Writing Guide

Academic Writing Style Guide

Master the conventions of academic writing for UK universities. From tone and structure to citations and formatting, everything you need to excel.

Structure

Learn proper essay and dissertation formatting

Style

Master academic tone and language

Citations

Reference properly in all major styles

Core Writing Principles

Foundation elements of effective academic writing

Clarity and Precision

Use clear, concise language that conveys your ideas without ambiguity

Avoid unnecessarily complex vocabulary

Use active voice where appropriate

Define technical terms on first use

Keep sentences under 25 words when possible

Formal Academic Tone

Maintain objectivity and professionalism throughout your writing

Use third person perspective

Avoid contractions (don't, can't, won't)

Eliminate colloquialisms and slang

Present arguments objectively

Critical Analysis

Demonstrate analytical thinking rather than just describing

Evaluate evidence rather than just presenting it

Compare different perspectives

Draw connections between concepts

Support claims with credible sources

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Learn from typical errors that can weaken your academic writing

Mistake

Using first person inappropriately

Correct

"This essay argues that..." instead of "I think that..."

Why:

Academic writing emphasises ideas over personal opinions

Mistake

Informal language and contractions

Correct

"cannot" instead of "can't", "substantial" instead of "big"

Why:

Formal language maintains academic credibility

Mistake

Weak thesis statements

Correct

"This analysis demonstrates three critical factors..." instead of "This essay is about..."

Why:

Strong thesis statements guide the reader and show analytical depth

Mistake

Poor paragraph structure

Correct

Topic sentence → Evidence → Analysis → Link to thesis

Why:

Structured paragraphs improve clarity and logical flow

UK Citation Styles

Choose the right referencing style for your subject area

Harvard

3 subjects

Most common in UK universities

Example:

(Smith, 2023, p.15)

BusinessSocial SciencesPsychology

OSCOLA

2 subjects

Standard for legal writing

Example:

Smith (n 1) 15

LawLegal Studies

APA

3 subjects

Common in psychology and sciences

Example:

(Smith, 2023, p.15)

PsychologyEducationSciences

MLA

3 subjects

Used in humanities

Example:

(Smith 15)

LiteratureEnglishHistory

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