Academic Writing Style

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cq4J8bPBcck

https://www.jcu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/992628/10-Features-of-Academic-
Writing-Style.pdf

What Are The Main Features And Style Of Academic Writing?

There are various features and styles that are often applied in academic writing. To
understand the specific features and styles of academic writing, it is necessary to
first define this concept. Ideally, academic writing is some form of expression that
academicians and researchers use for purposes of defining the intellectual
boundaries that are related to their disciplines and areas of expertise.
Academic writing is linear. This implies that it has got one central theme or point.
Every part of the writing process significantly contributes to the primary line of the
argument. In most cases, academic writing is complex, objective, formal, hedged,
explicit, and responsible.
When it comes to the types of academic writing, there are four main categories.
These are analytical, descriptive, critical, and persuasive. Each of these
categories of writing tends to have some specific purposes and language features.
Like any other type of writing, academic writing serves a number of purposes.
Whenever someone communicates ideas through academic writing, he or she does
so for purposes of self-expression, to inform the reader, to persuade or even to
create some literary work.

Features in Context

Complexity: Academic writing is more complex than other forms of writing. The
information presented in this type of writing is often used to convey complex ideas
to scholars and academics in different disciplines.

Formality: This type of writing is tends to be quite formal. The use of colloquial
expressions and words is prohibited. The conversational tone is also not
recommended.

Precision: In this type of writing, figures and facts must be presented precisely.

Objectivity: The writing language that is used in academic writing is objective as

opposed to being personal. It has very few words referring to the reader or writer.
A lot of the emphasis should be on the information to be presented and the
arguments to be made.
Accuracy: The use of vocabulary has to be very accurate when it comes to
academic writing. It tends to get over the rules of general English to encompass a
wide range of elements that are related to language and writing.

Responsibility: Anyone doing academic writing must be able to show a high level
of responsibility. In the process of writing, one must be able to offer evidence and
appropriate justification for any claims he or she makes. Someone is also held
responsible for the source texts that they are using.

Organization: One of the main requirements of academic writing is that it has to be

organized in the most effective way. It should flow quite easily from a section to
the other in the most logical way. This calls for a good understanding of the genre
someone is writing about.

Style of Academic Writing

It is important to understand the main objective of academic writing is to inform as

opposed to entertaining. It is generally considered the standard language of writing.
It is always important to write in an academic style when going through the
process of academic writing. Scholars propose the use of the third person in
writing academic papers, theses, and even dissertations. This helps in the process
of making the writing more effective.
Here are some basic guidelines regarding the process of writing in an academic
style.
Create a confident and objective voice
Use of the third person is highly recommended within this context. The good thing
about the third person is that it enables the writer to show that they are being
objective in this process. The other issue to take note of in this case is about the use
of tenses. The writer must be able to demonstrate if what he or she is talking about
happened in the past or in the present.

Use appropriate language for purpose and audience

Contrary to common perceptions, academic writing does not necessarily have to be

very complicated. However, it has to consider an aspect of formality. The choice of
words in this context should be well considered in a careful manner. Writers are
advised to avoid the use of informal words as much as possible.

Be concise and clear

It is important to try and keep words simple at all times. This means that every
word must count in this process. It is also advisable to avoid any vague phrases or
words.
Use language in a sensitive way

It is not advisable to express very strong opinions directly in academic writing.

This type of writing is more focused towards the discussion at hand. Lastly, writers
are advised not to stereotype or make any assumptions.

Academic Style is…

… the conventions often associated with academic writing. Although there is
much debate over what exactly academic style is, generally there is an
agreement among most Academic English tutors of the key elements that
should or should not be included.

The following is a list of the do’s and don’ts…

Key points of academic style writing

NO Idiomatic / colloquial (slang) YES Formal Linkers
Kids / boss / gonna / stuff (In addition, Moreover,
Consequently…)

NO Phrasal verbs YES Academic Vocabulary

Go up / look up See A.W.L

NO Personal Pronouns YES Referencing systems

I, we, In my opinion (limit use) (Harvard / APA / Chicago…)

NO Contractions YES Passive structures

It’ll = it will / It’s = it is We analysed the data /
The data was analysed…

NO Questions YES Complex Grammar structures

So why did the project fail? [Cohesive devices – independent +
subordinator + dependent clause]
Although / Despite / since…

