As you read, look for ways to enter the conversation.

Break your reading into pieces, note your thoughts, and cite the sources as you go. It will be helpful to incorporate those quotes and ideas into your writing later

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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 be...
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Here you are, enrolled in your first year of college English. As you start out, academic texts can appear daunting. The readings assigned usually are a minimum of 12 pages with words you are not familiar with yet. Let me point out some time saving ideas to keep in mind as you read.

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  First Identify the Writer and Their Audience Behind every text is a person or group of people communicating their ideas to the audience. Knowing the writer’s background is a good start to understanding what you’re about to read. Unlike your textbooks, academic writers are not writing with students in mind. They are writing to other academic writers. They will use words you’re not familiar with yet and slide in a reference to another article you haven’t heard of. They assume the audience has seen these words and references within their community. It’s ok not to know. Before you go looking into the other references, rest assured, the author will explain their thought process to what they referred to.   Next, think about the purpose of the reading.  What is the main argument of the article? Instead of hitting the material head on, take a glance through the pages to find the TITLE, INTRODUCTION, SECTION HEADINGS, CONCLUSION . These separations work as a roadmap to guide you...
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Are you ready to be part of the conversation?

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As a student, you are a member of the academic community. No matter how new your voice is, your writing may have the insight your community is looking for.   Don’t forget, there are valuable resources surrounding you. Talk to your peers, your professors. Your campus may also have a writing center available to you, ran by students and faculty. Welcome to academic writing!
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