It doesn’t matter what major you’re engaged in and what career you hope to build after graduation. Writing is always part of the process. Whether you’re into exact sciences or humanities, you will be required to compose essays, book reviews, articles, lab reports, term papers, and presentations to succeed in a class. Each project requires in-depth research and strong prose. If you can’t boast of both, it’s time to do something. Keep on reading to see what you can do to upgrade your academic writing step by step.
Dive into the Art of Citation
Unfortunately, writing a college essay or capstone project is just half the battle. Every assignment you encounter on your academic journey requires different citation styles. Things like MLA, APA, Turabian, Chicago, and others should be familiar to you from A to Z if you want to rock your next paper. Before you start writing, familiarize yourself with all the paper requirements to make sure you use the right style throughout your piece. If, at some point, you feel like stuck and some citation rules don’t seem to be clear, a competent writer at some reputed essay writing service could clarify things pretty fast. Or, as an alternative, citation generators like EndNote or Zotero could save the day, too.
Ask for Professional Feedback
Don’t hesitate to ask your friends, tutors, professors, or even family members for feedback on your writing. However, make sure to talk to someone who can boast of high-quality prose. They can provide some valuable insights and show you the sections of the text where any sort of improvement is needed.
Join Writing Groups
A lot of colleges and universities can boast of having study groups that students join to stay on track with their studies, get motivated to learn, find new friends, and boost their skills in their chosen field of study. Look for writing groups too! If your alma mater can boast of having a writing group(s), join it! Or, perhaps, they offer some workshops where you can enjoy friendly communication, share your prose, and receive constructive criticism.
Never Stop Practicing
Just like singing, working out, painting, or any other skill, writing is about non-stop practicing. Write regularly no matter what! Whether it’s just a social media post, blogging, journaling, crafting a college essay, or doing something more significant like writing a novel, having regular writing sessions will help you get more confident in your prose and proficient in the chosen niche.
Read Your Texts Out Loud
When you’re done with a college paper, it is far too easy to skip some mistakes, especially taking into account the fact that you have been staring at your document for hours (or days!). That is when reading out loud helps! Now that the job is done, put your paper aside for a couple of hours (or days!) and let your eyes have some rest. Have a nap, do a workout, watch TV – do anything to switch your attention from your prose to something else. Then get back to your work to read it out loud. Thus, you will be able to detect all unclear issues and mistakes and, as a result, boost your writing style by listening to your text and improving it along the way.
Don’t Include Short Forms
Regardless of the type of academic assignment you work on, short forms are taboo. For example, things like “them” cannot be replaced with “em” just like “that is” shouldn’t be written like “i.e.” Write complete words with proper grammar and punctuation instead.
Read Regularly
If you make sure to read regularly and dive into different genres, you will have a chance to absorb different vocabulary, styles, ideas, etc. Your regular reading sessions will help you broaden your perspective on the world of different authors and genres. Plus, you will have a unique chance to find out what your unique writing style is and get inspired for your own writing.
Work on Your Vocabulary
Armed with a rich vocabulary, you will be able to express your thoughts and ideas in a more vivid and precise way. As you deal with texts, make a habit of writing down interesting words to learn them and use in your projects. If you need effective ways to retain new vocabulary, try digital techniques, like Anki apps or flashcards. At the same time, make sure to stay away from making your prose too complicated. The goal of academic writing is to produce clear and jargon-free texts.
Boosting the quality of your English writing in the niche of academia is a journey that never stops. Not only do you have to be dedicated and practice as much as possible, but you also have to make reading part of your routine. Look for feedback and hone your vocabulary, communicate with professionals, and be patient. Becoming a better writer is not something that takes a day or two. With consistent effort, you will get there!