6 Academic Writing Myths to Avoid

Academic writing is an intricate task. Add to this the troublesome misconception surrounding it and things seem much more unwelcoming than they already are. Almost every high-school student, college student, and/or research scholar has come across and maybe fallen for certain writing myths and burdened themselves with unneeded knowledge. In this article, we will look at 6 common myths that you should avoid in academic writing.

03.12.2021

6 Academic Writing Myths to Avoid

This article discusses the most common writing myths that you should avoid in academic writing. To give you an opportunity to practice proofreading, we have left a few spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors in the text. See if you can spot them! If you spot the errors correctly, you will be entitled to a 10% discount.

Academic writing is an intricate task. Add to this the troublesome misconception surrounding it and things seem much more unwelcoming than they already are. Almost every high-school student, college student, and/or research scholar has come across and maybe fallen for certain writing myths and burdened themselves with unneeded knowledge.

In this article, we will look at some of the common myths, analyze them and see how you can avoid or rectify them. Before sitting down to write an essay, assignment, or research manuscript, it is crucial to be wary of rumors that can hinder the writing process. Below we have a list of the 6 most prevalent myths that you should avoid in academic writing.

1. Avoid needless complexity and do not use long words needlessly

A study of Princeton University (2005) related a reader’s assessment of a written work based on its comprehensibility. Analysis of the manipulation check conducted in the study showed that more complex texts were more difficult to read. He claimed that ‘‘people’s naïve theories of fluency tend to lead them to negatively associate complexity and intelligence. The most straightforward of these is that authors should avoid needless complexity.’’ Thus, while writing academic papers, make sure to use words according to their usefulness rather than their rareness.

2. Ornate language is needed for good grades

The belief that using obscure phrases, literary devices, and the ilk will improve the writing quality is flawed. Using flowery language embellished with textual ornaments might make it look beautiful, but it only escalates the abstruseness of the text. Hence, make certain to use language that’s easy to read and comprehend.

3. State your thesis in concrete terms

A thesis statement is an important part of an academic essay and, as such, should convey the argument precisely. However, this doesn’t mean that it should solely direct the entire flow of the thesis.

Also, writing a concise thesis statement doesn’t mean consolidating the entire thesis into a short sentence. Short sentences work for short theses, but not for ones that exceed 1000 words.

Starting with a concrete thesis statement and polishing it as the writing progresses is a much more viable process.

A thesis statement can range anywhere between 20 to 50 words. Thus, instead of cramming everything in, say, 25 words, use the entire 50 words to write a thesis statement that’s brief yet exhaustive.

4. Using the first-person pronoun “I” might reduce a research paper’s credibility

Using personal pronouns in some situations is discouraged in academic papers. Although there is no universal rule against the use of the first person in academic writing, writers are often discouraged from using the first-person pronouns and we in their writing, and the most common reason given for this is that readers may regard such writing as being subjective, whereas science is all about objectivity. Besides, The Scientist’s Handbook for Writing Papers and Dissertations claims that in using the third person, the author conveys that anyone else considering the same evidence would come to the same conclusion. The first person should be reserved for stating personal opinions only.

Also, the usage of “I” is contestable and its inclusion in an academic work depends on how it’s used. Using “I” in an argument doesn’t work as well as it works in mentioning a personal experience. Hence, it is always best to replace your pronouns with the intended/exact referents.

5. Exceptional knowledge of grammar is necessary for academic writing

Academic writing entails writing texts that impart a writer’s knowledge to the world. Simply holding back because you don't have a certain level of grammatical prowess is not the right attitude. Instead, you can use other means to rectify your grammatical mistakes once you have written your manuscript. You can always use the help of your professors, friends, or online services to ensure the grammatical correctness of your manuscript.

Academic writing myths

6. Avail professional editing and proofreading services

As we always mention, it is common for humans to make mistakes. There’s always a possibility that you might skip some crucial parts of the writing process. In academic writing, editing and proofreading services ensure the credibility of the content. There can be several mistakes related to grammar, punctuation, syntax, sentence construction, and other minor errors.

Though you may consider using some grammar checkers to review your work, the fact is that no software tool can currently detect every grammatical problem accurately.

Consulting an expert for amending such errors doesn’t only save your time but also ensures consistency and error-free writing in your dissertation.

Moreover, if your manuscript is traced with some major mistakes, an editor or a proofreader plays an exceptional role in editing the part and rewriting it for you. Where proofreading deals with grammar, spelling, punctuation, and other minor errors, editing deals with the analysis and core amendments, including formatting, referencing, and many more. Irrespective of native or non-native speakers, it is a smart decision to seek assistance from experts.

While seasoned academic writers can edit and proofread their manuscripts, it’s not a common trait, especially among newly started writers.

Many online editing and proofreading services have a team of professional writers who know the jargon and best practices of all types of academic writing. These professionals ensure that your work checks all the right boxes. Having them improve your manuscript ensures that it has the right tone, grammar, context, and readability.

Conclusions

As is the case with every field or industry, academic writing is rife with myths and rumors. Some have been in existence for generations while others pop up as and when the writing landscape changes. But one thing that they all hold in common is their diabolic effect on students.

