Academic writing is a type of formal writing that seeks to communicate information in a way that is objective, logical, and credible by providing convincing evidence. There are various types of academic editing.
You can think of it as existing on a spectrum of prestige and importance. On the lower end of this spectrum, there are academic essays that you are required to write as assignments.
On the higher end, there is scientific communication in the form of peer-reviewed scientific reports that are published in reputable journals. Between these two poles, there are conference reports, white papers, and even reportage and correspondence.
Knowing how to write academically is crucial for proper communication. It involves a process of organizing ideas and thoughts that can help find solutions to both scientific and social problems. Lastly, in professional academia, competent academic writing is crucial for career progress.
In this article, we discuss what academic writing is, its importance, and useful tips to improve your academic writing. Read on to learn more.
The principles of good academic writing
Academic writing is a formal type of communication that should be organized according to basic principles. It is unlike informal writing or communication with friends through text messages. It is also different from professional communication, such as in business writing.
There are several principles by which good academic writing is supposed to operate. These principles help prevent miscommunication and improve credibility. They include:
Objectivity
Clear logic and reasoning
Credible evidence
Formality
Rigorous structure
Each of these is needed to make sure that the writing you produce qualifies as good academic writing. The more of these elements you get right, the more you will become proficient in academic writing.
1. Objectivity
Objectivity refers to a lack of bias. This means equally weighing arguments from competing positions or theories and not using emotive language. For example, let’s say you are writing about whether or not 16-year-olds should be allowed to vote.
You shouldn’t just list the arguments in favor of that position. Instead, you should list out as well all the arguments against this idea and respond to them logically. That is, explain why they are weak arguments.
Emotive language reveals bias. It would be best to reserve emotive language for informal writing or expression. For example, someone writing a blog or an opinion piece in a newspaper can use emotive language.
However, in academic settings, this should be avoided. Below are examples of how not to use biased and emotive language on the issue of allowing 16-year-olds to vote.
Non-objective | Objective |
The idea of allowing 16-year-olds to vote is awful for several reasons. The main one is that they’re too young to know anything. | Allowing 16-year-olds to vote is inadvisable for mainly one reason: They lack the real-world experience to make responsible and informed political decisions. |
2. Clear logic and reason
Academic writing has to be logical. This means providing a clear line of reasoning to support your arguments. Your arguments should be clear, and one point should follow from the other.
It’s as if your argument is a map showing your reader how you got to your destination or conclusion. It should be easy to follow and solid. Readers should not be left lost as to how you got to points that are not related to anything you said previously or even later in your essay. An example is shown below.
Non-logical | Logical |
Naturalized immigrants who were not even born in the country are allowed to vote. Why shouldn’t those under 18 also have the same rights? | Citizens under the age of eighteen are usually just as informed or even more informed than many, if not most, adults on pertinent issues like climate change. This means that they might be in an even better position to make informed political decisions. |
3. Credible evidence
Your arguments should be supported by credible evidence. Credible evidence depends on the source of information. You should be able to tell the difference between information that should be trusted and information that you should be wary of using.
How do you do so? First, it should be obvious that information that you hear from friends in casual conversations or that you read from random blogs or websites should not be easily trusted.
The most reliable form of information would be peer-reviewed reports. This refers to research or scientific papers that have been published in reputable journals. Peer review refers to a process where qualified experts review and judge whether or not a scientific report qualifies to be published and become part of the scientific record.
However, there are several other forms of information that have credibility. They include:
Book chapters
Books written by reputable authors
Conference papers
Theses
Model essays
In addition to this, you should also pay attention to properly citing this evidence. It’s not enough to simply repeat the information that you gather from these sources. You should also learn the necessary Academic Style to give credit to these sources. You do so through a mixture of summarizing, paraphrasing, and quoting.
This means knowing how to paraphrase, quote directly, summarize, and reference and citation format. Popular referencing and citation formats include APA, CMoS, and MLA. Below is an example of formatting using the APA style guide:
Example of citations and quotations in APA format |
In interpreting these results, Simson et al. (2006) suggested that the “participants in Group A may have been affected by their previous knowledge or familiarity with the sample text” (p. 621), thus resulting in them giving biased answers.
4. Formality
Academic writing should be formal. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to be boring. Instead, it means being courteous, using formal language, and avoiding casual language.
