ENGLISH 7 QUARTER 4

WEEK 1
Features of Academic Writing
What is Academic Writing?
Academic writing is a formal style of writing. Its general purpose is to present
information in order to display a clear understanding of a particular subject.

The following are some examples of documents where academic writing is used:
1. Books 5. News Articles
2. Thesis 6. Research Paper
3. Abstract 7. Conference paper
4. Journals

Features of Academic Writing

1. Formality is using formal language rather than everyday common language. It
is achieved through:

1. Choosing expanded forms over contracted forms.

Poor examples Improved
can’t cannot
doesn’t does not
won’t will not
I’ve I have
Sentence:
The policy does not permit illegal dealings.

2. Avoiding colloquial/trite/idiomatic expressions

Examples of colloquial/trite/idiomatic expressions
“stuff” “thing”
“a lot of” “you know what I mean”
“sort of” “kind of like” “It’s

raining cats and dogs.”

Sentence:
With women, there is a great deal (instead of a lot of) pleasure to
conform to a certain physical shape.

3. Choosing expanded terms over their abbreviated equivalents.

Poor examples Improved

ASAP as soon as possible
romcom romantic comedy
Sentence:
The government wants it done as soon as possible.
 2. Objectivity means that the writing must be impersonal. The main emphasis
should be on the presented information and/or arguments rather than what you
think about the issue.

It is achieved through:
Avoiding the use of personal pronouns such as you, I and we.
Poor example Improved
1.  We need to conduct the experiment. The researchers need to conduct
the experiment.
2.  You can easily forget how different life was It is easy to forget how different life
50 years ago. was 50 years ago.

3. Explicitness is the responsibility of the writer in English to make it clear to the

reader how the various parts of the text are related.

It is achieved through:

1. Using different signaling words

Comparison/similar ideas
 Similarly, in the same way
Contrast/opposite ideas
 But, however, on the contrary
Cause and effect
 Consequently, as a result, because
Sentence:
One should notify any change of address to the Bonds and Stocks Office.
Similarly, savings certificates should be re-registered with the Post Office.

4. Caution is an important feature of academic writing which is the concept of

cautious language, often called “hedging” or “vague language”. Caution is needed to
avoid sweeping generalizations.

It is achieved through:
1. Using devices such as modal verbs, adverbs, or verbs

Examples:
Modal verbs would, may, can, might, should
Adverbs of often, sometimes, usually
frequency
Verbs tend, suggest, think, believe, doubt