academic writing and creative writing venn diagram

Creative Writing(ENG-207) Week#7:- Difference between Academic and Creative Writing

• Week#7:- Difference between Academic and Creative Writing

Difference between Academic and Creative Writing

Creative writing is different from  academic writing . Writing for websites is different from writing for newspaper columns. Journal entries are different from writing press releases on behalf of a brand. Writing purposes do vary. It's important that when undertaking any writing you have a firm grasp on this concept.

Let's look at the fundamental differences between academic and creative writing.

The Principal Difference

Style is the chief difference between academic and creative writing. Creative writing need not adhere to any specific style parameters. Academic writing is different. Academic writing needs to be structured and executed adhering to a series of guidelines. Indeed, so stringent are these guidelines that academic institutions include these guidelines as part of their curriculum.

Style Guidelines Outlined

These documents or manuals outline the rules and standards needed for the successful execution of any written exercise. A quick Google search and you'll find web pages dedicated to clearly communicating the guidelines of academic writing. However, many institutions have their own stylistic guidelines.

Common Style Guide Conventions vs. Informal Writing

Here is a look at some of the differences between informal writing and conventional, academic writing.

Contractions – generally speaking contractions are acceptable in academic writing, though overuse will dilute the integrity of the writing. Studying academic writing you'll see that the writer makes use of contractions to get points across.

Technical terminology –when writing for academic purposes it's important that you always bear the audience in mind. If you're writing for a niche market alone the audience will understand any jargon that may be lost on the layman. Take out technical terminology altogether if writing for a diverse audience.

Reference appropriately – good academic writing includes references for any information used to support your argument. These need to be referenced appropriately.

Colloquial expressions and clichés – creative writing, especially dialogue, will have expressions that are unique to that character. However, these should not be used in academic writing. For example, it's unwise to describe Noam Chomsky's contribution to linguistics as ‘awesome.'

These are just a few tips for anyone considering how to cater to their writing for academic or creative purposes. Follow these are you will give yourself the best possible chance of executing a well-crafted piece of work, no matter the purpose.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CREATIVE AND ACADEMIC WRITING

In personal, reflective, or creative writing, there are far fewer rules since it is.. well. personal and creative!  In this kind of writing, one can tell a story,  summarize their experiences, or express their opinions, ideas, or emotions.  Their writing can be entirely fictional, requiring minimal factual evidence or support.  However, writers may still want to include support for their assertions, especially if their personal writing is supposed to be persuasive or deliver an opinion.  Writers may support their claims with personal experiences and information that they have heard, even if they aren’t entirely sure where from.  Their evidence doesn’t have to include the page number of the specific text it is found in like academic writing does.  This is simply because it is writing for the purpose of only the writer’s intentions.  It doesn’t need to satisfy requirements or match the grading of a rubric. Academic or scholarly writing on the other hand is a little more standardized.  One's writing must be much more organized and formatted, and the evidence used as support for their assertions must come from concrete sources.  The sources should be properly cited both in text and in a works cited page.  In academic writing, the writer needs to prove to the reader that what is being said is factual and correct.  Ideas need to be explained, and any inferences or deductions based on textual evidence or data must include support.  Contrary to creative writing, one cannot simply ponder about an idea and ask questions.  In academic writing, questions must be answered.

Another difference between academic writing and creative or personal writing is the presence of pressure due to time restraints.  In timed essays, ones writing situation may greatly change.  There is no time to brainstorm or procrastinate, so being able to organize ideas quickly is essential.  Also, far greater preparation before beginning the paper is required.  The writer does not have the luxury of aimlessly searching through sources for evidence.  The subject of the timed essay must be understood thoroughly, prior to the beginning of the timed writing.

Overall, creative writing allows for more personal expression whereas academic/scholarly writing aims to explore an idea, argument, or concept.  Academic writing requires more factual evidence for support, and presents challenges such as the pressure of time.  They each have their own purpose, and as a developing writer, I hope to improve my writing of both types.

