Writing for Your Readers: Academic or Informal Papers

Informal writing can be where we pen our deeply personal hopes, fears, bliss, laughter and sorrows. It can be soul speak for the writer. It is this quality which not only grabs the writer and keeps both writer and reader engaged but also leads to the opinion that its opposite, Academic writing, is boring, stuffy and difficult to accomplish.

Academic Writing

Though all of the statements above on academic writing can be true, they need not be true. For a scholar, the universe, from the finite to the most abstract, is food for thought. An academic writer operating in that mode is then open to an abundant source of creativity.

Questions asked and sharing what is discovered through their research is what drives the academic writer. They seek answers to the unknown and write about the journey they take to discover them. This type of writing can be exciting as well as informative. The subject covered may not be of interest to everyone, but to those who have the same questions or seek knowledge in related areas, they can further the discussion and lead everyone into the future.

There are three characteristics: tone, style and bias, which we'll first apply to Academic writing.

Tone is how a writer is speaking to their reader. If too lofty, the writer comes across as condescending. Is the writer sharing the excitement or angst of a discovery, or are they lecturing those lucky enough to absorb their great wisdom? The College Writer's Reference, 4th Ed. gives a great suggestion for this area:

"To control your tone, reread out loud everything you write and ask, Does it sound the way I intend? If not, rewrite it until it does."

Style deals with the structure of your writing. In college and in some high school courses the teacher may dictate this. They may specify a style like MLA, APA, CMS or some other. These contain conventions for line spacing, paragraph styles and citation rules. If there is nothing specified The College Writer's Reference helps again with a good suggestion:

"write in a semi-formal style that is clear, precise, and direct, yet sounds like a real human being speaking."

Note: A "semi-formal style" should contain few, if any contractions. (If you are writing a college paper, ask your professor what their preference is in this area. Some teachers do not allow any contractions, while others do not mind them). The other quality in a semi-formal paper is the word choice. The selection of words should not contain slang but they should not be completely uncommon either. If the standard reader must use a dictionary to decipher every sentence in the paper, the writer needs to do a rewrite. And of course, the writer would always cite their sources.

The last characteristic to look at is bias. Bias refers to the writer's own belief system coming through in the writing. This can be religious, political or cultural. All of us carry bias in our writing, and in an informal blog or a creative essay, bias would not present the same issues it would in the writing of a scholarly paper, a journalistic endeavor or a historical piece. In the latter examples, the writer needs a more factual approach. Opinions should be kept to a minimum unless supported by logical, factual evidence.

- Know the required style and if there is not one, use semi-formal.
- Keep the tone informative but not condescending.
- Keep bias to an absolute minimum.

The suggestions above cover the stuffy, difficult aspect of academic writing, but it does not completely cover the boring aspect. For that, the writer needs to be engaged in the work. The writer's own interest, passion and engagement with the subject material definitely make a difference to a reader. If the writer is bored, the reader will be bored. A reader can tell if the writer is simply placing words on a page or believes in what they write. This is not the same as bias but depicts a true interest in sharing the ideas and facts discovered by the writer.

A writer also needs to love the language he writes in. That is what gives a writer his word choices, his phrasing. The greater the skill with that one tool, the more interest a writer will be able to pull into their composition. Does this mean the writer pulls from the dictionary all the obscure words he can? Of course not; writing like that goes back to the idea of condescension and is less than helpful to a reader. What it does mean is careful selection of a word that actually conveys what the writer is trying to say---clearly.

Informal Writing

Perhaps the best way to start with informal writing is to tell you what informal writing is not.

- Writing which doesn't need to be spell-checked.
- Writing where grammar is not important.
- Writing with poor structure.
- Writing that plagiarizes or defames.
- Writing which is sloppy or incoherent.

Informal writing can take a reader to places they've never been, help them relate to experiences they have not had, prepare them and awe them, but it can also bring them that universal medicine we call laughter. Informal writing can be wonderfully witty, writing of those ludicrous moments in life where all is not as it seems. And comedy is a perfect use for informal writing. Who can be angry when they are laughing? Who can be afraid when they're captured by a belly laugh? Who can be tired, sad or lonely when they're laughing out loud? If you can find those lovely little moments where the truth compared to appearances do not quite mesh, penning the ludicrous in divine fashion, you've given the world a real gift. Bless the comedians who not only make us laugh but also open our eyes.

Informal writing can also be very courageous. A writer who does more than keep their words locked in a box, one who allows the reader a look inside is a courageous person. When I say that, remember the word, non-fiction. I am not speaking of the writer who sensationalizes their life for profit or for attention boosts. My label of courage is for those writers who honestly share a true story because it is a story that needs telling. These beautiful, poignant, deeply personal and sometimes tragic essays, tell so many readers, "You are not alone."

When you write an informal paper, remember you are sharing a story with your reader; imagery, rich descriptions, active writing and paying attention to your phrases, all help to craft your essay. Use your senses and give the reader pictures they can follow on the journey. Check your spelling and your grammar. Nothing distracts the reader from the beauty of your writing like a page full of errors.

Looking at these three traits of tone, style and bias, we discover some differences when we compare informal to the formal. Informal writing not only can use slang and contractions but frequently does. The tone often sounds like a chat between friends. The style of writing, though it should be consistent, is not bound to strict guidelines. A writer has more flexibility with their line spacing and the paragraph formats. Looking at bias, the informal piece can also show a wide variation. To discover this, all you need do is read a few online blogs. When reading an informal piece of writing, the reader generally needs to take that into consideration. The last example, tone, is more easily described with a scenario.

A Final Comparison

As an example of the difference, particularly in tone, between Academic and Informal writing, I'd like to give you two scenes to compare.

As an example of tone in academic writing, imagine yourself at the podium of a lecture hall or being called upon to speak at a company meeting. You might even be running a slide show presentation and reading your essay. Your audience consists of your peers, journalists or scholars. You are backing up the points in your essay with facts, punctuated by the various statistics and pictures on your slides. You are trying to be professional, clear and informative.

For an informal writing example, imagine yourself at the kitchen table. You're sitting with your closest friend. The two of you just finished watching a hilarious show on the television and it reminded you of an episode in your life. Your friend listens intently as you relate the story.

Both of these scenarios are important formats. Both of them take your creative thoughts and shape them into a structure of communication. But in formal writing, we provide our audience with the means to double-check our facts, do further research on the subject and further the knowledge pool of mankind. Is it creative? It can and most certainly should be so. Is it exciting? A good essay should always not only give the reader that moment where imagination takes flight but should also stir the enthusiasm of the writer. But is it cozy, warm and personal? I would have to say no, and that is a tone reserved for informal writing.

Exercise for Comparing Writing Styles

Write a paragraph on a topic of your choice. First, write it in an academic style and then write it in an informal style. Please note that this is the same paragraph written in two different ways. Think tone, style and bias when you do this.

For the academic paragraph: No slang, no contractions. Indent the first line of the paragraph 5 spaces and use a 12pt font. Remember your audience. You are speaking in a meeting with your employer and visiting co-workers.

For the informal paragraph: Your audience is your best friend or a close family member. You may use contractions, slang and any font you wish.

Once you finish the paragraphs, compare the two. Look at the differences in presentation, tone, bias and style. Though very different, both should be interesting, engaged and informative. For additional practice, repeat this exercise until you feel comfortable switching between the two types of writing.

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Breaking the Writer's Block: Sparking Ideas
For or Against: Writing an Effective Argumentative Essay
Creative Writing Series for Home Schoolers