Academic writing.

Summary/Overview

Academic writing is a formal style of writing designed to communicate research, ideas and information. It’s objective, well-structured and precise. You’ll usually come across academic writing in journal articles or scholarly books, as well as your own research and studies.

This Adobe Express article will guide you through how to approach a piece of academic writing, whether it’s for a university assignment or a professional journal.

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What is academic writing?

Academic writing is designed to communicate ideas to the academic community – whether in a university context or the wider field. Both student and professional academic writing should adhere to top standards to portray research and new ideas in clear, unbiased ways.

You’ll come across examples of academic writing in essays, research papers and dissertations. It usually has a clear structure with an introduction, a logical main body and a conclusion. Signposting is usually used to help a reader navigate the piece. An academic text must be well-sourced, so it can provide accurate and balanced ideas.

Main types of academic writing.

Academic writing is a skill that’s necessary in lots of different academic contexts. You can apply academic writing principles to different types of work, including:

Essays.

An essay is a fairly short piece of writing, usually in response to a question or statement. For educational purposes it may be used as a form of coursework assessment. Essays usually have a shorter word count compared to other types of academic writing, so they need to be as concise and clear as possible.

Dissertations.

A dissertation is the large final project of most UK universities, all the way from undergraduate degrees to master’s and PHDs. They can be upwards of 10,000 words and are usually on a subject of the student’s choice.

Literature reviews.

Literature reviews compare and discuss current literature on a certain topic. They’re usually written to identify an approach for a new piece of research. A literature review often forms part of a dissertation and involves critical thinking to inform your topic and frame research questions on further study.

Academic reports.

An academic report features objective and evidence-based writing, usually on topics of science and social science. Crafting one involves presenting and critically analysing data. This type of academic writing usually has a specific structure to follow and is designed to present and discuss results from experiments or surveys.

Research papers.

A research paper is an in-depth investigation into a topic. Like a dissertation, it’s usually carried out in response to a question you’ve chosen. Again, this will usually be clearly structured with a thesis statement, introduction, and conclusion. Research papers are based on fact and require the writer to research and gain expert knowledge on the subject.

Research proposals.

A research proposal is a detailed plan of the proposed study. It’s essentially an outline of your topic that clearly explains what you’re investigating and how you will go about it. It should include: your research question and relevancy of the research, your methodology, what you hope to find out and a timeline.

Key characteristics of an academic writing style.

All academic writing styles share similar characteristics. Here are some key elements to consider if you’re trying to improve your academic writing:

• Formal. Academic writing is a formal piece of work and needs to be consistent with other studies in the field. It’s important to steer clear of informal language or slang.
• Non-biased. Academic writing needs to portray information in a non-biased, impartial way. It should use evidence rather than assumption or opinion.
• Well-structured. Academic writing can be a large piece of work. In order to ensure that your reader can digest the information, it needs to be clear and well-structured. Signposting can also help the reader navigate the document.
• Precise. Your work must be clear and precise. Use evidence and facts where possible and consider adding dates when referring to specific events. Make sure your word choices convey meaning and avoid uncertain language like ‘perhaps’.
• Well-sourced. As this is an academic text, it must be thoroughly referenced. Ensure the sources you used are reputable and reflect well on your university or research institution. Always check the sourcing requirements before starting your academic writing.
• Accurate. It goes without saying that your work needs to be accurate, with no errors. Having grammatical errors or typos will lower the value of your piece and could damage your, and your institution’s, reputation.

How can Adobe Express help with your academic writing?

Need help with academic writing? Luckily, Adobe Express has tons of tools to assist you. From free templates and graphs to charts and infographics, take a look below:

1. Use free templates to format your academic projects.

Sometimes the hardest part is starting your academic writing. It can feel daunting looking at a blank page in front of you. But that’s where our templates can come in. Make the most of our free templates and customise to suit your assignment.

2. Find inspiration for your research topics.

With so much choice, it can be hard to narrow down your area of interest. If inspiration is lacking, we have a whole article dedicated to choosing research paper topics.

3. Learn about the structural elements of your essay or report.

For more specific advice on structural elements of your academic piece, look no further than our guides. Learn how to write footnotes for your academic texts and more.

4. Create your own charts, icons and infographics.

Add interest to your academic writing with charts, icons or infographics. Not only can these elements make your work more engaging, but they can also help to convey your research in clear and appealing way.

5. Get inspired with generative AI tools.

Adobe Express also offers a wealth of generative AI tools that you can harness to enhance your work. Experiment with Adobe Firefly and create commercially safe imagery.

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Useful things to know.

What are three rules of academic writing?

There are a number of rules to adhere to when writing for academic purposes, and specific guidelines will vary depending on the purpose of the work and institution guidelines. All academic writing must be clear and concise, formal, written in full sentences, and well-referenced.

What are the dos and don’ts in academic writing?

In academic writing, you should write with clarity and avoid any ambiguous statements. You should always use formal language and avoid any slang – instead, you should use specialised subject terms where needed. You must proof-read your work to check that it’s free of any errors – as this would reflect badly on the piece of work and the institution where it’s published.

What are the three main parts of an academic essay?

An academic essay is usually made up of a three-part structure. This includes the introduction, main body, and conclusion. The contents of the main body will depend on the purpose of the essay and what you are investigating, but signposting throughout the piece will help the reader navigate.

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