Sometimes professors can get extremely picky when it comes to academic writing. Of course, there are some common rules that all learners have to follow. At the same time, every classroom can establish its own guidelines and set of rubrics. Your grade might depend on every little thing, especially in case your teacher is very demanding.
Students have enough homework as it is without the impossible demands of their professors. On the other hand, every educator tends to think that their class is the most crucial in the program. So, the faster you learn about every possible unspoken rule of essay writing, the faster you will receive better grades! It’s better to know all these things at the beginning of the semester.
Some learners prefer using all the tools available to them while getting their diploma. There is no shame in looking for essay writing help if you are not sure you can follow every guideline in your paper. Expert writers can guarantee that they will present the best academic paper according to the highest standards of the industry!
Still not sure that you can handle the pressure of crafting a perfect project? Here are five unspoken rules of academic writing you need to know!
All papers should be written in third person
In most cases, your teacher will ask you to provide an analysis of the previously learned material through the lens of your own thoughts. Yet, this doesn’t mean that the reader wants to know your personal opinion!
You won’t find the words ‘I’ or ‘you’ in a formal paper or a peer-reviewed article. These pronouns are emitted on purpose, so be careful with structuring your sentences! It’s always better to appeal to facts instead of your personal thoughts in a formal piece of writing.
Try to avoid any rhetorical questions
Sure, most essays are based on questions, and you are to find the answers. On the other hand, asking a rhetorical question that leads nowhere and adds nothing to the paper. That should be avoided in academic writing. Readers don’t want to see some open-ended queries in a formal paper because the writer should provide the answers. Usually, statements make an even bigger impact this way!
Don’t use contractions, unknown abbreviations, and redundant phrases
Some say that everything that you use in a spoken language can’t be used in academic writing. When looking for essay services review, pay attention to the way that your potential writer communicates. You might be surprised how experts can change their writing style from an informal conversation to a formal project!
Let’s take a closer look at these unspoken rules of academic writing and why such an informal tone is not appropriate here:
- contractions are appropriate when you are talking to another person because they save some time. You don’t need to speed up your communication with the reader on paper.
- you should use abbreviations only after explaining what they mean. Your audience might not be familiar with the subject of your paper, so you should provide some clarification to avoid confusion.
- redundancy is a huge problem for those students who try to fill up the space of the paper. Usually, professors specify the minimum number of pages for their learners. You can write more if you want but try to avoid any repetition. The only thing that you should be restating is your thesis at the beginning and the end of your paper.
Learn how to spell out numbers
Sometimes professors don’t really explain the specifics of the papers and what they are looking for exactly. Students can get their essays back and discover that their grade has been lowered because of a little technical mistake. There are some unspoken rules about writing down numbers when it comes to academic essays. Here are some examples of these distinctions:
- numbers from 0 to 9 should be written as words;
- numbers from 10 and onwards can be written in numerals;
- percentages are always written in numerals;
- fractions and grades are spelled out with words;
- chapters and tables are numbered with numerals.
Don’t start and end sentences with prepositions
This is also a part of a more informal and relaxed conversation. Some teachers say that this is not proper grammar that can be used in academic writing. There is something that you can do to avoid this mistake. First of all, every learner needs to proofread their papers before turning them in. This way, you can restructure those sentences that don’t fit the brief.
Takeaway
Now you know 5 unspoken rules of academic writing! Creating a perfect formal paper is not an easy task for anybody. First-year students are not aware of these guidelines, especially when their professors don’t provide them with a rubric. Don’t worry though, you’ll get the hang of writing academic essays in no time! And your grades won’t have to suffer as well.