• Week#1:- Literature and major forms of literature
• Week#2:- Drama and forms of drama
• Week#3:- Poetry and kinds of poetry
• Week#4:- Objective poetry and its kinds
• Week#5:- Benefits of Creative Writing
• Week#6:- Types of Writing and Writing Process
• Week#8:- Elements of Short Stories
• Week#9:- Novel and its types
• Week#10:- Novel and its uses
• Week#11:- Communication and its types
• Week#12:- Communication's elements and benefits
• Week#13:- The Barrier to effective communication
• Week#14:- Essay and its types
• Week#15:- Figures of speech
• Week#16:- Poem: "Mending Wall"
• Chapters 16
• Department Business Administration

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The difference between academic and professional writing: a helpful guide

Whether you’re a current or prospective student at Penn LPS Online, you’ve likely written your fair share of academic papers and business emails. But you’re not alone if you still have questions about the differences and similarities between academic and professional writing. This overview contains a summary of everything you need to know about the intricacies of these critical forms of writing.

What is the difference between academic and professional writing?

One of the key differences between academic writing and business writing is the goal of each endeavor. Because the readers are often students, professors, or scholars in academic writing, the goal is to present and analyze information on a specific subject and increase understanding. With professional writing, the goal is generally to communicate information or influence the opinions of managers, coworkers, clients, or job prospects. While academic writing is strictly formal, it’s common to use the first-person point of view in many standard business communications. Lastly, academic writing requires adherence to strict formatting and source requirements, but there is generally more flexibility in this area when it comes to professional documents.

Read on to dive deeper into the ins and outs of academic and professional writing.

Academic writing

The hallmarks of academic writing include the use of the third-person point of view, a logical flow, an emphasis on facts and ideas, and an authoritative, formal tone. This writing style is objective, avoids casual language and slang, offers insightful analysis, and includes citations for research backed by reliable sources such as scientific studies or journal articles. While students and professors routinely use academic writing, scientists also use it to describe their research findings, as do literary critics. There are four distinct types of this formal writing style: descriptive, analytical, persuasive, and critical.

Descriptive writing

Descriptive writing is one of the most simple and ubiquitous types of scholarly writing. You can see examples of this writing style in essays, research papers, or lab reports for several fields of study. The primary goal of descriptive writing is to use precise language to summarize and describe information, such as the result of an experiment or a section of prose.

Analytical writing

An example of analytical writing is an academic paper that compares two or more complex ideas or theories. Although a part of analytical writing is descriptive, it requires going a step further to reorganize and deconstruct facts into categories, groups, types, or relationships that provide context. As such, to author a successful analytical essay, you need to start with a strong outline.

Persuasive writing

Persuasive writing takes analytical writing to the next level. Not only must you structure a coherent, fact-based argument, but you must also include your own point of view. This could be a recommendation, interpretation of findings, or an evaluation of someone else’s work, but the claims you make need to be credible and backed by evidence.

Critical writing

This formal style is commonly used in research, advanced undergraduate, or postgraduate writing. It includes the tenets of persuasive writing with the supplement of at least one other point of view (in addition to your own) on a topic or issue. For example, if you’re writing a thesis, you may explain a researcher’s analysis from a journal article, critique the merits of their argument, and provide your own alternative explanation.

Professional writing

Professional writing refers to any written communication that takes place in an organizational context. A primary objective of professional or business writing is to effectively educate, instruct, or persuade an audience via emails, newsletters, memos, press releases, project proposals, business plans, executive summaries, letters, and resumés. As is the case with all writing styles, proper grammar usage—including syntax, spelling, and parts of speech—is essential in professional writing, as are the three points below.

Clarity and concision

One of the main requirements for successful professional writing is to use clear, precise language so that your message is easily understood. It’s also important to avoid clichés and hyperbole and stick to simple, concise statements that efficiently share concrete information. Not only will this save you time, but it will also benefit the reader’s comprehension and enjoyment.

Active and purposeful

Whether you’re creating a quick email or preparing an in-depth report, every piece of business writing should start with a well-defined objective or purpose. To keep your communication to the point, you should use an active voice, choose strong action verbs, and avoid qualifiers or passive phrases such as “I think.”

Personal tone

Although professional writing should have a courteous tone, the level of formality does not need to be equal to that used in an academic setting. Documents such as business plans should have a formal structure, but with emails or online chats with colleagues, a friendly, polite tone and positive phrasing can go a long way.