NO Personal adverbs YES Nominalisation / noun forms

Surprisingly / fortunately The data was analysed (passive)
An analysis of the data showed…
(nominalised)

NO Repetition YES Noun phrases

Constant repeating same words adjective + noun / quantifier + noun
/ noun + noun structures
 NO vague language YES Caution / hedging – tentative
And so on.. / etc… language
Possibly / seems / appears / could /
may

NO basic language YES Accurate vocabulary

– for example Difference between law / rule
– factor
– significant amount
– large
– obtain
– difficult
– positive / negative
– important

NO number / bullet points YES Precise facts / figures

A few years ago / in 2014

In academic writing, passive voice is used to describe a process, the

results of study, or similar material which is objective in nature. But
active voice is used to describe actions

In academic writing, it is prudent to be cautious in one's statements so

as to distinguish between facts and claims. This is commonly known as
“hedging.” Hedging is the use of linguistic devices to express hesitation
or uncertainty as well as to demonstrate politeness and indirectness.

10 Features of Academic Writing Style

Academic writing is a formal style of writing. This means it is different to other types of writing,
and different from spoken English. There are 10 features you can apply to make your own writing
more formal and professional.

Feature What you need to do

1. Use formal Use formal language rather than every day common language. Start by checking the
vocabulary Academic Word List. This is a list of the most frequently used words in academic writing.
2. Use formal Use formal verbs and avoid two-word verbs. For example, use ‘establish’ instead of ‘set
verbs up’, and ‘decrease’ instead of ‘go down’.
3. Use full Use the full form of verbs and avoid using contractions. For example, use ‘ can not’
verbs instead of ‘can’t’, and ‘will not’ instead of ‘won’t’.
4. Use formal Use formal structures/more complicated sentences such as clauses and noun phrases
grammar not just short simple sentences. For example: “It is important to consider all shareholders
in this matter, they have the final vote.” and “The internationalisation of the economy has
structures created growth opportunities.”
5. Use Make very clear and definite statements. Avoid using rhetorical questions because they
statements make the writing seem weak.
6. Use
impersonal
Use language such as ‘there is’ or ‘it is likely that’ rather than ‘I think’ or ‘I feel’.
language
Provide concise, clear, and accurate statements, avoid vague or ambiguous statements.
Use data wherever possible. For example, use “The Coalition was formed in 1923, some
7.Be precise
24 years ago, and have a conservative ideology” rather than “The Coalition has been
destroying the country for about a century”
8. Use
references Support your statements with evidence, and ensure you reference these clearly. Check
the Library referencing guide here: https://libguides.jcu.edu.au/referencing
and evidence
Use hedging statements or tentative language such as ‘may’, ‘its possible that’, ‘appears
9. Use to’ to qualify statements. This avoids absolute statements, which may be in error: “It is
hedging possible that the Liberal government is responsible for increased habitat destruction and
environmental degradation”.
statements

10. Use
Use transition words at the start of some sentences to connect ideas together in an
transition
explicit and logical way. ‘In addition’, ‘In contrast’, ‘For this reason’. Do not use ‘but’,
‘and’, ‘so’ at the start of a sentence.
words

This document modified from original source document: https://www.eapfoundation.com/writing/style/

Practice in Academic Style for writing essays

Example
(a) Another thing to think about is the chance of crime getting
worse.
1. First highlight informal words / non-academic style:
(a) Another thing to think about is the chance of crime getting worse.

2. Use synonyms for informal words

Thing = area / aspect / feature / point
Think about = consider / note / understand / acknowledge
chance = possibility / probability / situation
getting = becoming

3. Rewrite the sentence

Another aspect to consider is the possibility of crime becoming worse

4. Grammar change: noun phrase / nominalisation structure

Another aspect of consideration is the possibility of crime becoming worse

Academic Word list (AWL) is a list of 570 word families that are commonly
found in academic texts.

