Features of academic

writing
Formality
Complexity
Precision
Accuracy
Structure
Objectivity
Hedging
Responsibility
Formality
 Academic writing is very explicit
and provides the reader with all
the information they need to
understand your meaning.  To make
your
Avoid colloquial writing
language more
formal, try
to:

Avoid Replace informal words that

Formality unspecified
categories
are associated with ‘chatty’
spoken styles ( such as
contractions) with more
formal vocabulary

Use full Avoid rhetorical

words questions the
instead of reader cannot
answer
contractions
 The investigation has been going for
four years. How good has it
been? At this stage,
researchers can’t tell, because they
still need to check out the data to
The investigation has
been underway for four years.
Researchers cannot
yet determine the effectiveness of the

Example of account for differences in age,

gender, socio-economic-
project because it is necessary to
first analyse the data to control for age,
gender, socio-economic status and
formality status, etc. Once that work is
done though, the information will
be really first-class.
other demographic
variables. Despite this, the information
collected is expected to be highly
valuable for future studies.
Complexity
Complexity
• This issue has to do with subject-
specific words.
• To avoid words that we do not
understand as their use may lead to
malapropisms.
• Use The Academic Word List .
Precision
Precision
• Check the quality of
sources you are using and
only use the most reliable.
• Include a sufficient high
level of detail and
specificity.
• Avoid ambiguity.
 Example of precision
• Most people didn’t like changing trains
on the way to work, but they still thought
it was better than taking a bus.

• While the majority of the survey

respondents indicated their dislike of changing
trains on their commute to work,
they preferred taking two trains to taking one
bus, which they perceived would
be slower overall and less comfortable,
or both.
Accuracy
 Accuracy
• The reliability, truthfulness
and correctness of the content.
• Accuracy has the following three
main aspects:
1.Document accuracy – proper
coverage in appropriate detail.
2.Stylistic accuracy – careful use of
language to express meaning.
3.Technical accuracy – grounded in
understanding of the subject.
Structure
 The structure
of your
writing
depends on the
type of
• Introductio
assignment,
but two
n
Structure common
structures used • Body
in academic
writing are the
three-part
• Conclusion
essay
structure .
 Structure
I. Title
II. Abstract
III. Table of contents
IV. Reference list
Example of
article
Objectivity
 Objectivity
 Academic writing presents and evaluates issues and arrives at an objective
position; a position that focuses on and is informed by research and reasoning
rather than personal feelings and opinions..
 Personal pronouns, especially ‘I’, ‘you’ and ‘we’ are usually avoided.
Example
You can demonstrate that climate change is a real phenomenon by studying alterations in
Antarctic ice layers..
Alterations in Antarctic ice layers demonstrate that climate change is a real
phenomenon.
The reality of climate change can be demonstrated by studying alterations in Antarctic
ice layers.
It can be demonstrated that climate change is a real phenomenon by studying alterations
in Antarctic ice layers.
Hedging
 Extended physical
Hedging language in
inactivity can contribut
academic writing is used to
e to a range of chronic
health conditions
and may have a
express caution and avoid
strong, unqualified Hedging
statements that may be
negative effect on
easily disproven.
mental health.

Leading a sedentary lifestyle

causes chronic health Example
conditions.
Responsibility
 In academic writing you are responsible for
demonstrating an

understanding of the source text. You must also be

responsible for, and must be able to provide evidence
and justification for, any claims you make.

Responsibility This is done by paraphrasing and summarising what

you read and acknowledging the source of this
information or ideas by a system of citation.
 Student of
This project is faculty of
foreign
made by philology
Tatianych
Liubov
Correspondenc
e departure,
Group 2
zan2vMSO