Thus, before you set out to believe any writing rule, conduct some research and figure out if it is a myth or some statute that you need to take care to write a good manuscript. 

If you need us to make your manuscript shine, contact us unhesitatingly!

Best Edit & Proof expert editors and proofreaders focus on offering manuscripts with proper tone, content, and style of academic writing, and also provide an upscale editing and proofreading service for you. If you consider our pieces of advice, you will witness a notable increase in the chance for your research manuscript to be accepted by the publishers. We work together as an academic writing style guide by bestowing subject-area editing and proofreading around several categorized writing styles. With the group of our expert editors, you will always find us all set to help you identify the tone and style that your manuscript needs to get a nod from the publishers.

English manuscript formatting service

You can also avail of our assistance if you are looking for editors who can format your manuscript, or just check on the particular styles for the formatting task as per the guidelines provided to you, e.g., APA, MLA, or Chicago/Turabian styles. Best Edit & Proof editors and proofreaders provide all sorts of academic writing help, including editing and proofreading services, using our user-friendly website, and a streamlined ordering process.

Get a free quote for editing and proofreading now!

Visit our order page if you want our subject-area editors or language experts to work on your manuscript to improve its tone and style and give it a perfect academic tone and style through proper editing and proofreading. The process of submitting a paper is very easy and quick. Click here to find out how it works.

Our pricing is based on the type of service you avail of here, be it editing or proofreading. We charge on the basis of the word count of your manuscript that you submit for editing and proofreading and the turnaround time it takes to get it done. If you want to get an instant price quote for your project, copy and paste your document or enter your word count into our pricing calculator.

Academic writing myths

24/7 customer support | Live support

Contact us to get support with academic editing and proofreading. We have a 24/7 active live chat mode to offer you direct support along with qualified editors to refine and furbish your manuscript.

Academic writing myths

Stay tuned for updated information about editing and proofreading services!

Follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn,  Facebook, Instagram, and Medium.

For more posts, click here. 

They Also Read

Academic Writing Academic Publishing
7 Steps to Publishing in a Scientific Journal
03.12.2021

Writing and publishing a scientific research paper require more than just bookish knowledge. Every year, thousands of scientists and researchers strive to publish their research papers in suitable journals, but many of them fail without following proper guidelines. In this quick guide, intended for graduate students and other young scholars, we identify 7 common pitfalls and offer helpful solutions to prepare more impactful papers.

Continue Reading
Academic Writing
Dependent and Independent Variables | Overview & Examples
03.12.2021

Academic and research works are tenacious studies that include specifics. Therefore, you will come across various terms and phrases that you need to keep in mind while working around. Naturally, it can get overwhelming. However, once you understand the concept, the overall process becomes very easy to work with. This article will focus on dependent and independent variables and discuss what they are, how to determine dependent and independent variables and their uses in academic writing.

Continue Reading
Academic Writing
Types of Academic Writing: Language Features | Purposes
03.12.2021

For every academic scholar, whether a high school student or a doctoral candidate, understanding the different types of academic writing and knowing when and how to implement them is crucial. Academic writing is broadly classified into 4 distinct categories: analytical, descriptive, persuasive, and critical writing. Each of these categories has certain defining features and different purposes; however, an academic document can feature the usage of more than one of these types in conjunction.

Continue Reading
Academic Writing Formatting Microsoft Tools
How to Use Track-Changes Feature in Microsoft Word 2021
03.12.2021

Track changes function in Microsoft Word 2021 for macOS is a very handy tool to track your revisions, corrections, changes, edits, and even suggestions and comments while you’re reviewing a document. When an editor or proofreader wants to return a revised document to a client with his/her all revisions visibly marked, and so clients can accept or reject, or the suggested changes appear in the margins of the returned document, he/she needs Track Changes function of Microsoft Word.

Continue Reading
Academic Writing
5 Common Academic Writing Problems | How to Deal with Them
03.12.2021

Writing for academic purposes demands extreme finesse. It is not just the language that should be exemplary. Even the diction, the tone, and the context of the text should be on point. However, the path to achieving this finesse is a troublesome one. Many scholars, while treading this path, come across a myriad of academic writing problems that they find it too cumbersome to overcome. These problems can concern their language skills, research capabilities, or lack of awareness regarding their field of study. The purpose of this article is to address some of these recurring academic writing problems and suggest ways to deal with them.

Continue Reading
Academic Writing Dissertation & Thesis
5 Common Mistakes When Writing a Thesis or Dissertation
03.12.2021

While composing a thesis or dissertation, a student must experience some predicted traps. Falling into these traps can affect one’s academic career. However, handling potential blunders and pitfalls wisely, while developing a thesis, can lead you to success. The process of writing may be frustrating but learning about the probable pitfalls may ease your stress. Here, we bring you the list of the most common mistakes we have noticed as a professional proofreading and editing service provider.

Continue Reading
Academic Writing Researching Statistics
How to Determine Central Tendency
03.12.2021

Finding a dataset's middle or average is critical and involves measuring central tendency. The central tendency's most common measures include the mode, median, and mean. The mode is the most repeated measure in a data set.

Continue Reading