Academic Writing Style: How to Write Formally

What is academic writing style?

Academic writing style refers to the conventions of language, tone, and presentation expected in scholarly work at university level. It differs from informal writing, such as emails or personal blogs, in its precision, objectivity, and reliance on evidence. Mastering academic style is essential because even strong arguments lose credibility when expressed in inappropriate language.

If you need support with your academic writing at any level, GradeQuill's editing and proofreading service includes a review of academic style, tone, and language.

Formal language and tone

Academic writing requires formal language throughout. This means avoiding contractions (use "do not" rather than "don't"), colloquialisms ("a lot" should be "a considerable number" or "significantly"), slang, and emotionally charged language. The tone should be measured, objective, and precise.

Formal language does not mean unnecessarily complex vocabulary. The goal is precision, not impressiveness. A sentence that communicates clearly in simple language is stronger than one that obscures its meaning with unnecessary complexity. As a general principle: if a simpler word says the same thing, use it.

Objectivity and the third person

Academic writing is generally written in the third person rather than the first person. Instead of "I argue that" or "I think", write "it is argued that" or "this essay contends that". This maintains an objective tone and distances the argument from personal opinion, which is appropriate in scholarly writing where claims must be supported by evidence rather than personal conviction.

There are exceptions, some disciplines, particularly education and nursing, encourage first-person reflective writing. Always check your module guidelines before defaulting to either approach.

Precision and clarity

Every sentence in an academic essay should communicate one clear idea. Vague statements, "many scholars argue that education is important", lack the specificity required in academic writing. Precise statements, "a growing body of research indicates that formative assessment significantly improves student learning outcomes (Black and Wiliam, 2009)", are attributable, verifiable, and defensible.

Avoid ambiguous pronoun references (if "this" or "it" refers to something three sentences back, clarify), undefined abbreviations, and overly long sentences that attempt to express multiple ideas simultaneously. If a sentence exceeds approximately 35 words, consider whether it can be broken into two.

Hedging and qualification

Academic writing uses hedging language to qualify claims and reflect the degree of certainty warranted by the evidence. Phrases such as "this suggests", "the evidence indicates", "it appears that", "to a considerable extent", and "it could be argued" signal epistemic caution and demonstrate intellectual precision.

Hedging is not the same as vagueness. A hedged claim can still be specific and well-supported, "this study suggests a statistically significant relationship between sleep deprivation and memory recall" is both hedged and precise. Avoid unqualified absolute claims ("this proves that…") unless the evidence genuinely supports certainty. For further guidance on critical analysis, read our article on what is critical analysis.

Avoiding common style errors

Common academic writing style errors include: using passive voice excessively (some passive is appropriate; too much makes prose difficult to follow); switching between tenses without cause; using "etc." (list what you mean explicitly); beginning sentences with "However" or "Also" without a preceding clause to contrast or add to; and using "very", "quite", "rather", and other vague intensifiers.

British English spelling conventions should be used consistently in work submitted to UK institutions: "organisation" not "organization", "analyse" not "analyze", "behaviour" not "behavior". Mixed spelling conventions suggest inconsistency and attract unnecessary mark deductions. For support with grammar, style, and spelling, GradeQuill's proofreading service checks for all of these issues systematically.