What Is “Academic” Writing?

Gustavo Ascolano
Language and Written Expression IV
Teacher Saubidet Stella
Institute ISFD N°41

What Is “Academic” Writing?

Introduction: The Academic Writing Task

The objective of this summary is an introduction to students to step into the world of academic writing. First time dealing with the academic writing situation, a useful guide for decoding college writing assignments, a recognition of the different types and their characteristics.

The Academic Writing Situation

The lack of sense of the writing situation has been seen as the most prominent barrier in amateur writers. In order to trespass this barrier, may be necessary to state the difference between speaking and writing.
In a spoken communication, people may also apply body language to be understood whereas in written communication the audience is separated by place and time, and this absent context must be created by the writer by using punctuation and word choice. The development of sense in the writer’s mind has to be definitely accomplished. Moreover, there are several topics which compose the writing situation to be taken into account in order to aim a successful writing: Audience, context, message, purpose, and the documents or genres used.

Knowledge research and complex text reading

The research process will have to be taken focusing its direction on a good research project, being able to order and clarify the o sources used in the text. In addition, a close reading of these sources will allow the writer to separate his opinion from the real fact.

Writing assignments decoding facts

There is a different term for academic writing in college which was first used by Lee Ann Carroll who is a professor at Pepperdine University. The process of writing these ‘literacy tasks’ is based upon the analysis of several readings. Presenting an argument where a claim is made and supported with good reasons with appropriate evidence.

Academic writing as an argument and an analysis

An argument refers to an accurate and supported viewpoint. Its purpose aims to the audience consideration and approval or disapproval of the writer’s perspective. At the same time an Academic writing may also refer to the result an analysis. This process isolates the subject in order to be studied more closely. The writer’s task is to show an interpretation of how these parts fit together giving as a result a claim or a thesis, which has to be explained defending this personal  argument.

Critical essay format and characteristics

1-      The argument ‘makes a point and supports it’. (Irvin, 2010, p. 15)

2-      The claim or thesis is debatable and open to interpretation.

3-      Most common organization; A) Introduction, B) Body and C) conclusion.

4-      Enough support is required to be convincing with the text through proper quotation of the sources used.

5-      The uses of MLA or APA documentation rules are necessary to clarify the sources and the real format of the text.  Together with grammatical cohesion and coherence in order to avoid grammatical problems within the text.

6-      Transition sentences are needed for a clearer movement from a main topic to the next one.

Conclusion

A proper approach to the writing task and how the writer deals with the understanding of what he is doing and writing about will definitely cause success in the academic writing. In addition, the right orientation steps confine the initial path to success in academic writing.   

Bibliography

Irvin, Lennie L. What is Academic Writing?. Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing. Volume 1. Ed. Charles Lowe, Pavel Zemliansky. Parlor Press. 2010. Print.