10272453_180072_Sayyed Abrar Akhtar 1 Academic writing

Abstract
Academic writing is a formal and structured form of writing. Academic writing is a skill that
is learned by the student in their academic year. Coursework and dissertation are the forms
of academic writing that enlightens the skills and knowledge gained by student during the
learning period. They have both similarities and dissimilarities. The writing process of
dissertation differs from the writing process of coursework. Dissertation writing is a lengthy
and usually have time of a year to complete whereas coursework is shorter and should be
completed within the semester. Academic writing provides many benefits to the students on
the other hand there are many challenges students must tackle to master academic writing
skill.

Keywords

10272453_180072_Sayyed Abrar Akhtar 2 Academic writing

Contents
Abstract ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 2
Keywords .................................................................................................................................................................................... 2
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Coursework ................................................................................................................................................................................ 6
Dissertation ................................................................................................................................................................................ 6
Differences between coursework and dissertation .................................................................................................. 7
Common in coursework and dissertation ..................................................................................................................... 8
Writing process ........................................................................................................................................................................ 9
Coursework ........................................................................................................................................................................... 9
Research .......................................................................................................................................................................... 10
Planning ........................................................................................................................................................................... 10
Writing ............................................................................................................................................................................. 10
Finalizing ......................................................................................................................................................................... 10
Dissertation ......................................................................................................................................................................... 10
Ideation ............................................................................................................................................................................ 10
Development..................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Implementation ............................................................................................................................................................ 10
Conclusion.......................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Editing and proofreading.......................................................................................................................................... 11
Benefits and Challenges ...................................................................................................................................................... 12
Benefits ................................................................................................................................................................................. 12
Challenges ............................................................................................................................................................................ 13
Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................................................ 14
References ................................................................................................................................................................................ 15

10272453_180072_Sayyed Abrar Akhtar 3 Academic writing

Figure 1: Feature of Academic Writing........................................................................................................................... 5
Figure 2: Coursework writing ............................................................................................................................................ 6
Figure 3: Dissertation writing ............................................................................................................................................ 6
Figure 4: Coursework vs dissertation ............................................................................................................................. 7
Figure 5: Common in coursework and dissertation.................................................................................................. 8
Figure 6: Coursework writing process ........................................................................................................................... 9
Figure 7: Dissertation writing process ......................................................................................................................... 11
Figure 8: Benefits................................................................................................................................................................... 12
Figure 9: Challenges ............................................................................................................................................................. 13

10272453_180072_Sayyed Abrar Akhtar 4 Academic writing

Introduction
Writing is a skill, not a talent, and the difference is important because a skill can be improved
by practice. – Robert Stacy McCain.
Writing has different forms and different levels like writing a letter to a friend, writing a
Facebook post, writing emails, updating LinkedIn profile, and so on. An academic writing
consists of a standard structure, academic tone, high quality content. Academic writing is an
informed opinion of the student based on the research and knowledge gained during the
period of learning. Professors and lecturers in a college or university spend long time to
share their knowledge and experiences with their students to teach them to write
academically. Academic writing is not limited to students, Professors, researchers in
different fields develop their arguments, enlighten their ideas, and involve in academic
conversation with the use of academic writing. (Defazio et al., 2010)
Likewise, there are various forms of academic writing. Some of the forms are essay, research
paper, thesis/dissertation, thesis proposal, literature review, and so on. While writing
academically following points should be considered:
• First, a clear
structure should be
maintained having
introduction,
content paragraph
and conclusion.
Information should
be presented in a
logical order and
only relevant
content that
represent the idea
should be used. Figure 1: Feature of Academic Writing

• Second, arguments should be well evidenced. An evidenced argument increases the

credibility of academic writing. Evidence can be statement from research paper, journals,
books, and so on.
• Third, for developing an argument, the information should be analyzed and evaluated
from multiple sources. Academic writing should be critical
• Next, vague words and phrase like “some people believe that”, “perhaps”, “someone said”,
“sort of”, “stuffs”, should be avoided. Academic writing should be precise and formal.
• Finally, other’s research and a fair and accurate results of the research should be
represented. Biasness should be avoided. The readers are not interested on what writer
think about the problem but are interested on information, well evidenced arguments,
and conclusions. Therefore, academic writing should be objective. (Scribbr, 2021)

