An introduction and orientation to writing style

Style and academic writing: joining those two terms could be seen, by some, as an oxymoron. That is, they aren't always thought of together, and for some people they are poles apart. But let's ignore that for the moment and concentrate on the two key terms here: style--what is it, and how do you identify it?--and academic writing--which to some extent requires a variety of writing styles.


In a recent podcast I gave some examples of how style has been defined:

• Proper words in proper places. J. Swift
• Style is a thinking out into language. J. Newman
• Have something to say, and say it as clearly as you can. That is the only secret of style. M. Arnold
• The old saying of Buffon’s that style is the man himself is as near the truth as we can get--but then most men mistake grammar for style, as they mistake correct spelling for words or schooling for education. S. Butler

None of these are wrong, but they aren't particularly helpful, either. Let's also consider what style is not:

• Organization (headings, titles, references) is separate from style
• Narrative/story: the organization of your text is part of arrangement, not style
• Argument/persuasion: this is part of invention or coming up with ideas

Some of the component parts of a writing style include:

• Choice of words: Simple or polysyllabic?
• Arrangement of words: Simple sentences or complex sentences?
• Tropes and figures (schemes): Metaphors, irony, hyperbole, parallelism?
• Functional/embellished: is your goal to be direct or to entertain?
• Written vrs spoken: will you deliver this text in person or via a document?
• Economy of words vrs. copia: is it more important to communicate quickly or in more detail?

In another post I shared a document that helps identify these and other features of a written text and prompts you to identify those features either in your own writing or the writing of someone you are trying to emulate.


In the podcast and the slides you can see examples of the three levels of style that classical rhetoricians identified:

• the low or plain style, suitable for instruction
• the middle or forcible style, suitable for persuasion
• the high or florid style, suitable for entertainment

​Ultimately, you'll want to develop your ability to write at each level, depending on your purpose. I'll examine each of those styles in future articles and podcasts.

Roger Graves
roger@wecanwrite.ca