I'm a naturally casual person and writer. I use contractions, I write like I talk, and in high school that was fine. Then I got to college and my first few papers came back with C's and comments like 'too conversational.'
I had to figure out how to adjust my tone for academic writing fast. The APA Style guide became my best friend. I learned to eliminate contractions (don't → do not), avoid colloquialisms (no 'kids' or 'stuff'), and present ideas objectively without overstating.
But here's the key: I also learned not to go too far the other way. My first attempt at 'academic tone' was so full of jargon and complex sentences that it was barely readable. Now I aim for clear, precise language that sounds professional but still like me. It's a balance, but once you find it, everything clicks.
I had to figure out how to adjust my tone for academic writing fast. The APA Style guide became my best friend. I learned to eliminate contractions (don't → do not), avoid colloquialisms (no 'kids' or 'stuff'), and present ideas objectively without overstating.
But here's the key: I also learned not to go too far the other way. My first attempt at 'academic tone' was so full of jargon and complex sentences that it was barely readable. Now I aim for clear, precise language that sounds professional but still like me. It's a balance, but once you find it, everything clicks.