10272453_180072_Sayyed Abrar Akhtar 5 Academic writing

Coursework
Coursework is an essential task assigned to a student related to the module by the module
leader or lecturer. A coursework helps in the evaluation of student’s knowledge, skills and
understanding of a particular module as well as is potentially able to deliver conclusions of
real-world situation. A coursework is designed and evaluated by the module leader to grade
final marks of the student of a particular module. A coursework must be well written,
perfectly structured, flawlessly referenced, and meet the word count. (Uruvideo, 2021)

Figure 2: Coursework writing

Dissertation
Dissertation is a longest and most significant piece of academic writing submitted by
students. For completing a master’s or PhD’s degree, dissertation writing is compulsory
whereas for undergraduate dissertation may or may not be compulsory based on the
universities. A comprehensive research is carried out by student for dissertation writing and
reward students in specializing in the topic in depth. Dissertation writing provides students
an opportunity of developing intellectual independence.
(Howtowrite.Customwritings.Com, 2021)

Figure 3: Dissertation writing

10272453_180072_Sayyed Abrar Akhtar 6 Academic writing

Differences between coursework and dissertation
Both coursework and dissertation are equally important for obtaining academic
qualification and have many things in common. On the contrary, there are many
dissimilarities between them that make them entirely different from one another.

Figure 4: Coursework vs dissertation

Coursework requirements like course syllabus, learning materials, assignments brief,

assignment topic, and others are set by module leader and students mark is graded based on
the requirement fulfilled. In contrast, dissertation students are required to set almost
everything by themselves. Students select their topic, develop the research questionnaire,
research on the topic. Students develop their own requirements with the help of supervisor
or lecturer.
Also, the coursework of any modules may contain many short weekly assessment tests,
essays, reports, quizzes, and assignment that must be submitted all within the time defined
to get good grades in the respective module. On the other hand, Dissertation writing is
completely research based and the student grades is awarded based on the research of
problems and solution identified. (StudentShare, 2021)
And the time span defined for coursework is usually shorter than time bound for dissertation
writing. The coursework of any semester must be completed before the end of semester
whereas dissertation might be completed in a semester or two.
In the coursework, students are graded based on the requirement defined by the module
leader in the assignment brief. To get a highest-grade student must fulfill all the
requirements set by module leader. If a student fails to match the requirements, he/she fails

10272453_180072_Sayyed Abrar Akhtar 7 Academic writing

in the assignment. However, dissertation students’ marks are awarded based on student’s
skill of question forming, mastering in topic, adequate and relevant literature review,
research gathering methods, innovative solutions, research results, and many more. (Typical
Criteria Of Master’S Thesis Grades, 2021)
During the master programs many universities provides student an option to complete their
degree either by coursework or by research. The students opting to complete their degree
by coursework should regularly attend lectures. On the contrast, for the students opting to
complete their degree by research attendance is not that important instead students focus
on in-depth research activities. (DifferenceBetween.com, 2021)

Common in coursework and dissertation

Coursework and dissertation are the forms of academic writing and they have many
similarities.
Following are some common features of coursework and dissertation. (Essays.io., 2021)
• Both are part of academic year and must be completed to graduate.
• Both are time bound and must be completed within time defined.
• In-depth research should be done in both coursework and dissertation.
• Both should maintain clear and standard structure.
• Both should be precise and formal.
• Grammar should be correct and there should not be any spelling mistakes.
• Both should be easily understandable.
• Both should be critical and well evidenced.
• Vague words and phrases should be avoided in both coursework and dissertation.
• Proper citation and referencing should be done to avoid plagiarism.

Figure 5: Common in coursework and dissertation.

10272453_180072_Sayyed Abrar Akhtar 8 Academic writing

Writing process
The academic writing process is the process of writing in a structured format to reflects the
knowledge gained by the student throughout the course. The students should consider the
structure during the writing process to achieve good grades.

