Some Common Kinds of Academic Writing Assignments table outlines the purpose, real life audience, tone of writing and structural features of some assignments. It will give [students] a start “This when [they] are trying to work out what style of writing [they] should try to produce. Task Purpose Audience Tone Structure Answer a question Peers Factual Intro Present an argument Academic community Concise Body based on facts Logical flow Conclusion Clear structure Usually without headings Active voice Lab/prac To explain what you did Peers Past Intro report To draw conclusions Researchers wanting to Step by step Methods replicate Clear Results Objective Discussion Passive voice (IMRD) - headings Case Examine a situation Professionals - not always Factual Numbered headings study Identify positives and academics Authoritative Table of contents (report) negatives Politicians Concise Executive summary Make recommendations Public Easy to follow Review Evaluate or critique the Peers Analytical No headings of an data, research methods Interested people in your Evaluative Brief summary article and results profession Present tense Comment on quality of work Active Identify key ideas across Researchers Formal Intro, body, conclusion review literature Academics Objective without headings Understand current Fellow professionals Tentative Explanation of similarities and thinking opinions based on differences plus critical Find a 'gap' for research text comment Identify key articles on a Researchers Formal Title of work listed topic Academics Objective alphabetically by author Fellow professionals
Some Common Kinds of Academic Writing Assignments “This table outlines the purpose, real life audience, tone of writing and structural features of some assignments. It will give [students] a start when [they] are trying to work out what style of writing [they] should try to produce. Task Purpose Audience Tone Structure Answer a question Present an argument based on facts Peers Academic community Factual Concise Logical flow Clear structure Active voice Intro Body Conclusion Usually without headings Lab/prac report To explain what you did To draw conclusions Peers Researchers wanting to replicate Past Step by step Clear Objective Passive voice Intro Methods Results Discussion (IMRD) - headings Case study (report) Examine a situation Identify positives and negatives Make recommendations Professionals - not always academics Politicians Public Factual Authoritative Concise Easy to follow Numbered headings Table of contents Executive summary Review of an article Evaluate or critique the data, research methods and results Peers Interested people in your profession Analytical Evaluative Present tense Active No headings Brief summary Comment on quality of work review Identify key ideas across literature Understand current thinking Find a 'gap' for research Researchers Academics Fellow professionals Formal Objective Tentative opinions based on text Intro, body, conclusion without headings Explanation of similarities and differences plus critical comment Identify key articles on a topic Researchers Academics Fellow professionals Formal Objective Title of work listed alphabetically by author
Some%20Common%20Kinds%20of%20Academic%20Writing%20Assignments.docx