Writing in an Academic Tone and Style

February 21, 2019 | Blog, Learning Center

Writing in an appropriate academic tone and style can have a substantial impact on the grading of a paper or its likelihood of being published.

One of our specialities is improving academic tone and style in our clients’ papers. Our subject-matter experts have the knowledge and expertise needed to help you establish an appropriate tone in your writing.

Here are a few very brief tips for developing a suitable academic tone and style in your writing.

Academic writing don’ts

Avoid: contractions, colloquialisms and personal pronouns

Unless they form part of a direct quotation from another source, contractions should never be present in academic writing.

Be careful to avoid the use of colloquialisms. Although you may hear certain terms in conversation often, carefully consider whether they’re suitable within an academic context.

Be careful with your use of personal pronouns (e.g., I, my, me, mine). Personal pronouns create an informal tone and make your writing sound more subjective; they’re acceptable only in a limited range of contexts. Consult your style guide to determine its advice regarding active and passive voice and (relatedly) the use of first-person pronouns in your work.

Other devices to avoid:

• Hyperbole
• Imprecision
• Overfamiliarity
• Unnecessary passive voice
• Combinative verbs
• Vulgarisms

Academic writing dos

Advanced vocabulary

Show a broad range of advanced vocabulary. This will give the impression you are well read and assists greatly in establishing a suitable academic style.

Be sure to use academic vocabulary in your writing too. The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary has a list of words you will likely see used in academic contexts.

Use diction to show a deeper understanding of your topic: using subject-specific terminology and technical language can help to communicate a deeper understanding of the topic of the paper. That said, make sure you do so only where appropriate. Using such terminology incorrectly can have the opposite effect, giving the impression of a writer who is out of their depth.

Correct use of abbreviations

Before using abbreviations, introduce the full term in the first instance, followed by the abbreviation in parentheses, for example, the  World Trade Organisation (WTO). Thereafter, you may use the abbreviated form; in this instance, WTO.

Cite and reference impeccably

Proper referencing is critical to establishing an academic tone in your writing. Incorrect or inaccurate referencing will weaken your writing and consequently your chances of success. Make sure you’re fully conversant with all the nuances of your chosen referencing style.

Use perfect grammar, punctuation and formatting

Proofread your work or have a professional academic editor do it for you. Few things will impair the quality and integrity of a piece of writing more than grammar and punctuation issues, or poor formatting.

Get professional support

If you’d like us to proofread and edit your paper to improve academic style and tone, visit our order page. Our academic editors are standing by to perfect your writing.