Coursework
For better writing and secure good grades, student should understand the topic well and
should be able to research on it. The writing process of coursework can be divided into four
steps. They are research, planning, writing, and finalizing. (Excellent Proofreading And
Writing, 2021)

Figure 6: Coursework writing process

10272453_180072_Sayyed Abrar Akhtar 9 Academic writing

Planning
The next most important step is planning. Objectives, scope, structure, limitations should be
properly planned. It is very important to finish writing before deadline. In fact, with
appropriate planning students will spare enough time for corrections, final editing, and
proofreading.
Research
Academic writing should contain fact that are accurate and precise. Therefore, proper
research should be done and is the first step of coursework writing process. Visiting library
and studying books and journal is the much better research process than using the internet
for research. Research process should be given a good amount of time to study enough.
Writing
Writing is an iterative process of writing a draft, reading it, editing it, and then rewriting it
until writing is improved. The main concerns of writing are ordered information, supporting
points for main points, avoid repetition, related content, and conclusion.
Finalizing
In this step editing and proofreading should be done. Writing should be inspected to make
sure that writing language is formal, grammar is correct and there are no spelling mistakes.

Dissertation
Dissertation writing is different from the other forms of academic writing. Dissertation
writing is a challenging experience and can be stressful to write good papers. Therefore,
following five steps of writing process should be considered for writing a good paper.
(Qassem, 2014)
Ideation
Ideation is the process of generating solution ideas based on the problem and the context of
the project. In this step, students learn about theories related to topic, research ethics and
methodologies and generate unique idea.
Implementation
The actual in-depth research begins in this step. Data gathering and data analysis process is
described in detail. Most of the content of dissertation writing is synthesized in this step.
Findings and development
In this step proposal is developed that outlines complete background study, aim and
objectives, research questions, comprehensive literature review, tools and technology,
research plan and methodology. The proposal is then submitted to module leader for
approval.
Development and conclusion
In this step, data is collected, analyzed and the result is obtained. The data analysis and
results obtained is described in the writing. Research finding is obtained by interpreting and

10272453_180072_Sayyed Abrar Akhtar 10 Academic writing

evaluating the result. Research questions are justified with the findings. The writing is
concluded in this step.
Editing and proofreading
The writing is then edited multiple times to remove grammar and spelling errors, make sure
formal language is used. Finally, the report will be submitted to module leader.

Figure 7: Dissertation writing process

10272453_180072_Sayyed Abrar Akhtar 11 Academic writing

Benefits and Challenges
Academic writing is a communication medium for conveying skills and knowledge gained in
a particular module. Academic writing is formal and follow a high standard style. Therefore,
it is enveloped with both benefits and challenges.

Benefits

Figure 8: Benefits

Following are the benefits. (TFOT, 2021)

Learn new skill and knowledge
First, writing academically requires skill that students learn from their lecturer over a period
with lots of practice. Academic writing benefits student with new skill of writing
academically. Students learn about the standard structure of academic writing.
Better understanding of course learning
Second, to complete tasks related to the course students go through in-depth research which
help student in better understanding of the content they work on. Moreover, arguments in
the paragraph are concise and precise in the academic writing. Also, it follows standard
structure which help module leader in easy evaluation
Career development
Third, student is benefitted with the power of writing academically. It is not only beneficial
in academic writing but also fruitful in workplace. As an employee there are plenty of
documents one need to write, prepare, and send to other employees and manager. And the
writing depicts the skills, knowledge of the employee.

10272453_180072_Sayyed Abrar Akhtar 12 Academic writing

Critical thinking
Next, during the process of writing student carried out an in-depth research related to the
problem. The fact is collected and analyzed based on the fact a comprehensive solution is
produced. Thus, a critical thinking skill is developed in the student.
Intellectual development
Finally, the writing process can be applied in any place to get maximum result. The process
of planning, organizing, research, can be applied in real world problem to produce a better
solution. Furthermore, a thinking and reasoning capacity is developed.

Challenges

Figure 9: Challenges

Because of the complexity and high standards of academic writing, student may face
challenges while writing academically. Some of the challenges of academic writing are: (TNT
Magazine, 2016)
Proper planning and time management
Organizing the ideas and prioritizing tasks is a skillful job. Improper planning may fail to
complete writing process before the deadline. Due to lack of experience student face
challenge of making a proper plan. Also, time management is another challenge student face
due to lack of plan. In the worst scenario, on the submission deadline students fails to finish
writing because of lack of proper plan and time management.
Vocabulary problems
Further, lexical difficulties are one of the biggest challenge student face while writing
academically. Proper use of linking words and phrases is difficult to achieve. One should be
very experienced. With the proper use of vocabulary and phrases, coherence is developed
within the paragraph. Vocabulary and phrases play a vital role in creating a good content.

