Academic writing is the main way universities share knowledge and ideas.
Academic writing has developed its own conventions over time, shaped by the need for clarity, evidence, and shared standards. These conventions - such as using references, structuring arguments, and writing in a formal style - help ensure that ideas can be communicated, tested, and built upon by others. You can see many of these protocols at work in scholarly articles, which model how researchers introduce questions, review existing work, present evidence, and draw conclusions. Underpinning these conventions are the fundamental principles of academic integrity.
Unlike everyday writing, academic writing is structured, evidence-based, and critically reflective. It shows that you can engage with existing research, develop your own arguments, and present them in a way that others can understand and build upon. No matter the subject, academic writing is about making your thinking visible and contributing to the building of knowledge. Its purpose goes beyond just completing assignments—it helps you learn how to think critically, communicate clearly, and join wider conversations in your field.
Of course, the writing you do at University may not be what we traditionally think of as academic writing - essays and dissertations - it may also include artist statements, critical reviews, manifestos, and reflective writing, for example. The purpose of this guide is to provide you with some general guidance around writing conventions and academic style.
Important Note: Your course and assignment brief will give you information about how you are expected to tackle a particular piece of written work. It is crucial that you follow any specific instructions that you are given - there is a great deal of variation between different subject disciplines and the ways in which they follow convention (or not!).
Academic Writing has a number of distinctive features:
