FEATURES OF

ACADEMIC
WRITING
Reporter: Jaymar C. Reponte
1 s t Year/MAED-PE
UM Tagum College
 Introduction
Academic writing in English is linear, which
means it has one central point or theme with every
part contributing to the main line of argument,
without digressions or repetitions. Its objective is to
inform rather than entertain. As well as this it is
in the standard written form of the language. There
are ten main features of academic writing that are
often discussed.
Academic writing is to some extent:

• Complex
• Formal
• Objective
• Explicit
• Hedged
• Responsible
• It uses language precisely and accurately
• It is also well organized and planned.
 Complexity
Written language is relatively more complex than
spoken language. Written language has longer words,
it is lexically more dense and it has a more varied
vocabulary. It uses more noun-based phrases than
verb-based phrases. Written texts are shorter and the
language has more grammatical complexity,
including more subordinate clauses and more
passives.
 Formality
Academic writing is relatively formal. In general
this means that in an essay you should avoid
colloquial words and expressions.
 Precision
In academic writing, facts and figures are given
precisely.
 Objectivity
Written language is in general objective rather
than personal. It therefore has fewer words that refer
to the writer or the reader. This means that the main
emphasis should be on the information that you want
to give and the arguments you want to make, rather
than you. For that reason, academic writing tends to
use nouns (and adjectives), rather than verbs (and
adverbs).
 Explicitness
Academic writing is explicit about the
relationships int he text. Furthermore, it is the
responsibility of the writer in English to make it
clear to the reader how the various parts of the text
are related. These connections can be made explicit
by the use of different signalling words.
ACCURACY
HEDGING
Features of Academic Writing
ACCURAC
Y
Features of Academic Writing
 Accuracy
Academic writing uses vocabulary
accurately. Most subjects have words
with narrow specific meanings.
Linguistics distinguishes clearly
between "phonetics" and "phonemics";
general English does not.
 Accuracy
West Sound Academic Library
defines accuracy as “the reliability,
truthfulness and correctness of the
content”
 In academic writing you need to be accurate in
your use of vocabulary. Do not confuse, for example,
"phonetics" and "phonology" or "grammar" with
"syntax".

Choose the correct word, for example, "meeting",

"assembly" , "gathering" or "conference".

Or from: "money", "cash", "currency", "capital" or

"funds".

You also need to be accurate in your use of grammar.

English Grammar and Syntax defines the two as
follows:
Grammar is a set of rules that set forth the correct
standard of usage in a language. ... Syntax is the
study of sentences and their structure, and the
constructions within sentences. Syntax tells us what
goes where in a sentence.
 Proof-reading: Punctuation
Read the following text and punctuate it correctly:

antony capos failed to pass a core mathematics subject in his

first year at university melissa durimah achieved a pass with
distinction in the same subject they were taught the same
syllabus by the same university teachers they went to the same
lectures and tutorials and completed the same assignments they
had similar entry scores on the university entrance examination
both claim to have worked hard throughout the year and there
was no reason to question those claims so why are their results
so different what was it about their experiences that might help
understand these differences how could the university teachers
of this subject find out about the differing experiences and if
they knew could they have affected this outcome
 Proof-reading: Punctuation
This was the original text.

Antony Capos failed to pass a core mathematics subject in

his first year at university. Melissa Durimah achieved a pass
with distinction in the same subject. They were taught the same
syllabus by the same university teachers. They went to the same
lectures and tutorials and completed the same assignments.
They had similar entry scores on the university entrance
examination. Both claim to have worked hard throughout the
year, and there was no reason to question those claims. So why
are their results so different? What was it about their
experiences that might help understand these differences? How
could the university teachers of this subject find out about the
differing experiences, and if they knew, could they have
affected this outcome?
Proof-reading: Correct word or form of word.
Example

Three times he had made it clear to

MacDonald that he did not wish to
accept/except his resignation.

