Introduction to Academic Writing PDF

Introduction to academic writing INTRODUCTION Academic writing is a formal type of witing which communicates ideas, information and research to the wider academic community. It can be divided into two types: student academic writing, which is used as a form of assessment at university, as well as a...

Introduction to academic writing INTRODUCTION Academic writing is a formal type of witing which communicates ideas, information and research to the wider academic community. It can be divided into two types: student academic writing, which is used as a form of assessment at university, as well as at schools as preparation for university study; and expert academic writing, which is writing that is intended for publication in an academic journal or book. Features of Academic Writing  Structured Evidenced Academic writing should Opinions and arguments in have a clear structure. The academic writing should writing should be coherent, be supported by with logical progression evidence. Often the throughout, and cohesive, writing will be based on with the different parts of the information from experts writing clearly connected. in the field, and as such, Careful planning before it will be important writing is essential to ensure to reference the that the final product will be information appropriately, well structured, with a clear for example via the use focus and logical of in-text citations and progression of ideas. a reference section.  Critical Balanced As an academic writer, you Balanced means giving should not simply accept consideration to all sides of everything you read as fact. the issue. As noted above, You need to analyse and all research, evidence and evaluate the information you arguments can be are writing about, in other challenged, and it is words make judgements important for the academic about it, before you decide writer to show their stance whether and how to on a particular topic, in integrate it into your own other words how strong writing. This is known their claims are. as critical writing. Critical writing requires a great deal of research in order for the writer to develop a deep enough understanding of the topic to be truly critical about  Precise Objective Academic writing should use Academic writing is objective. clear and precise language to In other words, the emphasis ensure the reader understands is placed on the arguments the meaning. This includes the and information, rather than use of technical (i.e. subject- on the writer. As a result, specific) vocabulary, which academic writing tends to should be used when it use nouns and noun phrases conveys the meaning more more than verbs and precisely than a similar non- adverbs. It also tends to use technical term. Sometimes more passive structures, such technical vocabulary may rather than active voice, for need defining, though only if example The water was the term is not commonly used heated rather than I heated by others in the same discipline the water. and will therefore not be readily understood by the reader.  Formal academic writing is more formal than everyday writing. It tends to use longer words and more complex sentences, while avoiding contractions and informal words or expressions that might be common in spoken English. There are words and collocations which are used in academic writing more frequently than in non-academic writing, and researchers have developed lists of these words and phrases to help students of academic English, such as the Academic Word List, the Academic Vocabulary List, and the Academic Collocation List.  MERCURY VENUS JUPITER Mercury is the Venus has beautiful Despite being red, closest planet to the name and is the Mars is a cold place, Sun and the smallest second planet from not hot. It’s full of iron one in the Solar the Sun. It’s terribly oxide dust, which System—it’s only a bit hot, even hotter than gives the planet its larger than our Moon Mercury reddish cast  Commonly Confused Words and Phrases Affect or effect? As a verb, effect means “to bring about” or “to accomplish,” while affect means “to influence.” Can or may? Can refers to ability; may refers to permission. Farther or further? Farther is more appropriate as a distance word, while further works best as a term of time or quantity. Good or well? In reporting conditions such as health or performance use well rather than the adjective good, although when describing attitude, it is proper to say, “I feel good today.”  Imply or infer? When you imply, you indicate or suggest something by word or action, without actually say it. When you infer, you deduce or draw a conclusion from the evidence. Irregardless or regardless? Irregardless is incorrect. Precede or proceed? When you go ahead or in front of, you precede. When you begin or carry on some action, you proceed. Principle or principal? A principal is the head of a school or a chief official. A principle is a fundamental truth. “If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.”