Academic Vocabulary
The words you choose for academic writing are often different from everyday English. This is because academic writing has to communicate complex ideas as clearly and precisely as possible. Here are some key features of academic vocabulary:
- Formality: Academic vocabulary appears formal because it uses precise words not general ones. This means no slang words or contractions. Precision helps avoid ambiguity and ensures that the reader understands exactly what is being discussed.
- Precision: Academic vocabulary includes specific terms and phrases that accurately identify or describe things or concepts.
- Clarity: Using precise and appropriate academic vocabulary helps you to communicate complex ideas and arguments as clearly as possible.
- Field-specific vocabulary use: A particular field or discipline often uses words in a particular way that can be different from other academic subjects (and different from everyday English too!). This means you should show that you know the specific terminology by using it consistently.
- Objectivity: Academic writing tries to be objective and unbiased, so try to use formal vocabulary rather than personal and emotional language.
Tips
Here are some tips and strategies for improving your academic vocabulary:
- Understand Key Terms: Familiarise yourself with the key terms and concepts for your field of study. This will help you use them correctly in your writing.
- Use Formal Language: Academic writing typically requires a formal tone. Avoid colloquial expressions, slang, and contractions (for example, use “do not” instead of “don’t”).
- Be Specific and Precise: Choose words that accurately convey your meaning. Avoid vague terms and generalisations. For example, instead of saying “things,” specify what you mean, such as “factors” or “elements.”
- Expand Your Vocabulary: Regularly read academic journals, articles, and books to expose yourself to new vocabulary. Make a habit of noting down unfamiliar words and looking up their meanings.
- Use Synonyms Appropriately: While it’s good to vary your vocabulary, make sure that synonyms are used correctly and fit the context. Some words may have similar meanings but be used in different ways or with different levels of formality. For example, humans and people are synonyms, but it would be strange to say, "The team interviewed 100 humans."
- Avoid Overuse of technical words: Of course it is important to use the specialised academic words, but sometimes you can communicate your message more clearly by careful use of more familiar terms. This is particularly true if you are writing for a more general audience.
- Proofread for Vocabulary: During proofreading, check for repetitive words and phrases. If appropriate, replace them with synonyms to improve the variety of your vocabulary.
- The Academic Word List (AWL) Exercises: The AWL is a list of the most common academic words. There are lots of websites (and books) with exercises so that you can learn these words and practise using them.
This is just an introduction. For more resources about how to use academic vocabulary, see the links below.
Links
