Compared with other styles of writing, such as in newspapers or magazines, many people find academic texts rather dull. This is partly because the more popular styles use personal pronouns like ‘we’ and ‘us’, as well as idiomatic language, so they are more like the style of everyday speech.
But in addition, academic writing is unlike a newspaper
article, which attempts to interest every reader. Instead it is usually
intended for a very limited audience: those interested in the same subject as
the writer, which may be a very specialised area. Usually it assumes prior knowledge of the
topic and often uses a distinct vocabulary.
This does not mean that the writer can forget about the
reader. All writing should aim to be clear, accurate and develop logically,
paragraph by paragraph. But because the reader is interested in the topic from
the start there is no need to sensationalise the subject. Given this, and a
well-written paper, there should be no danger of boredom!
What about when you're being asked to write an academic paper? Sure, it's not the same as writing a story, but that doesn't mean it can't be interesting. Whether its purpose is academic, creative, or something else, I don't think any writing should lull someone to sleep. So long as the writing is still informative and clear, shouldn't it be okay to move around some of the words or use different phrasing? Isn't it okay to be academic and creative at the same time?
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