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Academic Writing

Peter Jones explains why an academic essay cannot be built on your thoughts and convictions.

Academic writing is not for everyone. It is a complicated process that requires many unique skills and in-depth knowledge of the topic. However, one of the most controversial things regarding conducting academic research is that sometimes it is not the person but the subject that is complicated to study. Indeed, there are, in general, five cohorts of themes that even the most experienced writer would find hard to dwell on. That sounds interesting.

No Empirical and Statistical Evidence Present

What is the very first requirement in all the instructions for academic papers? That is right! Support your argument. When dealing with academic writing, the individual must be ready that their view will be disputed and rebutted. Therefore, the counterargument, which is an integral part of any paper written for college or university, must be based on empirical or statistical evidence results.

Thus, the topics that have your academic opponents easily refute no primary empirical or statistical research conducted. On the contrary, when writing, for example, an informative essay on slavery, the researcher is supplied with all the information needed to research a particular aspect of slavery and its impact on modern society. Remember, an academic essay cannot be built on your thoughts and convictions.

Writer's Conflict of Interests

Whenever you feel that you can indulge yourself in a conflict of interest when writing an academic paper, refrain from this activity. Ask your professor to change the subject for you or pick one when you can choose a topic that will not affect your feelings. For example, many people in the United States found it hard to write research papers on 9/11.

It is easy to understand that the nation was heavily impacted by the obnoxious events of that notorious day. Thus, when it comes to analyzing the causes, outcomes, or interpreting the terrorist act within the framework of a particular theory of international relations, the Americans, for the most part, start blaming all the Muslims in the world for being terrorists.

Topics with Specific Requirements

Some topics cannot be extended or explained within one's essay because they require the individual to have specific knowledge or skills. Without this, the very act of writing the paper can be considered unethical. For example, you cannot write a medical science or nursing paper without being a medical or nursing student.

Even if you are interested in this discipline and eager to write about it, ensure you provide no treatment directions or recommendations. Also, writing papers on the law is not recommended as long as you are not a law student. Remember, someone can read everything you write, and this person can take your words too seriously and start implementing them in practice. Follow the policy of social responsibility when it comes to choosing a topic for your academic paper.

Way Too General

As mentioned, some topics have no scientific basis for forming an author's argument. Nonetheless, this unique type of "academic" subject also brings no novelty to the world of academic wonders. Those are the topics that can be classified as the two general ones. For example, the realm of history is enormous, and there are a lot of exciting topics to write about.

Still, somehow, people have come up with issues like "What is History" or "Why History is Important". There is no thesis to be formed when dwelling on such topics; therefore, there is no argument to defend. Hence, such a subject cannot be considered academic, as writing about it means nothing but answering a rhetorical question.

Conclusion

Academic writing is one of the most refined domains of educational activities. Writing an excellent academic paper takes a lot of skills, knowledge, and effort. However, even before the processes of research, information synthesis, and analysis start, there is a need to make sure that your topic is not overcomplicated to write about. The essay above about slavery is a brilliant example of what a genuine academic case must look like. It must be based on a significant volume of empirical or statistical evidence.

What is more, no conflict of interests must be present; otherwise, the author would start telling the readers what they think about the topic and not what the scientific world says about it. Also, double-check before writing whether the subject of your choice complies with the social responsibility policy. Finally, your topic must be narrow and precise.


Page Reference

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  • JONES, P. (2019) Academic Writing [WWW] Available from: https://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/article492.htm [Accessed

About the Author

Peter Jones is a freelance writer.