What makes academic writing

Methodology Here you should explain which methods you used in researching and developing your report. The general idea is that, should someone else choose to carry out the same or a very similar type of study, they should be able to understand and copy your methods from your descriptions.

Usually, yes. The only exceptions may be in a professional situation where the method of collecting data will be so familiar as to be unnecessary to describe. However, at university you are generally going to need to include this. Position: Following the introduction and Literature survey if one is included.

Results This is the section where you describe everything you found out through your research. You should give all of the results, and only the results of your research activities.

You need to do this in an objective and factual way. It may be very helpful to include tables, graphs or illustrations here to make it easier for the reader to understand the data. Do not include any discussion, argument or conclusions — those come later. Position: Central to the report. Will come after the Introduction Literature survey and Methodology if these included. Must come directly before the Discussion section.

Discussion This is the section in which you can interpret your own understanding of what the results of your research show. Here you make interpretations and judgements. Remember to contextualise your ideas in relation to other theories and with other similar research, particularly in reference to the works mentioned in your literature survey. All of this discussion must be framed within the purpose you stated in your title and introduction. Do not draw out your conclusions here, but open up the discussion of possibilities.

Writing approach: Discursive and evaluative. Position: Following the Results. Conclusions Here you reach your point. What, in your conclusion, did your research show in relation to your aims? Did you meet your aims, go beyond them, or in fact fail to reach your aims? Did you prove your own hypothesis or disprove it? Do not go back to a longwinded explanation of your results but instead give a brief and clear statement of what these results show.

Writing approach: Evaluative and possibly argumentative. Depends on purpose. Check with your tutor. Position: Following the Discussion. Recommendations The inclusion of recommendations will depend very much on the nature of the report you write, and the context you write it in. If the report provides information on an area for which future decisions will need to be made, then you should include recommendations on which decisions to make.

Each one is a single sentence; make sure you number each recommendation separately. Check with your tutor whether you should be including recommendations in your report or not. Writing approach: Evaluative. Position: Following the Conclusions. Reference list A page where you give the detailed references for all source materials you used this means anything that was written or stated by someone other than yourself.

You give a brief reference in the text of the report for each, but the full citation appears here. You must also give references for any tables, graphs or illustrations you have copied from another source. Writing approach: List In every type of report? It is essential. Position: The very last section of your report, unless you have appendices appendices come after the reference list.

Appendices You can put as an appendix any material relating to the research and the report that does not fit easily or suitably in the body of the paper. Very often this will be the functional data used to carry out your research, such as your survey questionnaires or observation sheets. You may also include some supplementary data that, while not essential to the understanding of the report, does add useful information or insight.

Make sure you number and title each individual appendix and start each on a new page. Writing approach: Dependent on content and purpose. Usually either examples of documents used in the research process, or descriptions of extra supplementary details.

Only when necessary. Position: Always the final section of your report. Unlike an essay, where you have to make decisions about your structure and the flow of argument, in a report, the content you write is dictated by the structure of your paper.

Each section of the report has a distinct purpose — its own part to play in the overall paper, and the way it is written is clearly defined. However, the work for a report is mostly done in advance. Remember, what you are doing is reporting on the work you have done. The work will be determined by the nature of a the subject you are studying; and b the purpose of the research activity. Observe conditions or behaviour in a natural environment;.

All analysis, evaluation, discussion, comparison to theory, conclusions and recommendations arise from the work that you carry out in advance of the report writing process. Do your research well and thoroughly, and the report writing should not be too arduous.

In the end you should be able to state whether the work you have done and its results proves your hypothesis or not, or does it fulfil you aims or not? Keep accurate records of all your research activities and all of the results you get, and don't forget to keep track of all the sources you use so you can reference them correctly.

Report writing checklist If you want to get better grades for your report writing, you need to do the following:. Check with your tutor which report sections you need to include. Understand clearly what information goes into each of the sections. Know if you are expected to draw conclusions and make recommendations. Be very clear from the start on what the purpose of your report is.

Plan carefully the stages of your research and of writing your report. Do your research — the ground work for your report. Keep very accurate records of all of your findings. Report precisely and evaluate honestly. Study examples of similar reports to understand the correct style and content to use.

Write clear references for all quotations or other source material you use in your report. Write with the reader in mind at all times. If you're not sure about anything in the checklist, go back to the appropriate section of this tutorial now, or download the summary pdf.

Finally, we have a checklist for this entire academic writing tutorial. Academic w riting. How to get better grades checklist. After you have written your paper. Print book. Description succeed writing. Academic writing download summary Home page Your ability to write well will dramatically affect the grades you get at university - and that means writing academically well.

Academic writing Stuart's essays Here's Stuart's first essay. Academic writing Write well Next important thing - you need to know how use an academic style in your writing. Academic w ritin g Write well An academic writing style is different from the way you would usually write, in the same way that a text to a friend is different to an email you'd send at work, which is different again to a journal or any other kind of writing. An academic writing style: Uses an academic tone Third, not first person, e.

