An Introduction to Academic Writing

Summary

This video introduces academic English and writing. Academic English conveys research to persuade audiences of an effective argument supported by evidence. There are rules and conventions for different academic writing genres. Common traits include focused questions, logical reasoning and evidence, clarity, coherence between ideas, and following a writing process. Benefits of strong academic writing skills include making individual contributions to professional dialogues, participating in important conversations, becoming an effective researcher and thinker, and being an attractive job candidate.

Takeaways

• 😀 Academic English is the variety of English used to convey research through writing
• 📝 There are two main types: spoken and written academic English
• 📚 Academic writing has many genres like research papers and lab reports, each with its own rules
• 🧠 Academic writing emphasizes logical reasoning over emotions or perceptions
• 🗣 Academic writing must be clear for the reader to understand the argument
• 🔗 Academic writing must have coherence between ideas and paragraphs
• 📈Academic writing involves planning, researching, drafting, editing for an effective argument
• ✍️ Academic writing allows writers to contribute to dialogues in their fields
• 🧠 Mastering academic writing improves critical thinking and research skills
• 👔 Academic writing makes one more attractive to potential employers

Q & A

What are the two main varieties of academic English?

The two main varieties of academic English are spoken academic English and written academic English.

What are some examples of academic writing besides graduate student theses and scholarly research articles?

Other examples of academic writing include literature reviews, research papers, abstracts, and lab reports.

Why is it important to identify the rules and expectations for a particular genre of academic writing before starting to write?

It's important because each type or genre of academic writing tends to have its own specific conventions and expectations. Understanding these ahead of time allows you to craft your writing appropriately.

What are three traits that most academic writing shares in common?

Three common traits are: 1) focused, specific expectations and research questions, 2) an emphasis on logical reasoning over emotions/feelings, and 3) a requirement for clarity and coherence.

What are the basic steps involved in producing most academic writing?

The basic steps are: 1) Analyze the writing task, 2) Plan your argument, 3) Conduct research to find evidence, 4) Write and revise multiple drafts, and 5) Seek feedback from others.

Why is academic writing important for making individual contributions?

Academic writing allows writers to add their own perspectives and ideas to ongoing conversations and dialogues within their fields of study.

How can academic writing improve someone's professional qualifications?

Mastering academic writing makes someone a better researcher, critical thinker, and communicator - all skills that make a job candidate more appealing.

What skills does effective academic writing require beyond writing itself?

It also requires critical thinking to construct logical arguments, research skills to find factual evidence, and editing/proofreading abilities.

Why should you ask others for feedback when academic writing?

Getting comments from peers/colleagues helps you evaluate how well your argument and information are structured to persuade your audience effectively.

What does the phrase "reader responsible language" mean?

It means academic English depends heavily on what is explicitly written since readers will believe and depend on the actual written words rather than implied meanings.