Academic Composure

All students at tertiary level are expected to undertake study in a professional manner and that means constantly maintaining academic composure. Academic composure means using reliable and current sources, writing and presenting with integrity and always from a neutral point of view. This is best achieved when information is presented in a neutral tone.

At this level of study tutors will expect students to be able to present information without bias in well rounded impersonal arguments so that for example, as student might say the data shows that A is true and B is false, rather than, “I think A is true because I really thought that argument was persuasive.” This isn’t easy for many people and one trick to getting it right is to write in the way that feels more comfortable to get the information down in a way that feels natural, and then convert every ‘I’ to a point presented or a proven argument. This will transform the work into a more professional document and soon writing objectively will become second nature.

A definite no-no when writing at tertiary level is the use of derogatory language or slang. In most cases a student will be severely penalized particularly for use of the former. This is simply one of the most unprofessional things a student could possible do in a paper or presentation. Any personal opinions a student has about any person or group and any slang language has no place in a student’s work. Any respect for your argument or presentation will be lost if you don’t remember this point.

Related Links and Resources

• Writing a College Paper – collegeboard.com
• A Short Guide to College Writing – University of Chicago Writing Program

Recommended Books

• Write for College: A Students Handbook
• How to Write a College Paper in Five Easy Steps (Volume 1)