Answer:

Three times he had made it clear to

MacDonald that he did not wish to
accept his resignation.
Proof-reading: Correct word or form of word.

Exercise
Nevertheless, there was still considerable
scope for policy to affect/effect the
situation.

Answer:

Nevertheless, there was still considerable

scope for policy to affect the situation.
Proof-reading: Correct word or form of word.

Exercise
It is the duty of us all to
assure/ensure/insure that an entire
cultural group is not tainted by the
actions of a criminal minority.
Answer:

It is the duty of us all to ensure that an

entire cultural group is not tainted by the
actions of a criminal minority.
 EXAMPLE
A rentcharge is the right to receive an annual
sum out of the income of land every year.

A rentcharge is the right to receive an annual sum out of the

income of land every year.

fault: Grammar - duplication of meaning - "annual" = "every

year"
correction: A rentcharge is the right to receive an annual sum
out of the income of land..
 EXERCISES

Many people would say there was a "mistake" in

each of the following sentences. Can you identify
them? For each sentence, please do these things:

1. mark the faulty word or words;

2. briefly describe what is wrong;
3. try to write a correct or improved version;
4. decide how important the mistake is.
 EXERCISES

Before spelling out exactly what this means, it is

worth first asking whether translating machinery is
necessarily irreversible.

Before spelling out exactly what this means, it is worth first asking
whether translating machinery is necessarily irreversible.

fault: Duplication "before" = "first"

correction: Before spelling out exactly what this means, it is worth
asking whether translating machinery is necessarily irreversible.
 EXERCISES

The emphasis on revolution as ending every stage is,

also, much more definately stated than in earlier
works.

The emphasis on revolution as ending every stage is, also, much

more definately stated than in earlier works.

fault: Spelling
correction: "definitely"
 EXERCISES
The first really useful realization of the Lie algebra
of the Geroch group, was formulated by Kinnersley
and Chitre (1977, 1978a, b).

The first really useful realization of the Lie algebra of the Geroch
group, was formulated by Kinnersley and Chitre (1977, 1978a, b).

fault: Punctuation - the comma interrupts the run of the sentence.

correction: The first really useful realization of the Lie algebra of
the Geroch group was formulated by Kinnersley and Chitre (1977,
1978a,b).
importance: Very important - you cannot separate the verb from
the noun phrase which functions as its subject.
 EXERCISES
The experiment by Norcross (1958) which used a
slightly different version of this procedure produced
essentially the same outcome.

The experiment by Norcross (1958) which used a slightly different

version of this procedure produced essentially the same outcome.

fault: Punctuation - wrong commas

correction: The experiment by Norcross (1958), which used a
slightly different version of this procedure, produced essentially the
same outcome.
importance: Very important in English. The meaning with the
commas is different from the meaning without commas.
 EXERCISES
When they were discussing the historical
development which led to capitalism.

When they were discussing the historical development which led to

capitalism.

fault: Incomplete sentence

correction: e.g. When they were discussing the historical
development which led to capitalism, they stress the structure
between different stages and the universality of the historical
process.
importance: Very important - check your work carefully.
HEDGING
Features of Academic Writing
 Hedging
In any kind of academic writing you do, it is
necessary to make decisions about your stance on a
particular subject, or the strength of the claims you
are making. Different subjects prefer to do this in
different ways.

A technique common in certain kinds of

academic writing is known by linguists as a ‘hedge’.
 Hedging
It is often believed that academic writing,
particularly scientific writing, is factual, simply to
convey facts and information. However it is now
recognized that an important feature of academic
writing is the concept of cautious language, often
called "hedging" or "vague language".
 Hedging
In academic writing, it is prudent to be cautious
in one's statements so as to distinguish between facts
and claims. This is commonly known as “hedging.”

