Features of academic style: Formal. One of the distinguishing features of academic writing is that it tends to be formal.

Formal writing is more likely to contain examples of complex sentences with several different clauses carefully linked together by cohesive devices, such as 'while', 'furthermore', 'nevertheless' etc. The vocabulary in academic writing is generally very specific to the context and may be difficult to understand by anyone without expert knowledge of the sub ect matter. !s well as use of esoteric terms, academic writing tends to employ a wider range of vocabulary than is normally found in most informal or general texts. "enerally, contractions, e.g. isn't, should've, are written out in full, i.e. is not, should have. "enerally you should avoid using abbreviations or short#forms in your written work. $f you wish to use an acronym, you should be prepared to write it out in full first to ensure that your reader is familiar with what it stands for, then you can go on to use the acronym in the rest of your work, e.g. Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs). The SMEs referred to in this essay, etc. %xceptions here would include commonly used acronyms like &'! or !$(', where there is no need to write out them out in full. Two or three part verbs, otherwise known as 'phrasal verbs', e.g. put out/put up with, etc. are generally considered to be rather informal and other, more formal verbs are used instead, i.e. e tin!uish/ tolerate) general verbs like do, !et should not be over#used, try instead to find a more precise verb for the context, e.g. do resear"h # "ondu"t resear"h, !et a de!ree # !raduate. $dioms, metaphors, euphemisms and slang terms are also considered to be inappropriate in most academic contexts *although obviously they are extensively used in some of the greatest works of literature+ and are used more often in spoken language than in academic writing. For example, it would be entirely inappropriate in a "eography essay to write: $n the %& it often rains "ats and do!s, or in a ,istory essay to write: 'apoleon (i"(ed the )u"(et at the a!e of *+. Succinct. !cademic writing avoids unnecessary repetition and uses carefully chosen words and phrases to create a succinct, 'economical' style. %.g.: instead of ,enerally spea(in!, students thin( that in the ma-ority of "ases most students usually study in the li)rary )efore their e ams )e"ause they thin( this is the )est pla"e to help them to fo"us on their studies , you might find: The li)rary is "onsidered )y students to offer the most suita)le environment for pre-e am study. Precise, as opposed to vague, inexact language. %.g.: 'owadays youn! people use the $nternet a !reat deal. -hat is the specific time reference here. (oes the word nowadays refer only to the last couple of years, or the last couple of decades. ,ow old are these 'young people'. $s this a global phenomenon, or prevalent in certain societies. ,ow much is 'a great deal'. -here does this information come from. /

Supported. $n the example above, the statement that '0owadays young people use the $nternet a great deal' is unsupported, i.e. no evidence is given to verify this claim. $n order to give your ideas substance and weight, you need to support them by referring to appropriate source material which should always be properly referenced. Objective/impersonal/indirect. $deas are generally expressed in an ob ective1impartial way in academic writing. There are some exceptions to this convention, for example if you are arguing a point of view which is supported by research or by scholars in the field, then you might wish to show the strength of your opinions by making strong statements # but your arguments should always be supported by appropriate evidence. 2ertainly, strongly personal and biased views which are not well supported would be unconvincing and may even cause offence and anger. !lthough there is some disagreement in relation to whether or not the use of personal pronouns, e.g. $, you, we is acceptable in academic writing, generally speaking they are used more sparingly than in informal contexts. Often, passive structures are preferred in academic writing and are certainly more prevalent in formal contexts in general: e.g., $ )elieve might become $t is widely )elieved) .ou should ta(e "are becomes /are must )e ta(en) 0e need to thin( a)out might become $t is ne"essary to "onsider/Thou!ht should )e !iven. Measured/cautious. &sually academic writing avoids use of generali3ations or 'sweeping statements'. %.g.: $t is o)vious that Mar was "ompletely wron!. $nstead of this kind of statement, academic writers normally use 'hedging' expressions to 'dilute' the strength and certainty expressed in sentences like the one above. $t is better to express a certain amount of doubt in academic writing, in order to allow for the possibility that others might voice an opinion which could also be valid based on e4ually sound evidence. 5ou might then re#express the above sentence to 'soften' the tone, e.g.: '6arx may have been mistaken in his belief that..'. Informal More formal ,e "he"(ed up on his accountant. ,e investi!ated his accountant. They put up with their neighbors. 'he "au!ht on very 4uickly. 'he made up for it with an early night. ,e went down with a fever. The cost of living went up. They tolerated their neighbors. 'he understood very 4uickly. 'he "ompensated for it with an early night. ,e "ontra"ted a fever. The cost of living in"reased.

