Important Features Of Academic Writing To Keep In Mind

Academic writing has a central theme or point and every part of the writing contributes to the main line of argument, without any repetition or digressions. It is a linear form of writing with its objective being that of providing information and not entertainment. There are certain features in academic writing that you must keep in mind before starting.

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Features Of Academic Writing

1. Complexity

Language in academic writing is usually more intricate than spoken language. It has longer sentences and the use of a vocabulary that is both intriguing and varied. The use of noun phrases is more as compared to verb phrases. The written language is far more complicated and has more layers than other forms of writing. The language, whether it is used by students or the best dissertation writing service, needs to have greater grammatical complexity having more passive voices and subordinate clauses.

2. Formality

Academic writing is comparatively formal without the use of any colloquial expressions and words. In general, this means that you need to avoid using words like ‘sort of’, ‘stuff’, and the likes. Abbreviations like ‘can’t’, ‘shouldn’t are just not preferred in academic writing. You have to state the facts in simple and formal ways when you are presenting an essay or assignment.

3. Precision

Stating the figures and facts precisely will earn you brownie points in academic writing. It is best not be vague in stating the information or numbers. For instance, writing ’60 million people’ is better than simply leaving it at ‘a lot of people.’ Your essay need not be stuffed with dates and numbers but you need to state them wherever necessary to help the reader form a clear idea about the topic that you are describing.

4. Objectivity

Academic writing should have an objective tone rather than a personal one. There are hardly any or very few words that actually refer to the reader or writer. The emphasis should be on the arguments needed to put forward and the information to be delivered. This is the reason why, in terms of grammar, academic writing has more use of nouns and adjectives as compared to verbs and adverbs.

5. Explicitness

The relations between different parts of the text are explicitly stated in academic writing. It is one of the major responsibilities of the writer to clarify how the different parts are related through his writing. There are different signaling words that help to establish connection between different parts of the writing. Some examples of signaling words include ‘however’ ‘similarly’, and ‘because’. You can use explicitness even in terms of acknowledging the source of the ideas in the text.

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6. Accuracy

Everything right from vocabulary to the use of information needs to be accurate in academic writing. There are many words that have similar but not same meaning and using it wrongly can change the meaning completely. For instance, the words ‘gathering’ or ‘meeting’ is different from ‘conference’ and ‘money’ or ‘cash’ is different from ‘currency.’ Similarly, you do not get to use wrong dates or statistics in explaining your points.

7. Responsibility

You need to be responsible for and be able to provide the justification and evidence for any of the claims that you are making. Your responsibility also extends to demonstrating the understanding of any source texts that you use. Summarizing and paraphrasing the things that you read and at the same time, acknowledging the source of information by citation are essential parts of academic writing.

8. Organization

The fact that it is well organized is one of the most recognizable facets of academic writing. It freely flows from one section of the discussion to the next in an organized and logical manner. You will be easily able to determine this ordered structure of writing once you are sure about the genre.

Keeping these features in mind will surely make you better at writing academic works like assignments, thesis, and essays.

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