How does business writing differ from academic writing? What qualities make any form of written communication effective?
Check out this site.
http://lcb1.uoregon.edu/rseverso/199/differences.htm
There are several types of writing: Personal and fictional (informal), business and general nonfiction(formal and usually short unless it involves manuals, for example), academic (very formal and usually long), and technical (usually long with special vocabulary used in special ways).
You ask about the difference between business and academic writing. Business letter writing is usually kept short and concise. Information is given in short paragraphs as a rule. Other writing is done for business, too. Manuals, demonstrations, speeches, etc. may be longer, but need to also be concise and use a vocabulary that is pertinent to that business.
Academic writing is much more formal, usually using APA or MLA writing styles (check with your teacher for the preferred style before beginning a paper as they have completely different ways of citing a source, etc.). There are websites that have the rules of each writing style in an easy-to-read format. Just search for "writing styles" or "MLA" or "APA" in the search line. Academic writing usually includes in-text or footnoted references with a bibliography (aka works cited or reference page. Quotes are often desired, so you need to keep your sources bookmarked (if found online) or photocopied (if in paper form) so you can make certain you have the EXACT wording for your quotes and the EXACT working for your citations. You may need page numbers, so mark them down, too. If photocopying a paper reference, copy the title page, the page with publishing information (usually the page after the title page), the table of contents, and the pages pertinent to your research. Also mark on the copy WHERE you found it (which library) so you can retrieve it again if necessary. Keep all these things in a folder until you are COMPLETELY finished with them. Academic writing is most picky about the little things, so you want to make sure you have EVERYTHING you may possibly need.
Do check out the website Ms. Sue gave you. It's a good one.
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