The Elements of Academic Style

Synopsis

Eric Hayot teaches graduate students and faculty in literary and cultural studies how to think and write like a professional scholar. From granular concerns, such as sentence structure and grammar, to big-picture issues, such as adhering to genre patterns for successful research and publishing and developing productive and rewarding writing habits, Hayot helps ambitious students, newly minted Ph.D.'s, and established professors shape their work and develop their voices.

Hayot does more than explain the techniques of academic writing. He aims to adjust the writer's perspective, encouraging scholars to think of themselves as makers and doers of important work. Scholarly writing can be frustrating and exhausting, yet also satisfying and crucial, and Hayot weaves these experiences, including his own trials and tribulations, into an ethos for scholars to draw on as they write. Combining psychological support with practical suggestions for composing introductions and conclusions, developing a schedule for writing, using notes and citations, and structuring paragraphs and essays, this guide to the elements of academic style does its part to rejuvenate scholarship and writing in the humanities.

Summary

Chapter 1: Clarity

* Definition: Expressing ideas in a way that is easy to understand.
* Real Example: "The study's findings demonstrate that the intervention's effectiveness was significantly correlated with the participants' adherence to the protocol." (Clear and precise language)

Chapter 2: Precision

* Definition: Using specific and unambiguous language.
* Real Example: "The experiment utilized a randomized controlled design with 100 participants who were assigned to either an experimental or control group." (Specific and detailed description of the research design)

Chapter 3: Conciseness

* Definition: Communicating effectively using as few words as possible.
* Real Example: "The analysis revealed a positive correlation between the number of hours spent studying and the exam score." (Concisely summarizes the key finding)

Chapter 4: Coherence

* Definition: Organizing ideas in a logical and cohesive manner.
* Real Example: "In the first section, the study presents the research question. The second section describes the methodology, followed by the results in the third section. The fourth section discusses the implications of the findings." (Logical flow of information)

Chapter 5: Unity

* Definition: Focusing on a single main idea throughout the writing.
* Real Example: A research paper that investigates the impact of social media on political polarization, consistently maintaining this focus throughout the introduction, methods, results, and discussion sections.

Chapter 6: Emphasis

* Definition: Highlighting important points and ideas to guide the reader.
* Real Example: Using headings, subheadings, and bold or italicized text to draw attention to critical information.

Chapter 7: Tone

* Definition: The author's attitude and stance towards the subject matter.
* Real Example: A research paper written in a neutral and objective tone, avoiding personal opinions or biases.

Chapter 8: Grammar and Mechanics

* Definition: Adhering to the rules of grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
* Real Example: Using proper subject-verb agreement, avoiding dangling modifiers, and employing correct punctuation marks.

Chapter 9: Style

* Definition: The author's unique way of expressing ideas, often influenced by personal, disciplinary, or cultural factors.
* Real Example: An academic paper adopting a formal and technical writing style, characterized by precise terminology and detailed explanations.

Chapter 10: Presenting Ideas Ethically

* Definition: Acknowledging sources, avoiding plagiarism, and representing data and findings accurately.
* Real Example: Citing references correctly, using appropriate quotations, and presenting statistical results without bias or distortion.