By: Sonaike Peter

Academic writing is the heartbeat of the academic world. It fuels innovation, solves real-world problems, and shapes the policies that govern our nations. Academic papers are powerful tools that can spark meaningful change and drive a country’s progress. Take China, for example. This powerhouse nation publishes an astonishing 744,042 academic papers every year. It is no wonder China is renowned for its groundbreaking innovations and rapid development.

Academic writing is the key to unlocking career advancement in higher education. For lecturers, a strong record of scholarly writing is the ticket to promotion – from PhD to professorship, and beyond. But academic writing isn’t just for educators; students, especially those in their final year, are also immersed in research and writing projects.

Academic writing is no longer off-limits to undergraduates. Some students at the University of Ibadan are proving that with passion and dedication, anyone can become a published author. But what drives them? For some, it is the thrill of landing a prestigious fellowship. For others, it is the allure of earning some extra cash.

“Academic writing is worth engaging in” – A student’s Perspective

Akinwale Emmanuel’s love for academic writing runs deep. As a 300-level Political Science student and Editor-in-Chief of FATSSA Press Organization, he’s driven by a passion that’s hard to ignore. For Emmanuel, it’s all about perspective. He shared with Indypress that reading academic works sparks his critical thinking, fueling his enthusiasm to write.

Akinwale Emmanuel’s passion for academic writing has yielded impressive results. By volunteering as a researcher for his lecturers, he demonstrated his expertise and earned recognition. His relentless efforts have led to multiple publications, showcasing his dedication to academic excellence. But the benefits didn’t stop there. Emmanuel’s writing has unlocked coveted fellowships, part-time jobs generating passive income, and even played a pivotal role in co-founding an international organization promoting learning and research.

Akinwale Emmanuel is well aware of the juggling act required to balance academic responsibilities with other commitments. To succeed in academic writing, Emmanuel stresses the importance of having a clear vision and purpose, driving your work.

“Every endeavor is worth engaging in as long as you have the passion and purpose for it. If you have a defined plan for any endeavor, then it is worth engaging in. The purpose is that through this academic writing, undoubtedly, you will be able to make research that will be useful to the society and such that you will even be able to make writings to solve social problems,” Emmanuel said.

Emmanuel’s writing journey isn’t always lucrative. Some publications pay, while others don’t.

Afugbe Toheeb’s love for writing began with simple essays in primary school. But as his curiosity grew, so did his passion for academic writing. Today, the 300-level Communication and Language Arts student is deeply immersed in scholarly research.

Academic writing has been a catalyst for Toheeb’s growth. Through conference presentations and lively discussions, he has sharpened his critical thinking skills and found his voice.

Toheeb is well aware of the challenges that come with academic writing. The process can be grueling, and errors can force him to start from scratch. Yet, he finds solace in knowing that his work will leave a lasting legacy, inspiring future generations long after he’s gone.

“Oh, well, the fact that many tertiary students don’t prioritize academic writing until their final year actually reflects personal, systematic and educational factors. But frankly, I must say that academic writing, or writing itself, is a complex skill and that the nature of sophistication makes many people run away from it.,” he explained.

“To write is very, very complex. And it can be time consuming. You know, there are times that I would have written something and after writing it, I would feel relieved and I would feel happy. Then I’ll leave it for some time. But it should be surprising that after reading the second time, I will feel dissatisfied and I’ll be like, okay, I have not really mentioned something very, very important. So I have to cancel everything,” he added.

As a freelancer, Toheeb mentioned that academic writing has taught him how to coin persuasive emails that effectively convince potential clients.

Stephen Augustine, a 300-level Nursing student, has been involved in academic writing long before his university journey began. He recalls assisting a final-year student with a project while still in secondary school. Despite lacking in-depth knowledge at the time, Stephen embraced the challenge with determination, recognizing the learning opportunity it presented.

Stephen shared how academic writing has opened doors he never imagined. It has allowed him to forge valuable relationships, including with his professors, and has even brought him financial rewards, as he helps students from both home and abroad with their academic papers.

However, he also acknowledged the challenges that come with this field. According to Stephen, academic writing demands a high level of critical thinking, and there have been occasions when he had to refund payments for projects that did not meet the required standards.

“It has always been challenging because academic writing requires you to solve problems. And you can’t actually solve a problem without you taking your time to think about it. Finding problems this time is not as difficult as it was in the past because in the past there was not much advancement. But there are still some problems that exist,” Stephen explained.

“Financial challenges have always been the setback we will face but it is actually what we are overcoming by writing assignments for students. And sometimes, when that is not well written, when it is not up to the target, you might have to refund the money or charge less, things like that. Sometimes you might have to do extra work for free,” he added.

