International Students

Most international students come to the United States very well prepared.  The majority read and speak English quite well and have excellent grades and TOEFL scores.   But since writing in English requires higher-level skills and writing experience, international students often struggle when faced with writing assignments.  Thus, it helps to know what American professors expect. 

In Brief: The American Writing Style
Many Asian students have learned to write in a spiral style where the main point is alluded to throughout the paper but is not clearly stated until the end.  Other students have been taught to write in a highly descriptive, sometimes poetic, free-flowing style.  Americans often view these styles as too vague or too wordy to understand.  In contrast, American academic writing, for most subjects, is linear, succinct, and direct.  Some international students have called American writing "simple."

American students are taught to present the main idea or research question on the first page, often in the first paragraph.  They build upon the theme or hypothesis throughout the paper, supporting their ideas with facts, theory and examples.  Research papers should reflect students' critical and analytical thinking and conclude with a unique finding or fresh insights.  The American style is not necessarily the best writing approach, but it's what American professors expect.  Furthermore, this simple style is most easily understood by American and international audiences, which is important when publishing papers in international journals.

American professors also expect writing that reflects students' creativity and knowledge, along with their ability to analyze facts and theory.   In addition, Americans appreciate an authoritative, confident tone.  For example, beginning a paper with, "In this paper, I will attempt to identify the various underlying causes of poverty in my country ..." could be rewritten as: "This research examines the fundamental causes of poverty in Peru by focusing on the historical and political forces that shape today's economy."

My Goal as an Editor
My goal is to help students present their ideas clearly and concisely, and to learn from the editing process.  With nine years of experience editing papers for international students attending Boston-area colleges, I understand the struggles students face when writing in English.  In correcting common writing errors and streamlining sentences, I hope to help students enhance their writing skills, which occurs over time with practice and patience.

Clear writing is critical to your academic success!

Email: WordWiseEditing@aol.com     Phone: 617-547-7647

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