In the blog this week, we will move on to examine the importance of writing in a professional business style when completing all the required job application documentation. Before reading this blog, please refer to the previous blog posts on learning shock and communication shock that explore cross-cultural issues that directly relate to the topic covered this week.
The contrast between academic and business writing styles
While both academic and business writing represent types of formal language style, the recruitment documentation must be completed throughout in a professional business style. This requires writing in short, clear sentences that provide the reader with actionable information without having to wade through complex sentences and lengthy paragraphs.
For example, unlike most academic styles, bullet points are generally welcome when presenting key information in a professional business context. Moreover, again in contrast to an academic style, active voice and personal pronouns are the norm in application documentation. Below is a brief list of some of the key differences between the two communication styles.
The difference between academic and business writing
| Academic Writing | Business Writing |
Purpose
| To illustrate a level of knowledge and demonstrate critical thinking | To achieve a specific goal within the workplace or with clients or customers |
Audience
| Educators, academics, supervisors, or fellow students | A range of stakeholder within or beyond the organisation |
Tone
| Highly formal following long-established conventions that are typically inaccessible outside academia | Formal but one that is easily accessible for a wide range of target audience including the public |
Style | Complex sentences and often lengthy paragraphs that provide the reader with explicit details about the issue | Shorter sentences and paragraphs to quickly get to the point such as using bullet points to make reading faster and easier for the reader |
Structure
| Highly formalised in terms of an abstract, thesis position, introduction, main body, conclusion, and references | Highly flexible in relation to the type of text, objective, and the audience. |
Content
| Focus on supporting the thesis position | Focus on only limited information immediately relevant to the audience |
Format | Always require citations and references | No formal formatting rules and often contain summarised information without any citations or references |
Question 1
Should universities devote more time teaching students how to write in a professional style?
Question 2
Why might some overseas students find a professional style more culturally challenging?
Question 3
What specific cultural factors might overseas students need to manage during a job interview?
We will start to address key issues related to Question 3 in the blog next week.
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