Most academic writing follows specific rules
that you'll be expected to use when writing at the Open Polytechnic.
However, because academic writing comes in many forms,
for example, essays,
reports,
reflective journal articles,
position papers
and literature reviews,
these different types of writing will follow specific styles,
so always check with your lecturer
about the type of writing you are expected to do.
Academic writing contains a number of consistent features:
It follows a particular tone –
it is objective and formal with no colloquial or slang words.
It includes evidence from other experts in the field, which are called references.
It answers or debates a specific question or field –
that is, it's focused.
It has clear organisation and layout, so that it follows a logical structure.
And it's grammatically correct.
Like all forms of writing,
academic writing has its own tone and is usually objective –
which means writing in the third person rather than the first person,
and not using the word ‘I’ in your writing.
Academic writing is also concise,
which means using as few words as possible to get your points across.
And, academic writing is formal –
which means avoiding slang, exclamation marks and contractions –
for example: writing ‘is not’ instead of ‘isn’t’.
The tone of academic writing also varies depending on the subject-area
and the academic discipline you are writing in.
The readings, textbook for your course
are good examples of the tone that is expected in your writing,
so it's a good idea to study their style carefully.
Academic writing is based on the citation and referencing of published authors.
If you make judgments about something in academic writing,
you are expected to support your opinion
by linking it to what a published author has previously written on the subject.
Citing the work of other authors is essential in academic writing
because it shows that you have read the literature,
understood the ideas,
and have incorporated the various ideas and viewpoints into your assignment.
Open Polytechnic uses the American Psychological Association,
or APA referencing system
and we have a number of resources available to teach you how to use it correctly.
You will find those resources on our website and the support page of the Online Campus.
A simple, logical structure –
such as a beginning, middle, and end –
or an introduction, body and conclusion,
is typical of an essay format as well as other assignment writing tasks.
The introductory paragraph of an essay
tells the reader about the nature of the topic,
which is then discussed and evaluated in the middle,
or the body, of the essay.
The introduction may also briefly summarise your position on the topic,
which you then elaborate on in the sequence of paragraphs
that make up the body of the essay.
The final paragraph is the conclusion in which you summarise the main points made.
The concluding paragraph is also an opportunity
to state the significance of your findings
by making recommendations for example.
Another common formal structure for assignments is a report.
A report is commonly organised
around the identification of problems or difficulties
and their solutions.
Unlike most essays,
a report is divided into clearly labelled sections,
such as Introduction,
Discussion,
Conclusions,
and Recommendations.
Also, and again unlike an essay,
bullet points can be used in the conclusions and recommendations sections of a report.
In your academic writing you must follow the rules of punctuation and grammar
to make sure that your writing is clear and unambiguous.
Clear writing is always grammatically correct,
has correct punctuation
and all words are spelt correctly.
Students often use language they do not understand
to make their writing seem more ‘academic’,
but this can often make it seem more confused.
Use words you know and keep your writing clear and concise.
Another problem that's common in student writing
is the over-reliance on the words of published authors.
Use quotes to prove the validity of the points you make,
but do not let them dominate your writing.
Readers want to see your words and interpretations.
For more help with academic writing,
Go to the support page on the Online Campus.