Writing is a delicate and unique skill that can open a lot of doors to its master. However, a good writer is hard to find to navigate the ability to write is no easy task. It takes patience, practice and a lot of self-discipline to excel at writing. One of the most difficult areas of writing is an academic one. Good academic writing requires impressive research abilities, determination, and talent to navigate a huge amount of sources.
Of course, it takes time to master this skill. However, we do have a couple of advice you can follow to make this process less stressful and much more smooth. In this article, you will get acquainted with 10 tips and tricks that will assist you on the road towards quality academic pieces.
Let’s start by clarifying one simple question “What is academic writing?”. In a nutshell – it is any type of writing that is created as part of a scholarly process. There are a couple of main characteristics that really define this style such as clear structure, evidence-based facts, precision, and focus on the topic as well as a formal language.
You can definitely say that academic writing is the most well-organized and informative type of textual format, so you can guess which qualities you need to develop to become a great connoisseur of this style. We have created such a list specifically to assist you in this undertaking.
1. Read as much as you can. Read materials related to your own projects such as an article on how to write an introduction to a research paper or a guide on styling an academic text. However, do not forget to visit here to get more additional resources– read books, classic and modern authors, browse through quality journalistic pieces, and occasional news articles. All of these will enrich your vocabulary and might bring new angles to your manner of writing and phrasing.
2. Find similar works and examine them. Do not hesitate to look for papers related to your sphere of research and get a glimpse of how other people accomplish this task. Pay attention to language, wording, and terminology. It is useful to have a separate notebook or a word doc to have all of the handy materials and notes in one place.
3. Have a proper work station. Do not underestimate the influence of surroundings on your ability to write. It can have a helpful impact on the process or a destructive one, depending on the situation. So your job is to make this situation more suited towards your needs, which in this case is all about focus and perseverance. Make sure you have a clean, well-organized desk or a dedicated workspace with all the props that you need. Pick the spot that you fancy and it is comfortable to spend a lot of time there. Get rid of all possible destruction in this area.
4. Make a schedule. Timing is key in almost all assignments. While writing paper can be a daunting task, getting the timing right is essential. Estimate your deadlines and how much time per day you have to dedicate to writing. Be real and do not burden yourself with a crazy schedule. You won’t be able to write hours in a row, so make sure to take into account social life and much-needed breaks.
5. Make an outline. As much as you want to just dive in and start writing, postpone this activity for a little bit. A good piece of writing starts with a clear understanding of your aims and goals. The structure is crucial in any academic text, so it is logical to prepare a plan. Write a rough outline of your work, polish it, and then proceed to the nest stage.
6. Takedown your sources. Browse the Internet for relevant materials and do not forget to arrange them somewhere in one list with short descriptions. It does not matter whether it is an article, a website or a video lecture – put it there. It will save you tons of time and will help to navigate the informational pool for your research much easier.
7. The most important thing is to write. Long gone the time when you had to follow a lot of rules in terms of the writing process. Create your own rules and figure out your own routine. If it is convenient for you to write from the very beginning of your outline following it consecutively – do it. If you prefer to make random notes and then arrange them like a collage making logical transactions – good for you. Whatever works – try it. Do not feel constricted by any kind of formulaic assumptions about writing – create your personal set of guidelines.
8. Get the style right. Try following the academic style of writing which is matter-of-fact and quite formal. If you are using any kind of grammar editors and apps – set them on the academic writing setting so you will see which words do not fit your style. Remember to be precise and factual.
9. Use grammar helper. We all make mistakes in life and in writing. Thankfully, there are digital assistants that can help us with the latter. While you will be focusing on the substance and the actual informative part of your research, these helpers will be correcting little typos and advising on better wording and punctuation. It can be really useful, especially considering the potential big volume of your work.
10. Take care of your mental state. This seems obvious, but can be quite crucial during approaching deadlines and overwhelming amounts of information. Do not forget about breaks and your mental hygiene. Any kind of physical activity will do wonders here – it will help you recharge and boost energy, as well as improve your posture and ease any back pains. Think about activities that really bring you joy and try to implement them into your writing routine.
As you can see it is not that hard, to become a good academic writer. You just have to be very well-read, extremely organized, and know how to use wording in the best way possible. So, as you can probably guess, it is not that easy either. It all depends on whether you are ready to spend some time and effort becoming one.
