Through all my academic writing I have also learned that my writing style can change quite a bit depending on the topic I write about. I tend to prefer writing as I would speak, which takes a more casual and flowy tone, but in more formal writings I notice my writing style become more straightforward and almost stiffer. Either way, I enjoy trying to bring a sense of life to my writing so that it can always seem natural when read aloud.
The first big writing project that I remember working on was a fictional story displaying cultural aspects from Argentina. I remember this project well because it pushed me to create an interesting plot while still portraying the lifestyle of an Argentinian child. I used a casual tone but still needed to keep a hint of seriousness in order to show that the story should be taken seriously. This writing style was difficult because I had never done anything like it before.The subject of the story was definitely not something that I knew well, but through working on it, I found myself learning so much about Argentinian culture.
The Case Study that biology students write is another example of how writing helps people to learn. Writing the Case Study helped me to look at the big picture of what I was learning as well as remember all the smaller details. Since it was supposed to be like a formal report, my voice in the Case Study was less prominent because I had less of a chance to express passion and opinion through simple, factual explanations.
However, the lack of expression did not mean that I was unable to learn as much from the Case Study. In fact, the writing I did helped me to remember and understand everything that we covered in class much better. The difference between my writing style in pieces like the Case Study versus pieces like the Argentina story was a learning experience in itself. I learned that although my writing style may vary, I am always able to understand and remember something better when I write about it.
The link below includes a brief explanation of the idea of "writing to learn."
http://wac.colostate.edu/intro/pop4a.cfm