Writing for academic purposes is not so different from other types of writing. All writing needs to follow grammatical rules and use a standard vocabulary, if the reader is going to understand it. But writing student essays and longer dissertations requires some extra knowledge.
Firstly, most academic writing follows a format, which usually includes stating the purpose of the work, then presenting evidence of research, and next evaluating the evidence. This format will vary according to the length of the text and the subject being discussed.
The second key aspect is the use of reference, so that the reader can find the sources that the writer used and decide for themselves about their usefulness.
A third difference is that this writing normally uses the semi-formal vocabulary which is necessary for precise discussion, and an impersonal style which avoid pronouns like 'I' or 'you'.
This is only an outline of the main features of academic writing. Anyone planning to study at an English-medium college should join a pre-sessional writing course, and buy Academic Writing - A Handbook for International Students, where all these points are explained in much more detail.
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