Words 11- Words 21- Words 31- Words

Words 1-10
20 30 40 41-50
achieve authority consistent distinction factors
administratio available constitutiona economic feature
n benefit l element final
affect category consumer environmen financial
analysis community context t focus
approach complex create error function
appropriate concerning culture equation global
area conclusion data establish identify
aspects conduct definition estimate impact
assistance consequenc destructive evaluation income
assume e discovery evidence
Words 51- Words 61- Words 71- Words 81- Words
60 70 80 90 91-100
indicate media policy regulations similar
individual method positive relevant solution
injury modern potential require source
investment normal previous research specific
involve obtain primary resident strategy
issue restrict process resources structure
item occur purchase response theory
legal participation range sector threat
maintenance recent security traditiona
major percent region significant l
period transport

Words 1- Words 11- Words Words 31- Words 41-

10 20 21-30 40 50
access attitude constant demonstrat ensure
activity aware contact e equivalent
alter capacity contributio despite evolution
alternative challenge n dimension exclude
amendmen circumstance core domestic exposure
t comment correspond dominant external
annual communicatio emerge facilitate
 apparent n criteria emphasis fundament
application concentration cycle enable al
approximat debate energy funds
e conflict decline enforcemen generation
artificial considerable deduction t
Words 51- Words 61- Words Words 81- Words 91-
60 70 71-80 90 100
hence location occupatio project sufficient
hypothesis logic n promote summary
illustrate marginal option proportion supply
image maximum orientation psychology task
immigratio mechanism reaction technique
n medical outcome remove technology
implement mental overall resolution transition
initial modification parallel specify trend
integration negative perspectiv stability version
layer network e subsequent volume
legislation philosophy

precise
predict

Revision :
What is Academic writing ?

What are the four main types of academic writing style?

What are the characteristics of Academic writing?

What are the features of AW?

Academic writing is clear, concise, focussed, structured and

backed up by evidence. Its purpose is to aid the reader’s
understanding.

It has a formal tone and style, but it is not complex and does
not require the use of long sentences and complicated
vocabulary.
Each subject discipline will have certain writing conventions,
vocabulary and types of discourse that you will become
familiar with over the course of your degree. However, there
are some general characteristics of academic writing that are
relevant across all disciplines.

Characteristics of academic writing

Academic writing is:

 Planned and focused: answers the question and demonstrates

an understanding of the subject.
 Structured: is coherent, written in a logical order, and brings
together related points and material.
 Evidenced: demonstrates knowledge of the subject area,
supports opinions and arguments with evidence, and is
referenced accurately.
 Formal in tone and style: uses appropriate language and
tenses, and is clear, concise and balanced.

Be succinct – not too wordy

People reading your assignment need to understand exactly what you

mean, in as few words as possible. Check that you've been as precise and
concise as you can when you reread your work. You'll need to actively
decide what to keep and cut from your assessment to make sure you've
included all necessary information and detail.

Examples of colloquial and academic writing styles

Colloquial writing Academic writing

There’s a lot of arguing about the Portsmouth’s Spinnaker Tower is

Spinnaker. Because it’s so tall controversial in financial terms.
you can see it from all around, At 170 metres (The Spinnaker
but does this mean it’s a good Tower, 2014), it dominates the
thing for the economy etc? It’s city’s harbourside and was
 really late. It was meant to be
ready for the Millenium (so much
for the “Millenium Tower”, it’s
just been costing us money all
that time too) and it’s not going
to employ as many people as lost
their jobs in the dockyard over
the years. And it’ll take ages for
them to get back the cost from
people who go up it.
expected to have a positive
impact on the local economy.
However, income from visitors to
the tower, and the expected
boost to the local economy from
increased tourism and
employment, was lost because
the project was delayed several
times (Dyckhoff, 2005, p. 14). It
may take twenty-five years for
income from visitors to equal the
cost of construction (Dyckhoff,
2005, p. 15), and the local
economy will probably be unable
to recoup the lost income.

Exercises

Passives. Rewrite these sentences. Instead of using 'people', 'somebody', or 'they',

write a passive sentence with an appropriate verb form.

Example: We can solve the problem. The problem can be solved.

1. Someone had reported the theft to the police.

2. Someone has given £1,000 to the charity.
 3. Someone will demonstrate the program to the students.
4. Someone explained the procedure to me.
5. People are destroying large areas of forest every day.
6. Somebody has bought the land next to the university.
7. I hope they will have completed all the marking by tomorrow.
8. They should have finished the library by the time you arrive.
9. People expect better results soon.
10. Students should send their complaints to the head of department.
11. They had to postpone the lecture because of illness.
12. An electrical fault could have caused the fire.
13. They are going to hold next year's conference in Birmingham.
14. Everyone knows this fact very well.
15. They opened the new lecture theatre only last month.
16. You must write the answers on the examination paper in black ink.
17. They are now manufacturing this type of computer in Korea.
18. Someone should investigate the problem.

