0 Unit 1 Academic Writing
0 Unit 1 Academic Writing
Olivia Valdes
Associate Editorial Director
B.A., American Studies, Yale University
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.
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.
Academic writers from every field face similar challenges during the writing process.
You can improve your own academic writing by avoiding these common mistakes.