Academic Writing Courses

Academic writing is a formal, highly-detailed writing style used to write precise, research-laden scholarly works. These works can be as varied as a literary analysis, which examines a literary work from all angles to make a specific argument about it, to a dissertation, which is a formal document submitted at the end of a student’s journey to a PhD degree. Academic writing is noted for its logical organization, impersonal tone, evidence-based constructions, strict word usage for particular topics, and high-minded ideals for scholarly discussion. In colleges and universities, professors expect students to turn in papers using academic writing principles. This means adherence to a style that uses clear, logical writing to introduce the topic, dissect it with analysis, and persuade the reader to one point of view or another for maximum engagement in a scholarly fashion.‎

It’s important to learn academic writing because it gives you the tools and skills to produce reports, presentations, and speeches at some point in your student life or business life. In studying the principles of academic writing, you can learn how to write a paper or a report on a particular point of view by starting with an idea or topic, bringing in supporting evidence, and integrating this evidence with your own ideas in a formal document. Having this experience can bring you benefits in your personal and professional lives.‎

Typical careers associated with academic writing include university professor, lecturer, scholarly researcher, academic writing instructor, and technical documentation writer. Using your academic writing skills, you may also find work in highly technical fields like science, engineering, finance, and technical consulting. Companies search for skilled English writers who can read, edit, and write technical and scientific papers for print use or digital sharing.‎

Taking online courses in academic writing on Coursera can help you learn the techniques you need to shape your writing skills. You can develop a stronger understanding of English grammar and punctuation, as well as gain creative writing insights. Then, you can use these skills to synthesize your ideas into reports, case studies, academic reports, and technical presentations.‎