Academic writing is a writing done by scholars, to fulfill the requirements of a college or university. It is a writing assignment given for the purpose of learning,with the publications being used sometimes for presentation. It can also be defined as scholars writing for scholars,with the meaning that a complete assignment done by a particular scholar might be used for education by another scholar someday.
Academic writing can be used under many circumstances, example;
- In translations- Translating a particular language into another.
- Abstracts- Giving a short summary of a long document.
- Explication- A writing explaining a particular part of written work.
- Essays – A short piece of writing often written from a person's point of view .
Academic writing puts its weight on topics, matters and questions which are of interest to the academic circles, hence any academic writer should choose a topic which is of utmost interest and relevance. It should be of help to other scholars, therefore avoid making it personal. Get a context where to place your observations and questions, then write something of interest to your readers, something which will help the reader understand the topic more, or make them view it from a different perspective.
An academic paper will have an obligation to inform,therefore the writer should try to argue the point out in that particular topic. The argument should however be informed,get the facts about what you know about the topic and what you think about it and draw a clear distinctive line between the two. A writer should therefore rely on evidence and not instinct, that is any argument made should be backed up by facts and valid evidence.
It's advisable for an academic writer to bear in mind the personal touch and keep it in check,one shouldn't use too many personal responses to questions rising in the report. Personal responses should also be relevant to the report. Personal pronouns should not be overused example “I” will make the whole report appear subjective, since it will look like every fact is the writer's own opinion.
An academic writer should be critical of any material either in print or from the Internet. Just because it is in print doesn't mean it is entirely correct,make sure this information is valid. A writer should also familiarize himself with new language( jargon). Any writer should make sure they know the meaning of any new words before using them in the report.
A writer should use an appropriate style,following the rules of good writing to depict clearly the different arguments being put across. Consider what others will want to read without them feeling bored, make points clear and accurate. It's not advisable to use difficult terms which you can not give account of.
An article should adhere to the set standards rules and guidelines , therefore it should be written clearly and carefully, avoid grammatical errors, in many cases they distort your real meaning of the information you are passing across. Errors in grammar are reduced by the reader doing proofreading, to do away with any mistakes which could have come in unconsciously.
Your work should be original,the writer should follow all the rules of citing sources,giving
documentation of direct quotes, paraphrases and ideas which are not theirs.