Academic writing in english is linear, which means it has one central point or theme with every part contributing to the main line of argument, without digressions or repetitions. As well as this it is in the standard written form of the language.there are eight main features of academic writing that are often discussed. Academic writing is to some extent: complex, formal, objective, explicit, hedged, and responsible.

Written language has longer words, it is lexically more dense and it has a more varied vocabulary. Written texts are shorter and the language has more grammatical complexity, including more subordinate clauses and more passives. In general this means that in an essay you should avoid colloquial words and expressions. Linguistics distinguishes clearly between phonetics and phonemics general english does not. In any kind of academic writing you do, it is necessary to make decisions about your stance on a particular subject, or the strength of the claims you are making.

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A technique common in certain kinds of academic writing is known by linguists as a lsquo hedge rsquo. In academic writing you must be responsible for, and must be able to provide evidence and justification for, any claims you make. You are also responsible for demonstrating an understanding of any source texts you use. Many students starting an undergraduate degree are uncertain about what they need to do to produce a good piece of written work at university. They often ask: what is academic writing like? how does it differ from the types of writing i do in my everyday life? how does it differ from the types of writing i did at school? postgraduate students returning to academic study after some years in a job also worry about academic writing.

They often comment that they have done little writing since completing their first degree, or that the types of writing they have done at work are very different from the academic assignments they are expected to produce in their postgraduate programmes. In an attempt to address some of these questions and concerns, we have identified what we consider to be the key features of academic writing. We have grouped these features under six headings: here is a brief explanation of the three main features of written academic english:

written academic english is objective

everyday language is predominantly subjective. It is mainly used to express opinions based on personal preference or belief rather than evidence. For instance, we might say, ldquo doing coursework is easier than taking exams rdquo or ldquo watching a dvd at home is better than going to the cinema rdquo.

Everyday language is also a vehicle for emotional expression for example: ldquo he was so mean to me rdquo , or ldquo you are amazing rdquo , or ldquo i was gutted rdquo. It is used as a vehicle for logical argumentation, not self expression or emotional response. It is important that the language used in academic writing reflects the strength of evidence available to support an idea or claim. Whether you say ldquo the working age population will fall rdquo , ldquo the working age population will probably fall rdquo or ldquo the working age population may fall rdquo will depend on the projections available to you at the time of writing, and your interpretation of those projections. The less certain you are about your claims, the more tentative the language should be. The use of cautious language in academic writing is known as lsquo hedging rsquo.

It avoids colloquialisms and slang, which may be ephemeral and subject to local and social variations. Formal language is more precise and stable, and therefore more suitable for the expression of complex ideas and the development of reasoned argumentation. You can find out more about formal language in the section of this website dealing with academic language and style. Academic language differs in structure and vocabulary from language used in daily social interactions. Academic language includes a 1 common vocabulary used in all disciplines, as well as a 2 technical vocabulary inherent to each individual discipline. Academic english is based more upon latin and greek roots than is common spoken english.

In addition, academic language features more complex language and precise syntax than common english. Academic language is a central theme in pact and to the development of content literacy. Pact defines academic language as follows: academic language is the language needed by students to understand and communicate in the academic disciplines. Academic language includes such things as specialized vocabulary, conventional text structures within a field e.g.

Essays, lab reports and other language related activities typical of classrooms, e.g. reading is essential in every content subject, such as history, geography, arithmetic, science, and literature. In fact, rapid progress in these subjects depends in a large degree on the ability of pupils to read independently and intelligently. It follows that good teaching must provide for the improvement and refinement of the reading attitudes, habits, and skills that are needed in all school activities involving reading gray, 1925, 1 2. , the twenty fourth yearbook of the national society for the study of education: part i pp. Content literacy is the ability to use reading and writing as tools for learning subject matter. Academic word list for science the most commonly used academic words in science general service list most commonly used academic words in all disciplines but do we really know the properties of academic writing.

Academic Writing Aid

As well as this it is in the standard written form of the language.there are eight main features of academic writing that are often. Los angeles southwest college los angeles, california, usa this article examines the characteristics and differences of academic and conversational english in the second language classroom. While academic english is the language used by the educated and needed to succeed financially in society, conversational english refers to the common and familiar language that is used in everyday, ordinary situations. Academic language includes cognitive, linguistic, and social/psychological components. Some aspects of those components can be taught others are less useful, while still others may be counterproductive to teach. What do successful learners have in common? are there different varieties of english? if so, what are the differences between them? scholars tend to distinguish between academic and conversational english. Academic english refers to the language used by the educated and is needed to function at the university level and beyond.

Unfortunately, second language learners often fall into the conversational english usage category. Yet they still display striking deficiencies in reading and writing in academic contexts. The situation is very frustrating because there is clear evidence that some educators are still unaware of what academic english is and the situational obstacles related to it wong filmore amp snow, 20 ferris, 2002 ferris amp hedgecock, 1998.

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If students want to achieve socio economic success, it is imperative that they are able to perform at the appropriate academic level. And performing at this level can be a continuing struggle, since academic english entails multiple complex features of english required for long term success in public schools, completion of higher education, and employment with opportunity for professional advancement and financial rewards rumberger amp scarcella, 2001, p. While todays efforts are directed to teaching the basics, second language learners frequently fall behind when it comes to educational excellence.

Scripted programs have become the norm and have replaced teachers creativity and initiative. The need to emphasize approaches that target the instruction of academic english is more important than ever. Cummins 1981b postulated the existence of two different types of english, the academic or cognitive academic language proficiency calp and the conversational or basic interpersonal communicative skills bics. Although this dichotomy has been controversial since the beginning, there is agreement among scholars about what academic english is and the characteristics that conform it. According to scarcella 2003, p.1 , academic english is needed to challenge the tenets of those in power who use it without knowledge of academic english, individuals may be excluded form participation in educated society and prevented from transforming it. Academic language not only includes several dimensions of knowledge, but it also emphasizes the context where learning takes place.