Academic writing is a form of communication used to convey knowledge and ideas. It is used in various fields, such as the sciences, humanities, and social sciences. It is typically formal and objective in tone, although in some disciplines, subjectivity is valued. Academic writing can also be aimed at an audience outside the field, such as when writing a grant proposal that will be read by an interdisciplinary committee.
The purpose of academic writing is to explain an idea or research finding and to persuade readers that the explanation or theory is correct. There are three main factors that affect how readers respond to academic writing: audience, purpose, and tone. Before beginning any academic article, it is important to consider who the audience is, what the purpose of the writing is, and what tone will help achieve that purpose for that audience. Most academic writing uses the third-person point of view, which includes pronouns such as she, he, they, and them.