$n formal writing, we use single verbs. This is an important element in achieving the correct style in academic writing. !n essay with good ideas might well be marked down if the style is inappropriately informal.

ACAD MIC !"I#I$%& SOM #IPS 7

'se strai()tfor*ard lan(ua(e. Take care with grammar and sentence construction. !void using a note#style of writing. #ry not to use pompous lan(ua(e. For example: use 8find out8 rather than 8endeavor to ascertain8. Try not to use argon or clich9s. Provide definitions. $nclude explanations of technical or unusual terms, unless you can reasonably expect your reader to know them. 'se impersonal lan(ua(e. %ssays and reports should be written in the third person singular. !void personal terms such as '$' or '-e') the word '$t' should be used instead: For example: 8$ decided to interview the Tourism :lanning Officer...8 should read 8$t was decided to interview the Tourism :lanning Officer...8 The only exceptions to this may be where you are asked to link theory to your own professional practice.

+e precise. !void using terms such as 'nice', 'good' or 'excellent' that lack a precise meaning One person's idea of what is meant by 'good' is not necessarily another's. +e concise and to t)e point. For example: &se 'now' or ;currently' instead of phrases like 'at the time of writing' or 'at this point in time'. #ry not to ma,e (enerali-ations. For example: 8%veryone agrees that cold calling does not produce results8. -hile this may be true you can only make such statements if supported with evidence. $nstead you should write: 8!ccording to the 6ori <eport *7===+, cold calling does not produce results.8

'se cautious lan(ua(e. This means that statements cannot easily be challenged: 82old calling may not produce results.8

'se appropriate verb tenses. <eports often use the present tense in the introduction and the past tense when discussing findings. $ntroduction: 8This report examines...8 Findings: 8<esults showed that...8 >

+e careful *)en usin( acronyms. The use of acronyms is allowed if you also write the words out in full the first time you write the letters. For example: curriculum vitae *2.?.+

nsure you are lin,in( points to(et)er -hen using a lead sentence make sure that the points that follow on link to this: o Incorrect e.ample& This style of 2? creates the opportunity to: 2an highlight skills and achievements $dentifies personal attributes. o Correct e.ample& This style of 2? creates the opportunity to: highlight skills and achievements identify personal attributes.

Ot)er *ritin( pitfalls to avoid

Do not address t)e reader directly or use /uestions For example: @(oes this mean that some strategies are better than others.A

+e careful not to use redundant p)rases. For example: 'various differences'. ?arious implies different so you do not need both words.

Do not start sentences *it) lin,in( *ords. 'uch as: but, and, or yet.

Avoid usin( contractions. For example: 'they're' for 'they are'. 'etc' and 'ie' should also be avoided.

Avoid ma,in( ne(ative statements. For example: A2alling firms directly should not be discouraged.A This can hide the meaning. $nstead write positive statements. A2alling firms directly should be encouraged.A

#ry to avoid ma,in( sentences overlon( and complicated. -ordiness and padding can hide meaning.

Furt)er Advice

(o not overstate the argument that is being made in the essay by using expressions like this:

$t is o)vious that 1 $t is "lear that 1 The eviden"e proves 1 2ny)ody "an "learly see that 1 !lways comment upon your own conclusions in a 4uietly confident manner, without attempting to claim too much. $f a writer tries to claim that the study proves something, you might find a later researcher taking great pleasure in disprovin! the findingsC $nstead, use a less strident and a more detached academic tone. This is called )ed(in(. 'ubse4uent research may suggest other theories or produce results that conflict with your own, but by describing your findings as we have done below, your work can be seen as a further step in the academic road rather than a barrier that other people can knock down.

The data refle"t the fact that D *note: the word data is strictly speaking plural but often used as an uncountable or mass noun+ These findings support this writer's view that D The results su!!est that D The chart supports the theory that D

!void the use of expressions such as $ thin(/$ )elieve unless your own views have been specifically asked for, and use expression like these: $t is )elieved1 Many resear"hers have noted1 Some writers have stated.. The resear"h su!!ests1 The eviden"e indi"ates...

The passive form is often avoided in other written texts but you will probably use more examples of the passive form in academic writing as these tend to sound more detached and formal. 2"tive3 They often found eviden"e of "hild a)use in rural areas. 4assive3 Eviden"e of "hild a)use was often found in rural areas.