Academic and Professional Writing
Outputs in Academic Writing
Academic essay Thesis Dissertation Library research Coursework Reaction paper Book review Literature review Research report Project proposal Position paper
Most common type of academic writing
Academic essays Book reviews Literature reviews Research reports Project proposals Position papers Reaction papers
Language
Channel used to convey the message. Can either be: Visual or textual, Formal or informal, Verbal and non-verbal. Follow the standard form and usage of language in professional writing
Message
Content of your document. Includes: Main topic and details that support it. These details may be: form of facts. statistics, testimonies and observation.
Primary
Direct receiver of your document
Impersonal and formal
Forms of academic writing
Two level of purpose
General Specific
To inform and persuade
In context of professional and academic writing, two general purposes
Secondary
Indirect receiver of your document
Output in professional writing
Instructional manual Specification Brochure Business correspondence (letter and memo) Business and technical report
Formal
It strictly adheres to formal English and avoids word contractions
Product
Output that you intend to produce after considering all the other components
Purpose
Paper will lack relevance if it does not have this
Purpose
Reason or motive that you have when communicating. Also helps you determine the reactions you want to elicit from your target audience
Second-level purpose
Reason why you want to inform or persuade your target audience
Audience
Receiver of the message; can be either primary or secondary
Context
Situation where professional writing is performed. Includes: the people involved (the sender and the receiver), relationship between the people involved in the communication, time and place, some possible interference.
To persuade
To influence the readers to change their attitudes or actions
To inform
To make the audience understand a concept
Academic writing
Type of writing produced by students in an academic setting. Main purpose is to inform and persuade; not to entertain;
Impersonal
Usually uses the third person perspective and does not have a direct reference to persons and feelings