ABSTRACT
There is no one correct style of academic writing, but in general it should attempt to be accurate, impersonal and objective. Students should study examples of writing in their own subject area, and then aim to develop their own voice. This unit gives guidelines for an appropriate style, and provides practice. The paragraph could be rewritten in a more suitable style. There are no rules for academic style that apply to all situations. The following are guidelines that should help people develop a style of their own. Redundancy suggests that the writer is not fully in control of the material. It gives the impression that either he/she does not properly understand the language or is trying to pad the essay by repeating the same point. Effective writing normally uses a mixture of long and short sentences. A cautious style is necessary in many areas of academic writing to avoid making statements that can be contradicted.