This is because the aim is to be clear, logical, and specific in your writing. A lack of courtesy may portray emotive or biased language. Casual and informal language may be unconvincing to a professional or academic audience.
Being formal and courteous will avoid controversy and uncomfortable situations. However, we have numerous examples of academic writers and thinkers ignoring formality and courtesy resulting in disastrous entertainment.
5. Rigorous structure
Academic writing is supposed to have a rigorous structure. This type of writing typically involves following the IMRaD format. IMRaD stands for Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion.
This is especially useful for scientific papers or articles. Whether or not a scientific paper is published depends on how well researchers follow this format.
Although the IMRaD format is typically used for lab-based scientific reports and APA-style human behavioral and psychology studies, it can also be used for other types of research papers.
This includes college assignments on literature, historical, and sociological analyses. Here is a clear description of the IMRaD format:
This rigorous structure is not about following rules for the sake of rules. Instead, it helps you to think clearly about how to define the problem you are writing about and how you go about understanding or solving it.
Example of writing based on academic principles |
Below is an example of academic writing that seeks to follow some of the four principles just explained. The issue being argued is whether or not to lower the voting age to 16.
The argument that younger people are less informed than older counterparts is an unconvincing one. Research has shown that young people of high school and college ages are much more enthusiastic about supporting pertinent political and social issues such as reversing climate change and environmental protection (Gore et al., 2017; Simmons & Jackson, 2013). In fact, there is a direct and positive relationship between youth and the willingness to support environmentally friendly policies (Matthew et al., 2019). In short, the younger citizens are, the more likely they are to support these issues. This means that lowering the voting age to 16 would result in a larger pool of informed and issue-aware voters having the potential to positively influence the outcomes of elections regarding these specific issues.
Tiers of academic writing
There are different levels of academic writing. They range from peer-reviewed reports — that is, scientific papers published in prestigious journals — to academic essays for your college courses.
Although they may follow the same principles, they vary vastly from each other in terms of purpose. For example, scientific reports are required to produce new scientific knowledge.
On the other hand, academic college essays are used so your professor can determine how well you’ve understood the course that you are registered in. An essential aspect of any form of academic writing is “understanding the assignment.”
This doesn’t just apply to writing college essays, but it also applies to scientific papers meant for publication. For college essays, you would have to familiarize yourself with the rubric of the assignment.
For scientific publication, you would have to learn the Author Guidelines of the journal that you want to submit your work to. We will now look at the various tiers of academic writing one by one.
1. Peer-reviewed reports
Peer-reviewed reports are scientific reports that are published in peer-reviewed journals. They can include lab-based scientific reports or behavioral studies with humans as the unit of study.
These can be argued to be the highest form of academic writing. They help produce original knowledge. It includes a rigorous process of reviewing pertinent literature, developing hypotheses, and collecting and analyzing data.
These are usually called original articles. However, besides that other peer-reviewed papers can include review papers that survey research in a specific field or area. There are also brief reports or communications.
This could be doctors reporting on special medical cases or case studies. It could also be criticisms or corrections made in papers that have been published in a journal.
Apart from that, theses and dissertations may also qualify in this tier. A thesis does have a peer-reviewed process that involves members of the Defense Committee.
These are three to five professors who have expertise in the field of study. They provide reviews and recommendations on your thesis and whether or not you deserve to pass.
Below is an example of an abstract from a peer-reviewed journal:
Example of abstract from a peer-reviewed report |
Sociocultural attitudes toward appearance and its linkage to body mass index (BMI) and body image is a relationship worth studying, especially in Asia, where the idealization of thinness can be prominent. The Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance Questionnaire (SATAQ) developed by Heinberg et al. in 1995 was used in this study to examine whether these beliefs have been internalized. Furthermore, the Body Esteem Scale (BES) was used to quantify body image. The formal in-person survey was administered in Taipei, Taiwan. There were 301 valid samples out of 330 surveyed respondents. To enhance the representativeness of the samples, a stratified sampling technique was applied to generate survey data with valid samples following gender and age distributions of the population between the ages of 14 and 28. The internalization dimension represented how strongly the respondents considered the importance of the socially accepted concept of appearance based on personal perceived social norms. The other dimension, awareness, represents the sociocultural pressures from the outside world, such as from the image of slimness illustrated in the media or group, in comparison to personal beliefs. Our results demonstrated that respondents with above-normal BMIs internalized the socially preferred standards of thinness more than respondents with normal or under-normal BMIs. Furthermore, results also revealed, overall, a negative relationship between SATAQ and body image and between body image and BMI. The study highlights the need to emphasize “fitness over thinness” to help improve negative body image among young Asian
2. Gray literature
Another category of academic documents below scientific reports is what we can call Gray Literature. This refers to documents that follow the formal structure and process of scientific papers and articles but have not been peer-reviewed.
They may also refer to types of writing that support peer-reviewed literature. This includes research proposals, grant proposals, and technical progress reports on research. Here is a list giving examples of gray literature:
White papers
Conference papers
Scientific posters
Book chapters
Books
Most of these academic writing styles you already know. However, some of them would need more explaining, such as conference papers and white papers.
White papers
These include technical documents that are produced or written by either businesses, NGOs (or non-governmental organizations), or government institutions. They are technical documents that are written in a specific in-house style.
In the case of businesses, they could be case studies on specific products or marketing strategies. They could also be persuasive documents to convince savvy customers to buy products.
NGOs use white papers to report on a specific project that they carried out or a specific issue that they are concerned with. The same is true of white papers produced by government organizations. They focus on policies or issues that the government has executed or studied, respectively.
Conference papers
Conference papers can be described as more or less scientific papers that are presented at a conference. Sometimes, this paper goes on to be published in a peer-reviewed journal. Other times it is published as a book chapter in a book issued and edited by the conference organizers.
Here's an example of a conference paper published as a book chapter:
Example of an abstract for a conference paper published as a book chapter |
With big data and crowd computing in the contemporary business environment, the minimum requirement for a business graduate to locate a job includes the ability to work on data and delivering some meaningful preliminary results for decision making in management. The objectives of this study are as follows: (1) reveal students’ end-of-term self-evaluations of statistical methods they feel comfortable in application; (2) categorize statistical models into various levels and then link students’ end-of-term self-evaluations to understand students’ confidence in statistical applications; and (3) evaluate the effects of problem-based learning (PBL) on student outcomes for the various subjects. Three courses are included in data generation: (1) Statistics (I) and (II), (2) Regression Analysis, and (3) Business Forecasting. In both Regression Analysis and Business Forecasting, PBL was applied, and term projects were required for students to practice their analytical skills in PBL exercises and projects. Results indicated that the more advanced the statistical courses students took, the more they perceive learning statistics as important. Moreover, students valued the importance of using statistical applications at work in the future higher if a more advanced course had been taken. Suggestions based on findings in this study are provided for instructors to enhance students’ analytical skills in undergraduate statistical courses.
This type of paper normally exists in two or three forms — 1. The manuscript; 2. The PPT-type presentation; and 3. The scientific poster.
You likely know what a manuscript and PPT-type presentation are. However, a scientific poster might be new to you. So, what is it?
Scientific posters
It is an abstract in picture form. Here is a description of what a scientific poster is by Pressbooks:
A scientific poster is an illustrated summary of research that scientists and engineers use to present their scientific discoveries to larger audiences. A typical poster is printed on paper with dimensions of 36-inches (height) by 48-inches (width).
Below is a scientific poster looking at how to remediate human effects on the habitats of Greater Sage-Grouse:
An example of a scientific poster |
Scientific posters have to balance between being very concise and visually appealing. As much information as possible should be fitted in a quite small place while ensuring that your presentation is good to look at.
Scientific posters were borne out of necessity. With conferences having too many participants to present on the main stage, most researchers were given a chance to present their results as posters in a specific exhibit, which people could come to observe.
3. Academic essays and assignments
Academic essays and assignments are just that. They are essays that you have to write for specific courses or classes. They can be called research papers and are supposed to demonstrate your knowledge and skill as an academic.
This means:
Your ability to locate credible sources
Your ability to write logical arguments
Your ability to use formal and structured language
It’s always best to do extensive reading before starting and do always start wth a properly written outline. For these types of assignments, you need to know the distinction between the different types of academic writing. These are:
Descriptive or expository
Analytical
Persuasive
Critical
You may have to use all these different types of writing in the same assignment. One of the main aspects of this type of writing is a thesis statement. This is the sentence located in your introductory paragraph that expresses the central point of your essay.
