Word Choice

IMPROVING WORD CHOICE

Once a rough draft is written, it’s time to play with word choices. Writers who use specific, vibrant words engaging the reader,  bring their subject to life, and can even make their arguments more compelling.

Use Variety

Most writers have a habit of using the same words. However, these can become unintentionally repetitive.  

Try this: run your paper through a word cloud generator to see your top five words. Then, run a search for those words in your paper and see where you could replace them with other words, perhaps from the thesaurus. For example, if you often use the word “good,” you could replace it with a synonym: splendid, excellent, wonderful, or valuable. 

Caveat: make sure your replacement word still makes sense in the context of the sentence. 

Caveat 2:  in some cases, there will not be synonyms available for your particular subject. If you’re writing on "solar panels", for example, the thesaurus won't have many alternate words. Still, brainstorm a few other phrases you might use (solar project, solar energy, green energy).

Get Clear

Writers have a tendency to use generic words instead of specific ones. Often, these are vague words like “people”, “everyone/anything/nothing/something/things”, or “they”. You can think of your paper as a sort of blurry photo when you use words like this. Instead, say what you mean! Instead of "everyone", who do you actually mean? Get detailed, and watch your paper become more clear, sharp, and well-defined.

Try this: run a word search in your document for these words, and then get specific. These words can easily be replaced with specific names or nouns. Doing so creates a vivid image for the audience and a more interesting paper.

Use Specific Verbs

Verbs are words that show action and are a necessary component for a well-developed sentence. It is common for writers to overuse verbs like “is,” “are” and “were.” Whenever possible, convert these linking verbs to action verbs.  A simple way to enhance word choice in writing is by choosing specific and interesting verbs – words that show not only the action, but how the action occurs. For example, in the sentence “I ran to my car in the rain,” the reader knows only that the action I took was running. Instead, the writer could improve the word choice by revising it to something like “I sprinted to my car in the rain.” 

Try this: run a word search in your document for the above words, and then get creative, perhaps with the thesaurus. 

Examples of specific, enhanced verbs:

Align analyze amplify assert avoid

Begin build benefit broaden  believe

Convince connect cause control create

Drive discover dismiss dismantle destroy

Edit engage  evolve      express  explore        

Find fabricate finish fit fail

Gain guide grow handle hamper

Identify ignore input implement impress

Justify judge limit lose  linger

Maintain monitor negate     operate offer

Prepare predict prefer provide question

Reduce reject repair research review

Show simplify solve suggest submit

Transform translate update validate view

Enhance Your Adjectives and Adverbs

These words describe nouns and verbs,  adding interesting details to your writing. The more specific, the better.

For example: “The big dog was scary.”

• Big could be replaced with huge, enormous, immense, spacious, or colossal.

• Scary could be replaced with terrifying, horrifying, or unnerving.

The new sentence might then look like this: “The colossal dog was terrifying.”

This paints a better, more interesting picture. 

Try this: choose a sentence and try to find some synonyms in a thesaurus for your adjectives and adverbs. Caveat: don’t double down on adjectives and adverbs. For example, changing the above sentence to “The colossal, big, immense dog was terrifying and horrifying” is a bit much.

Know Your Audience 

When choosing specific words or phrases to include in an academic paper, know your audience. The majority of academic papers are written with the instructor and peers as the audience. The key is to choose words that not only convey your topic, but are easily understood and convincing for your audience. For example, when writing an academic research paper for a Psychology course, you might use words related to Psychology, such as Sigmund Freud, Operant Conditioning, and Self-Actualization. However, using those same terms in an English paper covering Shakespeare would not be appropriate or make sense, given the audience. Choose words that pertain not only to the audience, and explain those words if they aren’t obvious.

Use Active Voice

More on that here