Are you one of those people who blackout when they hear the words “academic writing”? Well, you are not to blame – today, it’s a common belief that this type of written work is synonymous with horror and is usually widely hated by all students.
Mostly because they think it’s a complicated process that requires not only time and attention but also complete dedication. And yes, it’s not far from the truth – it’s a serious task and it’s necessary to devote a great deal to it and follow some basic rules and tips in order for the outcome to be satisfactory.
So, what does academic writing actually represent? Writing in this kind of niche means writing for academic-scientific purposes – some forms of academic work include essays and presentations, but also graduate thesis, scientific papers, and master or doctoral thesis. It must demonstrate scientific objectivity and, above all, academic expressions.
You may have wondered, if you have already had the opportunity to create some types of academic work, what will it actually serve for or how will it benefit you? Well, it’s thought that every intellectual should master this technique and skills of academic writing by the end of their studies at the university. Academic skills give you greater flexibility when it comes to drafting any documents and you become trained in creating different types of papers, which could be of great benefit to you in your future job or profession. That’s why you should take a look at this little list of the most important tips when it comes to quality writing – respecting these rules could turn you into a real academic guru!
Page Contents
Choose the right topic
source:unsplash.com
The first problem and the one that always arises is the question that bothers many people – what should I write about? The range of topics is very broad, because anything that comes under the scientific framework can be a potential topic of your work. Choosing a topic is a very important point. Sometimes you won’t be able to choose a subject and that could be an aggravating circumstance – but on the other hand, if you have the opportunity to choose a theme, use it wisely. The choice of topic should be influenced by your personal affinities and preferences, from the area you have knowledge of or you would like to know more about.
The topic should not be too broad – the least you want to do for yourself is to get surrounded by too many books and countless pages. In order to make it easier to bear, and at the same time make your work interesting, it’s best to combine two or more areas of interest. Doing so narrows down your topic, gives you more freedom to write, critique, and see things objectively. And most importantly, getting the content you need becomes much easier. The title of the topic should be brief and contain only a fundamental idea.
Learn how to research
source:pexels.com
It’s simply impracticable to write a decent academic text without thorough preparation. It’s much easier to write a proper assignment if you have prepared yourself well by reading adequate literature (textbooks, scientific articles, etc.). In addition, many electronic journals and collections of case studies and articles can be found on the Internet, which may indeed be more than useful.
When you decide which topic you would like to write about, search a nearby library for books on the subject and make a choice. When reading, it’s a great idea to note the most significant quotes or views of the author that you want to refer to or that you want to explain further within your text. Of course, it’s advisable to read more about it, but it shouldn’t be overstated.
Avoid plagiarism
source:unsplash.com
Plagiarism is prohibited in the academic community, especially without the permission of the author; plagiarism is punishable in accordance with the law, and if you go that way you may face many problems with the law and the rules of the scientific institution. This means copying someone else’s text or idea and presenting the copied material as your own.
Someone else’s text or idea must be separated from your own in the written text – you’ll achieve this by quoting and citing all sources you have used while creating the assignment. Quotations give some quality to the text if used correctly and in the right places. Avoid overusing quotes if they are not essential to the text, but of course, anything that you didn’t come up with by yourself must be cited as a quotation in the text.
Take care of the language
source:unsplash.com
Proper use of language is an essential part of any academic text. Scientific language is a conceptual language – it is fundamental that the assignment uses adequate terms that don’t belong to colloquial terms. The technical and linguistic meticulousness indicates that the author devoted himself, in a good way and with care, to writing the paper. Another crucial thing related to language would be the presence of editing, which should be applied to the content and the format, as well. When we polish the wording that already exists and eliminates any pieces of excess vocabulary, we actually produce more eloquent and precise papers and assignments.
Of course, before we submit our projects, they should be carefully proofread and reviewed. Sometimes it’s necessary to find an objective person who will do it for us, correct all spelling and grammatical mistakes in order to make our papers as credible and good as possible. In case you have your own ideas, but you need help with the creation process, there are always websites like customwritinghelp.org that are run by people who professionally write different types of assignments.
Establish the right style
source:unsplash.com
The writing style should not be kitschy, but concise and academic. It’s advisable to use as many professional terms as possible, but be careful with that – use only terms that you know for sure what they mean and how they are correctly used. The sentences should be clear, meaningful, and each one should have its own weight. Avoid repeating words in consecutive sentences.
If you want your assignment to be unique and have a satisfactory level of quality, attention must be paid to clarity, precision, logic, conciseness, and structure. Clarity represents the easiest way to explain the work, and precision is the virtue of presenting accurate information and avoiding ambiguous definitions.
And finally, the most important piece of advice – read, read, and again – read what you write. The more you take care of each of these points, the better the work will be, and the more capable you will be of performing academic tasks, which can be of great benefit to your future success!
