Academic Writing Features and Summarizing

Academic writing is generally formal. This means that

• the writer should use complex sentences only.

• no simple, everyday words should be used.

• the writer should normally avoid colloquial words and expressions.

• information from sources should be the main content of the produced text.

Which of the following is an example of formal writing?

• Prince got together with Tracy to produce a successful music video.

• Girls experience a lot of pressure to get into early relationships

• Medical staff are expected to be careful not to pass on personal information about a patient.

• Is it okay to force men into taking paternity leave?

Which feature of academic writing is absent from the extract below.

30% of Jamaican parents appear to be ignorant of their role in steering children along the right path.

• formality

• responsibility

• complexity

• hedging

A summary consists of the ideas in someone else's work; therefore, there is no need to be worried about the features of academic writing.

True or False

• False

• True

Which features of academic writing must be present in a summary?

• Responsibility

• Formality

• hedging

• accuracy

Academic writing is complex means that it

• includes many highfalutin words

• has many technical terms at all times

• tends to have more subordinate clauses

• includes very complex information and vocabulary

Being objective in academic writing means which of the following?

• Information is purely from sources with no ideas from you on the issue

• Information is based on research and reasoning, not personal beliefs and feelings

• All the ideas within the message are contestable

• Contains many references from journal and other academic sources

Which of the following is NOT a feature of academic writing?

• Hedging

• Precision

• Explicitness

• Use of contractions

Which of the following could most correctly be described as academic?

• You should have expected this result.

• Persons know that this is how it goes.

• One should expect this result.

• Failing the test is a possible result.

Select the options that BEST complete the following.

An academic writer shows responsibility by ------- (Check all that apply)

• including many sources of information

• acknowledging sources of information

• providing adequate valid evidence

• not including personal biases

• providing details to support claims