Want to know how to do academic writing with proficiency? Then you need to read this blog which will provide you with all information.
How to do Academic Writing with Proficiency?
As we move deeper into the twenty-first century, it becomes increasingly clear that this generation has the potential to create some of our country’s most outstanding writers. Reading and writing were once regarded privileges only available to the upper crust. Their use in most vocations eventually decreased to the point where they were only needed on rare occasions, but these skills are now a normal part of most people’s life. Whether it’s updating our Facebook status, commenting on a forum post, blogging, or sending WhatsApp messages, we’re always writing. A person can type a film review, respond to a text, and then start a passionate political conversation on social media all in the course of a few minutes.
With the passage of time, young people are growing increasingly comfortable with modern technology. Nonetheless, in the midst of all of this potential, there are a few key points that have been neglected. Although we are getting more capable of expressing ourselves and formulating our opinions on paper, we still do so in a more informal and unstructured manner. That informal style of writing isn’t going to help you much if you want to obtain good grades on your university papers. Essays, dissertations, coursework, reports, and other academic writing require a more formal, academic writing style.
The following post was written to help anyone who wants to improve their writing skills in a more professional and academic setting. The most common faults committed when writing academically are listed, along with tips on how to prevent them in the future.
Let’s start by answering the following question:
What is the difference between casual and academic writing in writing?
Academic writing differs from casual writing in several ways, the most noteworthy of which is that the writer’s writing does not take place in an academic setting. To summarise, not every piece of writing produced in an academic setting will be written in the academic style outlined below — and it should not be.
First and foremost, while some types of classroom note-taking are more productive than others (for example, shorthand), not all academic notes should be written in an academic style in all situations. The most important consideration for that type of writing should be whatever makes it easiest for the learner to keep track of the information they’re writing down. After all, these letters will almost certainly always be for them and them alone! Everything from cue cards to symbols to doodling can be utilised to aid in the retention of knowledge because each person’s brain works differently. On the other hand, research papers and argumentative essays are frequently prepared with an audience other than the author in mind. This distinction emphasises the importance of writing in an academic manner.
Simply expressed, the academic writing style exists to ensure that the writer’s ideas and viewpoints can be understood by an audience that is not related to the writer. There are various advantages to adopting it for more than just a certain type of writing at university; it is also an effective instrument for creating an argument in the shortest possible time. It’s the “purest” version of an argument, if you will, with a strong emphasis on facts rather than personal interjections.
In several respects, formal academic writing varies from creative writing. Despite the fact that students use both of these writing styles, there is a big difference between them. Clarity and impersonality aren’t always top goals in creative writing, and in some situations, they’re deliberately ignored. The academic style, on the other hand, will be of the most assistance to the author in research papers, argumentative essays, and the other types of jobs mentioned above.
This brings us to the next point…
When it comes to writing an academic paper, there are a few things you should avoid.
Authors that write in a more creative or informal style may frequently develop “voices” in their work, giving it a distinct tone that reflects their own personalities and preferred writing techniques. Several emotional adjectives and exaggerations, such as “enraged,” “distraught,” and “flabbergasted,” for example, can all contribute to the work’s emotional tone. Writers may want to incorporate their own unique speech patterns into their work, such as substituting the phrase ‘isn’t’ for the word ‘ain’t,’ or writing an entire sentence in CAPITAL LETTERS to simulate a raised voice, to mention a few examples. As previously said, the writers’ distinctive quirks frequently reflect on their own personalities, forcing the reader to concentrate larger attention on the writer than on the subject under discussion. This may appeal to some readers, but it may also draw attention away from the main ideas being made.
Academic writing styles, on the other hand, prevent the writer from infusing their work with too many personal touches. This has two advantages: first, as previously said, it avoids the audience from becoming sidetracked from the main points being made. Second, it allows the audience to join in the conversation more actively. Second, depersonalization raises the chances that readers from various backgrounds will be able to fully comprehend the material. They can comprehend what is being offered to them, regardless of whether they share the author’s dialect or are from a different portion of the world.
Here’s a list of things you should minimise or avoid when writing academically:
Keep the use of colloquialisms to a bare minimum.
Informally, you might use terms like “alright,” “mega,” or “stoked” when discussing anything. To communicate your idea, you may utilise phrases like ‘that’s a big deal,’ or start sentences with terms like ‘Anyway…’ All of these are common examples of colloquial language that should be avoided in academic writing. Because colloquialisms are by definition words or phrases that we have fully absorbed as part of our daily lives, distinguishing them from other words or phrases can be challenging. Some phrases, such as’struck below the belt’ and ‘nipped in the bud,’ are so common that they aren’t even recognised as colloquial.
Keep in mind that academic writing is meant to appeal to a wide range of readers while allowing them to focus entirely on the arguments’ content. Colloquial terminology like the ones stated above may confine the audience’s range too much and detract from the main point being made in a speech or presentation.
Maintain a low level of vulgarity.
Vulgarity (swearing, blasphemy, and so on) should be avoided at all costs, despite the fact that it should go without saying. While profanity can be effective in ordinary conversation to emphasise a point, it will only serve to make an academic argument appear unreasonably unreasonable if employed in one. Maintaining one’s academic credibility is contingent on one’s level of professionalism.
Excessive exaggeration or hyperbole should be avoided.
For the same reasons as in common speech, hyperbole and exaggeration should be avoided as much as possible in academic writing. Phrases like “the most crucial issue confronting our society” and “the most vital issue confronting our society” can add emphasis and effect to creative writing. In scholarly publications, however, this may at best complicate the writer’s statements and at worst result in the reader obtaining inaccurate information. It’s possible that referring to a politician as “the most underhanded backstabber of his day” implies that they had a terrible reputation, but it might simply be a personal opinion, meaning that they were combative even when they weren’t. If you say something like that, you are being misleading since it is factually incorrect. Academic arguments must be supported by evidence and should primarily be based on facts and statistics. When research is presented, it should be able to stand on its own two feet for the most part.
