ING182U-COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND ACADEMIC REPORTING II
Chapter 8: Conventions of Academic Writing and Writing a Research Essay
Introduction
Academic writing is a style of writing used in academic and scholarly settings, such as universities, research institutions, and academic journals. It is characterised by a formal tone, structured organisation, and the use of evidence to support arguments and ideas. Academic writing is typically aimed at a knowledgeable audience and is designed to inform, persuade, or critique scholarly work. It often involves research and analysis, as well as the use of primary and secondary sources to support arguments.
Academic Writing Conventions
Academic writing is a critical aspect of higher education, and it is essential for students to understand the conventions that govern this type of writing. Academic writing conventions refer to the rules and guidelines that writers follow when composing academic texts. These conventions help to ensure that writing is clear, concise, and standardised, allowing readers to understand and evaluate the content of the text. In this chapter, we will explore the key academic writing conventions that students need to understand and use in their writing. We will cover the structure, tone, references and citations, style and formatting, language and grammar, and other essential elements of academic writing. By the end of this chapter, you will have a strong understanding of the conventions that govern academic writing and will be better equipped to produce high-quality academic writing that meets the expectations of your instructors and peers. In order to better understand the conventions of academic writing, let us take a closer look at each of these elements and how they contribute to effective academic writing. Academic writing conventions refer to the rules and guidelines that are commonly accepted in academic writing. These conventions help ensure that academic writing is clear, concise, and standardised, allowing readers to understand and evaluate the content of the text.
Common Grammatical Errors
Here are ten common grammatical errors and conventions to keep in mind when writing academically:
• Subject-verb agreement • Pronoun-antecedent agreement • Comma splices • Run-on sentences • Sentence fragments • Passive voice • Dangling modifiers • Apostrophe errors • Capitalisation errors • Word choice errors • Misplaced modifiers • Agreement between articles and nouns • Redundancy • Incomplete comparisons • Confusing words
Common Citation Styles
In academic writing, it is important to properly cite all sources used in research papers, essays, and other types of writing. Different citation styles are used for different disciplines and types of writing. Some of the most common citation styles include:
• APA (American Psychological Association) • MLA (Modern Language Association) • Chicago
Plagiarism
Plagiarism has been discussed in the previous book. However, it is worth mentioning as it is regarded as an immoral act. Plagiarism is the act of using someone else’s words, ideas, or work without giving proper credit. In academic writing, plagiarism is considered a serious offence and can result in severe consequences, such as failing a course or even being expelled from a university. Here are a few examples of plagiarism:
• Copying and pasting information from a website or article without citing the source • Paraphrasing someone else’s work without giving credit • Submitting someone else’swork as your own • Self-plagiarism • Using someone else’s artwork, photographs, or images without permission or proper attribution • Turning in work that you paid someone else to write • Failing to properly cite sources in your bibliography or reference list • Using someone else’s data or research results without giving proper credit
Reproducing materials from a course, such as lecture notes or presentations, without permission from the instructor. It is important to always give credit to the sources you use in your writing to avoid plagiarism. It is also important to always be aware of what constitutes plagiarism and take steps to avoid it. This means being diligent about citing sources, using quotation marks or block quotes when necessary, and seeking permission from others when using their work.
Voice and Tone
Voice refers to the personality or character that comes across in your writing. It includes elements such as word choice, sentence structure, and the use of rhetorical devices such as metaphors or analogies. Your voice as a writer should be appropriate for your audience and purpose, and it should also be consistent throughout your writing.
You can see an example of voice in academic writing on p. 274. In the original version, the writer’s voice is strong and assertive, and they clearly articulate de Beauvoir’s argument and perspective. In the revised version, the writer’s voice is weaker and less distinct, and they simply
summarise de Beauvoir’s ideas without adding much of their own perspective or analysis. Tone, on the other hand, refers to the overall mood or attitude conveyed by your writing. Tone can be formal or informal, objective or subjective, serious or humorous, and so on. Tone is conveyed through the words and phrases you choose, as well as the overall style and structure of your writing. In academic writing, it is generally expected that the tone will be formal and objective. This means avoiding overly emotional language or biassed statements, and using evidence and logical reasoning to support your arguments. However, this doesn’t mean that your writing has to be dry or boring. You can still use your voice as a writer to engage your audience and make your writing more interesting and engaging, as long as you do so in a way that is appropriate for the academic context.
