1. Style in academic writing
How to write clearly for a reader

2. What is the purpose of this video?
Asimo image in here
Image retrieved 23.08.11 from
http://www.diseno-
art.com/encyclopedia/archive/ASIMO.
html
Video link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=NZngYDDDfW4
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3. Register
Language use changes depending on
• the situation in which communication takes place
• the topic and purpose of the communication
• the relationship between the people involved
• whether you are speaking or writing
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4. Journalism compared to academic writing
What is the difference between academic writing
and journalism?
What types of Questions do academic writers
and journalists ask?
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5. Journalism vs academic writing
Journalists Academic writers
Who? What? Where? When? How? Why?
People Concepts
Places Processes
events relationships
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6. Journalism vs academic writing
Compare the two texts in terms of these features
Intended readers
Purpose of the texts
Aspect of the topic to focus on
How information is presented
How information is organised
Language
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7. Journalism vs academic writing
Features Journalistic text Academic text
Readers general public (may people who are have or are
address reader as ‘you’) developing expertise
Purpose to engage interest; to extend knowledge;
to gossip; to entertain to discuss ideas
Aspect of topic people connected with ideas related to the topic
the topic
Layout layout depends on conventional layout, depending
particular publication but on purpose. Commonly:
usually in columns numbered, headed sections /
in-text citations and references
Starting point Scene setting or ‘hot Background or key information
news’ to interest reader (e.g. definition)
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8. Journalism vs academic writing
Features Journalistic text Academic text
Information through feelings / images accurately, through
presented explanation and evidence,
Information for dramatic effect / to engage logical order which depends
organised reader on purpose
Sources of personal experiences and published work of
information information from speaking to academics, carefully
people, who may or may not be referenced
named
language informal, colloquial language formal, academic, cautious
language
Cultural wide range of cultural references limited to the specialist field
references
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9. Purpose & audience for academic writing
• Why do you have to write essays & exam questions?
• to show that you:
• understand important information in your field
• can analyse, evaluate, reorganise and re-present
information to answer a particular question.
• can develop and justify your own interpretation.
• Who are you writing for?
• The lecturer or tutor who marks your work
• you need to be sure that the tutor will understand
what you write
• you should write as clearly, simply and logically as
possible.

10. Purpose and audience
Your essays and exam answers are
• written communications
• about a serious topic
• between people who do not know each other well
• designed to persuade your lecturer to accept you
as a member of the academic community
Therefore, they are written in a formal, impersonal and
objective writing style.
This is a very different style from journalism.

11. Reference
Gillett, Andy, Hammond, Angela and Martala, Mary
(2009). Successful Academic Writing. Harlow: Pearson
Education. ISBN: 978-0-273-72171-0 (£12.00 or £8.00
used from Amazon)
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