Stephen charged students to fully embrace the opportunities that academic writing offers, highlighting that it can open doors to remarkable experiences, such as presenting their research at international conferences.

Speaking to IndyPress, Ibidunni Ogunbowale, a penultimate-year student from the Department of Early Childhood and Educational Foundations and the current Vice-President of the department’s association, shared that his journey into academic writing was driven by genuine interest and passion.

Abifoluwa, who co-authored an academic paper, emphasized the numerous benefits of academic writing, highlighting it as a valuable avenue for accessing opportunities like international scholarships.

When asked whether academic writing can help break the habit of studying solely to pass exams, Abifoluwa confidently affirmed that it does. According to her, students engaged in academic writing understand the depth of knowledge and actively apply it to address real-world issues. She urged the government to support and promote academic writing in tertiary institutions by organizing seminars and workshops.

“My charge for them (students) would be to never give up. Even though the reward isn’t immediate, it is a long term investment that will give dividends. As to the government, I feel hosting seminars for student writers will go a long way and making monetary investments into the student body of writers will be a source of motivation,” she advised.

“One of the challenges of our educational system is acquiring dormant knowledge that is almost always never put to test. I believe that for students who are engaged in academic writing, they know the weight of every word and its efficacy in shaping how the world is perceived, hence, it ought to eliminate their urge to study for mere “even if it is a D, let me sha pass,” she concluded.

“I would not have become a Professor without academic writing” – A Professor’s Perceptive

Speaking with IndyPress, Professor Akinsola, Professor of Mathematics, discussed the essential elements of academic writing. He explained that academic writing is rooted in thorough research and is structured to ensure that even those without specialized knowledge can comprehend it. According to him, its primary purpose is not only to address societal challenges but also to guide government policy decisions. He noted that academic writing is crucial for lecturers seeking promotion in their careers.

Reflecting on his own journey, Professor Akinola shared that before getting to the University of Ibadan, he was a teacher. His academic writing path began when he joined the university. As a Lecturer in the Department of Science and Technology Education, he confidently stated that academic writing played a pivotal role in his rise to professorship. Furthermore, he highlighted that his work in academic writing had earned him fellowship opportunities in the United States.

Professor Akinola also recalled a time when lecturers were awarded annual research allowances, a practice that has now been a past case. He urged the government to reintroduce funding for academic research to support scholarly development.

“Well, academic writing is one of the key issues of any lecturer. There are three main functions of lecturers.To teach, to research and to do community services. So, through your research you publish your research which showcases your knowledge of the subject matter,” Professor Akinsola explained.

“And then you know, research means that getting new knowledge and when you get this new knowledge you have to disseminate it. And then when you write, you don’t write for yourself. You write for those who are knowledgeable in the subjects and those who are not even knowledgeable in the subject for them to understand,” he added.

Speaking with IndyPress, Dr. Ojuolape, a Lecturer from the Department of Guidance and Counseling, Faculty of Education, shared how his first international trip was made possible through academic writing.

“This academic writing has helped a lot. My first time traveling abroad was through academic writing because I met with some people through LinkedIn. I helped them with some research.. so, that is just it,” Dr. Ojuolape said.

Dr. Ojuolape has been involved in academic writing since his days at the National Certificate level, and he credits a computer center owner, whom he met early on, for teaching him the craft. He also highlighted that academic writing constitutes a significant portion of coursework at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Corroborating Dr. Akinsola perceptive, he emphasized that academic writing is designed to address societal issues like cultism and to guide government policy development.

Addressing why academic writing is seldom practiced by students, he pointed to a general fear and lack of understanding about the writing process. Dr. Ojuolape revealed that he had conducted research on this very issue, shedding light on the barriers that make academic writing rare among students.

“A lot of people have this assumption and I have been experiencing it because I have done research on it that they (students) have a phobia for research. They usually have it especially when the research involves statistics. And another thing is that most students don’t know the step to step procedure of a research and this makes them have this phobia,” he added.

He suggested that the government should organize seminars and conferences to orientate students on the significance of academic writing and its vital role in addressing societal issues and shaping public policy.

From both the students’ and lecturers’ perspectives, two key points stand out: academic writing not only addresses societal issues, but also opens doors to numerous opportunities. This becomes a basis for the involvement of the government as an institution of social development to invest in the education sector. As Professor Akinsola suggested, the government should reconsider and reinstate annual research funding for lecturers. Additionally, students should actively engage in the realm of academic writing, as it holds a wealth of opportunities that can significantly benefit them.