Even experts offering creative writing help and other forms of writing assistance may fail in academic writing. It is a different kind of writing entirely. Good academic writing starts with a good idea expressed in a consistent style and tone with a clear sense of genre, purpose, and audience. Mastering the art of academic writing takes practice, dedication and time. Below is how you can get better at it.
1. Read and write a lot
As Stephen King said, “If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.” It is nearly impossible to improve your writing without doing a lot of reading and writing. By reading the work of others in your field, you will get to know what the standards are and how fellow writers choose their words. Don’t limit yourself to your field only, read magazines, articles, novels, etc. as well.
It is equally important to practice writing. The more you do, the better you become. Therefore, write academic papers on self-assigned topics, trying out new tricks in each of the pieces that you write. Prioritize how to improve your tone and style, and how you can organize your points and ideas better.
2 – Recognize other’s inputs and opinions
There is more to academic writing than making a well-supported argument. You need to remember that your piece is not the only one on the topic. So you read the body of the existing and emerging literature on the topic. Understand the viewpoints of others and the supporting facts and give reference to them in your writing.
3 – Know how to choose and cite your sources
You should always have enough evidence to back your thesis statement. Research to the limit, picking only sources that offer new, relevant and interesting points that you can use. The sources that you choose should back your claims and not dispute them. Also, you need to cite these sources properly to avoid plagiarism. Citing your sources shows how well grounded and deep your knowledge is on the topic, making you a worthy contributor to the subject matter.
Researching and citing credible sources takes time and know-how, especially if the topic is very broad. This explains why people turn to Ph.D. dissertation writing service. While this is not a bad idea, it is also something that you can do for yourself.
4. Learn how to organize your ideas
Knowing how to organize your points and ideas is key. You should be able to order your main points and the supporting evidence properly, using transitions where necessary. i.e., start with an overview of the background research and then proceed to your topic. Introduce what your topic is all about, describe the methodology, explain the results obtained and state their significance to the thesis.
As a rule, each of your paragraphs should have a clear purpose and should be well-organized so that it flows with the one preceding and after it.
5. Pay close attention to tone and style
The use of grandiloquent words and overly complex syntaxes is frowned at in academic writing. Such sentences and words only make your writing complicated and confusing. Therefore, you need to maintain a consistent tone that is clear and informative and ensure that your paper makes a simple, clear and interesting read.
6. Ask for and respond to feedback
Ask experts and fellow writers what they think of your paper. Respond to all feedbacks whether it is about your ideas or writing style and make adjustments where necessary. Don’t be unbending in viewpoints and writing styles.
Conclusion
Being a good academic writer will enable you to make significant contributions to your field. The good news is that it is not difficult to master. All it requires is practice and habituation on your part. You need to read and write more, recognize what others have done, choose and cite sources properly, seek feedback and so on. Do all these and watch your academic writing skills improve in no time.
