Features of Academic Writing

Academic writing is characterized by certain features and needs to comply with a strict set of requirements.
The main purpose of Academic Writing is to inform the reader, not to entertain. It offers some factual information on a specific topic. That’s why it should be linear, having a main idea or a theme. The following sentences should be structured around this main idea or theme and providing facts or arguments in order to support the main idea.
Academic Writing has some fixed characteristics which should be followed by the author : complexity, formality, precision, objectivity, explicitness, accuracy, hedging and responsibility. An accurate use of vocabulary is a must in a text that strives to be academic. The words that are used are more complicated than those used in conversations. Under no circumstances will academic writing make use of colloquial expression which we use with our colleagues or friends. It should focus on the main theme and offer information about it, that’s why nouns are more used than verbs or adverbs. The author of an Academic text should make it explicit and clear for the reader and that’s why he uses different signal words which make the connection between the paragraphs clearer. Academic writing should be treated with responsibility. Everything stated should be accompanied by proofs and justifications and no assumptions are allowed. Sources should also be mentioned.
In conclusion I can underline that before starting to write an Academic text you should be very carefully, because it requires accuracy, correctness and words in a precise manner. No deviation should be made from these features and they should be kept in mind at all times by anyone attempting to be an academic writer.