Types of academic writing

Summary

This video explains the different types of academic writing you will encounter in your course, including essays, reports, exam writing, reflective writing, academic posters, dissertations, and theses. Each type has its own purpose, structure, and style, requiring critical thinking and analysis. The video emphasizes how essays are used for critical responses, reports analyze data, exams test understanding under time constraints, and reflective writing evaluates personal growth. It also covers the structure of dissertations and theses, highlighting their complexity and contribution to academic research.

Takeaways

• 😀 Different types of academic writing have distinct aims, structures, and styles but all require critical thinking and analysis.
• 😀 Essays typically involve a critical response to a question, where you gather evidence to build your own argument.
• 😀 Reports objectively present and analyze data in a structured way, often evaluating experimental data, project outcomes, or policy implementation.
• 😀 Exam writing tests your understanding of a topic under controlled conditions, often through short answer or longer essay-style questions.
• 😀 Reflective writing involves evaluating your development or learning and may include actions for improving future practice.
• 😀 Academic posters concisely communicate research findings, often incorporating visuals like graphs and diagrams.
• 😀 A dissertation is an extended piece of structured writing that may involve either a research project or an extended literature review.
• 😀 A research dissertation tests a hypothesis using primary or secondary data, while a literature review constructs an argument using evidence from sources.
• 😀 A thesis is the most complex writing task, typically found in a PhD or MPhil program, contributing new findings to the discipline.
• 😀 A thesis represents extensive research, often involving original contributions that advance knowledge in a particular field.
• 😀 The academic writing guide offers more resources and advice for students looking to improve their writing skills and knowledge.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of academic writing?

The main purpose of academic writing is to demonstrate critical thinking and analysis, addressing different types of writing that each have unique aims, structures, and styles.

How do essays differ from reports in academic writing?

Essays generally involve a critical response to a question or statement, where the writer gathers evidence to build an argument. Reports, on the other hand, focus on objectively presenting and critically analyzing data in a highly structured format, often evaluating outcomes or making recommendations.

What is typically required in exam writing?

In exam writing, students must demonstrate their understanding of a topic under controlled conditions. This may include answering short questions with brief responses or longer essay-style questions.

What is the purpose of reflective writing?

Reflective writing involves evaluating one's own development or learning. This can include reflecting on practical skills, learning processes, or identifying actions to improve future practices, often related to employability tasks.

What are academic posters used for?

Academic posters are used to concisely communicate ideas, often to present research findings. They break content into easily digestible sections and incorporate visuals like graphs and diagrams to aid understanding.

What distinguishes a dissertation from other types of academic writing?

A dissertation is an extended piece of structured writing, typically completed at the end of an undergraduate or taught master's program. It can be a research project that tests a hypothesis or an extended literature review that constructs an argument based on existing evidence.

What is the primary purpose of a thesis?

A thesis is the largest and most complex writing task, usually associated with a PhD or MPhil. It represents original research and contributes new findings to the discipline, demonstrating a high level of academic inquiry.

What are the two main types of dissertations?

The two main types of dissertations are: a research project where primary or secondary data is used to test a hypothesis, and an extended literature review that constructs an argument based on evidence from various sources.

How do reports differ from reflective writing in terms of structure?

Reports have a highly structured format focused on presenting and analyzing data objectively. Reflective writing, however, is less structured and focuses on personal evaluation and identifying future actions for improvement.

What role does critical thinking play in academic writing?

Critical thinking is essential in academic writing as it enables the writer to assess, analyze, and synthesize information to form well-reasoned arguments, providing a deeper understanding of the topic being discussed.