I think that vs. It can be argued that Formal, not slang. It was fab vs. It was successful Full words, not the short form, e. Talk about the evidence, rather than your feelings about it, e. Use short sentences over long complex sentences.

Use short words over longer words where you can: Long word: supernumerary , incorporate , accommodate , remunerate Short word: extra, use, hold, pay. Leave room for doubt, such as possibly, probably, may, could, etc. Similarly with linking expressions: Definite : It is proven that , It is always the case that , This is an important factor , Everyone knows that Tentative: It may be shown that, It is often the case that, This seems to be an important factor, It is possible to believe that.

Academic w riting Write well The Common Mistakes Following a survey of Solent University lecturers, we came up with a list of the most common, and annoying, writing mistakes that students make.

If you want to write well, know what the common mistakes are, and avoid them: Overall No clear introduction. What is your point or position? Where is the essay going? Poor verb agreement with collective nouns eg 'the government were' Misuse of the apostrophe Adding an apostrophe to plurals It's not needed!

What is a sentence? Characteristics of a sentence: A subject I, he, it, research, plans, wind-powered generators A verb is, are, lives, plans, carries out A complete idea A capital letter at the beginning A full stop at the end So, this is a sentence: Research shows that this is a common problem.

And this is not it's not a complete idea : Whenever they reach some kind of agreement. Run-on sentences are another common problem, like this one: There are ten applicants for the job, there will be two days of interviews. That should be: There are ten applicants for the job. Characteristics of a paragraph: One main idea The main idea given in a topic sentence Topic sentence supported by the other sentences Sentences grouped together in one block, indented or with a line break before and after.

For example they may: Explain the idea Give evidence or examples of the idea Expand on or add details to the idea In the following paragraph, the topic sentence is give in bold. Academic writing must have clearly written paragraphs.

A good paragraph gives the main idea in a topic sentence, supported by other sentences. Paragraphs also must have coherence.

This is done by having clear links between sentences. In essays, reports , dissertations and presentations, these parts are: Introduction Main body Conclusion The information on the following pages will tell you what content should go in each section. Go on now to find out what goes into the introduction.

Academic w riting Structure your writing Introduction The introduction to an academic paper always: Gives the background to the topic Outlines the content of the paper - its aims for instance 'This paper will examine Download example introductions here Next, you can find out what goes into the main body of an academic paper.

Expand on all the topics mentioned in your introduction Bring together all the information you have gathered from other sources during your research Develop your argument in a logical structure. For example, you may use one of the following structures: Linear Two-sided Argumentative SPSE Situation Problem Solution Evaluation Whatever structure you are using, you will be expected to show how you have not only understood but also evaluated the information you have researched.

Academic writing Structure your writing Conclusion The conclusion to an academic paper always: Summarises the main points given in the essay Draws together the ideas to explain how they connect and relate Shows how you have answered the question The conclusion may also: Suggest some further research Give a concluding statement Pose a further question If you are unsure what this means in effect, have a look at our example conclusions.

Download some example conclusions here Go on now to find out how to format and present your writing successfully. Arial and Times New Roman are usually also acceptable. Each subject discipline will have certain writing conventions, vocabulary and types of discourse that you will become familiar with over the course of your degree. However, there are some general characteristics of academic writing that are relevant across all disciplines. Skip to main content University links. Close quicklinks.

Sometimes such technical vocabulary may need defining , though only if the term is not commonly used by others in the same discipline and will therefore not be readily understood by the reader. Academic writing is objective. In other words, the emphasis is placed on the arguments and information, rather than on the writer. As a result, academic writing tends to use nouns and noun phrases more than verbs and adverbs. It also tends to use more passive structures , rather than active voice, for example The water was heated rather than I heated the water.

Finally, academic writing is more formal than everyday writing. It tends to use longer words and more complex sentences , while avoiding contractions and colloquial or informal words or expressions that might be common in spoken English. There are words and collocations which are used in academic writing more frequently than in non-academic writing, and researchers have developed lists to help students of academic English, such as the Academic Word List , the Academic Vocabulary List , and the Academic Collocation List.

Given the relatively specialist nature of academic writing, it can seem daunting when you first begin. You can develop your academic writing by paying attention to feedback from tutors or peers and seeking specific areas to improve. Another way to develop your academic writing is to read more. By reading academic journals or texts, you can develop a better understanding of the features that make academic writing different from other forms of writing.

Alexander, O. Reading: Garnet Publishing Ltd. Cardiff Metropolitan University n. Academic Writing: Principles and Practice. Gillett, A. Features of academic writing. Staffordshire University Academic writing. University of Leeds Academic writing. Like the website?

Try the books. Enter your email to receive a free sample from Academic Writing Genres. Find out more about the writing process in the next section.

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