Some people are gifted writers, while others struggle to write even a single thought on a piece of paper. But in academic writing, both the writers and the non-writers begin from the same level. No matter what your academia is, your college would require you to compose essays and reports to assess your subject-matter knowledge. There are some sets of rules and requisites to improve academic writing.
You may possess an in-depth understanding of all parts of the curriculum but practically, expressing this proficiency in writing is a task for many. To help you improve your academic writing skills, we have compiled some functional tips in this article.
Tips to Enhance Your Academic Writing Skills
When you fulfill the basic requirements of writing an academic paper and practice consistently, none can stop you from getting an A+.
Here’re some practical tips to help you achieve perfection in your assignments.
Research and Ensure That You Understand Your Topic Well
Nothing degrades an academic paper than poorly-put information, which showcases the lack of understanding on the writer’s part. You cannot gain half a knowledge and start putting it in your paper. Don’t try to pretend even in a cause and effect essay because professors easily identify when a student is bluffing through the content.
To create a well-articulated piece of writing, you must research well and attain deep assimilation of the concepts that you are going to include in your academic paper. An ideal outcome would be a representation of your opinion backed with your research on the subject matter.
Root Out Grammar and Punctuation Errors
You can’t leave any grammar and punctuation errors in your write-up, and that’s a fundamental necessity for any kind of formal writing. An accurate and grammatically correct written material appears more impressive.
Basic writing mistakes take away the essence of readability and credibility from your essay. And this is exactly why the instructor will lose interest and award you with a lesser grade. To prevent such a thing from happening, try to learn the basic rules of English grammar and implement them in your writing.
You can also take the help of online proofreading and editing tools to help you find mistakes in your write-up after you finish the job. These tools will highlight the flaws and even suggest corrections.
Keep Your Sentence Structure Crisp & Concise
You can simply include more than one piece of information in one sentence instead of elaborating each piece in a separate sentence. Remember, in a fight of quantitative vs qualitative, the latter always wins.
Do not write, “The food at the rehearsal dinner was delicious. It was prepared by one of the famous caterers in the town. They are known for serving at grand celeb-weddings.”
Instead, write, “The delicious food at the rehearsal dinner was prepared by one of the famous caterers who are known for serving at grand celeb-weddings.”
You can follow this structure unless your sentence is becoming too lengthy. You must know when and where to break it off. Use precise words and phrases that translate your thoughts through minimum expressions.
Eliminate Filler Words and Weak Words with Adverbs
There’s nothing wrong with using adverbs once in a while in your write-up. But your paper or essay would look splendid if you use strong words that don’t require adverbs. Your vocab and word choices mark distinction in your paper.
For starters, you can use ‘hilarious’ instead of ‘very funny,’ ‘sprints’ in place of ‘runs very fast,’ ‘terrified’ instead of ‘very afraid,’ and so on. These substitutions add simplicity and charm to your language.
You should also work on removing filler words from your piece to make it crisp and decluttered. Phrases like in order to, basically, really, totally, etc., do not add much value to your sentences.
Maintain the Flow and Structure
The unorganized structure and poor flow of information in your essay make it appear uninteresting. How well your readers comprehend your viewpoint and supportive factors decides your academic scores.
Your instructor looks for an eloquent and structured essay that puts forth ideas in coordinated sequences. Also, there is a standard structure that is followed universally. Here is how it should be:
- Title
- Introduction
- Thesis statement
- Body
- Conclusion
- References
- Layout
Make time to learn citation rules, including et al definition, to avoid silly mistakes when referencing.
Avoid Repetitions and Redundancy
Many students and new writers often repeat information abstractly while writing. When you proofread your write-up, you should identify such spots and remove repetitions.
Also, you cannot use two words of the same meaning in one sentence – as in “the shirt is blue in color,” where blue itself is enough. Some more examples of redundant expressions are ‘repeat again,’ ‘revert back,’ ‘8 am in the morning,’ and ‘final outcome.’
Review, Edit, & Get Feedback Before Submission
It is wise to review and proofread your written material to find errors and identify whether the tone is in line with the academic style of writing. If it is possible to remove a word, a phrase, or a sentence, always remove it.
You must also edit your essay to align it with the academic writing instructions. If judging your piece of writing from a reader’s or instructor’s perspective is difficult for you, seek someone else’s help. You may ask them to read your paper and give you feedback.
Conclusion
As they say, “practice makes perfect.” You should keep on working and polishing your writing style to improve your academic grades. Try to integrate the above tips while working on your assignment and see significant changes in your writing style. Academic writing will no longer be a tough task.
