Writing for Academia

While Academic Writing may not play a large role in Construction or Facility Management, it is still important to be able to write an essay or a journal article if you’re called upon to do so. This section provides the tools you will need to write an essay, journal article or research paper in the field of Construction or Facility Management.

Remember, academic writing follows specific citation and formatting styles which will usually be spelled out by your instructor or in the editorial material provided by the publication to which your are submitting your work. Most academic disciplines follow strict publication guidelines. For example, humanities courses follow MLA (Modern Language Association) guidelines, the social sciences use APA (American Psychological Association), mechanical engineering uses ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) and chemistry uses ACS (American Chemical Society).

Articles for Publication in Peer-Reviewed Journals

Writing articles for publication in the field of Construction Management has the same requirements and follows the same format as writing articles in any field. Academic articles are usually written for peer-reviewed or industry journals and professional publications. Because writing in Construction Management does not adhere to a specific style requirement such as APA or MLA, you should find out the style requirements of the publication to which you are submitting your article.

MORE on Articles for Publication in Peer-Reviewed Journals

Essays

In general, essays are meant to persuade your audience to agree with your thesis - the argument you present to support your point of view. When might you be called upon to write an essay? Maybe you’re taking a course in Construction Management or writing about a project you’re working on.

The Parts of an Essay

A strong essay consists of

a good descriptive title;
an introduction;
a series of paragraphs supporting your thesis; and,
a conclusion.

Research Papers

Writing a research paper is often viewed as a one of most challenging assignments for college students. You may think quietly to yourself, “Why do I need to know how to write a research paper? I’ll never use what I learn by writing this paper in the real world.” However, if you can write a research paper, you can use the same skills to write a technical report or a project proposal or even a letter to your boss.