10272453_180072_Sayyed Abrar Akhtar 13 Academic writing

Grammar and punctuation
Again, following punctuation rules, using appropriate words, conjunction, preposition, and
auxiliary verbs is another challenge student tackle while writing academically. Grammar and
punctuation are one of the causes of poor grades. An academic writing having good content
but contains incorrect grammar and spelling errors is poorly marked. Mastering grammar
and punctuation are challenges student tackle with.
Plagiarism
Moreover, academic writing process includes in-depth research. Student carried out their
research from website, journal, books, and more. Borrowing ideas and thought from these
sources but identifying the sources is a major challenge arising plagiarism in the writing.
Paraphrasing with proper referencing and citation is a challenge that student needs to
master to avoid plagiarism in their writing.
Structure
Likewise, organizing content in an academic writing standard structure is also a challenge
student tackle with. Unstructured content makes module leader difficult to analyze student
learning and may result in poor grading.

Conclusion
In a nutshell, academic writing is very important for any scholar. It helps in the intellectual
development of the student. Coursework and dissertation are the forms of academic writing.
The writing process and research may be different, but they follow the same structure. The
academic writing benefits a student with the skills of reasoning, critical thinking, data
collection and analysis, and more. However, there are challenges that students need to
overcome like time management, avoiding plagiarism, and more.

10272453_180072_Sayyed Abrar Akhtar 14 Academic writing

References
Defazio, J., Jones, J., Tennant, F. and Hook, S. (2010) "Academic Literacy: The Importance And
Impact Of Writing Across The Curriculum – A Case Study". Journal Of The Scholarship Of
Teaching And Learning 10 (2), 34-47
What Is Academic Writing? | Dos And Don’Ts For Students (2021) available from
<https://www.scribbr.com/category/academic-writing/> [16 June 2021]
Definition Of Coursework And A Variety Of Coursework | Uruvideo.Com (2021) available from
<https://uruvideo.com/definition-of-coursework-and-a-variety-of-coursework/> [19 June
2021]
Full Guide For Writing A Dissertation In Philosophy | Howtowrite.Customwritings.Com (2021)
available from <https://howtowrite.customwritings.com/post/philosophy-dissertation-
guide/> [19 June 2021]
Analysis Of The Differences And Similarities Of Coursework And Literature Review Example |
Topics And Well Written Essays - 1750 Words (2021) available from
<https://studentshare.org/education/2055852-describe-and-analyse-the-similarities-and-
differences-between-the-types-of-coursework-that-you-have> [21 June 2021]
Typical Criteria Of Master’s Thesis Grades (2021) available from
<https://studies.helsinki.fi/sites/default/files/inline-
files/Typical%20criteria%20of%20Pro%20Gradu%20research%20grades.pdf> [21 June
2021]
Difference Between Masters By Coursework And Research | Compare The Difference Between
Similar Terms (2021) available from <https://www.differencebetween.com/difference-
between-masters-by-coursework-and-vs-research/> [21 June 2021]
The Academic Writing Process (2021) available from <https://www.excellent-proofreading-
and-writing.com/academic-writing-process.html> [23 June 2021]
Essays.io. 2021. Discussing Similarities and Differences Between Coursework and Dissertation,
Essay Example. [online] Available at: <https://essays.io/discussing-similarities-and-
differences-between-coursework-and-dissertation-essay-example/> [Accessed 5 July
2021].
Qassem, M., 2014. Thesis, Dissertation and Article Writing.
TFOT. 2021. Benefits of Academic Writing - TFOT. [online] Available at:
<https://thefutureofthings.com/10833-benefits-academic-writing/> [Accessed 6 July
2021].
TNT Magazine. 2016. Academic Writing Problems Faced by Today's Students. [online]
Available at: <https://www.tntmagazine.com/lifestyle-career/jobs/academic-writing-
problems-faced-by-todays-students> [Accessed 6 July 2021].

10272453_180072_Sayyed Abrar Akhtar 15 Academic writing