1c Positioning yourself as an academic writer
Contents:
Establishing authority
Being direct
Establishing authority
In the United States, most instructors expect student writers to begin to establish their own authority—to become constructive critics who can analyze and interpret the work of others and can eventually create new knowledge based on their own thinking and on what others have said. But what does establishing your authority mean in practice?
- Assume that your opinions count (as long as they are informed rather than tossed out with little thought) and that your audience expects you to present them in a well-reasoned manner. In class discussion, for example, you can build authority by stating an opinion clearly and then backing it up with evidence.
- Draw conclusions based on what you have heard, observed, and read, and then offer those conclusions in a clear and straightforward way.
- Build your authority by citing the works of others, both from the reading you have done for class and from good points your instructor and classmates have made.
Being direct
Your instructors will often expect you to get to your main point quickly and to be direct throughout your project. Good academic writing prepares readers for what is coming next, provides definitions, and identifies clear topics and transitions. Research for this book confirms that readers depend on writers to organize and present their material in ways that aid understanding. To achieve directness in your writing, try the following strategies:
- State your main point early and clearly; don’t leave anything to the reader’s imagination.
- Avoid overqualifying your statements. Instead of writing I think the facts reveal, come right out and say The facts reveal.
- Avoid digressions. If you use an anecdote or example from personal experience, be sure it relates directly to your main point.
- Make sure to use examples and concrete details to help support your main point. Choose evidence that helps readers understand and offers proof that what you are saying is sensible and worthy of attention (9f).
- Make your transitions from point to point obvious and clear. The first sentence of a new paragraph should reach back to the paragraph before and then look forward to what is to come (5f).
- Guide readers through your writing by using effective and varied sentences that link together smoothly (Chapters 50–53).
- If your project is long or complex, consider brief summary statements between sections, but be careful to avoid unnecessary repetition.
- Design the project appropriately for the audience and purpose you have in mind (Chapter 16).