Your written voice will have a distinctive style, just as your speaking voice is unique to you. Your academic writing style will likely be formal, even when writing about yourself, but your vocabulary and sentence structure should be recognizable to you. That is, don’t try to sound “academic," whatever that might mean. Instead, aim for a formal style that is clear, concise, and easy to understand. Your voice, in your writing style, is what your reader wants to read in your story.
Simplify your writing to make it more effective
We've put together a short PowerPoint presentation that offers 10 methods to make your writing more concise. Download it here:
Qualities of academic writing
This self-guided video will walk you through some key qualities of academic writing.
Introduction to concise writing
Watch this short video to learn more about concision in writing.
More information
- For more information on concise writing, consult these resources.
- Read about avoiding bias in academic writing.
- What's the story on the use of "they" as a singular pronoun?
- What are your needs as a writer? Our guide can help you assess your strengths and weaknesses.