The overlap between academic and professional writing

Although there are distinct differences, there are also many similarities between academic and professional writing. Both writing styles require that you use proper grammar and punctuation, clear and precise language, and a serious tone, along with well-developed ideas with clear objectives. Whether you’re writing for business or academic purposes, it’s also important to avoid exaggeration, emotionally charged expressions, and jargon, as they dilute the effectiveness of your communication. In everything from research papers and essays to memos and fundraising letters, it’s essential to ensure that the information you convey is both accurate and relevant. And you should always have a clearly defined goal for academic or business writing, such as to describe, inform, analyze, or persuade.

If you’re somewhat of a writing novice and looking to improve your skills, then consider PROW 1030: Introduction to Academic Reading, Writing, and Research and PROW 1000: Fundamentals of Professional Writing at Penn LPS Online. The former is designed to expand your abilities and build your confidence as you learn how to plan and execute a well-structured argument, write with logical coherence, and polish your work to ensure readability. The latter provides an introduction to critically analyzing any writing situation and creating purposeful messaging to address it. With targeted exercises to improve grammar, mechanics, and precision, you’ll work to enhance the quality and effectiveness of your writing practice.

If you want to expand and refine your existing repertoire, look to PROW 3030: Advanced Academic Writing and PROW 3010: The Power of Storytelling . The former focuses on improving your ability to translate readings, research, and findings into meaningful academic content. This includes employing time management and reading strategies and enhancing your understanding of the nuances of academic genres and writing styles. The latter explores storytelling as a means of conveying complex and memorable information. Learn how to use narrative studies as a research tool for gathering data and a rhetorical strategy for generating emotional appeal, action, and brand identity.

Explore the professional writing certificate at Penn LPS Online

The 4-course Certificate in Professional Writing at Penn LPS Online offers practical applications that provide an accelerated understanding of the art of effective business communication—and tips to help you become a master of grammar, concision, and clarity. As mentioned above, whether you’re looking to learn the fundamentals or you’re already a seasoned writer, these Ivy League writing courses will help you take your skills to the next level. Discover innovative findings in the field, receive extensive coaching and feedback, and learn how to incorporate your personal or corporate brand story into every piece of communication.

The Certificate in Professional Writing prepares you to:

• Analyze different audiences, scenarios, and contexts to better shape your messaging
• Develop effective rhetorical strategies and skills to persuade personal, professional, and social audiences
• Learn how use complex multimedia texts that incorporate language, image, and sound to produce a coherent, engaging message
• Grow your empathic and analytical skills to integrate and build upon other viewpoints
• Explore how to engage the senses to successfully convey information through social media
• Understand how to use effective visualization to make complex material more accessible 

Ready to get started? If you have yet to do so, apply to Penn LPS Online today and enroll in the Certificate in Professional Writing . Or  view our course guide to see what’s available in any upcoming term.

Academic vs. Nonacademic Writing Styles

Academic and nonacademic writing are distinct styles with different characteristics and purposes. Academic writing is formal, evidence-based, and aimed at scholarly audiences, while nonacademic writing is informal, personal, and intended for a wider audience. Choosing the appropriate style depends on the target audience and the writer's specific purpose.

Updated on September 5, 2023

Academic and nonacademic writing are two different writing styles with distinct characteristics and purposes. Each style has its own conventions and best practices. Writers must understand and adhere to these conventions to best communicate with their intended audience.

The key factor to keep in mind here is your target audience .

Academic writing

The language used in academic writing is precise and often technical. It follows a standard structure, which typically includes introduction, background, methodology, results, discussion and conclusion sections. 

Academic writing generally includes a list of cited references and figures showing the data and data analyses performed over the course of research. A few examples of academic writing include journal articles, research papers, and theses /dissertations.

Characteristics of academic writing

The fundamental characteristics of academic writing are described as follows:

• Clear and concise : Academic writing is clear and concisely written. The use of jargon and excessive wordiness are not effective means of communicating through academic writing.
• Evidence-based content : Academic writing is based on evidence and research. Credible sources are used and they are cited appropriately.
• Formal tone : Academic writing uses a formal tone and avoids contractions, colloquial language, and informal expressions.
• Structured writing : Academic writing has a clear structure, such as introduction, methodology, and conclusion sections.
• A uniform citation style : Different fields have their own citation styles, and it is important to follow the specific citation style required by your institution or field.
• Proofread and edit : Always proofread and edit your work before submitting it for review. For assistance with this step, AJE can help with all of your proofreading, editing and translation needs. 
• Avoid plagiarism : Plagiarism can be avoided by properly citing sources, paraphrasing, and summarizing.

