Features of Academic Writing

Choose three words to describe academic writing:

• Talented, stylish, inspiring

• Decisive, divisive, derisive

• Precise, clear, objective

• Subjective, obscure, vague

There are four key features in 'Academic Writing'. Another one is 'formality'. Can you spot its definition?

• Written language is relatively more complicated than spoken language. You are expected to use more complex sentences than simple ones. Use linkers like ‘because, as, since, though, although, whereas, etc.

• In general this means that in an essay you should avoid colloquial words and expressions. Think about the tone of your writing and make simple changes to phrases. For example: This will look at > This will examine

• In academic writing, facts and figures are given accurately. Language needs to be specific too. Avoid using general terms like ‘good, bad, simple, etc.’

What is 'academic writing'?

• A technique to write balanced, accurate and professional assignments

• How university professors write

• An old-fashioned way of writing

• The writing you find in textbooks

There are four key Aspects/ features in 'Academic Writing'. Another one is 'objectivity'. Can you spot its definition?

• Academic writing is well-organized. It flows easily from one section to the next in a logical fashion.

• In academic settings, writers need to be cautious and critical about the claims they make. With the help of the special language, called ‘hedges’ writers can often soften their statements to avoid criticism for being radical or overconfident.

• Written language is not personal. This means that the main emphasis should be on the information that you want to give and the arguments you want to make, rather than you.

There are four key Aspects/ features in 'Academic Writing'. The fifth one is 'explicitness'. Can you spot its definition?

• In academic writing, facts and figures are given accurately. Language needs to be specific too. Avoid using general terms like ‘good, bad, simple, etc.’

• In academic writing, it demands the use of signposts that allows readers to trace the relationships.

• In academic settings, writers need to be cautious and critical about the claims they make. With the help of the special language, called ‘hedges’ writers can often soften their statements to avoid criticism for being radical or overconfident.

The last feature of 'Academic Writing' is known as 'Hedging'. What do you think it means?

• Academic writing is well-organized. It flows easily from one section to the next in a logical fashion.

• In academic settings, writers need to be cautious and critical about the claims they make. With the help of the special language, called ‘hedges’ writers can often soften their statements to avoid criticism for being radical or overconfident.

• Written language is not personal. This means that the main emphasis should be on the information that you want to give and the arguments you want to make, rather than you.

Academic writing is used only at university context

• True

• False

No colloquial English is encouraged when you write compositions at academic courses.

• True

• False

Modality and hedging are encouraged in writing thesis.

• True

• False

Contractions are:

• what happens when you have a baby

• when something is too narrow

• when someone says the opposite to you

• a shortened form of a word