Research Writing

Academic Writing
P.M.Agaton

The Five Pillars of Effective

Writing

1. AUDIENCE
2. PURPOSE
3. FOCUS
4. WELL ORGANIZED
5. WELL DEVELOPED

Academic Writing Conventions

1. FORMALITY

Informal Formal
If users know how An understanding of the
search engines work, fundamental operations of
they can deal better the search engine will
with them. provide improved user
interface.
Research Writing
Academic Writing
P.M.Agaton

AVOID two-word prepositional verbs

a. The week-long power outages used
up/consumed the store’s entire stock of
batteries.
b. The committee was formed to look
into/investigate the reports of cheating.
c. The candidate’s loyal supporters gathered
around/assembled in the town plaza.
AVOID contractions and abbreviations
a. She had to work altho she wasn’t OK yet.
b. Students rely too much on google, yahoo,
etc. in doing research.

2. IMPERSONALITY
Personal Impersonal
If you don’t know how Navigating through an e-
to navigate through an commerce site can be
e-commerce site, you time-consuming for those
will waste a lot of time. who may be unfamiliar
with the process.
Research Writing
Academic Writing
P.M.Agaton
3. STRUCTURE
Further studies can be
conducted to solve the
technical problems
surrounding e-commerce.
The team can accomplish
its goals through hard
work.
The economy did not
perform well.
Active Voice
The decision of the major
petroleum-producing
countries to cut production
caused the sharp increase
of oil prices in the world
market.
The company can use the
cost savings to add value
to their products.
Further studies can be
conducted to find solutions
to the technical problems
surrounding e-commerce.
The accomplishment of the
goals can be done through the
hard work of the team.
The performance of the
economy was dismal.
Passive Voice
The sharp increase of the
price of oil in the world
market was caused by the
decision of the major
petroleum-producing
countries to cut production.
The cost savings can be used
to add value to a company’s
products.
 Research Writing
Academic Writing
P.M.Agaton

4. USE OF HEDGING
Direct Opinion:
A repeat of terrorist attacks, as massive as
9/11, is just a matter of time.
Hedged:
It is possible that the threat of terrorism is more
serious than ever before, and that a massive
attack like September 11, may be just a matter of
time.
or
Terrorism experts suggest that global terrorism is
still a serious threat, and that a massive attack like
September 11, may be just a matter of time.
Modal Nouns The possibility of…The probability of… The
certainty of… The presumption of…

Modal Adjectives Possible… Probable… Certain

Modal (a) verbs Will, Would. Might, Can Could, Must, Should
Other Verbs Appear, Assume, Indicate, Seem, Suggest, Tend

That clause+ This indicates that… These studies suggest that…

combination It seems probable that… There might be a
possibility that…