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Types of academic writing - Coggle Diagram
Types of academic writing
Descriptive
The simplest type of academic writing is descriptive. Its purpose is to provide facts or information
The kinds of instructions for a purely descriptive assignment include: 'identify', 'report', 'record', 'summarise' and 'define'.
Analytical
Most academic writing is also analytical
also requires you to re-organise the facts and information you describe into categories, groups, parts, types or relationships
The kinds of instructions for an analytical assignment include: 'analyse', 'compare', 'contrast', 'relate', and 'examine
To make your writing more analytical
spend plenty of time planning
create a name for the relationships and categories you find.
build each section and paragraph around one of the analytical categories
make the structure of your paper clear to your reader
Persuasive
Persuasive writing has all the features of analytical writing,with the addition of your own point of view
The kinds of instructions for a persuasive assignment include: 'argue', 'evaluate', 'discuss', and 'take a position'
In persuasive writing, each claim you make needs to be supported by some evidence, for example a reference to research findings or published sources.
To help reach your own point of view on the facts or ideas:
read some other researchers' points of view on the topic.
look for patterns in the data or references
list several different interpretations
discuss the facts and ideas with someone else.
To develop your argument:
list the different reasons for your point of view
think about the different types and sources of evidence which you can use to support your point of view
consider different ways that your point of view is similar to, and different from, the points of view of other researchers
Critical
It has all the features of persuasive writing, with the added feature of at least one other point of view
critical writing requires you to consider at least two points of view, including your own.
The kinds of instructions for critical writing include: 'critique', 'debate', 'disagree' and 'evaluate'.
You need to
accurately summarise all or part of the work.
have an opinion about the work.
provide evidence for your point of view