written work and do your best when writing papers.

Academic writing: Do’s and Don’ts

Know we hope you understand what academic writing is, and now you will come to know about the Do’s of academic writing-

• Your papers must have a clear purpose. It presents your original point of view.
• Your writing must have a single focus – all paragraphs have to include relevant evidence (facts, expert opinions, and quotations, examples) to support your thesis statement.
• You must follow a standard organizational pattern, such as an introduction, the main body, and a conclusion. Some papers may require an abstract.
• As a writer, you need to provide clear, logical, and simple explanations to your reader.
• You should refer to a number of scholarly sources. You need to integrate source materials into your discussion.
• To ensure academic integrity, all college essays should be formatted in accordance with the requirements of one of the specific citation styles – APA, MLA, Harvard, Chicago that determine the rules for in-text citations, paper sections, format, reference list.

Don’ts of academic writing-

• Don’t use informal language, which creates a negative impression on the audience.
• Don’t use improper font styles because it appears unpleasant for the reader to read. Keep font size 12 and use Times New Roman style for writing.
• Try to avoid using fillers.
• Don’t switch the tense in between the writing as it breaks the flow of it.

Let’s Discuss Examples of Persuasive Academic Writing

“Which one is better: Basketball or baseball.”

In this writing, the writer prefers basketball over baseball. In this academic writing, a writer will convince the audience of his point of view by providing evidence. For example, he mentions that the pace of basketball is faster, and we can also score high in basketball rather than baseball.

Academic Writing Skills 

These are the following academic writing skills that must have in academic writers.

Best Books For Academic Writing 

Here are the best books for academic writing.

1. How to Write a Lot: A Practical Guide to Productive Academic Writing By Paul J. Silvia, Ph.D. Pages: 149 Item #: 4441010ISBN: 978-1-59147-743-3 Copyright: 2007 Format: PaperbackAlso available on Amazon Kindle
2. They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing By Gerald Graff, 2005,  Cathy Birkenstein (Author) Ratings 4.3 out of 5 Formate: Paperback – 18 March 2014
3. Academic Writing for Graduate Students: A Course for Nonnative Speakers of English
4. Becoming an Academic Writer: 50 Exercises for Paced, Productive, and Powerful Writing
5. Writing Your Journal Article in Twelve Weeks: A Guide to Academic Publishing Success
6. Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day: A Guide to Starting, Revising, and Finishing Your Doctoral Thesis
7. The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person’s Guide to Writing in the 21st Century

Academic Writing Assignments 

These are the following common academic writing assignments.

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Conclusion

Read this article where you will find a complete guide on What Is Academic Writing or how to write good academic papers. We will provide you with all the necessary information. You can also submit your requirements to us. We always complete your paper within the given deadline.

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