Summary
Summary Writing Style tips
- Institution
- Coventry University (West Midlands) (CU)
A short document highlighting the key points to write in a formal style.
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Style and RegisterAn academic piece of writing should have an academic formal register (style).
A formal register is designed to place a distance between the writer and the
reader. Compare the following paragraphs:
Informal: And when it comes to critical care, we are often the biggest provider
of information to patients, relatives and other members of the interdisciplinary
team. So, it’s really important that you’ve got the right skills and understanding
needed for your job. With the right knowledge you can cut down on
complications and make patient outcomes better.
Formal: Moreover, with regards to critical care, nurses are often the key
provider of information to patients, relatives and other members of the
interdisciplinary team. Therefore, it is essential that nurses acquire the relevant
skills and understanding required of their role. With the correct knowledge the
risk of complications can be reduced, whilst patient outcomes can be
improved.
The second paragraph sounds much more erudite and scholarly than the first
as it is written in a formal academic style.
Ways to make the style of your writing more formal
Passive
The passive tense is commonly used in academic writing when the writer
wants to focus on the action (what) rather than the agent (who). Compare the
following sentences:
Active: Hurricane Katrina damaged over 40% of houses in the port.
Passive: Over 40% of houses in the port were damaged by Hurricane
Katrina.
Instead of ‘they say’, ‘I will explain x’, or ‘you can see x’ you could write ‘it is
claimed that’, ‘x will be explained’, or ‘x can be seen’.
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