Skills for academic writing

Understanding the writing assignment – Students often have difficulty understanding what is required in a writing assignment. Teachers should help students know what they are expected to do. They should also ensure that students are familiar with the kind of writing they need to do to be successful. This is especially important for second language writers.

Researching information – Academic writing teachers should train students in research skills. This includes understanding what information is needed, where to look for it, how to find it and how to decide whether the information is suitable.

Paraphrasing, summarizing, and quoting – Academic writing teachers should ensure their students know how to correctly paraphrase, summarize and quote the ideas of others. This is essential for incorporating the ideas of others into their academic writing, which they need to use to support their arguments. Correct paraphrasing, summarizing, and referencing will help students to avoid issues of plagiarism (see section below on Academic Integrity).

Referencing – It is important for students to acknowledge sources appropriately in their academic writing. Academic writing teachers should train students in correct referencing and in-text citation methods. 

Critical thinking – In EAP courses and in universities, assignments will often ask students to consider, justify, reason, argue, critically appraise, identify, analyze, or evaluate. These actions are used in applying critical thinking skills. As a teacher it is important to remember that critical thinking is a skill that needs to be developed. It is not possible to learn it overnight, it takes time. The practice of critical thinking involves identifying reliable information and making reliable judgements (Monash University, 2020).

Among other things, a good critical thinker uses logic and reason in their arguments, avoids logical fallacies, and uses evidence to support claims.

Structuring writing – Academic writing teachers should ensure students know how to structure their writing. They should encourage logical argumentation and ensure that students support their claims and arguments with facts and evidence.

Writing in academic register – In English, academic writing is formal, objective, and impersonal. For academic writing it is expected that the author will use an academic register. Academic language is characterized by more formal vocabulary and grammar. Typically, teachers should guide students to ensure that the first and second person is avoided. This means that pronouns such as ‘I’ and ‘you’ are avoided. There is more use of the third person and the passive voice. Less formal language contractions such as ‘it’s’ and ‘he’s’ are also avoided. Effective academic writing should always be clear and concise.