Academic Writing: How to Write Academic Papers

This video on academic skills discusses why academic texts are frequently so poorly written and it offers practical advice on how to do better.
Intro: (0:00)
Why academic writing matters: (0:23)
Basic structure: (1:31)
Types of academic writings: (3:13)
Obscure writing: (5:06)
Example of bad writing: (5:33)
Example of good writing: (7:54)
Why academics write poorly: (8:32)
Tips for writing well: (13:11)
Tips for structuring your paper: (15:37)
Conclusion: (19:05)

[@arimalayo]

I'm surprised this video doesn't have over 100k views and likes. It's a masterclass on the subject.

[@florianschneider8144]

Thanks Aristos, that is very kind of you to say.

[@AsiatiqueMedia]

Dr. Schneider, the hero we need, but don't deserve.

[@AJDiamante]

I took a business undergrad but am now working on an MA in a humanities program. This has been really helpful especially since I have absolutely no idea how to write academic papers (because I came from a world of business proposals and financial statements). Thank you!

[@florianschneider8144]

Thanks for the kind words. Glad I could help (especially with the move from business language, which is indeed a whole other world).

[@englishwithmuzammal3596]

Rules: keep it short use clear subjects write active clauses use verbs, not nouns avoid jargons, rhetoric, and colloquialisms In my opinion, academic writers have no soft corner to know if the readers are able to understand the research paper or any scientific paper in which all that you are suggesting is not used sporadically. Long sentences with jargon, complex sentence structure, and rhetoric are the key features of the articles of 'Nature', a reputed science journal, and many others; ergo, students are compelled to follow the same. When students are likely to go through the literature written in the primordial centuries, and they can write in the easy language if they are making out of what is being said, and for that, they have no choice but to follow the same. Your vid has valid points; notwithstanding, it doesn't hold water when it comes to, even, writing essays for IGCSE or GCSE; O or A level, for the fact that teachers encouraging them to use the language - A1 t- C2 - as well as, for references, the reading of those books carrying the most complex language, such as Richard Dawkins, whose book, Once I used for reference, gave me the clear picture of scientific writing if A needs to be seen on my assignments, so was the case with Charles Darwin's book; so writing is, no doubt, dependent on reading that involves vigorous styles. No offense. (confident, worried, and formal) was awarded when I got a peer review of the paragraph written above.

[@melly2094]

This is really helpful! Thank you!

[@lke6320]

Thanks for the instructions! it is helpful!

[@rangapriyadarshiniekanayak6277]

One of the best videos on academic writing

[@florianschneider8144]

Thank you, Ranga. I'm glad you found this helpful.

[@bayakazenz]

This is SO helpful. Thank you!

[@florianschneider8144]

My pleasure! Thanks for the kind words.

[@dodetkotob]

Thank you, this is very helpful

[@florianschneider8144]

Glad I could help!

[@alexandriahormozi4864]

As a master's student who is STRUGGLING to accurately and objectively write my paper, I agree with everything in this video. Academic writing is archaic and needs to change.

[@florianschneider8144]

I'm sorry to hear it's been such a struggle. Clear academic writing really is an art.

[@teresatosompark6421]

This video is so underrated! Thousands of like from me. ❤🧡💛💚💙💜

[@florianschneider8144]

Thanks, that's very kind of you.

[@swerahoorain882]

Very Informative video, Thank you:)

[@florianschneider8144]

That's very kind of you to say, thanks. Glad it was helpful.

[@shyammadan7614]

Thank you so much for sharing

[@florianschneider8144]

Thanks for watching!

[@RealElites]

"China is propagandizing" is more statement of accusation, than the passive statement of "China was found to be propagandizing," which implies an evidence-based conclusion.

[@christophmahler]

The *'trivium'* of the 'dark ages': 1. *Grammar* - _how to speak and write a proper sentence_ . 2. *Dialectic* - _how to view a subject from different angles and how to come to a conclusion_ . 3. *Rhetoric* - _how to speak and write in a way that engages an audience, according to their customs_ . The _'Quadrivium'_ - _the study of the natural world in relation to mathematics_ is only accessible after having mastered what is _trivial_ . Of course, we have 'progressed', past the *'liberal arts'* to where modern society stands today...

[@user-fv9ln2sp5i]

📌📌💙💙helpful

[@florianschneider8144]

My pleasure. :)

[@englishwithmuzammal3596]

Well, I do understand both sentences and the words supposed to be the challenging ones in your vid; but it is not about understanding the difficult words or sentences. There are many words you might have no idea of: Galimatias - parlous - meritocracy - badinage - plashy - limerence - lustrum - lachrymose - uitwaaien - harbinger -diegetic - holophrases - fantabulous - alembic - torrential - shibboleth - grouse - ad hockery- flocculent - belly-wash - cause celebre - macaronic - inaugurate - mammonism - inextricably - beamish - Terrene - ergo - discombobulate - umbrageous - bunkum. The real reason for writing academic writing is just trying to present a piece of writing not inviting extra attention than required, irrelevance, and preciseness, then it doesn't matter if the write use jargons, complex sentence structure, or challenging wording. When we read the rubrics, the words used have all that is being asked to avoid in your video. It is just a mere point of view. Good Luck.

[@user-oi6ex7le1s]

What?

[@jimsimpson59]

★★★★★

[@LHydro]

If a foreign language speaker is doing finance/health or service work, notice they usually speak better than fluent English speakers as they’re more concise. They know less words, they remain positive yet honest, they speak the things that are necessary🫶🏻 me on the other hand, I say WAY too much🙄 I once had a professor that wanted me to state things verbatim. He thought I needed to tell and not show. Mofo, no. He failed me. I had a mental breakdown. Went to a different school for better things so I can learn how to write a new story. Although now I’m in a math/science degree and not art (creative writing) or psychology (entails mostly soft science, eek). Now? Writing discussions, essays, + proofs if I can make it to them.

[@florianschneider8144]

Thanks for sharing. I'm happy you found a home for your writing. And: good point about folks in health/service etc. Much like journalists, they have much better incentives than academics to keep things simple and concise.

[@LHydro]

@@florianschneider8144 true. There is a lot of limiting of information to keep people hooked. I hope to write for myself over the American factories sooner than later but I need stability first.