Writing in an Academic Style

Louise Livesey

Academic Skills Adviser

This workshop will: – Establish the difference between academic writing and other

written formats – Provide guiding principles when writing for assessment at

word and sentence level – Offer practical follow-on resources for enhancing your

academic style when writing

The Plan…

1.Differences between academic writing and other written formats

2.Not wasting words by being concise

3.Guidelines to sentence content and length

4.Resources for enhancing your academic writing style

Activity 1: Elements to watch for

1.Difference between academic writing and other formats

GrammarVocabularyAbbreviationPunctuationVoiceStructure1st/3rd person

ClarityPreciseConciseEvidenceProse/lists/Headings/bullets

• Every words matters• ‘Write tight’• Helps with word count• Improves academic voice

2.Not wasting words by being concise

Activity 2: Being conciseWork with a neighbour to decide and highlight which words or phrases from the sentences below could be ‘pruned out’ without damaging their meaning.

• In several of their published books, Walking Made Easy and Hiking for Laughs, Bill Hewson and Patrick Abernathy, the authors behind the series made consistent reference to the famed monster of Loch Ness.

• Fiscal returns for this quarter do not show a greater upwards turn than the previous session that is why it could be said that there has been stability these three months.

• Despite an unsuccessful career beginning Eddie Bryce, Hollywood starlet, playboy and media muse has been able to turn this to his advantage through public appearances and forays into reality television, although the start of his journey into the film world was not a positive one.

• Whilst recent research has begun to look at further innovative infectious disease treatments some current studies are also highlighting the need for more responsive treatments. 

2.Not wasting words by being concise

• no sentence is longer than 1 ½ lines

• there is one point for each sentence

• words are not repeated unnecessarily

• punctuation is used appropriately

3.Guidelines to sentence content and length

It is possible to argue that almost all advertisements are informative. Indeed, as we have already seen, some appear to be wholly concerned with this. Although government bodies, releasing warnings about smoking or the use of domestic fire alarms, are clearly intent on changing our behaviour, they are still concerned to give the public what they believe is vital information.

3.Guidelines to sentence content and length

Activity 3: Improving sentences Read the following paragraph, and highlight where punctuation or word addition or removal can improve clarity. Check with your neighbours to see if your results tally.

But here lies the problem we seem to talk about three different things when we describe something as a ‘need’. First, there is the strongest case: the need for certain things, like food and water, to maintain the minimum biological levels necessary for survival. There are those things we need in order to maintain a good quality of life like adequate education, housing and a clean environment to which we believe we are entitled and there are those things we might describe as ‘social needs’ created by living in a particular society or part of the world where these things are normal. Some are created by advertising others by governments and organisations that influence our expectations. Advertisers lead us to believe that we all need annual holidays, fast cars, the latest fashions, even smart phones and table computers while governments promote our need for national identity and a sense of community.

Adapted from Greetham (2013: 230)

3.Guidelines to sentence content and length

But here lies the problem: we seem to talk about three different things when we describe something as a ‘need’. First, there is the strongest case: the need for certain things, like food and water, to maintain the minimum biological levels necessary for survival. Second, there are those things we need in order to maintain a good quality of life, like adequate education, housing and a clean environment, to which we believe we are entitled. Finally, there are those things we might describe as ‘social needs’ created by living in a particular society or part of the world where these things are normal. Some are created by advertising, others by governments and organisations that influence our expectations. Advertisers lead us to believe that we all need annual holidays, fast cars, the latest fashions, even smart phones and table computers, while governments promote our need for national identity and a sense of community.

3.Guidelines to sentence content and length

Activity 3: Improving sentences

• http://www.phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk/

• http://www.chompchomp.com/

• www.brad.ac.uk/academic-skills

4.Resources for enhancing your academic writing style

Cottrell, S. (2001) Teaching Study Skills and Supporting Learning. Palgrave Study Guides. 4th ed. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan Ltd.

Cottrell, S. (2013) The Study Skills Handbook. Palgrave Study Guides. 4th ed. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan Ltd.

Coyle, M. and Peck, J. (2005) Write It Right: A handbook for students. Palgrave Study Guides. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan Ltd.

Greetham, B. (2013) How to Write Better Essay. 3rd ed. Palgrave Study Guides. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan Ltd.

Neville, C. (2009) How to Improve Your Assignment Results. Maidenhead: OUP.

Wingate, U. (2006) Doing away with ‘study skills’. Teaching in Higher Education. Vol. 11:4. pp.457-469 [online] Available at: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13562510600874268#tabModule [Accessed 18.7.2014]

Clip art - question

References

Academic Skills Advice Service

• Where are we? Chesham Building B0.23• What do we do? Support undergraduate students with

their academic skills by running clinics and workshops, having bookable appointment slots, and enabling students to drop-in for Instant Action.

• Who are we? Michael and Helen specialise in Maths Support; Lucy and Russell advise students on study skills; and I (Louise) deliver the workshops

• When can you come for help? Everyday both face to face and on-line

• How do I get in touch? Email: academic-skills@brad.ac.uk or website www.brad.ac.uk/academic-skills

Any questions?