Other personal quirks, such as ‘creative’ punctuation, should be avoided at all costs!!!!!!
One of the most major benefits of writing in the academic style is that it provides a fairly standardised framework within which to argue. The use of ‘personal quirks,’ which a writer could otherwise use in casual or creative writing contexts, dramatically reduces this advantage.
Exclamation marks should be used rarely (if at all) and capitalising words should be utilised to emphasise key points. Furthermore, rhetorical questions (questions that aren’t necessarily meant to be answered, such as “Was the focus group actually justified in their judgement?”) should be avoided. While rhetorical questions in speeches can be effective in directing the audience to the intended outcome or point of view, in academic writings, they might convey the impression that the writer lacks confidence in his or her ability to answer the question persuasively, which can be harmful. Again, the focus should be on the topic at hand, with facts and numbers backing ideas rather than fantastical attempts to persuade the audience using persuasive-sounding language.
Personal pronouns should be used only when absolutely necessary (I, mine, me, my)
It’s crucial to keep the distinction between “truth” and “value” in academic writing. This means that the author’s own opinions and ideas should not be confused with what is provided as factual facts. A reader may become confused about what is factual and what is simply the author’s perspective on the issue if an academic work has too many opinions and prejudices. It may even cause readers to doubt the veracity of the essay in question in extreme cases. This means that it’s necessary to move the focus away from personal experiences, and the first step is to stop using personal pronouns.
These types of statements, such as “In my view,” “I believe that,” and “My belief is,” detract from the air of authority that should accompany the essay’s arguments. While such statements may be deemed honest admissions that the author is fallible in other situations, in academic writing, the author’s fallibility should be considered noteworthy. Any claim made by the writer should be backed up by the evidence presented in the piece, not by personal convictions or opinions.
Let’s look at some of the things that should be done in academic writing now that we’ve gone over some of the things that shouldn’t be done.
Two critical things to explore are what to do and how to approach academic writing.
Everything mentioned above as things to avoid in your academic writing style is tied together by one fundamental concern: not detracting from the quality of the argument as the work’s main subject. So, as academics, what can we do to make sure that our writing style achieves this goal?
Maintain a straightforward approach.
In an effort to make up for their lack of knowledge, novice academic authors may overburden their writings with unnecessary verbiage in order to make them appear more impressive. According to this definition, “the director made frequent use of blue imagery” could be translated as “the avant-garde auteur plotted, with respect to the symbolic connotations of the colour therein, to have an abiding reliance on the vast arrays of azure tints found among the mise en scène of their grand work to have an abiding reliance on the vast arrays of azure tints found among the mise en scène of their grand work to have an abiding reliance on the To make our point, we’ve dramatised the situation, but the reality remains the same. Remember that the purpose of academic writing is to express clarity in argument, not to be the world’s most impressive writer. The goal is to keep the ideas straightforward and simple. For this to happen, a certain amount of balance between informality and overwhelming dullness is required.
Use of words in a powerful way
Academic writers should constantly be aware of the subject matter addressed in an argumentative essay, as a brief extension of the preceding. While excessive use of flowery language and terminology is prohibited, the use of specialised phrases relevant to the issue can help demonstrate a point to those who are familiar with the subject. When writing an essay about the visual arts and media, for example, the word “mise en scene” may be an excellent choice. Academic jargon that is acceptable for the audience might help to reinforce the sense that the writer is knowledgeable about their subject, but it cannot replace strong arguments.
This concept naturally leads to the use of acronyms and abbreviations. If a student is studying microbiology, for example, they will very certainly use the term “CDC” (Center for Disease Control) in their writing. However, to avoid misunderstandings, these terms should be defined first before being abbreviated or condensed afterwards.
Making effective use of sources and references
If academic writers are to construct forceful, declarative arguments, they must apply correct sourcing and reference of statements throughout their writing. Writers must gather clear sources, quotations, and passages to effectively support their views in their writing. A lack of sound reasoning almost invariably leads to arguments that rely on emotional language and reader faith, neither of which is a compelling position.
Writers must also pay special attention to how they reference their sources. A preferred referencing style, such as MLA, Harvard, APA, or another similar format, will almost always be specified by your teacher. You must make sure that any referencing style you use is followed throughout the work and that it is consistent. This is not only beneficial to your academic performance, but it is also essential to avoid plagiarism charges. It may appear as though you’ve simply stolen a reference and passed it off as your own work if you don’t have clearly verifiable sources.
Finally, I’d like to mention…
In the classic sense, academic writing is not a zero-sum game. Regulations can be bent depending on the subject and question, and determining what constitutes breaking such rules in the first place can be subjective. If at all possible, an academic writer should enlist the help of an advisor or, at the at least, a proofreader to guide them through the process of producing their paper (be it peers or colleagues). If you’re an undergraduate or postgraduate student, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to find assistance services on campus or online to help you with your project. Whatever help you need, remember that formal academic writing’s objective is to communicate a topic through a clear and compelling argument. Following the guidelines presented above can help you get started on the right track when it comes to building your own unique academic writing style.
It’s fair for young academics to be anxious about whether or not they’re striking the right tone in their formal work, given the prevalence of informal venues such as blogs and social media. You will only be able to identify the form that is best appropriate for your work via exploration and practice.
Please keep in mind that the Oxbridge Editing team of specialist academics is a gold mine of knowledge when it comes to achieving a proper academic writing style for your paper. Their advice and mentoring might help you with one or more of your essays or other assignments, letting you see what you’re doing well and where you need to improve.
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