How to improve academic writing? Tips and techniques

TL;DR

Academic writing improves faster when writers copy the structure and recurring phrasing conventions used in papers from their own discipline.

Briefing Cornell Notes

Briefing

Academic writing improves fastest when writers stop treating it like a vocabulary contest and instead copy the structure and phrasing conventions used in their own field. The core message is practical: analyze real papers you already need for your literature review, extract the recurring “moves” (like how authors state the research gap and aim), and then reuse a small set of proven phrases while you draft. That approach turns academic English from an abstract set of rules into a repeatable template you can apply paragraph by paragraph.

A major theme is that academic English differs sharply from everyday English, even when a writer’s general English is strong. The biggest shift is formality: many students write “as they speak,” borrowing the language style from films, series, and casual reading. Academic writing also relies on a narrower range of tense choices than learners expect—often present simple, past simple, and sometimes present perfect—rather than the full menu of advanced tense forms. The result is that many “high-level grammar” worries are less central than writers assume.

The conversation also tackles a tension between global English norms and publication standards. Non-native speakers can communicate effectively using unconventional structures, and that should be recognized—especially in international settings where mutual understanding matters. But academic publishing still enforces conventions, and reviewers often react to errors that make a manuscript harder to read, even when the underlying research is solid. The guidance offered is not to ignore language quality, but to prioritize content clarity: if a mistake blocks understanding, it matters; if it doesn’t, reviewers should focus more on the substance. At the same time, writers should accept that today’s academic gatekeeping still rewards conventional accuracy.

When it comes to improving writing, the most actionable advice is a two-part workflow: read a lot and study how papers are built. Writers are encouraged to download papers from their field, start with the introduction, and identify specific elements—background, what is already known, the research gap, and the stated aim. Instead of collecting dozens of alternatives, writers should capture a handful of useful phrases (for example, common research-reporting verbs like “conducted” or “we conducted a study”) and keep them visible while drafting. Over time, repeated exposure makes these patterns feel natural.

Structure is presented as the highest-leverage skill. Even native-level English can produce “gibberish” if ideas aren’t organized logically. The recommended paragraph method starts with a topic sentence, then uses every following sentence to serve a clear purpose—example, contrast, cause/effect, or limitation—often supported by linking words such as “however” and “in addition.” If the writer can’t explain the function of a sentence, it probably doesn’t belong in that paragraph.

Finally, the discussion includes current support options: Dr M Kriukow runs an online course for Masters, PhD students, and early-career researchers, built around short task-based videos (e.g., how to state the research gap), quizzes, and exercises rather than a slow grammar-first approach. The overall takeaway is straightforward: academic writing gets better when writers practice the real moves used by successful papers, with structure leading and language accuracy following.

Cornell Notes

Academic writing improves most when writers study the conventions of papers in their own discipline and deliberately reuse the same “moves” and phrases. Instead of focusing on advanced grammar, writers should pay attention to formality, typical tense patterns (often present simple, past simple, and sometimes present perfect), and—most importantly—structure. A strong paper uses a clear introduction formula (background → known area → research gap → aim) and paragraphs built around topic sentences where every sentence has a defined purpose. This approach also helps balance global English realities with publication expectations: clarity and content matter, but conventional readability still affects acceptance. Task-based practice and targeted feedback resources can accelerate progress.

How can a writer figure out what “counts” as academic English in their field without guessing?

By analyzing papers they already need for a literature review. Start with one section—often the introduction—and identify the elements authors use (background, what’s known, the research gap, and the aim). Then extract the specific phrases used for each move. The goal isn’t to collect 50 alternatives; it’s to save a small set (about five) of recurring phrases and keep them visible while drafting so the writing mirrors current disciplinary conventions.

Why does the conversation treat structure as more important than grammar for most learners?

Because logical organization determines whether readers can follow the argument. Even writers with excellent English can produce confusing text if they don’t know how to structure ideas. Structure is also easier to fix quickly: learning how to build an introduction or a paragraph can be applied in days, while improving grammar or vocabulary often takes longer. The recommended paragraph approach uses a topic sentence and then links every subsequent sentence to that purpose using appropriate connectors.

What is the practical “introduction formula” described for academic papers?

Every introduction typically includes: (1) background information highlighting why the topic matters, (2) a brief summary of what is already known, (3) identification of what is not known—the research gap, and (4) a statement of the paper’s aim. Whether the literature review is combined with the introduction or separated, the underlying sequence of moves remains similar across disciplines.

How should writers think about global English and non-native usage versus publication standards?

Non-native speakers can communicate successfully using unconventional structures, and that should be respected—especially in international contexts where mutual understanding matters. But academic publishing still depends on conventions and readability. Minor errors that don’t affect comprehension may be over-penalized by reviewers, yet writers should still meet a baseline of conventional academic clarity because acceptance often hinges on how easily the content can be understood.

What tense guidance is offered for academic writing compared with everyday English?

Academic writing often relies on a narrower tense range than learners expect. The discussion highlights frequent use of present simple, past simple, and sometimes present perfect, rather than the full set of advanced tense forms learners may study for high-level proficiency. The key is matching the academic convention for reporting knowledge and research.

What does “every sentence must have a purpose” look like in paragraph writing?

After writing a topic sentence, the writer should ask what each following sentence is doing: giving an example, showing contrast, explaining cause/effect, or supporting a claim. Linking words like “however,” “in addition,” or “for example” help signal that function. If the writer can’t identify the sentence’s purpose, it likely doesn’t belong in that paragraph.

Review Questions

When you analyze papers for your literature review, which section should you start with first, and what specific elements should you extract?
What is the difference between focusing on grammar and focusing on structure, and why does the discussion claim structure is faster to improve?
How can a writer test whether a sentence belongs in a paragraph using the “purpose” method?

Key Points

1
Academic writing improves faster when writers copy the structure and recurring phrasing conventions used in papers from their own discipline.
2
Academic English requires a shift in formality; many problems come from writing “as you speak” instead of using academic conventions.
3
Tense complexity is often overstated: academic writing commonly uses present simple, past simple, and sometimes present perfect.
4
A strong introduction typically follows a sequence: background → known area → research gap → stated aim.
5
Paragraphs should be built around a topic sentence, with every following sentence serving a clear function (example, contrast, cause/effect, etc.).
6
Instead of collecting many synonyms, writers should extract a small set of high-frequency phrases (about five) and keep them visible while drafting.
7
Task-based practice—writing introductions, stating aims, and identifying gaps—can outperform grammar-first learning for many Masters and PhD writers.

Highlights

The highest-leverage improvement strategy is to analyze real papers in your field and reuse the exact moves and phrases authors use to state gaps and aims.

Structure beats grammar for clarity: even native-level English can become unreadable if ideas aren’t organized logically.

Academic writing is more formulaic than it feels—introductions and paragraphs follow repeatable patterns across disciplines.

Global English acceptance and publication standards can conflict; clarity and readability still drive reviewer decisions.

A practical method for paragraphs: write a topic sentence, then ensure each subsequent sentence has a defined purpose supported by linking words.

Topics

Academic Writing
Research Gap
Paragraph Structure
Academic English
Writing Improvement

Mentioned

Dr M Kriukow