To communicate with a general audience, nonacademic writing styles are the best bet. In contrast to academic writing, nonacademic writing has an informal tone, a personal approach, and often uses emotions to convey the message. Nonacademic writing is aimed at a general audience and is used to entertain, inform, and persuade people. The language used in nonacademic writing is not usually technical and is considered to be accessible to a wider audience. Examples of nonacademic writing include newspaper articles, blog posts, and creative writing, such as fiction and poetry.

Characteristics of nonacademic writing

Nonacademic writing is not intended for an academic audience or purpose. Some of the characteristics of nonacademic writing are described as follows:

• Colloquial language : Nonacademic writing often uses colloquial language, slang, and contractions. This means the writing often comes across as more conversational. 
• Informal tone : Nonacademic writing typically has a more informal tone than academic writing.
• Personal opinions : A writer's personal opinions and feelings are often included in this style of writing.
• Less formal structure : There is usually no strict structure or format to nonacademic writing styles.
• Less emphasis on research : Writers often rely more on personal experience and anecdotes in this style of writing.
• Use of humor and figurative language : Humor and figurative language can make writing content more engaging.
• Less or no citation requirement : Nonacademic writing often doesn't require citations and references.
• Simplicity and brevity : Writing is often simple and brief, as it is designed to be easily understood by a wider, general audience.

Both styles of writing have their own unique strengths and weaknesses, and it is important for writers to understand and use the appropriate style for their specific purpose and audience. While academic writing is essential for scholarly research and analysis, nonacademic writing is essential for communicating information and ideas to a general audience.

Final thoughts

In summary, academic writing is formal, objective, and evidence-based, while nonacademic writing is informal, personal, and emotional. The purpose and audience for each style of writing are also different, with academic writing being written for scholarly audiences and nonacademic writing being written for wider audiences. The key element in choosing a writing style is the intended audience.

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Technical vs. Academic, Creative, Business, and Literary Writing: What Is the Difference?

Technical writing is all about the content that focuses on providing detailed and clear information on the product or service. It contains a factual and straightforward message. Technical writers convert complex technical information into useful and easy-to-understand language. You should know that there are different types of technical writing , for example, online tutorials , instruction manuals, API documentation, and so on.

The main idea of all types of technical writing is to help the end-user understand any technical aspect of the product or service.

In addition to technical writing, there are many types of other writings, such as creative, business, and literary writing. All of them have distinctive features. Let’s compare these writings to technical writing and see what they have in common and what makes them different.

Technical Writing vs. Academic Writing

Some people might think these two types of writing are similar. The truth is that these are two completely different categories. It may seem that academic writing should be more complicated since it is focused on some specific and narrow discipline. Indeed, this type of writing may describe very complex concepts and provide specialized knowledge.

Technical writing is intended to describe technical information. It may vary depending on the specifics of a particular industry.

Academic writing is aimed to present a certain point of view on a particular subject. Academic papers show results of research and demonstrate someone’s knowledge. In turn, technical writing explains something to readers and informs them. Technical papers often explain how to use a particular product or service. Technical documents can also describe procedures used by the manufacturer to perform certain tasks. What technical and academic writing have in common is that both types may contain jargon.

Academic and technical writing target different audiences. Academic papers are usually intended for fellow scholars. However, there are also academic pieces of writing intended for a broad audience. Technical writing is intended for people who use a product or service.

Technical Writing vs. Creative Writing

Creative writing is a piece of writing for entertainment and education. It focuses on imaginative and symbolic content, and creative papers are published to entertain, provoke, inspire the user. Technical writing, on the other hand, is not done to amuse its reader. It is used to inform someone. Some technical articles are sometimes made to trigger the reader to take action.

There is no such specific reader who prefers creative papers. Anyone can read the creative paper if they want to, and it gives readers a theme, message, moral, or lesson which is helpful in their real lives or provides temporary entertainment to the reader.

