Academic Language
Overview
As many of us know, spoken English is different than written English. Writing academic English is a skill that takes practice, and there are many things to think about while you write. Using different vocabulary can help, but there are also other things to consider such as tone, content, flow, unbiased language, and more. Here are some resources to help give you some ideas on how you can sound more academic and scholarly in your college writing.
Vocabulary
Part of academic writing is sounding scholarly, and one way to do that is to use more advanced vocabulary. Using more precise word choices can help better express your thoughts, findings, arguments, and more. See the resources below for specific information related to diction (word choice) and vocabulary.
Clarity
Concise writing often leads to clear writing. Writing concisely is a skill, but it will help people understand what you're trying to say, and getting straight to the point can be a good thing! Here are some resources that can help you better understand how to write clearly and concisely.
Writing Center Resources
Writing Easy-to-Read Sentences (video)
External Resources
Word Choice
Many of the words we use when talking with one another every day aren't appropriate for academic papers. For example, words like 'get' or 'a lot' are fine for spoken or casual English but should be avoided in academic writing. Here are some resources that provide suggestions about what words to avoid and what words you can use as replacements.
Writing Center Resources
External Resources
Synonyms
Synonyms are words that mean the same thing (e.g., "big" and "large"). Academic writing involves using advanced or more precise vocabulary, and synonyms can help you with this goal. However, be careful when using a thesaurus to look up alternative words because not every synonym is created equal. Some synonyms can technically mean the same thing, but a slight difference in meaning can sound awkward or change the overall meaning of your sentence. Thus, when learning to use new vocabulary, context is key.
Thesaurus Resources
In English, we have what are called collocations, which are words that are frequently used together. For example, we usually say "a fast train" instead of "a quick train" even though "fast" and "quick" mean the same thing. Learning collocations can make your writing seem more natural and can provide the context you need to see if you're using the right word.
Context and Collocation Resources
Ludwig.guru: Type in a word and see example sentences and frequency.
Commonly Misused Words
One of the tricky things about learning new vocabulary is making sure you don't confuse a word with another that sounds similar (e.g., "their" and "there"). English is full of homonyms (words with the same spelling but different meanings) and homophones (words with the same sound but different meanings). Here are some lists of words that people frequently misuse or confuse with other similar words.
Writing Center Resources
External Resources
Tone
Vocabulary is important, but so is how you use it. Having an "academic or scholarly voice" is something to strive for, but to achieve that, you should also take into account how your writing comes across. Using inclusive, unbiased, and softened language can affect how people perceive you and your work while also helping you think critically about your writing and how others might interpret it.
Hedging, Scholarly Voice, Unbiased Language
Hedging, also known as softening, is used in everyday language when someone wants to be polite and respectful. However, in academic writing, hedging and softening are vitally important if you want to sound professional, unbiased, and analytical. Using "opinionated" or "emotional" language can reduce your credibility and imply that you were biased in your research or analysis. Here are some resources that help explain the "scholarly voice" and unbiased language.
Writing Center Resource
External Resources
In addition to hedging, inclusive and antiracist language is also very important when writing academically. While writing, we should be mindful of the language we use to describe situations and the experiences of others. To ensure we are considerate, thoughtful, and accurate, we should keep in mind inclusive and antiracist attitudes.
Writing Center Resource
Click here for to see our page on using inclusive and anti-racist language in academic writing.
Flow in Writing
Even if you have strong arguments and thoughtful research, improving the flow of your paper will make sure your ideas are connected logically, your meaning is clear, and your paper is easier to read. Here are some resources on sentence variety and flow.
Writing Center Resources
External Resources
Avoiding Plagiarism
Directly copying the words of others or plagiarism is harshly punished in academic settings. However, scholars frequently cite and build on one another's work. Thus, you need to make sure you cite your sources and give credit where credit is due. When referencing other sources, you can either directly quote or paraphrase the information you find. The resources below address plagiarizing, paraphrasing, and quoting. For more information on proper citations, check out our page on the topic here.
Writing Center Resources
External Resources
Other Resources
Our Graduate Writer Toolbox for detailed writing resources for Graduate Writers.
The Writing Center "Tips & Tools" page from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill