Academic writing is a very particular skill that can take many years of consistent work to fully master. The best way to learn is often by doing, as well as researching, proofreading, and seeking constructive feedback. In the meantime, however, there are a few quick tricks you can use to elevate your writing while you practice.Â
- Be particularly mindful of the last point, as for academic writing that is limited by strict word counts you do not want to waste any time or space explaining concepts your readers already understand.
1. Ensure you understand the guidelines
Whether the piece of writing you are working on involves answering a pre-set question, or creating a question of your own, ensure you understand all requirements before you start.
These can range from the very simple, such as the permitted word-count, to the more complex, such as the areas of your field you are expected to research, as well as your intended audience and the knowledge they already possess. Be particularly mindful of the last point, as for academic writing that is limited by strict word counts you do not want to waste any time or space explaining concepts your readers already understand.
2. Create a plan and structure before you start writing
From the shortest pieces of academic writing to the most ambitious, every successful essay or well-crafted argument starts with a plan. Beyond having an introduction, body and conclusion, high quality academic writing makes its points clear at the beginning and end of each section and often even at the beginning and end of each paragraph.
In order to capitalise on this quality, but also ensure you’re writing efficiently, planning is imperative. Start every piece of academic writing with a clear plan that covers what question you are trying to answer, what your final answer is, and, in a similar vein to a maths problem, how you reached that conclusion using research into the sources available to you.Â
Then, structure your writing based on what order makes most sense for all of the points you’re planning to make.
Once these two related steps are completed, you’ll often find you’ve gotten the most time-consuming part of the process out of the way and the writing itself will feel much easier to do.
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3. Take a focused approach
Don’t be afraid to narrow your focus when dealing with a particular issue in your academic writing. No matter the topic or the field, considering a question too broadly can lead to an abundance of points being made without much substance. What sets academic writing apart from other pieces is the depth of the research conducted, and your aim should always be to present that breath of research in its entirety.
Taking the field of English Literature as an example, an in-depth analysis of the work of one author within the context of the literary movement of their time, makes for a much better academic piece than attempting commentary on the movement as a whole.Â
4. Master the active and passive voices
Most 20th century academic writing has focused on the use of the passive voice and popularised it as more objective and thus more formal.
The neutral effect of the passive voice is to draw attention away from the subject of the sentence, which is often the person who has conducted research, and instead focus on the research itself. In contrast, the active voice is the one we use more often in normal speech and, as it focuses on the subject first, it can make your writing much more straightforward and accessible.
While there has been an increasingly prevalent move towards the use of the active voice in recent academic writing, especially at higher levels, the move is regarded in a variety of ways by different faculties and higher education institutions.Â
The best approach is to learn what both the active and passive voices look like, verify if there are any style requirements tied to the piece you are planning to write, and use both, as appropriate, to get your point across.
5. Familiarise yourself with similar material
Practice can make perfect in most scenarios but for writing, reading can also play an important role in improving your skills.
Other pieces of academic writing are not only useful as sources of research but can also help you narrow down your preferred style; chances are, if there is a certain approach and writing voice you enjoy reading, this is a style you would also enjoy writing in, as it makes most sense to you.
However, just as with artists, the best tactic is to consider a wide range of styles as inspiration and create one that is unique to you and helps your work stand out.
Ultimately, while the list above provides you with a few quick tips, never forget to keep working at it and keep taking on feedback as that is the best long-term method of improving your academic writing.Â
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