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0 Unit 1 Academic Writing

This document introduces academic writing and its key characteristics. It defines academic writing as evidence-based arguments used to convey ideas and engage in scholarly discussion. The document outlines common forms of academic writing like literary analysis, research papers, and dissertations. It describes characteristics of academic writing such as a clear focus, logical structure, use of evidence to support arguments, and an impersonal tone. Finally, it lists some common mistakes to avoid, such as being wordy, having a vague thesis, using informal language, only describing without analyzing, and failing to properly cite sources.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
52 views3 pages

0 Unit 1 Academic Writing

This document introduces academic writing and its key characteristics. It defines academic writing as evidence-based arguments used to convey ideas and engage in scholarly discussion. The document outlines common forms of academic writing like literary analysis, research papers, and dissertations. It describes characteristics of academic writing such as a clear focus, logical structure, use of evidence to support arguments, and an impersonal tone. Finally, it lists some common mistakes to avoid, such as being wordy, having a vague thesis, using informal language, only describing without analyzing, and failing to properly cite sources.

Uploaded by

attou yasser
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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UNIT ONE: AN INTRODUCTION TO ACADEMIC WRITING

“Students, professors, and researchers in every discipline use


academic writing to convey ideas, make arguments, and engage in
scholarly conversation. Academic writing is characterized by evidence-
based arguments, precise word choice, logical organization, and an
impersonal tone. Though sometimes thought of as long-winded or
inaccessible, strong academic writing is quite the opposite: It informs,
analyzes, and persuades in a straightforward manner and enables the
reader to engage critically in a scholarly dialogue.”

Olivia Valdes
Associate Editorial Director
B.A., American Studies, Yale University

A. Examples of Academic Writing

Academic writing is, of course, any formal written work produced in an academic
setting. While academic writing comes in many forms, the following are some of the
most common.

Literary analysis: A literary analysis essay examines, evaluates, and makes an


argument about a literary work. As its name suggests, a literary analysis essay goes
beyond mere summarization. It requires careful close reading of one or multiple texts
and often focuses on a specific characteristic, theme, or motif.

Research paper: A research paper uses outside information to support a thesis or


make an argument. Research papers are written in all disciplines and may be
evaluative, analytical, or critical in nature. Common research sources include data,
primary sources (e.g., historical records), and secondary sources (e.g., peer-
reviewed scholarly articles). Writing a research paper involves synthesizing this
external information with your own ideas.

Dissertation: A dissertation (or thesis) is a document submitted at the conclusion of


a Ph.D. program. The dissertation is a book-length summarization of the doctoral
candidate’s research.

Academic papers may be done as a part of a class, in a program of study, or for


publication in an academic journal or scholarly book of articles around a theme, by
different authors.

B. Characteristics of Academic Writing

Most academic disciplines employ their own stylistic conventions. However, all
academic writing shares certain characteristics.
1. Clear and limited focus. The focus of an academic paper—the argument or
research question—is established early by the thesis statement. Every
paragraph and sentence of the paper connects back to that primary focus.
While the paper may include background or contextual information, all content
serves the purpose of supporting the thesis statement.
2. Logical structure. All academic writing follows a logical, straightforward
structure. In its simplest form, academic writing includes an introduction, body
paragraphs, and a conclusion. The introduction provides background
information, lays out the scope and direction of the essay, and states the
thesis. The body paragraphs support the thesis statement, with each body
paragraph elaborating on one supporting point. The conclusion refers back to
the thesis, summarizes the main points, and highlights the implications of the
paper’s findings. Each sentence and paragraph logically connects to the next
in order to present a clear argument.
3. Evidence-based arguments. Academic writing requires well-informed
arguments. Statements must be supported by evidence, whether from
scholarly sources (as in a research paper), results of a study or experiment, or
quotations from a primary text (as in a literary analysis essay). The use of
evidence gives credibility to an argument.
4. Impersonal tone. The goal of academic writing is to convey a logical
argument from an objective standpoint. Academic writing avoids emotional,
inflammatory, or otherwise biased language. Whether you personally agree or
disagree with an idea, it must be presented accurately and objectively in your
paper.

C. Common Mistakes to Avoid

Academic writers from every field face similar challenges during the writing process.
You can improve your own academic writing by avoiding these common mistakes.

1. Wordiness. The goal of academic writing is to convey complex ideas in a


clear, concise manner. Don’t muddy the meaning of your argument by using
confusing language. If you find yourself writing a sentence over 25 words long,
try to divide it into two or three separate sentences for improved readability.
2. A vague or missing thesis statement. The thesis statement is the single
most important sentence in any academic paper. Your thesis statement must
be clear, and each body paragraph needs to tie into that thesis.
3. Informal language. Academic writing is formal in tone and should not include
slang, idioms, or conversational language.
4. Description without analysis. Do not simply repeat the ideas or arguments
from your source materials. Rather, analyze those arguments and explain how
they relate to your point.
5. Not citing sources. Keep track of your source materials throughout the
research and writing process. Cite them consistently using one style manual
(MLA, APA, or Chicago Manual of Style, depending on the guidelines given to
you at the outset of the project). Any ideas that are not your own need to be
cited, whether they're paraphrased or quoted directly, to avoid plagiarism.
 Source: https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-academic-writing-1689052

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