Changes in the Notion of Academic Writing

Until recently it has been held true that the language of academic style is quite rigid. Although it need not be difficult to read, an academic piece is full of complex ideas. Academic language is relatively more complex than spoken language. It has longer, abstract words, and it has a more varied vocabulary. It uses more noun-based phrases than verb-based phrases. Overall, the language has more grammatical complexity, including more subordinate clauses and more passives. However, some of the above mentioned characteristics have been challenged lately by new research in the field of academic writing. The purpose of this paper is therefore to discuss some of the changes and provide specific examples.