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Academic style at postgraduate level

Academic writing style

The way you write can help you:

• Present your reading, research, knowledge, and

understanding clearly

• Present your arguments convincingly

• Demonstrate your understanding of academic protocols

• Show your critical mind at work

Academic writing style

• 3rd person (with exceptions)

• Appropriate and formal (no contractions or slang)

• Correct tenses (will examine, examined, examines)

• Clear and concise prose (tighten text, avoid vagueness)

• Avoid phrasal verbs (looked into = examined)

• Language of critical analysis

http://www.phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk/

It also involves issues of…

• Succinctness

• Formality

• Precision/Accuracy

• Objectivity

• Explicitness

• Hedging/Caution

• Signposting

Succinctness

A recent survey into the subject found that playing sport helped children grow

into healthy adults. It also found that people who played outdoors a lot as a

child lived longer than those who played mostly indoors.

(37 words)

The Health Council survey (2019) found that children who played 6 hours

sport per week were 40% less likely to suffer from ill-health as adults, and

lived, on average, 2 years longer than those who played none.

(37 words)

Succinctness – paraphrasing

As they read and take down their notes, students must make

sure that they keep an accurate record of all their sources. (22)

Whilst reading and note-taking students should record their

sources accurately. (10)

Note: references all sources, whether summarised, paraphrased or quoted. Direct quotes used sparingly to emphasis key points. These topics are covered in session on academic practice, plagiarism, referencing

Succinctness – complexity

In the same way that…

‘As a result of’ becomes ‘Consequently’

Resiliency is a latent, path‐dependent capability that

cannot be measured directly, so its benefits take a

long time to manifest.

Formality

It’s clear that the CEO of RBS’s rushed decision to buy ABN Amro wasn’t the smartest move. (Too informal)

The synthesis of solipsism with sycophancy within RBS’s climate of elusory exigency evinced an impolitic acquisition of ABN Amro. (Formal, but too clever)

The combination of a domineering chief executive, an overly compliant management team and a false sense of urgency were crucial in RBS’s disastrous decision to acquire ABN Amro. (Formal and clear)

Precision/Accuracy (includes referencing)

Many young people drink too much. (Imprecise)

One in four 16-25 year-olds consume more alcohol than the

Government’s recommended weekly maximum. (Precise enough?)

Twenty three percent of people aged 16-25, consume >140ml of

ethanol alcohol (C2H6O) per week. (Too precise?)

Objectivity

I really believe that wealth needs to be distributed more fairly.

(Too emotive, and the first person ‘I’ conveys subjectivity)

The accumulation of capital by a small segment of the population

correlates negatively with GDP growth. (Objective, but no

argument)

This data suggests strongly that without greater redistribution of

wealth, world economic growth will slow. (Objectivity and

argument)

Explicitness

There are quite a few reasons why micro-SMEs often fail during their first year of operating. (Too vague)

There are three main reasons why micro-SMEs can fail during their first year of operating: lack of capital, external market factors, and poor business planning. (Explicit)

Whilst micro-SMEs can fail for a number of reasons, during their first year of operation – lack of capital, external market factors, etc. – the most significant factor is insufficiently accurate business planning. (Explicit and presents an argument)

Hedging/Caution

This proves that the banking crisis of 2007 was caused by subprime mortgages. (Over-certain)

This seems to suggest that subprime mortgages might possibly be partly responsible for some aspects of the banking crisis of 2007. (Overcautious)

This (strongly) suggests that subprime mortgages were a (key) factor in precipitating the banking crisis of 2007. (The right balance)

Signposting

Moving on: Another aspect of the process is the…

Justify: Based on the above discussion, it seems reasonable to claim that…

Introduce evidence: As Marx explained: ‘the bureaucrat has the world as a mere object of his action’ (Marx 1843).

Demonstrate your understanding: As Marx explained: ‘the bureaucrat has the world as a mere object of his action’ (Marx 1843). In other words, that…

Signposting - topic sentences

‘What factors are key to the success of a chief executive?’

As well as financial acumen (linking with previous paragraph)

people skills (introducing new topic) are vital to the success

of a chief executive. (introducing the idea, demonstrating critical

analysis, expressing your voice). According to Brown (2018)…

Confident authorial voice…

As Grundy (2006) argues, Porter’s five competitive forces model remains popular within business schools, but has less appeal to practising managers. (Grundy’s voice, not the author’s)

Porter’s five competitive forces model remains popular within business schools, but has less appeal to practising managers, as noted by Grundy (2006), for example. (Still not explicit whether this is the author’s view or Grundy’s)

That Porter’s five competitive forces model is more popular with business schools than with practising managers, clearly suggests that it is indeed in need of the changes that Grundy (2006), amongst others, highlights. (The author speaks – a clear view!)

Advanced academic style

• Succinct writing - allowing for richness of content

• Critical writing - reflecting an analytical mind at work

• Flowing writing – allowing easy movement from idea to idea

• Signposted writing – helping the reader know where they are

• Confident writing – reflecting post-graduate research rigour

All, edited and proof-read thoroughly before submission.

Further resources

• Essay writing tutorials/Student Learning Advisers

https://www.kent.ac.uk/learning/

• Examples of clear, academic language

http://www.phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk/

• SLAS can be contacted at

learning@kent.ac.uk

www.kent.ac.uk/learning

SLAS

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