Reading

Academic Research Writing: What is it?

What is Academic Writing? by L. Lennie Irvin

Transcript video 

Most people think introductory college writing courses are merely an extension of the writing courses they took in high school. But for new college students, they’re writing they do in college is different from the writing they are familiar with from high school. College writing often focuses more on research or more deeply on research than students might have experienced previously. And ask students to interpret that research rigorously, ethically, and thoughtfully. The research on which they’re writing in college is based must have a solid foundation. It must go beyond featuring a few particles found in a last minute online search and offer deeper investigation into a topic. Placing multiple credible sources in conversation. College writing also requires critical thinking. Researcher, writer to interpret information and arrange at rhetorically for an audience. When we think about the information received daily, there is research behind it. Scientists use research to support their work. Lawmakers and advertisers use research to support and persuade. Research is everywhere, but it varies in depth, accuracy, timeliness, and reliability. So it’s not always possible to accept something at face value. The ability to discern between credible and effective information and that which is not credible and effective is an important capability to develop for college, but for work and life beyond. In all college classes, almost every workplace and in public and private writing redo, understanding what research involves is paramount. By understanding information and its effect. We have choice. Through research, we become discerning users of information rather than just passive consumers of it.

Assignment

For this assignment, complete the readings above and post a response in less than 250 words to the following questions:

1. What surprises you about academic writing according to the readings? What do you find interesting or problematic, and why?
2. In a few sentences, how would you describe what academic writing is?
3. What kinds of research have you experienced in the past? Have you used search engines to find information, and have you used library resources? What kinds of writing using research have you done in the past?
4. What are you hoping to learn about the research process and about research writing?