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Frequently asked questions - academic writing style

What is academic writing style?

University assignments should use an appropriate academic style. It is helpful to think of academic writing on different levels.

a. The big picture. The overall structure of academic writing is formal and logical, unlike fiction or journal writing. Your writing must be cohesive, which means that the various parts are connected to form a unified whole. The reader should be able to follow your argument and the logical flow of ideas because there are links between sentences and paragraphs.
b. The language. Clear use of language is essential in academic writing. Well-structured paragraphs and clear topic sentences enable a reader to follow your line of thought without difficulty. Your language should be concise, formal and express exactly what you want it to mean. Avoid abbreviations such as 'i.e.' and 'e.g.' or contractions such as 'don't','isn't'. These should be spelt out in full. Because you will be dealing with the concepts, research and data of your subject, you will need to use the technical language appropriate to the discipline.
c. Academic conventions. Citing sources in the body of your paper and providing a list of sources are very important aspects of writing at university. It is essential to always acknowledge the source of any ideas, research findings or data that you have used in your paper.

How is academic knowledge different from general knowledge?

General knowledge refers to facts that are commonly accepted. On the other hand, academic knowledge is constantly changing through research, arguing, questioning and thinking logically about facts and ideas. Academic knowledge builds on the work of others, and enquiry, argument and discussion are essential to the development of new ideas and new knowledge. As students you become participants in these discussions; you see how people agree and disagree with one another and begin to formulate your own view. Hence an assignment should not be descriptive but analytical and you must provide evidence to support your view.

Can I have my own opinion when writing an assignment?

Yes! It is important to have your own points of view on issues you are discussing. In fact your opinion, your view, your response to the question is the basis of your argument, which is central to your assignment. But remember that what is valued is that your opinions are based on a sound understanding of the knowledge and academic debates that are current in your particular field. You need to back up your opinion with evidence from academic sources.

How do I express my own opinion?

Your opinion is the viewpoint reached after analysing and evaluating arguments and evidence. It should be an objective opinion presented as a logical argument. The quality of your evidence will determine the strength of your argument. You must be able to select information that is relevant and up-to-date, show that you understand what is said and be able to use that information to provide evidence to support your view. The challenge in an assignment is to convince the reader of the validity of your opinion through a coherent and logically structured piece of writing.

Why do I have to do so many written assignments during my course?

Written assignments are one of the most common forms of assessment at university. This doesn't mean that assignment topics are only set to give students a mark or a grade. Writing is an important way of learning.

When you are doing an assignment, your research and reading helps you to acquire the language of the discipline you're studying. You are also being asked to analyse different ideas and concepts and draw conclusions of your own about the question being asked. In fact, when they are designing units of study, academics often have lengthy discussions about which particular questions to set in order to best help students learn. Often when you have completed writing an assignment you'll feel that the 'gain' far outweighed the 'pain'.

How do I develop my academic vocabulary?

This will happen naturally as you progress through your course of study. Clearly when you start in a discipline there will be many terms that you will not be familiar with. But over time, as you read, discuss and listen, your exposure to the language of the discipline will increase and your academic vocabulary will develop.

Useful strategies include: using a subject specific dictionary, using the glossaries which many chapters and books have, and creating your own glossary as you come across new subject specific words.

How many words can I be either over or under the prescribed limit?

Usually assignments can be 10% over or under the prescribed word limit. Thus, if you have to produce a 2000 word essay or report, 1800-2200 words would be acceptable. Appendices, abstract/executive summary and the reference list/bibliography are not usually counted as part of the word limit. Quotations in the body of your paper are. However, check with your lecturer or tutor about what's included in the word limit for a particular assignment. Also note that some lecturers are much stricter about word limit than others.

The word limit gives you some idea about how widely and deeply you are expected to deal with the assignment topic. However, remember that sometimes it is harder to write 1000 words that are focused on the topic and free of 'waffle' than 2000 words of rambling unfocused prose!

How many drafts should I do?

This is like asking 'How long is a piece of string?' There is no set rule for how many drafts are needed.

Writing is both product and process. It is an outcome of learning as well as a tool for learning. The finished piece (product) displays your learning. The process of writing, involving drafting and redrafting, is a thinking and learning process. It forces the writer to clarify thoughts. Drafting deals with ideas - their organisation, their relationship to other ideas and the writer's argument or thesis. It does not refer to proofreading, which relates to the surface features of writing, like spelling, grammar and punctuation.

So, how many drafts should you do? Obviously, it can't be only one, as this does not allow for the thinking and rethinking process that contributes to the depth of a piece of writing. You will probably need to work through at least several drafts till you have clarified your thoughts and organised their presentation in a structure appropriate to your assignment. Proofreading should be the last step in the process.

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20th March 2010