Academic writing is different from other forms of writing; it is distinctive, clear and concise. This essay will describe the factors that contribute to the credibility of an academic text and effectively incorporate them into your writing. In this essay I will further discuss the following three characteristics to enrich credible academic writing; planning and editing, critical writing and referencing, and plagiarism. With an abundant amount of literature available, it is important to understand the factors that contribute to the credibility of an academic text. With the amount of literature available, especially with the Internet, making critical choices about what to read is the first step towards critical reading. A strong critical approach is required, in forms such as critical thinking, research and writing. Critical reading as part of academic study is a very active process (Wallace, 2006). It is essential to take a critical approach to reading the journal or book if we want to understand the value of the work it reports. To find out how reliable the material is you need to identify and evaluate the credibility of the source. . Supporting literature, such as textbooks, encyclopedias, manuals and readers, is typically a good starting point for research, developing the ability to learn the required academic subject, while developing a solid foundation of knowledge and understanding of the topic and enabling an effective scaffolding process. "A further type of literature review is the skimming technique, which can only really be undertaken once you are familiar with a topic and understand the fundamental assumptions, arguments and debates it contains (Grix 2004 p 39) ". At the forefront... in the middle of the paper... prevent it. Portsmouth, USA: HeinemannGrix, J., (2004). The foundations of research. New York, United States: Palgrave Macmillan Hames, I. (2007). Peer review and management of manuscripts in scientific journals. Carlton, VIC: Blackwell Publishing McMillan, K. & Weyers, J. (2009). The smarter companion to study skills.Essex, England: Pearson Education LimitedSellers, D., Dochen, C., Hodges, R. (2005). Academic transformation. New Jersey, USA: Pearson Prentice HallSmith, P. (2008) Writing an Assignment. (6th ed.). Oxford, UK: Spring Hill HouseTurabian, K. (2007). A handbook for writers. (7th ed.). Chicago, United States: University of Chicago PressWallace, M., & Wray, A. (2006). Critical reading and writing for graduates. London, UK: Sage Publications LtdWeston, A. (2000). A rule book for discussions. (3rd ed.). Indianapolis, United States: Hackett Publishing House