Understand
the basic characteristics of an academic audience.
Learn how
to appeal to that audience in your writing.
Understand
the importance of learning to write for the academic audience.
Who is the
Academic Audience?
At one time,
you might have gone through college without needing to be a good writer.
Back then, most heavy-duty writing courses were confined to English
and some social studies courses. This meant that a student majoring
in biology or engineering could earn a 'D' or a 'C' in Freshman English,
and then never have to write anything beyond a short lab report. Students
who were good in science and math could make very good grades in all
their other courses, and likely wouldn't have to write any more papers
to complete their programs of study. Even in cases where they had
to write, they often were graded on their thoughts and ideas rather
than on their ability to express those ideas effectively.
Things are different
now. What happened? Employers and professional associations who hire
college graduates began to realize the importance of written communication.
A scientist may be brilliant, but if s/he can't express ideas in a
way that multiple audiences can understand, s/he will be ineffective
on the job. In response to this problem, employers have encouraged
colleges to make writing a larger part of the curriculum for all areas
of study. Now a large variety of courses are "writing intensive,"
even in the sciences. Not only do these courses require a minimum
number of essays and research papers per semester, but they have also
replaced multiple-choice tests with essay questions and short-answer
exams.
What does all
this mean for you? It means that you probably will be writing not
only in your English and Composition classes, but also in science
and social science courses. In each of these cases you will be writing
for a professor—that is, for an academic audience. Since most
of your writing as a student will be for an academic audience, it
is helpful to understand this group of readers better.
Professors, of
course, form one segment of the academic audience. Their writing assignments
most often are designed to get you to research and understand a subject
differently than you could simply from reading about it in a book.
Beyond that goal, professors often assign writing to test your knowledge,
skills, or abilities. Though professors form the core of the academic
audience, this audience may include other people as well. For instance,
you might have to write a grant or scholarship application for your
campus financial aid officer. Or, you might want to write a formal
letter to your dean, your academic advisor, or the chairperson of
your department. All these people form part of the academic audience,
and all of them will expect your writing to be of high quality.
It's easy to
see who the academic audience is: It's everyone you communicate with
on a professional basis on your college campus. In order to succeed,
you must know what this audience expects, and how to meet those expectations.
Exercise
In the
text box below, list all of the courses you have taken that
required some form of writing. For each course you list, list
the number of papers you wrote and the number of essay or short-answer
tests you took (just estimate if you can't remember.) Then answer
these questions:
What
did your professor expect from your papers?
What
did it take for you to get full credit on your short answer
questions?
What
did it take for you to get full credit on your essay tests?
What
grades did you get on your writing-based assignments?
After you
finish reading this lesson, return to this list to see if you
could have improved your grades if you knew your audience's
expectations better.
Appealing
to the Academic Audience
Remember that
the academic audience is just like every other audience in one important
way—to write for it effectively, you must appeal to its interests
and needs. Let's look at the general characteristics of the academic
audience so you can see who they are and what they want. Listed below
you'll find some of the qualities an academic audience values:
They value
thorough and careful research
They look
for interested and genuine questioning about the subject matter
They respect
writers who try to add something to the conversation about a subject
They value
precision in thought
They insist
that arguments be supported by evidence
They expect
clear and concise writing
They expect
good proofreading and don't like spelling or grammar errors
They hope
for a mature, academic voice
They require
accurate source documentation
Exercise
Now that
we've reviewed what an academic audience likes in a writer,
think about what they don't like to see. What kinds of things
would disappoint or offend an academic reader? List as many
as you can in the text box below and explain how they might
give the academic reader a negative perception of the writer.
When you are finished, click the Compare button to see our suggestions:
At first glance,
it might appear that the academic audience is very hard to please!
Don't worry, though; readers in the academic community really require
nothing more than other audiences. Know your subject, do thorough
research, write clearly and consistently, organize your points logically
and use an appropriate style—you'll do just fine. Below you'll
find specific tips about writing for the academic audience:
Conduct
Research - Research doesn't necessarily mean burying yourself
in the library for days on end. It can mean asking your professor
questions, taking good notes in class or interviewing someone. On
other occasions, it does mean going to the library and finding the
facts that you need. Don't dread it— think of it as a treasure
hunt. Your professor will be pleased if you come back with a paper
backed with researched evidence—-it means you made an effort
to learn from those who came before you, and that's how knowledge
builds.
Genuinely
Question the Subject Matter - Your professor wants to know that
you truly searched for the essence of the subject. It's easy for
a professor to tell when a student has put time and thought into
a writing project, and has asked really searching questions about
the subject matter. This means that you need to take a personal
interest in your topic and ask questions that are important to you.
Add to
the Conversation - An academic conversation is a continuing
dialogue among people who study and question the same subject. If
you've done your research and genuinely questioned the subject matter,
you've put yourself in a position where you can add new insights
to the conversation about the subject. Your professor wants you
to engage in the conversation, and he or she will be looking for
those insights.
Be Precise
- Nothing turns an academic audience off more quickly than lack
of precision. Precision means clearly stating your subject, and
presenting your opinions and discoveries in a straightforward and
unambiguous way. Often, doing so means that you must revise your
writing several times to shape your thesis and to clarify your supporting
points.
Support
your Arguments - Academic writing requires that you back up
your statements and arguments with supporting evidence. Without
evidence, your argument becomes a simple assertion of your opinion.
With evidence, your opinion is backed up by supportive details like
facts, numbers, and examples. Your professor wants you to take a
stand, but also to defend your stand with evidence.
Be Clear
- Write what you mean to say! Choose your words carefully with the
intent to genuinely communicate with your readers. Ask other readers
to read or listen to your writing before you turn it in. Use these
other readers to let you know where your writing is potentially
confusing.
Proofread
your copy - Copyreading is the final step in the writing process,
but to an academic audience it's one of the most important. Checking
your work for good grammar, accurate word choice and usage, and
perfect spelling helps the reader understand what you are saying,
and shows that you care about your work.
Write
with an Academic Voice - You have to talk to each audience in
the voice of its members. The academic community has a more formal
voice and uses particular vocabulary for different disciplines.
Get to know the academic voice of your discipline by reading articles
and books written by your professors. Think about how their voice
differs from less formal speech and writing, and try to emulate
that voice when you write.
Document
Sources Correctly - If you borrow information and evidence from
other sources, let your professor know by quoting and paraphrasing
accurately and by documenting the sources. Learn what style of documentation
your professor prefers and use it appropriately.
Summary
The academic
audience is just like any other audience—it has certain needs
and expectations. When you write for an academic audience, it's your
job to meet those needs. You're obligated as a writer and as a member
of the academic community to join the conversation and become an active
participant. Your rewards are that you'll learn more and understand
your college subjects more deeply.
