Writing Strategies to Improve Your Voice

Another author that can contribute to understanding academic writing is Teresa Thonney. Here are her 6 moves to influence an academic voice.

 

1. Writers respond to what others have said about their topic.

When writing, avoid phrases like “In the text,” or “The article states.” REFER TO AUTHORS BY THEIR NAME. Try out Purdue Owl to properly format your sources (MLA, APA, etc.) Taking notes while you read, finding quotes and sharing your thoughts, will apply eloquently here.

 

2. Writers state the value of their work and announce the plan for their papers.

This is where your purpose comes in. What is your main argument, describe why your paper is necessary and how your approach is unique. Remember we see this pattern in our reading in introductions and conclusions.

 

3. Writers acknowledge that others might disagree with the position they’ve taken.

Use qualifiers, hedges (ex. apparently, suggest), avoid certainty (ex. of course, certainly, proves)

You may have been taught to avoid modest claims; however, these claims empower your argument by structuring it as part of a conversation. It helps by clarifying absolute fact from opinion.

 

4. Writers adopt a voice of authority.

This is why it’s important to know about discourse communities. Understanding the way academics write in your field will help you adopt a voice of authority, someone who knows what’s what and can speak. Students often feel their voice is less established than someone who has been in the community. Don’t forget, a new voice is valued amongst communities if it follows the rules of the community.

 

5. Writers use academic and disciplined-specific vocabulary.

Disciplines produce specialized words relating to their field. You might have some insider terms used at work or among your friends.

Look for lexical bundles - familiar sequences of 3 or more words. These are used in certain ways by the community that student often do not apply correctly, if used.

"In order to - 

The fact that - 

As a result of -"

 

6. Writers emphasize evidence, often in tables, graphs, and images.

Images and other visual rhetoric often influence individuals more than words. The integrity of statistics is questioned amongst academics. Some fields rely more on images than others so be sure that you study others’ work in your chosen discipline.