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Academic Writing Style
The main characteristics of academic writing style are that it is formal and it is objective.
Using Formal Language
The following are some general guidelines to help you use formal language when you write research papers:
1) Do not use contracted forms of verbs (e.g., doesn’t, it’s, etc.).
2) Avoid two-word verbs, especially those that have one-word synonyms (e.g., bring up, look over, etc.).
3) Do not use slang or colloquial expressions (e.g., pissed off, kid, etc.). Idioms, on the other hand, are generally acceptable.
4) Avoid the use of "a lot of"; use the more formal equivalents of "a great deal of," "a large number of," or "many."
5) Make your word choices as accurate as possible. Words like "thing" and "way" should be avoided in favor of more precise terms.
6) Avoid the use of the dash (—) as a punctuation mark. If your sentence is properly composed, a comma, colon, or semicolon can be substituted.
Using formal English in writing your paper does not mean using "unnatural" language. Formal English is clear and logical.
To aid you in spotting errors, most word processing software now comes with a spell checker. Microsoft Word also has a grammar checker (under Tools) which can be set for casual, standard, or formal English. When it is set for formal English, the "errors" will be underlined in green, and suggestions for corrections are given.
Objectivity
The idea behind objectivity is to focus on the information itself, not on the writer or the reader. For this reason, most research papers are written in the third person. That is, the subjects of the sentences are third person subjects: he, she, it, one, they, or appropriate noun phrases.
Example 1:
If you smoke while you are pregnant, you may harm your baby.
This sentence can be rewritten in several ways to make it more objective:
Smoking during pregnancy may be harmful to a baby.
A baby can be harmed by a mother who smokes while she is pregnant.
Example 2:
We have a great deal of pollution in Japan.
This sentence can be rewritten in several ways to make it more objective:
Japan has a great deal of pollution.
There is a great deal of pollution in Japan.
Writing in the objective third person can be difficult to master, especially if you have become accustomed to writing compositions using "I" and "you." Sometimes you can avoid problems by using the passive voice instead of "I" or "you." However, you should not develop the habit of using the passive voice too frequently. A paper that has too many passive sentences is not interesting to read. Instead, work on substituting appropriate noun phrases.
Example 3:
What we need urgently is a workable replacement (heart) pump.
This sentence could be rewritten using the passive:
What is needed urgently is a workable replacement pump.
However, notice how much clearer and more energetic the sentence becomes when a noun phrase is used to replace "we":
Heart patients urgently need a workable replacement pump.
Another area related to objectivity is the matter of putting your own opinions into your paper. Generally, phrases such as "I think that . . . " and "in my opinion . . ." are not used in research papers. The reader may be interested in your opinions; however, the opinions should be expressed in the form of assertions that function as the main idea of the paper.
Adapted from: Hamp-Lyons, Liz, and Karen Berry Courter. Research Matters. Boston: Heinle & Heinle Publishers, 1984, pp. 166-168.