Improve your writing!

Scholarly writing can often be challenging because it requires your insights, opinions, and analysis. Try improving your writing with the following techniques:

• Consider the assignment. Scholarly writing has many different forms, so your first step should always be to understand the assignment. Is it an analytical essay? A report? A journal reflection? Each of these has a different function, which means you’ll approach and write each differently.
• Good writing comes from good notes. Academic writing often involves discussing the work of other scholars. Therefore, when you’re reading the source material, jot down notes on your thoughts and reactions to the text. Careful, critical reading will help improve your writing, but only if you remember to write down your opinions. These notes can make a good starting point for your writing assignment.
• Evaluate your sources. The best scholarly writing builds upon good sources. You should definitely build on the work of others, but make sure you're choosing the right sources. (For more advice on selecting sources, when you’re done reading this page jump to our tips on source selection.)
• Don’t just summarize—analyze. Scholarly writing is best when it goes beyond a summary or report of what you’ve read. You need to show that you’ve not only read the original work, but that you understand its significance. Bring in your own insights, opinions, and thoughts about the research. By putting more of yourself and your ideas into your writing, you’ll demonstrate a deeper understanding of it.
• The little things add up. Being detail-oriented will make a huge difference in your writing. Stay consistent in your tone and word choices. Keep track of where you found your information and properly cite your sources. Pay attention to formatting. Actions like this will show you take your work seriously.