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Text 3

Although academic writing styles can vary, most research papers require attention to structure, tone, word choice, language, and citation of sources. The overall structure should be logical and cohesive to guide the reader through a unified argument. The tone should be neutral and present all positions fairly without bias. Word choice is important, using precise rather than vague terms, clearly defined within the context. Language needs to be concise and formal with clear paragraphs and topic sentences. Sources must be properly cited to avoid plagiarism, allow verification of findings, and situate the work within the academic conversation.

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53 views

Text 3

Although academic writing styles can vary, most research papers require attention to structure, tone, word choice, language, and citation of sources. The overall structure should be logical and cohesive to guide the reader through a unified argument. The tone should be neutral and present all positions fairly without bias. Word choice is important, using precise rather than vague terms, clearly defined within the context. Language needs to be concise and formal with clear paragraphs and topic sentences. Sources must be properly cited to avoid plagiarism, allow verification of findings, and situate the work within the academic conversation.

Uploaded by

edinpz
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Text 3

Although the accepted form of academic writing in the social


sciences can vary considerable depending on the methodological
framework and the intended audience, most research-level papers
require careful attention to the following stylistic elements:
I. The Big Picture
Unlike fiction or journalistic writing, the overall structure of
academic writing is formal and logical. It must be cohesive and
possess a logically organized flow of ideas; this means that the
various parts are connected to form a unified whole. There should
be narrative links between sentences and paragraphs so the reader
is able to follow your argument and all sources are properly cited.
II. The Tone
The overall tone refers to the attitude conveyed in a piece of
writing. Throughout your paper, it is important that you present the
arguments of others fairly and with an appropriate narrative tone.
When presenting a position or argument that you disagree with,
describe this argument accurately and without loaded or biased
language. In academic writing, the author is expected to investigate
the research problem from an authoritative point of view. You
should, therefore, state the strengths of your arguments confidently,
using language that is neutral, not confrontational or dismissive.
III. Diction
Diction refers to the choice of words you use. Awareness of the
words you use is important because words that have almost the
same denotation [dictionary definition] can have very different
connotations [implied meanings]. This is particularly true in
academic writing because words and terminology can evolve a
nuanced meaning that describes a particular idea, concept, or
phenomenon derived from the epistemological culture of that
discipline. Therefore, use concrete words [not general] that convey a
specific meaning. If this cannot be done without confusing the
reader, then you need to explain what you mean within the context
how that word is used within a discipline.
IV. The Language
Clear use of language is essential in academic writing. Wellstructured paragraphs and clear topic sentences enable a reader to
follow your line of thinking without difficulty. Your language should
be concise, formal, and express precisely what you want it to mean.
Avoid vague expressions that are not specific and precise enough
for the reader to derive exact meaning ["they," "we," "people," "the
organization," etc.], abbreviations like 'i.e.' ["in other words"], 'e.g.'
["for example"], and contractions, such as, "don't", "isn't", etc.
V. Academic Conventions
Citing sources in the body of your paper and providing a list of
references as either footnotes or endnotes is a very important
aspect of academic writing. It is essential to always acknowledge
the source of any ideas, research findings, data, or quoted text that

you have used in your paper as a defense against allegations of


plagiarism. Citing sources is also important because it allows the
reader to identify the sources you used and independently verify
your findings and conclusions.

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