Six Easy Ways to Improve Your Academic Writing

Are you a student challenged with trying to improve your academic writing?

To some students, this information for improving your academic writing may seem obvious, but to others who are new to writing an academic paper, it might give you courage to keep going. Listed below are five easy ways to improve your academic writing.

improve academic writing by studying other papers

Read and study published academic papers of other students at your school.

But, make sure they cover similar categories and topics as the paper you plan to write. For example, if you’re focusing on a scientific or mathematical angle, then you wouldn’t want to spend time reading academic papers that focus on classic literature.

Steer clear of doing excessive research on the art of writing, in general.

The layout, structure, and content requirements are available from your professor, adviser, and are usually available online at the school’s website. Useless research time just drains your brain from what it needs to focus on so you can start writing.

  Create a timeline that is realistic.

Given that your reading requirements, class time, research, and outlining may sometimes incur a faster approaching deadline than originally intended, create a timeline for completing the tasks that require your attention. Don’t let the date slide into the next day or weekend. It will only make you feel more stressed, and it will definitely take a toll on your writing. Tackle the task and complete it on or before the date written on your timeline.

Learn the required parts of an academic paper.

Academic writing is a style of writing. Most likely, you will begin by creating an abstract, and you’ll finish the paper with a bibliography and footnotes. When writing an academic paper, you’re reinforcing the topic that you’re writing about by providing evidence and authority references rather than just voicing your unsubstantiated opinion about the subject.

Structure your academic writing.

You can easily structure your academic writing by creating a strong introduction. Then create one paragraph for each of your main topics as a beginning outline to flesh out later.

Just as a novel is structured with a beginning, a middle, and an end, an academic paper’s structure has formal style and formatting guidelines that are set by the school and the writing style format guide (APA, MLA, etc.). If writing an academic essay, provide a summary for each of the arguments that you have developed.

writing pencil for editing and academic writing

Get feedback from another professional and definitely hire an academic editor.

You need constructive criticism that will help improve the academic paper, not emotional sentiments about your writing.

That’s why you hire professional academic editors. They do this type of work every day, they’re honest, they’re impartial, and they want you to succeed.

One final thought before submitting your academic writing to your advisers or readers…

Even if you can’t find a respected professional to read your academic writing and offer feedback and suggestions, make sure you hire a professional academic editor. You’re the writer, not the editor. Don’t try to edit your own work. Universities and private schools pay as much attention to grammatical errors and spelling errors as they do with your well-researched academic topic. Get the grade you deserve and keep your integrity intact. Hire an academic writing editor.