Formal writing, also called academic writing, spans everything from essays to complicated thesis statements. Since they are written by university and college students, they are written for scores and GPAs. Hence, students must follow a strict procedure while writing essay or any academic content.
It can be a daunting experience for students to expertise and deliver quality content in all desired formats. However, there are some basic do’s and don’ts while writing any form of academic content, following which it can be made accessible.
Do’s of academic writing
Objective writing
Academic writing follows an objective style with factual information, logical reasoning, and unemotional and precise content. So while stating facts, you should never provide impersonal information, and the content should be purely based on facts and research findings. By referring to credible sources, you can pick up substantial amounts of data to help you back your argument.
Clear and crisp writing
Academic papers need to be more constructive writing, meaning there is no beating around the bush. Providing clarity with your arguments should be the primary goal of writing academic papers. This helps better present your analysis and point of view to the reader.
Structuring of sentences
From your audience’s perspective, it is best to write short, crisp, and quality sentences that are clear to the reader. One of the main rules of writing academically is to aim for embellishments and directness. This also involves including academic and discipline-related jargon to connect to the readers of the specific field.
Don’ts of academic writing
Don’t use colloquial language
While we wrote about using structure-based, non-complicated sentences, it is also best to avoid penalties and language of everyday use. Although it is not a rule, it can be frowned upon and deduct your score.
Don’t change the verb tense
Tense also plays an essential factor in your academic writing. Tenses usually indicate the time of the event which took place – whether past, present, or future. It is best to avoid randomly changing the tenses of the verb. Doing so will directly reflect on the credibility of the paper and your statements of argument. Such mistakes can be avoided when you write essays when you’re wide awake and not at 3 am.
Don’t use personal language
As mentioned above, research, commitment, factual information, and communication take utmost priority in writing academic papers. Hence the language should be highly formal. Even if it’s your favorite mentor going through your work, you should be careful in deciding the language. For example, avoid using pronouns like I, My, Me, etc., and focus on writing from a third-party perspective. This will automatically prevent personal touches in the article.
Don’t exceed the word count
Academic essays generally have a smaller word count when compared to informal essays, which can be frustrating. However, this word limit is provided to encourage students to write briefly and avoid redundant information. By sticking to the word count, you can prevent unnecessary information and focus on providing a solution to the problem statement.