Introduction
Academic writing ranges in a variety of forms, for instance the research proposals, thesis, essays, reports, presentations, books and articles analysis. We can compare a credible academic piece of writing to a good oral discussion. A good conversation ought to have clear and accurate indication of purpose through articulated ideas. In some cases, the writer’s aim is to bring out or report certain data in the aim of enhancing clarity of the subject.
The writer must also bring out probability for further understanding and research of the topic by the participants and in this case, the accomplices are readers. Eventually a credible academic writing must make the readers to provide direct, relevant or concise contributions that connect to the reading. This paper focuses on the factors that determine a credible academic writing. It mainly addresses the procedures of incorporating research materials within personal essays or research papers.
Factors that Contribute to Credibility of an Academic Writing
According to McMillan and Weyers (2009, 16), the first thing that a good writer must ensure is that the format or structure of the writing matches up to the standards. A good structure includes a clear introduction with a thesis statement indicating the ideas that the writer wish to contribute for, in the discussion. For a longer paper, the statement in the introduction provides a chronological order of points for discussion as a clear way of developing ideas.
This part of the writing also provides some evidence, reasoning, reflective data and prior researched comments. The initial and final paragraphs must carry the key points of the paper as well as the transitional sentences that make the reader have a systematic flow from one idea to another within the paper. Lastly, the transition from a point to another depends on the consistency of ideas, order of topics and the phrasing of thoughts, facts or supportive information (Murray, 2009, 15).
Structure of an academic writing
It is also very vital to consider the structure of and academic text. The reader must be in a position of following the flow of ideas within a given length of the text. In line with Murray (2009, 135), academic writers must bring in some rationality into the central point of finding.
Clear articulation always forms the first part of the writing arguably the first few pages or paragraphs for a short paper. The body of the paper is very critical because it has a close relation to the theme and significance of writing. The evidence of the writing mainly emanates from the body part of the paper.
This part must have a logical arrangement of ideas in a unified manner and in a style that assists in avoiding diversion from the key points. The most critical points always appears first followed by backup points until the least important factors, but each of the sections in the writing must have a strong summary of the main point as indicated in the introduction of the paper (Murray, 2009, 15).
It is important to place collected evidence in various sections of the academic paper following the order specified in the introduction. A good writing has its main points as the introduction of the section, and a strong conclusion highlighting the strength of the section and linking it to the next idea in the paper.
The introduction and conclusion of an academic writing are the main sections of the paper because they highlight and conclude the key points or importance of the paper (Saville-Troike, 2009, 135). The introduction and conclusive points of each section for instance the first and last sentences of the paper are also vital in academic writing. During text construction, academic writes must not delay the key points beyond the preamble section. The key points must also not trail at the end of the paper but assist in bringing the key points together.
In line with Saville-Troike (2009, 136), it is important to note that the title of the paper captures the succinctly the problem presented in the field of research. Even though the structure of an academic writing must contain the introduction, chapter sections for the findings or analysis and bibliography, it is often subject to the institutions guidelines, procedure of investigation or actual research findings.
Huge research papers and the thesis require extra features such as acknowledgement and literature reviews showing the evaluation of past and current research on the topic.
Research Techniques
Credible academic writers play by an old academic joke indicating that when one uses only one source of information, then they commit a writing offence linkable to plagiarism. A credible research requires diversity of sources. A researcher fails to deliver their requirements when they base research on a single article or book.
Credibility of writing depends on the procedure of carrying out the research. There is need to ensure absorption and adaptation of the material. By internalizing what other writers, researchers or analytical finding have, one is in a position of adding new personal perspectives to the discoveries. Research is a personal academic contribution or a new structural view of what exists (Gotti, 2009, 35).
Sometimes the interpretations are personal claims that require an immediate back up from the research findings. Academic integrity therefore depends on these diversified fresh ideas which as personal claims or point-of-views, which have excellent backups from scholarly academic sources. According to Gotti (2009, 35) academic writing has to originate from a personal idea or knowledge probably lacking proper links thus in structural or initial point format.
Before choosing the text to use in academic research, one must find different point of views by presenting initial findings for discussions or performing appropriate interviews. It is easy to note the credibility of a chosen academic source by finding the reactions others may have against or in support of the finding.
The process is equally a stimulus for gathering extra and probably better ideas. Considering an instance where one is researching on the history of a country, besides the history books or documentaries, it is wise to consult retied colonels and find their point of view down the line of the anecdote. This may also call for one to find some information from the museums, government information offices, which assist in authenticating collected data and ensuring the right date for the information.
Academic writing are also more credible when they have a backup from the primary lecture notes, texts or other relevant course material sources such as novels or plays (Gotti, 2009, 26). These secondary sources assist one to avoid chancing. In most cases, the lecture notes and text materials provides the confidence to afford personal ideas because of better understanding of the topic or thesis.
This enables one to avoid adopting the ideas of the experts or duplication of the already existing research. It is very easy for an astute or marker to find whether there is credibility in writing because of the writer’s claims and way of support. Over quotation of endorsed academic sources or provision of already available ideas makes it easy to see through ones ruse thus degrading the paper or writing.
Basing the entire academic writing on the already researched ideas makes the writing a deception and eventually undermines the writer’s credibility (Gotti, 2009, 26). The independence of thinking, judging and projecting personal ideas is leant and nurtured. This means that a credible academic writing has critical analysis of a topic and diverse opinions having proper endorsements.
Sources of Credible Academic Materials
We find good and credible writing in specific formats and location. Considering that today the internet is a good and widely used source of academic material, millions of text are not plausible sources in the net. In most cases the information are just people’s thoughts or arguments that fail to qualify as standard academic sources unless there is proven facts of scientific evidence supporting such ideas. A physical or virtual library must be in line with the lecture’s leading list.
Virtual libraries is a technology that comes in handy to assist one find specified or alternative books or writings instead of relying on any writing found on the net that relates to the topic. Either most basic catalogues in form of cards or ledger or computer systems, catalogues are alphabetical. This is a good but not the only resource for searching the relevant books, magazines, articles or journals in a library.
One of the most important assets that may assist one to locate a credible material in a physical library is the librarian. Librarians are well-trained professional and possibly have enough experience in the premise, thus are able to locate and advice on credibility of a source.
Class or lecture reading lists is another way of finding credible sources for instance. The other books listed in the bibliography of a good book are certainly good sources. As a writer, you would not list a blog as a source in your reference, thus the argument (McMillan and Weyers, 2009, 16).
Conclusion
Beside the sources one decides to use, the structure and presentation of a source determines its credibility. The information and support in the text shows the reliability, therefore the need to be keen on statements, explanations and support procedure in the writing, which must emanate from diverse academic references.
Reference List
Gotti, M. (2009). Commonality and Individuality in Academic Discourse. Switzerland: Pert Lang AG, International Academic Publishers.
McMillan, k and Weyers, J. (2009). The smarter student: study skills companion. Second edition. Canada: Pearson Education Press.
Murray, R. (2009). Writing for Academic Journals. Second edition. England: McGraw-Hill Education Press.
Saville-Troike, M. (2006). Introducing second language acquisition. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.