If you want to do well in your studies, you’ll need to understand how to develop your academic writing. We’ve put together some top tips and advice in five key areas. Want to know more? Then book a 1-2-1 session or attend a workshop with the Study Support team – you can even get a free advice session with a published writer.   

Tone 

Academic writing is generally written in a more formal tone and as we do not think or speak in an academic way it can seem unnatural at first, to write in this way but like most things, it will become easier with practice.  

• Read academic texts to familiarise yourself with the language used in academic texts.

• Listen to newsreaders who tend to speak using a more formal tone.

• Familiarise yourself with the third person in academic writing. For example, phrases such as this essay/this report will discuss rather than I will discuss can be used.

• You can use the passive voice to introduce beliefs and source information, for example, it is widely believed, it is claimed… 

Grammar  

Grammar can affect the overall quality of your writing and you will need to check your work for any errors as this will affect your marks.  

• Try to be aware of any common errors that occur in your writing. Some areas to watch out for are tenses and prepositions (words such as, in, on, it, by, of, at).  

• Proofread your work multiple times and read your work aloud. 

• Use Grammarly and grammar check in Microsoft Word but do not completely rely on these tools as they will not guarantee that your work is error free.  

Clarity 

It is important that your writing is clear and easy to read as this will affect the reader’s experience and this is something that you need to consider. 

• Will the reader be able to find their way around your work easily? Language such as linking words can help to guide them, for example, furthermore and in addition.  

• Think about each sentence individually and consider the message that you are trying to convey to the reader. Is the message/meaning clear? 

• Try to use a variety of sentence lengths as this will enable your writing to flow.  

Vocabulary  

The vocabulary that you use should be formal and subject specific.   

• Use the academic wordlist to build your knowledge of academic vocabulary but be careful when using completely new words. You can check example sentences on the dictionary website and you can find the academic wordlist on EAP Foundation Website.      

• Avoid constant repetition of vocabulary, particularly linking words as this will affect the quality of your writing.  

Referencing  

Referencing is a large part of academic writing, and it is important to familiarise yourself with the rules and formats as soon as possible.  

• Make sure that you paraphrase correctly and that you change text significantly before adding it to your work as a rewritten source. 

• Ensure that you have added in text references where they are needed.

• If possible, submit a draft on Turnitin so that you can check your similarity score before the final submission.  

With a bit of help, everyone can master the art of writing academically and, if you need help, just ask the Study Support team.