Academic Writing Style Examples: Tone, Structure, and Language Tips (2025)

Academic writing has its own distinct style—formal, precise, and evidence-based. Whether you're new to university writing or want to refine your skills, understanding what academic style looks like (and what to avoid) can make your work clearer and more credible.

 

In this guide, we’ll break down academic writing style into tone, structure, grammar, and vocabulary. You’ll see real examples, plus tips to help you write better.

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 What Is Academic Writing Style?

Academic writing style refers to the tone, language, and structure used in scholarly communication. It is:

• Objective and impersonal

• Clear and concise

• Formal and evidence-driven

• Organized with logical flow

 Related: What Is Academic Writing?

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 1. Academic vs. Informal Writing Examples

Informal Writing	Academic Writing
“I think this is a great idea.”	“This approach appears effective based on recent evidence.”
“A lot of people say…”	“Multiple scholars (Brown, 2023; Singh, 2022) have suggested…”
“You should try to…”	“It is advisable to…”

 Explore: Academic Writing Paragraph Structure

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 2. Tone: Be Formal, Not Personal

Avoid:

• Slang or contractions (e.g., “don’t”, “it’s”)

• Phrases like “I believe”, “in my opinion” (unless it's a reflection)

Use instead:

• “The evidence suggests…”

• “This indicates that…”

 Tip: Use third-person unless the assignment specifically allows first-person (e.g., reflective writing).

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 3. Structure and Flow

• Start each paragraph with a topic sentence

• Use transition words: “Furthermore,” “However,” “In contrast,” “As a result”

• Follow PEEL or TEEL paragraph structure

 Related: Essay Transitions & Linking Words

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 4. Word Choice and Vocabulary

Academic style requires:

• Specific terms (e.g., “significant” instead of “big”)

• Passive voice (when appropriate): “The data was collected…”

• Avoiding vague or filler words (e.g., “really,” “stuff,” “things”)

 Read: Better Words for Good | Better Words for Interesting

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 5. Sample Rewrite: Informal to Academic

❌ Informal: “Lots of people think global warming is bad and we should do something.”

✅ Academic: “Climate change is widely regarded as a critical global issue requiring immediate policy intervention (IPCC, 2023).”

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 Academic Style Checklist

• Formal tone (no contractions/slang)

• Evidence-based statements (cited sources)

• Third-person POV unless otherwise stated

• Clear paragraph structure

• Discipline-specific vocabulary

 Download the full checklist:
Academic Style PDF

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 External Resources

• Manchester Academic Phrasebank

• Harvard College Writing Center

• Purdue OWL: Academic Writing Style

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Learn how to improve your academic writing style with real examples. This 2025 guide covers tone, vocabulary, structure, and how to sound more scholarly.

 This post breaks it down—tone, structure, word choice—with real examples