Creative writing has many genres and subgenres. If you want to write creatively, you should have talent. Of course, talent alone is not enough - practice is everything here.

It doesn’t mean that creativity can’t be used in technical writing. Technical articles contain so many facts and data that they can bore and overwhelm readers. This is where creativity in technical writing might come in handy. A tech writer should be creative to encourage their readers to continue reading the document.

Technical Writing vs. Business Writing

Business writing is just about any kind of writing people do at work, if we are not talking about journalism or creative writing. Business writing includes reports, emails, proposals, white papers, minutes, business cases, letters, copywriting, bids, and tenders.

However, many reports, bids, and proposals contain technical data and specifications. So business writers may find themselves editing technical content, and technical writers may be called upon to write persuasive documents for a non-technical audience.

The main objective for both these writings is to inform, be useful, build something or operate the equipment.

The language needs to be clear, concise, and accurate. Wordiness, repetition, and unfamiliar words that the audience may not understand do not belong in either business or technical writing.

Of course, you can use technical jargon in documents where the audience has the same technical background. But too much jargon tends to be a huge problem. So, if in doubt, avoid jargon or explain it.

Some business documents need to be persuasive, whereas technical documents tend to be neutral and objective.

However, there are differences in the content, language, and style of technical and business writing. More on technical writing in business is in our article What Value Technical Writers Bring to Business?

Technical Writing vs. Literary Writing

The main difference between technical writing and literary writing is that literary language is used in literary work while technical writing is used in writing for a particular field. Literary writing is used in fiction. Examples of literary writing include poems, novels, short stories, dramas, etc. The language used in literary writing is creative, imaginative and uses literary techniques like hyperbole, personification, similes, metaphors, etc.

Technical writing is the style of writing that is mostly observed in non-fiction. The language used in technical writing is direct, factual, and straightforward.

Literary writing appeals to emotions. Technical writing appeals to the mind.

Technical writing is aimed at people who have knowledge about a particular subject area. Literary writing is written for general readers.

Every writing style is important in its own way. They are used by writers depending on the subject matter, purpose, language, and target audience. Below is the table that summarizes what you found out about the types of writing mentioned in this article:

It doesn’t matter what you write: essays, business materials, fiction, letters, or just notes in your journal, your writing will be at its best if you stay focused on your purpose and target audience.

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Venn Diagrams to Plan Essays and More

• M.Ed., Education Administration, University of Georgia
• B.A., History, Armstrong State University

A Venn diagram is a great tool for brainstorming and creating a comparison between two or more objects, events, or people. You can use this as a first step to creating an outline for a  compare and contrast essay .

Simply draw two (or three) large circles and give each circle a title, reflecting each object, trait, or person you are comparing.

Inside the intersection of the two circles (overlapping area), write all the traits that the objects have in common. You will refer to these traits when you  compare  similar characteristics.

In the areas outside the overlapping section, you will write all of the traits that are specific to that particular object or person.

Creating an Outline for Your Essay Using a Venn Diagram

From the Venn diagram above, you can create an easy outline for your paper. Here is the beginning of an essay outline:

1. Both dogs and cats make great pets.

• Both animals can be very entertaining
• Each is loving in its own way
• Each can live inside or outside the house

2. Both have drawbacks, as well.

• They can damage property
• Both can be costly
• Both require time and attention

3. Cats can be easier to care for.

• Leaving for a day

4. Dogs can be better companions.

• Going to the park
• Going for walks
• Will enjoy my company

As you can see, outlining is much easier when you have a visual aid to help you with the brainstorming process.

More Uses for Venn Diagrams

Besides its usefulness for planning essays, Venn Diagrams can be used for thinking through many other problems both at school and at home. For example:

• Planning a Budget: Create three circles for What I Want, What I Need, and What I Can Afford.
• Setting Priorities: Create circles for different types of priorities: School, Chores, Friends, TV, along with a circle for What I Have Time for This Week.
• Choosing Activities: Create circles for different types of activities: What I'm Committed to, What I'd Like to Try, and What I Have Time for Each Week.
• Comparing People's Qualities: Create circles for the different qualities you're comparing (ethical, friendly, good looking, wealthy, etc.), and then add names to each circle. Which overlap?
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