Logan asked me what I think is a really important question in the comments of my response to this article -- who is academic writing important to? Why is it an important skills for students to learn? Academic papers exist across disciplines, and for many students going into fields where research is encouraged, knowing how to assume an academic tone and present their findings in an organized, professional fashion can help them advance in their career, as well as find publishing opportunities. While not all students will use academic papers later in life, those that do will benefit from learning it earlier, and building on the skills it provides (tone, structure, language, citation, etc.)