Language Use in Academic Writing

Definition

Academic language refers to the oral, written, auditory, and visual language proficiency required to learn effectively in schools and academic programs.

Guidelines for Academic Language

1. Avoid Contractions

• Do not use informal contractions like:
  • There’s → there is
  • Wasn’t → was not
  • Doesn’t → does not
  • Wanna → want to
  • Gonna → going to
  • Wouldn’t → would not
  • Can’t → cannot
  • It’s → it is
  • Kinda → kind of

2. Avoid Phrasal Verbs

Replace idiomatic phrases (verb + adverb/preposition) with formal alternatives:

• Set up → establish, assemble
• See to → execute, ensure
• Win over → persuade, convince
• Get back → retrieve, regain, recover
• Put up with → endure
• Find out → discover
• Lots of → numerous
• Brought about → caused
• Get up → rise, increase

3. Avoid Informal Language

Informal language is conversational and not suitable for academic writing. Replace with formal alternatives:

• Buy → purchase, acquire
• To get → obtain, achieve, receive
• Thing → aspect, point, issue
• Bad → negative, weak
• Like → for example, such as
• Good → impressive, advantageous

Four Features of Academic Language

1. Objectivity

Academic writing should focus on research and reasoning rather than personal feelings.

• Using the topic as the subject: Alterations in Antarctic ice layers demonstrate that climate change is a real phenomenon.
• Using passive verbs: The reality of climate change can be demonstrated by studying alterations in Antarctic ice layers.
• Using ‘it’ as an empty subject: It can be demonstrated that climate change is a real phenomenon by studying alterations in Antarctic ice layers.

2. Formality

Be explicit and provide all necessary details for understanding.

• Replace informal words with formal vocabulary.
• Avoid rhetorical questions.
• Use full words instead of contractions.
• Avoid unspecified categories.
• Avoid colloquial language.

3. Precision

Include sufficient detail to avoid ambiguity.

• Example:
  • Informal: Most people didn’t like changing trains on the way to work, but they still thought it was better than taking a bus.
  • Precise: While the majority of the survey respondents indicated their dislike of changing trains on their commute to work, they preferred taking two trains to taking one bus, which they perceived would be slower overall and less comfortable, or both.
• Use precise verbs to express concepts succinctly:
• Get → receive (e.g., get an email → receive an email)
• Get → obtain (e.g., get a better view → obtain a better view)
• Get → bring (e.g., get a bucket → bring a bucket)
• Get → buy (e.g., get a shirt → buy a shirt)
• Get → arrive (e.g., get there → arrive there)

4. Hedging

Use cautious language to avoid strong, unqualified statements.

• Use quantifiers (e.g., few, many, some).
• Use adverbs or adverbial phrases (e.g., occasionally, often, usually).
• Use modal verbs (e.g., can, may, might, would, could).