What is academic writing and its importance?

Academic writing is any written work that is used in the academic world. Academic writing is often long and detailed, and students can write in many different types. 

Academic writing is important for providing accurate information and persuading or informing the reader. There are three main types of academic writing: expository, descriptive, and argumentative.

Expository writing explains or clarifies a concept, while descriptive writing tries to convince the audience with facts and evidence. An argumentative academic text offers a point of view on an issue or topic and usually supports their position with reasoning. 

These three types are not mutually exclusive; they may be combined to form one cohesive essay or paper. Academic features in academic texts may include footnotes, bibliographies, tables and charts, graphs, and quotes from scholars/authors/experts to support claims made in the text(more on this later).

The features of Academic Writing

Academic writing is defined by its features. The features of academic writing include the elements of a scholarly argument, the use of citations, the inclusion of a reference list, and the use of formal language.

Academic writing can be used to persuade or to share knowledge with an academic audience. A persuasive academic text includes facts, evidence and an assertion; a persuasive academic text aims to persuade readers to agree with the author’s opinion on the topic at hand. 

Academic texts written for publication are typically reviewed by experts who determine whether they meet certain standards. Academic texts should have proper formatting, such as margins, headings, sections and subheadings, that make reading easier. 

There are different types of academic writing, such as research papers, reports, thesis statements and essays, which all have their own specific format requirements. These formats usually vary from one subject area to another.

Expository Essays

A form of academic writing known as an expository essay uses an argument to support the thesis. This academic paper is frequently used to provide a thesis supported by research. 

One aspect that makes expository essays unique is their lack of referencing other sources for backup. However, this type of paper is scholarly and valuable. 

These papers differ from others as they convey a general point rather than explore various aspects. It is also significant to remember that various academic writing styles emphasise the author’s preferred method of presenting their findings.

Analytical Writing

The most common type of academic writing is expository writing. The second most common type is analytical writing. The academic topic you’re working on will likely require you to rely completely on descriptive writing at any point in the process. 

You will need to use a variety of textual styles to reach your audience. Because of this, it’s not enough to just tell your audience something; you also need to arrange your facts in a way that makes it easy for them to understand what you’re saying. 

You do not simply list your data and facts; you explain each item and how it relates to the others. Analytical writing frequently uses words and phrases such as examine, compare, relate, contrast and analyse.

Descriptive Essays

The academic writing type of paper is important when submitting work for publication. Descriptive essays provide many different features that show the value and worthiness of a piece. 

These features include: logical progression, accurate descriptions, use of detail, full sentences with proper punctuation, clear introduction and conclusion, objective tone, emotional content revealed through words like feel or seems, and concrete details about the subject matter. 

A descriptive essay can be on any topic, but it typically has a narrow focus so that readers can quickly become familiar with an idea. 

A common type of descriptive essay is an observational essay which consists of describing someone’s appearance from head to toe as if looking at them objectively from far away. 

Narrative Essays

All forms of academic writing have unique features that set them apart from other types. Narrative essays are the most popular form, but it’s crucial to remember that they work best in specific circumstances only seldom.

For example, narrative essays might not be appropriate for a scientific study or an argumentative essay. That being said, a good narrative essay can be enjoyable to read and interestingly present interesting information.

What’s more, the success of this type of academic writing depends on how well it tells its story. The importance of this cannot be overstated.

Argumentative Essay

An argumentative essay is a genre that requires the writer to present an opinion on a given topic. An argumentative essay is different from an informative essay in that it has a definite perspective, the writer may be biased, and the goal is to persuade readers to share the author’s viewpoint. 

An academic journal, for example, will typically not publish an argumentative essay because it encourages open discussion about ideas rather than pushing one particular point of view. 

Scholarly writing features include citations that provide evidence for statements made by the writer and footnotes that explain or elaborate points made in the text.

Academic writing is important because it provides the fundamental knowledge necessary to conduct research, conduct experiments, and make decisions. Academic writing has many benefits, ranging from educational benefits for the student to scholarly publication for the writer.