why is academic writing important

why is academic writing important

The Importance of Academic Writing

1. Introduction

An academic paper comprises basically three things: firstly, an informed argument; secondly, cohesion; and thirdly, evidence to back up the argument given. With these three things always in mind, an academic writer can go far.

Some of the reasons why academic writing is something worth doing include writing for an informed audience, writing for professional peers, contributing to a body of knowledge, demonstrating critical thinking skills, providing a constructive and original thesis, and showing extensive research carried out. The evidence you provide to back up your argument is what separates academic writing from other writing styles. In other forms of writing, you can be quite expressive and write from an emotional point of view. This does not work in an academic context. The use of personal opinions and views are to be avoided at all times. All evidence provided must be factual and backed up by references and citations to relevant work. The aim to remain objective in academic writing is a challenge, and no one is fully impartial, but it is a mindset to keep working towards.

Academic writing is an important skill that every student must develop to be successful in their studies. Whether you are writing a term paper, an essay or a thesis, the rules and conventions for academic writing are always the same. It is an effective way to prove to the reader that you have developed a clear understanding of your subject. By writing in an academic fashion, you will be seen to make a worthy contribution to your field. This, in turn, will help build your own credibility, helping to make you an expert within your field. Writing in an academic fashion can be a very rewarding and educational experience. Taking the time to fully understand the task and adopting a learned and professional style can only further your own knowledge. Academic writing is something that can be quite intimidating, but with time and practice, it is something that can be an invaluable skill.

2. Enhancing Critical Thinking Skills

Improving critical thinking skills is a necessity with our minds inundated with information, and a well-constructed piece of writing allows this to happen. Writing forces you to organize your thoughts, contemplate the subject, examine different hypotheses, and form a conclusion. This is the essence of critical thinking. When students receive an assignment to write, they must begin by understanding the purpose of the task and what the teacher is looking for. Is the teacher asking a question to inform, persuade, or teach? These are the types of questions that students must ask themselves as they backtrack through the assignment to decipher the appropriate response. In asking these questions, the student is employing higher-order thinking skills, therefore being reflective. This, in turn, allows for the student to submit an assignment that is well thought out, clear, and persuasive; all components of critical thinking. A clear example of the implementation of critical thinking in writing is when a student is asked a question to respond to in a written form. The student must decipher his response and determine how to write it in a manner that is easy to understand and diplomatic. This promotes the use of both critical and reflective thinking. An efficient way to exhibit this is by taking pre-existing papers and asking specific questions regarding the content in an attempt to reconstruct and/or elaborate on ideas.

3. Developing Effective Communication Abilities

An assignment is a piece of work that you are required to do for a course that carries credit. It is important that an assignment is well-written, well-structured, with a coherent flow of ideas. This requires good language, grammar, and a clear understanding of the topic. Learning to improve your writing will take time and is a process. Writing a good assignment will require you to complete your reading and research into the topic. This, in itself, will increase your knowledge of the topic and improve your learning. Always plan your assignment before you start writing. Identify what you need to do, define the task, and brainstorm ideas. This will save the wasting of time and will direct your writing to the point. Never forget to keep referring back to the question throughout your assignment and continually check that you are addressing what is required.

Learning to write assignments is an important task for any student who wants to be successful in a higher education environment. Effective communication is a key skill to have in this modern age. An academic qualification will not only require a good understanding of the subject but also the ability to present this knowledge in an understandable and reflective manner. This is where writing comes in. The words ‘essay’, ‘report’, or ‘thesis’ are key words in almost every educational approach. And it is this writing that will be the main form of communication between you and learning with the tools and techniques of the course subject. Learning to write good assignments will stand you in good stead no matter what your career and is a fundamental part of the learning process.

4. Establishing Credibility and Professionalism

Different types of sentences also have a high influence on the sense or statements that will be generated. By knowing the various types of sentences, a writer can make a full statement in a single sentence. This makes it easier for the reader to understand the usefulness of the ideas being presented in the research. Lastly, the types of sentences and variety of styles need to be tailored to the paragraph and the topic being discussed. This ensures that the content of the research is consistent and relevant, resulting in better adjustments for future work.

In academic writing, sentence construction can be obtained from simple writing that is done. However, it is still confusing for most writers. The best and simplest way to improve sentence structure is by using better word choices and transitions. With a good understanding of English grammar and word classes, it becomes easier to adapt to writing sentences that are different from usual sentences. By using specific word types, a sentence can become a noun clause, an active voice, or a passive voice, aiming to clarify the objective of the primary subject. These changes in word type improve the coherence of a sentence.

In an essay, the thesis statement is a claim and a defined opinion about a specific topic. The writer then tries to prove this statement through detailed arguments. All of these ideas are summarized into one paragraph, just like a regular writer might do, but using a different technique in a simpler way. An academic writer defines the thesis statement in the introduction section and provides an abstract explanation of what is inside the essay. The next step is to provide proof by writing an idea in the form of a paragraph and making it coherent with the main topic. This is done by using arguments or comparing it to other sources, in order to convince readers that the idea is correct. By following these techniques, a regular writer can apply academic writing to their own articles, with some additional changes.

Regular writing done nowadays is more familiar with informal writing or daily conversations with friends, colleagues, and others. This familiarity is what makes academic writing appear unfamiliar to regular writers. However, if we remove the formality from the sentence, academic writing is no different from regular writing. The difference lies in the fact that academic writing aims for correctness, clarity, and establishing facts or principles. This is achieved through good coherence, better vocabulary, and supporting a full understanding of the topic.

Consequently, academic writing is all about transforming generic words into a higher level that actually describes ideas and thoughts, making them substantial for academic purposes or content. Academic writing commonly uses formal types of writing, such as reports, essays, or papers. The aim of these forms is to achieve effective results for research, projects, assignments, or exams.

5. Contributing to Personal and Professional Growth

Academic writing is an essential part of higher education and will be expected by employers of potential interviewees. The types of writings and documents may vary from job to job. But the skill of academic writing is a transferable skill that can cross any job market.

The foundational competency skills are essential tools for the work force. Since the country is moving from an industrial to an information-based society, so are the basic needs of employees. Oral and written skills are among the top characteristics that local and international employers are looking for. These oral and written skills can often apply to the quality of work completed by an individual, whether instructions are being followed and if information input is accurate. Acquiring these skills can affect the getting of a job and the vertical movement within one’s place of employment. Statistically, the more education an individual has, the higher a person’s income.

Academic writing has a significant influence on personal and professional growth. It encourages a range of skills and attributes to be embodied within the workplace. Academic writing is not only used for achieving a final but it also provides students with skills that can be utilised in the work force.