Passives.

Rewrite the underlined parts of these sentences. Instead of using 'people', 'somebody',
or 'they', write a passive sentence with an appropriate verb form.

Example: We can solve the problem. The problem can be solved.

1. Prices are stable and we maintain them in this way over generations.
2. We define tropical forests here as 'evergreen or partly evergreen forests'.
3. Scientists distinguish methane because it has a large number of significant sources.
4. They reformed the old dilator procedure in 1852.
5. In 1916 the government passed the Disease Regulations.
6. It was only in the 1930s, in Oxford, that researchers isolated and crystallised
lysozyme.
7. The recent local crime surveys replicate these findings.
8. Everybody eventually generally accepted the date 753 BC.
9. We next consider a range of rival theories.
10. The rules require the subject to answer if the statement is true or false.
11. The examiners should conduct the examination in the greatest possible privacy.
12. We will confine the discussion to general principles of treatment.
13. The researchers transcribed many genes and synthesise many proteins.
14. A further class of solutions in which they separate the main equation in yet another
way has been given by Yurtse.

Noun-based phrases

Formal written English uses nouns more than verbs.

Rewrite the underlined parts of the following sentences using a noun-based phrase
instead of the "wh" clause.

e.g. Many futile attempts have been made to teach animals to speak how humans speak.
Many futile attempts have been made to teach animals to speak in human fashion.

1. It is essential to discuss how much cultural and biological evolution can be

explained by similar principles.
2. Many factors must be considered in explaining how fast the population has
grown in the developing countries.
3. Classes differ greatly in how membership is established and how fast membership
changes.
4. There are advantages and declines in labour productivity and both are related to
how much the population density is increasing.
5. Anthony Eden, the Foreign Secretary, asked them how much the full
internationalisation of civil aviation was possible.
6. It follows that the key issue is how much there was a significant Soviet threat to
those supplies.
7. But even in this he is a failure as he can't remember a word, nor does he know why
he is going to be executed.
8. I cannot avoid the feeling why we were disenchanted was simply because of the
kinds of problems we were given.
9. On the surface, why women and domestic architecture were associated were
obvious.
10. Menzel (1973) has shown that non-speaking chimpanzees can convey where food
is to one another.
11. It is easiest to list foods and drinks according to where they are stored.
12. How much precaution is taken is regularly reviewed in the light of the patient's
progress.
13. The week following admission appears to be when the risk is greatest.
14. It is important to remember that whatever type of subsequent care is to occur, the
period after discharge may be when things are particularly difficult.
15. When the riots occurred, 36 per cent of the workforce in Handsworth was out of
work.
16. These star charts were provided to enable the deceased to tell what time it
is and what day it is.
17. After leaving the town, Tom Owen could at first find nowhere for his family to
rest at all.
18. When I was fifteen or sixteen none of my peers were interested in such matters.
19. How long the prisoner stays in prison is determined by someone who has not
heard any representations by or on behalf of the prisoner on grounds which the
prisoner does not know.
20. How big this group is varies in different centres.

Avoiding two word verbs

There is often a choice in English between a two word verb and a single verb - bring
up/raise, set up/establish.

Rewrite the following sentences, replacing the informal two-word verb with a more
formal equivalent.
1. Ms Tucker, Lord White's 29-year-old companion, has since taken her statement back.
2. Discussion of the outcome of experiments that have used this method will be put
off until Chapter 7.
3. They did not easily accept or put up with differences in others.
4. My high-school friend signed up for three years with the army so he could put
away enough money to go to university and study law.
5. The solitary feeding of insectivores in forests was therefore put down to a foraging
strategy involving the pursuit of cryptic and easily disturbed prey by singletons.
6. In style, the turn toward abstraction and simplification came about earliest with
Anquetin and Bernard and next with van Gogh.
7. For Klein that cloudless day never arrived, but he never gave up his hope for a just
world.
8. Eventually the Irish party was forced to go back to Westminster.
9. The court thinks it just and equitable to give back the property.
10. The English liked coal fires even though they do not always give off much heat.