According to Walden University, scholarly writing is founded on four important aspects. These four include voice, evidence, paragraphs, and arguments (Walden University Writing Center, 2020). The argument is essentially required in most, if not all, scholarly writing. It assures that an essay or paper presents a developed perspective. The argument, which can evolve into a thesis, is based on collected evidence that must be incorporated into the text. Each idea is supported by evidence collected from reliable and academic sources. The correct and cohesive structure of a scholarly paper is crucial to its overall presentation. As such, the text should be comprised of an introduction, body, and conclusion. The body may follow a strategy called the MEAL plan, which stands for the main idea, evidence, analysis, and lead out to form a flowing sequence of paragraphs (What is the MEAL plan? 2020). The voice is an aspect of the text that should be aware of the audience it is addressing. A more formal, general, and academic voice is required for scholarly writing. This includes choosing words, tone, and sentence structure that is concise but varied.
The MEAL plan and the emphasis on varied sentence structure caught my attention due to my goal to develop better cohesion between ideas using grammatical tools. Sentence structure and use of punctuation give a text its rhythm or cadence (Moran, 2018). This is a pattern that is noticeable in speech and also affects the way a reader interprets written work. In writing, a falling cadence signals the completion of a sentence or idea. As such, while keeping sentences short or of the same variety allows for clarity and simplicity, they may also be uninteresting or disconnected from other sentences and thoughts. Varied sentences allow differing gaps between each presented idea, which can intrigue a reader but also allow the breathing room to interpret the text.
References
Moran, J. (2018). An academic’s guide to writing well. The World University Rankings. Web.
Walden University Writing Center. (2020). Crash Course in Scholarly Writing* [Video file]. Web.
What is the MEAL plan? (2020). Web.