Academic Writing and The Different Flavours

Writing is a way of life. Just like other ways of life, expressing yourself matters the most. Writing is certainly one of the most sought after ways to do so. The ability to explain while expressing is paramount, in the case of writing.

However, the use of writing is not limited to expressing thoughts and opinions. People are also assessed on their talents in writing. Several employment opportunities require the need to frame your sentences perfectly as well.

As far as Academic Writers are concerned, there are certain types of writing. However, if we classify the same broadly, we arrive at these four types:

• Descriptive
• Analytical
• Persuasive
• Critical

Academic texts use these four types of writing patterns, however, the amount or frequency of one type might repeat more than the other. One of the prime types of academic writing, essay writing, might contain all four aspects, depending on the absolute goal.

Descriptive writing is the most fundamental type of academic writing. Its goal is to offer information or facts. A summary of an article or a report on the findings, of an experiment, are two examples.

A purely descriptive assignment may include the following instructions: ‘identify, “report,” record, “summarize,’ and ‘define.’

Analytical writing involves descriptive writing and requires reorganization to categories, groups, sections, types, or linkages of the material you describe.

Persuasive writing combines all of the characteristics of analytical writing (information plus reorganization) with your point of view. Most essays are persuasive, and at least the discussion and conclusion of a research paper have a persuasive aspect.

Find out what you think is the most persuasive way to reach your point of view on a topic. List the different types and sources of evidence which you can use to support your view. 

Discuss the facts and ideas with someone else to find out if they agree with your point or disagree with it. Look for patterns in the data or references that show where the evidence is strongest.

For research, postgraduate, and advanced undergraduate writing, critical writing is widespread. It has all of the characteristics of persuasive writing, plus at least one additional point of view. 

Whilst persuasive writing requires your views on a certain topic, critical writing requires at least two viewpoints, including yours.

All or portions of the job must be carefully summarized. The primary interpretations, assumptions or methodologies might be identified.

If you have an opinion about the work, this could include pointing out some problems with it, proposing an alternative approach that would be better, and/or defending the work against the critiques of others. For your views, you must give evidence.

Critical writing necessitates excellent writing abilities. You must have a solid understanding of the topic and issues. You must create an essay framework and paragraph structure that allows you to analyze alternative interpretations and construct your evidence-based argument.

What is your favorite type of academic writing, or writing, in general? Let us know why it is so!