What academic tone in writing looks like in practice?

[Helga]

I kept getting comments like 'too informal' and 'watch the casual language' on my papers, and I honestly didn't know what that meant. I thought good writing was just about having good ideas.

Then my TA shared examples of appropriate academic tone, and suddenly everything made sense. She showed us three versions of the same paragraph: one too informal (with contractions and slang), one overly complex (with unnecessary jargon), and one just right—clear, objective, and professional . The sweet spot is writing that's sophisticated enough to show you understand your field but accessible enough to communicate clearly. Now I check my drafts for things like contractions (don't use them), emotional language (avoid it), and overstatement (no 'shocking' or 'unbelievable' findings—just present the evidence) .

My last paper got a comment about my 'professional tone,' and I literally cheered.

 

[GreatMamuka]

I kept getting comments like 'too informal' and 'watch the casual language' on my papers, and I honestly didn't know what that meant. I thought good writing was just about having good ideas.

Then my TA shared examples of appropriate academic tone, and suddenly everything made sense. She showed us three versions of the same paragraph: one too informal (with contractions and slang), one overly complex (with unnecessary jargon), and one just right—clear, objective, and professional . The sweet spot is writing that's sophisticated enough to show you understand your field but accessible enough to communicate clearly. Now I check my drafts for things like contractions (don't use them), emotional language (avoid it), and overstatement (no 'shocking' or 'unbelievable' findings—just present the evidence) .

My last paper got a comment about my 'professional tone,' and I literally cheered.

This is so helpful—thank you for sharing! The "too informal" comments haunted me freshman year because no one ever explained why my writing was wrong. I thought big words = smart, but I just sounded like a thesaurus exploded.

The tip about emotional language was my biggest wake-up call. I used to write "This fascinating study proves..." but now I write "The study indicates..."—so much more professional. Also, reading my drafts aloud helps me catch casual phrases. Congrats on the comment! That's a win!