Editing and Revising
Editing and revising are two crucial stages in the process of academic writing. While they may seem similar, they are distinct activities that serve different purposes. Editing refers to the process of reviewing and correcting your writing for errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and other mechanics of language. The goal of editing is to ensure that your writing is clear, concise, and error-free. Some examples of editing tasks include:
• Checking for consistency in formatting and style • Ensuring that the tone and voice are appropriate for the intended audience • Checking for errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and capitalisation • Eliminating unnecessary words or phrases • Correcting factual inaccuracies or errors
Revising, on the other hand, refers to the process of reviewing and refining your writing for content, structure, and organisation. The goal of revising is to ensure that your writing is logical, coherent, and well-supported. Some examples of revising tasks include:
• Clarifying your thesis statement and supporting arguments • Rearranging paragraphs or sections for better flow and coherence • Adding or removing information to improve clarity or support • Strengthening the use of evidence and examples • Checking that your writing meets the requirements of the assignment
Writing for Specific Disciplines
Writing for specific disciplines refers to the use of language and style that is specific to the field of study or academic discipline. Different academic disciplines have their own unique writing conventions, which are influenced by the purpose of the writing, the intended audience, and the nature of the research. For example, in the field of biology, writing conventions may involve the use of technical
language, scientific jargon, and precise definitions. In contrast, in the field of literature, writing conventions may involve the use of literary devices, such as metaphors and symbolism, to convey meaning.
What is a Research Essay/Paper?
A research essay/paper is one of the commonly used text types in academic writing since many college/ university professors benefit from this genre to test their students’ knowledge of a particular topic or their research skills in general. In many colleges/universities, such papers play a pivotal rolein students’ academic performance. Almost every college/university student will have to write a research paper at least once throughout their academic years. The name of the term speaks for itself, it provides an in-depth analysis, evaluation, or interpretation of a single topic, based on empirical evidence. It also consists of statistical data, outcomes of previous research studies in the field, and citations. This type of essay can be considered a bedrock of modern science and the most effective way to share information across a wide network owing to the fact that the authors state their opinions and findings in a formal, plain, and informative way with bits of evidence to persuade the readers who have counter ideas or beliefs on that topic.
Writing a research essay can be a little problematic at times, especially for students who are new in the academic area. They can be anxious to meet the expectations and standards of their professors or course requirements. This part of the chapter provides a detailed guide on how to write a reliable and valid research paper by mentioning the recommended steps and golden principles to be followed and components to be covered in the essay to ease the heavy workload of students. It offers tips on how to gather the right information to tailor the research and to use various sources for in-text and end-of-text citations. Finally, this part lists several online tools which can help submit a robust and clear final version of a research paper.
The Features of a Research Essay/Paper
Research papers are similar to other academic essays, but they are usually longer and more detailed assignments, employed to assess both writing skills and skills in scholarly research of students. Therefore, it should simply have the following features as explained by Heintz (2022) in his blog:
• Coherence • Organisation • Relevance • Clarity
The Parts of a Research Paper/Essay
Flow and organisation are the most significant elements of academic writing. In order to contribute to the chosen research topic, the authors should structure their paper in such a way that every content element or section fits well with the entire text. Without any doubt, it is helpful to write a simple one sentence thesis statement mentioning what the
research is all about. This thesis statement is the skeleton of the whole text since it functions as a reminder and a compass to what the author is trying to achieve with the research paper. It is a sound idea to generate a comprehensive outline with the thesis statement for the sake of indicating the sections that will be covered in the research paper. For each section, some bullet point statements such as short phrases and chunks can be used to guide the writers to keep on the right track.
As mentioned in the previous essay types, this genre should have a beginning, a middle, and an end. The introductory paragraph should hook the attention of the readers’ attention via various introductory techniques such as funnel, anecdote, dramatic entrance, and state the main idea and topic. The body of the paper should explain what has been stated in the introduction in a detailed way using different supporting techniques. Finally, the conclusion wraps up all the important ideas presented in the text to give the final thoughts on the issue. Now, it is high time to clarify the essential components of this paper.
• The title • The abstract • The introduction • The thesis statement • The main body • The conclusion
Tips about How to Write a Research Paper/Essay
In this section of the chapter, we will focus on the significant phases of writing research from thought initiation to completion. In fact, there are primarily three stages for writing a well-developed research paper and you are all familiar with them as they were mentioned in the previous chapters. These stages are listed as follows:
1) prewriting 2) writing 3) revising
While most people start with prewriting, these three stages may overlap since writing cannot be regarded as a linear process. That is to say, writing is not the kind of process where you must finish one part before moving on to the second one, and so on. In order to be able to produce a reader-friendly text, you have to go back and forth between the prewriting, writing, and revising stages several times before submitting the final version of your paper.
Tools and Resources for Technical Issues
Grammar mistakes and misspelled words can be dealt with effortlessly if you use a spellchecker with your word processor or a digital writing assistant offering alternative word choices and done. You may take a look at the tools and resources listed below in order to make the necessary adjustments regarding these mechanical issues.