Academic writing is characterized by its emphasis on facts and observations, its presence within a specified body of knowledge, and its reference to sources (prior learning) by which the reader can evaluate the trustworthiness of the academic book or article.
To access a recording of the Faculty Panel on Academic Learning and Writing presented in 2021, enroll in Writing Services' Canvas shell. Once you have enrolled in the course, you may then access the page “Faculty Panel on Academic Writing."
Within the field of writing, there are four main genres: descriptive, persuasive, expository, and narrative. When generating a piece of academic writing, the author may utilize skills from any of the four genres, and within each of these categories, specific types of academic assignments may be presented. This page provides an overview of each genre of writing as well as presents the types of academic papers that utilize that genre of writing.
Regardless of the type of paper, all papers should follow the style and format as presented in the APA Manual (2020).
Also commonly referred to as argumentative writing, persuasive writing occurs when the author takes a stand on a principle or controversial issue and attempts to persuade the reader to adopt a similar mindset. When using persuasive writing, the author will appeal to reason, emotion, or character (ethics) to build their argument.
Within the academic context, the most common persuasive technique for authors to use is to appeal to reason and logic. Persuasive writing that appeals to logic involves incorporating critical thinking and often the use of outside sources for evidence.
Research-Based Papers
A research-based paper requires that the writer conducts research using methods such as library searches prior to authoring the work. Within the paper, the author must identify and cite the literature to support their original idea, position, or argument. Research-based papers usually center around an argument or idea, known as the thesis, that is developed throughout the body of the paper. The thesis of the paper is supported by the evidence drawn from the research. In order to present an effective position or argument, the author must utilize clear writing, organization, and logic. Do not confuse this type of paper with a literature review, described in a later section.
Critical Review
Usually focused on writing authored by someone else, this describes and assesses a theoretical concept, article, or research report critically and analytically. In a critical review, the author either agrees or disagrees with the original work that is being critiqued. In either circumstance, the author is persuading the reader toward a particular opinion about the work that is being examined. Examples include evaluations of research articles, book reviews, and critiques of published literature reviews and dissertations.
Please refer to the links below for details on the organization of persuasive writing pieces:
Expository papers present information objectively and are used to inform, compare and contrast, or show cause and effect. Information presented in expository writing should be clear and concise.
This is the most common type of writing at the graduate level within many of the fields offered at Saybrook. Since the purpose of expository writing is to inform the reader, it is used heavily within academic contexts.
Literature Review
This is a comprehensive report on the existing literature available regarding a topic or question. A literature review describes, summarizes, evaluates, and synthesizes scholarly articles, books, research reports, dissertations, conference proceedings, and other sources of information relevant to a specific question or topic. The writer critically analyzes the method, results, discussion, and/or conclusions from multiple research articles. A good literature review goes beyond simply reporting and summarizing related literature: it evaluates, organizes, and synthesizes what others have researched and written on the topic. Evaluating begins with identifying and reporting crucial elements in individual studies. It is equally important to organize the individual studies into categories or themes found in the literature, noting how strong or lacking the evidence appears. The final quality of synthesis allows the literature review author to repackage what is known and add their insights to the collective knowledge. Thus, a good literature review will not only report on studies and collective knowledge, but also compare different perspectives, identify inconsistencies and offer possible explanations, and comment on how knowledge has evolved over time.
Précis
A précis is a recapitulation of the original work at 25%–33% of the original size. It contains no interpretation or critique elements and should not include the voice of the précis writer. It should be a substitute for the original work, like an executive summary. The purpose is to report the core essence of the work that is clear and concise. When used to summarize a research article, the précis should include the topic or main thesis, the purpose of the research, what was studied, what methods were applied, the findings or results, and a conclusion or discussion.
Original Empirical Research Report
Original empirical research reports provide an original qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-method research project in which the student-designed the study, conducted the fieldwork and data collection, analyzed the data, and created the report. Examples within graduate coursework include the pilot study report, a thesis, and a dissertation. Published original research articles are also empirical research reports. Examples are:
Below are links describing more about expository writing.
Persuasive and expository writing may share similar traits. For example, research plays a critical role in both genres. However, the purpose is different. Table 1 provides a description of traits of each genre of writing.
Table 1
Traits of Persuasive & Expository Writing
| Persuasive Writing Traits | Expository Writing Traits |
| Thesis tells the author's opinion on the topic | Thesis informs the audience on the topic of the paper |
| Attempts to convince the reader that a particular standpoint is valid (or the best) | Provides the reader with information, an explanation of a concept, or a definition |
| Opinion-based; bias present | Research-based; bias absent |
| Facts only used to support an opinion. Light to moderate use of facts, data, and statistics | Facts used to move the discussion forward. Heavy use of facts, data, and statistics |
| Uses examples as a method to persuade the reader | Uses examples to aid the reader in understanding the information being presented |
| Emotive tone is acceptable (although overly emotional language lessens the strength of the argument and should be used strategically) | Neutral tone (no emotive displays) |
| Counterarguments are likely to be addressed | Counterarguments are unlikely to be addressed |
| Goal is to convince the audience | Goal is to inform or educate the audience |
| Author presents themselves as a friend or trusted mentor | Author presents themselves as an authority on the topic |
Descriptive writing uses vivid language to describe a person, place, or event so that the reader can picture the topic clearly in their mind.
Some qualitative research methods call for data collection through such rich descriptions (e.g., phenomenological protocols, narrative re-storying). Although it is unlikely for a student at Saybrook to receive an essay prompt requiring a descriptive approach, the skill is useful for describing personal observations. Note that within academic writing, descriptive writing should remain neutral and use clear and concise wording.
For more information on descriptive writing, consult the hyperlinks provided below.
Narrative writing tells the reader about a particular event(s) that took place. Common works of narrative writing include personal essays (such as those found in a blog post), practicum logs, and case reports.
This form of essay writing is less common in graduate-level writing within the fields offered at Saybrook University. However, a student may still encounter essay prompts that suggest a narrative approach. For example, a professor may ask you to analyze a theory or concept in light of a personal experience.
Reflection Paper
A reflection paper relies on the writer's anecdotal experiences and personal reflections to convey an idea, an experience, or a concept. Although not dependent on externally derived evidence, such as scholarly literature, reflection papers still require clarity, logical organization, and basic rhetorical skills for effective execution.
For more information on narrative writing, consult the hyperlinks provided below.
Descriptive and narrative writing may be easily confused because both allow the writer to express themselves using more creative and personal methods. While both use similar writing skills, there are some distinct differences. Table 2 provides a description of traits of each genre of writing.
Table 2
Traits of Descriptive & Narrative Writing
| Descriptive Writing Traits | Narrative Writing Traits |
| Describes scenes, persons, things, or feelings | Reflects on personal experience |
| Uses sensory details to paint a picture (touch, smell, etc. | Tells a story |
| Samples: novels, plays, biographies, historical narratives | Samples: written works about nature, travel, a memory, oneself, others, etc. |
This section provides resources for other common assignments provided within courses at Saybrook University.
Note: This page has been developed based on a document created by Luann Fortune, PhD & Kara Vander Linden, EdD (2014) for Saybrook's Mind-Body Medicine program. With permission, the content presented here has been updated to be compliant with the 7th edition of the APA Manual. This page has been reorganized and re-worded so that it's contents be applicable to all programs at Saybrook. Some additional information has also been provided. The original document can be viewed here: