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Feature What You Need To Do: 10 Features of Academic Writing Style

Academic writing has 10 key features that distinguish it from other styles of writing. These include using formal vocabulary from lists like the Academic Word List, formal verbs and grammar structures like clauses, making clear and definite statements while avoiding rhetorical questions, using impersonal language without "I" statements, being precise with data and evidence while avoiding vagueness, supporting all statements with references, using hedging language like "may" and "appears to", and connecting ideas with transition words at the start of sentences. Academic writing aims to be formal, logical, and backed by evidence.

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329 views1 page

Feature What You Need To Do: 10 Features of Academic Writing Style

Academic writing has 10 key features that distinguish it from other styles of writing. These include using formal vocabulary from lists like the Academic Word List, formal verbs and grammar structures like clauses, making clear and definite statements while avoiding rhetorical questions, using impersonal language without "I" statements, being precise with data and evidence while avoiding vagueness, supporting all statements with references, using hedging language like "may" and "appears to", and connecting ideas with transition words at the start of sentences. Academic writing aims to be formal, logical, and backed by evidence.

Uploaded by

Meshael Fatmah Akiya
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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10 Features of Academic Writing Style

Academic writing is a formal style of writing. This means it is different to other types of writing, and
different from spoken English. There are 10 features you can apply to make your own writing more formal
and professional.
Feature What you need to do
1. Use formal Use formal language rather than every day common language. Start by
vocabulary checking the Academic Word List. This is a list of the most frequently
used words in academic writing.

2. Use formal Use formal verbs and avoid two-word verbs. For example, use ‘establish’ instead
verbs of ‘set up’, and ‘decrease’ instead of ‘go down’.

3. Use full Use the full form of verbs and avoid using contractions. For example, use ‘ can
verbs not’ instead of ‘can’t’, and ‘will not’ instead of ‘won’t’.
Use formal structures/more complicated sentences such as clauses and
4. Use formal
grammar noun phrases not just short simple sentences. For example: “It is
structures important to consider all shareholders in this matter, they have the final
vote.” and “The internationalisation of the economy has created growth
opportunities.”
5. Use statements Make very clear and definite statements. Avoid using rhetorical questions
because they make the writing seem weak.
Use language such as ‘there is’ or ‘it is likely that’ rather than ‘I think’ or ‘I feel’.
6. Use
impersonal
language

7.Be precise Provide concise, clear, and accurate statements, avoid vague or ambiguous
statements. Use data wherever possible. For example, use “The Coalition was
formed in 1923, some 24 years ago, and have a conservative ideology” rather
than “The Coalition has been destroying the country for about a century”

8. Use Support your statements with evidence, and ensure you reference these
references clearly. Check the Library referencing guide here:
and https://libguides.jcu.edu.au/referencing
evidence
9. Use Use hedging statements or tentative language such as ‘may’, ‘its
hedging possible that’, ‘appears to’ to qualify statements. This avoids
statements absolute statements, which may be in error: “It is possible that the
Liberal government is responsible for increased habitat destruction
and environmental degradation”.
Use transition words at the start of some sentences to connect ideas
10. Use
transition together in an explicit and logical way. ‘In addition’, ‘In contrast’, ‘For this
words reason’. Do not use ‘but’, ‘and’, ‘so’ at the start of a sentence.
This document modified from original source document: https://www.eapfoundation.com/writing/style/

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