Hedging is the use of linguistic devices to

express hesitation or uncertainty as well as to
demonstrate politeness and indirectness.
 Hedging
Hedging words and phrases are the things we
write and say in order to soften our words, to make
them less direct, and to limit or qualify claims and
statements we make.
 Why is it important to use hedging in
Academic Writing?

However an important feature of

academic writing is the concept of cautious
language, or "hedging". It is necessary to
make decisions about your stance on a
particular subject, or the strength of the
claims you are making. ... By hedging,
authors tone down their statements in order
to reduce the risk of opposition.
 Language used in hedging:
1. Introductory verbs:

e.g. seem, tend, look like, appear to be, think,

believe, doubt, be sure, indicate, suggest

2. Certain lexical verbs

e.g. believe, assume, suggest

 Language used in hedging:
3. Certain modal verbs:

e.g. will, must, would, may, might, could

4. Adverbs of frequency

e.g. often, sometimes, usually

 Language used in hedging:
5. Modal adverbs

e.g. certainly, definitely, clearly, probably, possibly,

perhaps, conceivably,

6. Modal adjectives

e.g. certain, definite, clear, probable, possible

 Language used in hedging:
7. Modal nouns
e.g. assumption, possibility, probability

8. That clauses

e.g. It could be the case that .

e.g. It might be suggested that .
e.g. There is every hope that .
 Language used in hedging:
8. To-clause + adjective

e.g. It may be possible to obtain .

e.g. It is important to develop .
e.g. It is useful to study .
 EXAMPLES
Compare the following:

• It may be said that the commitment to some of the

social and economic concepts was less strong than
it is now.

• The commitment to some of the social and

economic concepts was less strong than it is now.
 EXAMPLES
Compare the following:

• The lives they chose may seem overly ascetic and

self-denying to most women today.

• The lives they chose seem overly ascetic and self-

denying to most women today.
 EXAMPLES
Compare the following:

• There are certainly cases where this would seem

to have been the only possible method of
transmission.

• There are cases where this would have been the

only possible method of transmission.
Exercises
Identify the hedging expressions in the following sentences.

• There is no difficulty in explaining how a

structure such as an eye or a feather contributes to
survival and reproduction; the difficulty is in
thinking of a series of steps by which it could
have arisen.

There is no difficulty in explaining how a structure such as an

eye or a feather contributes to survival and reproduction; the
difficulty is in thinking of a series of steps by which it could
have arisen.
Exercises
Identify the hedging expressions in the following sentences.

• For example, it may be necessary for the spider to

leave the branch on which it is standing, climb up
the stem, and walk out along another branch.

For example, it may be necessary for the spider to leave the

branch on which it is standing, climb up the stem, and walk out
along another branch.
Exercises
Identify the hedging expressions in the following sentences.

• There is experimental work to show that a week

or ten days may not be long enough and a
fortnight to three weeks is probably the best
theoretical period.

There is experimental work to show that a week or ten days

may not be long enough and a fortnight to three weeks is
probably the best theoretical period.
Exercises
Identify the hedging expressions in the following sentences.

• For example, it is possible to see that in January

this person weighed 60.8 kg for eight days.

For example, it is possible to see that in January this person

weighed 60.8 kg for eight days.
Exercises
Identify the hedging expressions in the following sentences.

• One possibility is that generalized latent inhibition

is likely to be weaker than that produced by pre-
exposure to the CS itself and thus is more likely to
be susceptible to the effect of the long interval.

One possibility is that generalized latent inhibition is likely to

be weaker than that produced by pre-exposure to the CS itself
and thus is more likely to be susceptible to the effect of the long
interval.
Exercises
Identify the hedging expressions in the following sentences.

• For our present purpose, it is useful to distinguish

two kinds of chemical reaction, according to
whether the reaction releases energy or requires it.

For our present purpose, it is useful to distinguish two kinds of

chemical reaction, according to whether the reaction releases
energy or requires it.
Reference:
• http://www.uefap.com/writing/feature/featfram.ht
m