What is an academic paper?
An academic paper, or academic essay, is an assignment handed out by an institution of higher education – a university or a college. The requirements of academic essays varies from one school program to another, and between different courses. The length also varies from paper to paper, ranging from a few pages for a typical undergraduate essay to tens (a master’s-level paper) and hundreds of pages (a Ph.D dissertation). Academic papers are an obligation all students share, and their completion is necessary to obtain a degree. Whether the degree is a B.A., M.A. or Ph.D no student can avoid academic writing.
The time it takes to write a paper
The time required to write an academic paper depends on the type of paper being written – not necessarily just in terms of length. Short papers that require a great deal of scientific analysis / research may take much longer than a lengthy paper that merely documents a simple task. In general, the turnaround time can range from a few hours to a few months. When the student first enters the academic world, and is not yet familiar with the requirements of academic writing, the writing process usually takes a particularly long time.
The purpose of academic essays
The aim of the academic essay is to immerse the student in the world of academic content and teach him or her how to use literature while collecting information relevant to the essay. The student accomplishes this by poring over the appropriate sources (books, electronic databases, online scientific articles, etc.). Some of the sources are relatively easy to comprehend, while others are written in heavy scientific lingo. The student must learn a new language – the scientific language, in which academic information is presented. In addition, he or she must learn to work with this information, process it and draw appropriate conclusions.
The characteristics of academic writing
When writing an academic paper it is necessary to convey yourself using appropriate and professional language. Different topics should be relegated to different paragraphs. In addition, it is important to connect the paragraphs into a logical sequence and use good transitional sentences, so that the entire section flows into a single theme. It is very important to reference each source of information within the paper, and to include a bibliography that notes each source at the end of the paper. After completion, always make sure to go over the paper once again to proofread.
Challenges on the way to the desired grade
Even if the student learns the accepted conventions of writing academic papers and manages to overcome the web of scientific information, that doesn’t necessarily ensure a high grade. Certain intellectual skills are required – like the ability to construct an original research question and draw valid conclusions. There is always a long road, full of uncertainty and doubts between the moment the paper is assigned and the final grade. The Syllabus staff have vast experiences writing countless different types of academic papers. Many customers can attest to receiving high grades they wouldn’t have managed otherwise. We propose to remove all uncertainty about your academic future with our commitment to providing high-level academic writing on the subject of your choice.
