Academic Writing
Academic writing is a style that students encounter when given assignments on various topics by their professors. The writing style depends on the purpose to be achieved and is often prompted by the professor. Academic writing aims to impress the reader, often the student’s instructor, to demonstrate the depth of the student’s knowledge. Usually, the only person who reads what a student has written is their instructor. The format in academic writing is mostly confined to research papers, essays, and sometimes lab reports. It involves showcasing the writer’s ability or depth of knowledge, meaning it is often better to write at length, with students encouraged by their instructors to write more.
Business Writing
In the business world, writing is very important, but the purpose differs significantly compared to academic writing. Business writing involves writing business letters such as proposals, reports, and plans. These letters can be written for audiences within an organization or for communication with audiences outside the organization. The writing style is concise and crisp, based on facts and does not need to be lengthy. There are no ornate styles for decorating the content, and cold facts serve the purpose well.
Key Takeaways
- Business writing is clear, concise, and often shorter in length, while academic writing can be very lengthy to showcase a student’s knowledge.
- The audience for business writing can be varied, while the audience for academic writing is usually just the instructor.
- Academic writing may involve ornate styles, whereas business writing is typically full of cold facts only.
