Being part of the academic world, you must have come across different types of essays and the ways of writing them. But have you come across the fact that the academic assignment writing is also split into informal and formal? While there are some assignments that require calm language and a casual tone, others require students to follow strict formal writing rules.
Writing styles and formats such as research paper format and college paper format should be something students must have command of. So to provide them a helping hand, this article will discuss the main variation element between writing styles to help you learn how to transform your informal writing style into a formal one with just a few tips.
Try to Write As a Third Person
According to the perception with which you are writing, the style, tone, and format of writing are likely to vary. Let’s quickly explore all the reasons and let you know why in formal academic writing third-person narrative is more preferable
Our, We, I – are used for the first-person view. These pronouns are usually used when a writer is writing narration or reflective essays. But the thing to be noted here is that students can use the first-person narrative if their supervisor allows it.
Your and You – are pronouns specifically used for second-person narrative. They are not preferred to be used in academic assignments unless your assignments are about some instructional process.
It and they, she, he – are for the third person narrative and are preferred for academic assignments that require formal writing.
Formal Choice of Words
There’s a reason why every assignment has a word count. You can’t expect an A if you submit 5,000 words instead of 1,000. Make every word count when the essay’s length is constrained.
Synonyms
A formal essay is a perfect opportunity to use your fancy words glossary. Formal wording assists you to seem more professional and detailed, as well as communicate your ideas to your readers in a clear and consistent manner.
But before you head out to find a synonym dictionary to include fancy yet complicated words in your essays, ask yourself the following questions:
- Do I have a good understanding of what this word means?
- Is it clear what I’m trying to say?
- Is it something I’ve ever seen in action?
- Are you sure there aren’t any other terms that convey the same meaning?
If the answer is a resounding “YES”, go ahead with the word. If you’re unsure about the meaning of a word or how to use it correctly, look for an alternative. When you mean “calm,” there’s no need to write “halcyon.”
Look it up in a dictionary even if you’ve seen the word in a book or an article and aren’t sure you understand it.
Usage of Phrasal Verbs
In academic writing, phrasal verbs should be avoided. Your dangling preposition issues are due to them. Furthermore, they change the tone of the document to one that is more personal and informal. Replace phrasal verbs with synonyms to instantly formalize your essay.
Unnecessary Words
It’s tempting to employ crutch words, the written equivalents of “Umm…” and “Ahh…”, when you don’t know what to say. These words add to the text’s word count without adding any meaning to it. In your formal essay, you should seek them out and aggressively wipe them out.
The following are the most common offenders:
- Very
- Always
- Actually
- Really
- Believe
- Think
Use specialized tools or have someone read your formal essay and highlight the words that appear repeatedly. In most circumstances, they can be removed without causing any loss of significance.
Abbreviations
Abbreviations are popular in academic writing. When mentioning them for the first time, provide the entire name and the acronym in brackets. The use of an abbreviation in subsequent uses of the name is possible. The United States of America, the United Kingdom, and NASA are examples of frequent acronyms that don’t need to be expressed in full.
Cliches
In conversation, clichés and cliched figures of speech are OK, but they have no place in professional writing. It may seem like adding color to your work by saying you had to “go back to square one,” “it’s all in a day’s work,” or “it’s all Greek to me,” but your professor/manager will not be impressed. Clichés like “that model is a vast cry from the one we evaluated last week” or “that price was too good to be true” aren’t always clear and can pop up when you least expect them. It’s best to talk simply and clearly so that your reader understands exactly what you’re saying.
No Contractions
Contractions are permissible in speech and casual writing, such as text messages and emails to friends. There should be no contractions in your argumentative or persuasive writings because formal essays require a professional tone. If you want to give your college entrance essay a more personal touch, you can use contractions.
The following is a list of common contractions to avoid in formal writing:
Can’t. Instead, use the words can’t or can’t.
Shouldn’t and wouldn’t be the case. Shouldn’t or wouldn’t write
They’ll do it, and we’ll do it. We’ll either use them or they’ll use us.
It’s. Make sure you’re saying “it is,” not “it is.”
Contractions can get out of hand at times. There is no place in writing where you should employ terms like “y’all’ d’ve,” which is made up of four words: “you all would have.”
Even if you’ve written hundreds of formal essays, there’s always space for improvement. Remember our advice and go over your document one last time, removing contractions, phrasal verbs, and incorrect terminology. Your writing will surprise you with how professional and convincing it can seem. The professor will notice the difference and award you with that all-important A.
Conclusion:
The most common reason why students end up inserting informal words in formal academic assignments is nothing but the fact that they are used to writing like that. From writing messages to friends to sending emails to a newsletter department – everything is informal. This is the main reason why students redeem online services like research proposal service to provide help with dissertation proposal, essays, thesis, and other academic assignments which require formal writing style and tone. But to help students who want to improve and enhance their skills, we have incorporated this article which includes all the tips to add formality to your writing style.