4. Reportage and correspondence
Reportage and correspondence refer to news or magazine-type writing. Scientists may have to use this type of writing to report their results to the wider public through popular publications, such as in the form of press releases and articles in popular newspapers or science magazines.
This type of writing can even be described as professional writing as opposed to academic writing. It is academic in as much as it tries to stick to facts and rely on reputable or credible sources.
Correspondence might refer to emails or letters of exchange between intellectuals. This could be correspondence between a journal editor and the corresponding author — that is, the author responsible for communicating information about the research — of an article.
Cover letters, letters to a journal editor, and even critiques and commentaries on published works in journals can qualify as correspondence.
The academic writing process
The academic writing process with extensive reading in your field of study. However, that should be narrowed down when you have chosen a specific topic.
Choose model papers to draft your outline and build a schedule around writing the different parts of your research paper.
Here are steps to follow when writing an academic paper:
Narrow down and choose your topic
Choose one or two model papers as inspiration for your outline
Write the different parts of your research paper
Revise
Submit your paper
Revising typically involves giving your paper time to “breathe.” This means giving your paper some days to rest before you get back to it. You could also ask a friend to help you read and see if they notice any errors. Both of these processes will allow you to approach your work with less bias and a “fresh pair of eyes.”
The importance of academic writing
Academic writing should not be seen as something divorced from the real world. It is a discipline that holds special importance, depending on your position in academia. Let's take a look at each.
1. Students. If you are a student, being competent in academic writing means that you’re able to pass your exams and graduate on time. Especially if you’re a master’s student, the completion of your thesis would represent a major academic, career, and life milestone.
2. Professional academics. For better or for worse, academic professionals, such as professors and researchers, rely on scientific publication in peer-reviewed journals for promotions and funding. Ideally, the better you are at academic writing, the greater the chances of your research being published.
3. Society at large. Academic writing helps in the clarification of problems. It is a process that allows data and ideas to be collected, analyzed, and synthesized. This results in the creation of new knowledge, perspectives, or solutions.
Final thoughts on academic writing
Academic writing is difficult. There are no shortcuts when it comes to becoming competent at academic writing. Instead, it is an iterative process of learning, practice, and improvement.
There is no substitute for continuous learning and practice. This involves relying on good model papers that should be read thoroughly and using reputable and credible academic resources.
However, besides this, there are several habits or “hacks that you could employ in your journey to becoming a competent writer. Here’s a quick list:
Develop a writing schedule
Rely on good examples of academic writing to model your writing after
Make detailed outlines before you start writing
Use ergonomic devices
Exercise between work breaks
Practice "deep work"
To learn more about effectively employing these study hacks, you can check out that article here. Academic writing is something that should be incorporated in your daily life as healthy habits as a busy student.
Academic writing might be daunting. However, research and research writing are processes and challenges that if properly met can make you a better scientist or learner and carry you to a better comprehension of the world around you.
Also, besides the resources that I have mentioned here, you are free to browse my blogs here for support. You can also contact me for any questions relating to your academic writing. That means questions related to your research paper, thesis, journal paper, or anything else.
Good luck with your research writing!
List of cited works
Fang, Z.H. (2021, June 15). What is academic writing (and other burning questions about it)?https://www.routledge.com/blog/article/what-is-academic-writing-and-other-burning-questions-about-it
Hsu, J.L.; Hung, R.T.-L.; Antoine, M. (2021). Investigating the Linkages between BMI, Body Image, and SATAQ among Young Asian Females. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18, 7460. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18147460
Hsu, J.L., Antoine, M. (2021). Analytical Skills in Statistical Applications Based on End-of-Term Students’ Self-evaluations. In: Huang, YM., Lai, CF., Rocha, T. (eds) Innovative Technologies and Learning. ICITL 2021. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 13117. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-91540-7_40
The University of Sydney. (n.d.). Writing. https://www.sydney.edu.au/students/writing.html
Weaver et al. (2020). Scientific Posters: A Learner's Guide. https://ohiostate.pressbooks.pub/scientificposterguide
Cite this EminentEdit article |
Antoine, M. (2024, August 11). What Is Academic Writing? https://www.eminentediting.com/post/what-is-academic-writing |
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