Academic writing is comparatively formal, so it is important to avoid certain expressions that are out of place. Common examples include informal expressions, vague expressions, exaggerations, and opinionated or subjective expressions. Academic writing should be as precise as possible, preferring exact values to broader terms. Vague writing should be avoided, as it leaves too much to a reader’s interpretation. Exaggerations should allow for reasonable doubt, and superlatives should be used only if they refer to provable facts or if the writer is quoting another source. Finally, academic writing should be clear and concise, using proper grammar and punctuation.
In academic writing, avoid subjective words like “beautiful” and “better” and use objective language to support the main argument. Replace “naturally” with “clearly” or “perfect” with “strong” or “crucial.” Clichés and colloquialisms are overused expressions that can make a paper appear informal and suggest a lack of clarity. Replacing these phrases with more precise language can improve the tone of your writing. Examples of clichés to avoid include “a happy medium,” “a stumbling block,” “above board,” “in this day and age,” and “think outside the box.”
Fillers are superfluous words that can be stronger when removed and should be replaced with more specific words. Language should be cautious in the first or second person, and jargon should be used appropriately. For example, “aneuploidy” can be replaced with “demurrer,” and “gendered language” should be replaced with gender-neutral alternatives to avoid perpetuating bias. Inclusive language guidelines and professional support can help ensure that your writing meets the requirements of your field.
Cheat Sheet
Academic writing is comparatively formal. To help achieve a formal tone, do your best to avoid the following expressions, which are out of place in academic writing:
| Category | Common Examples | |
|---|---|---|
| Avoid | informal expressions | good/bad, big/small, sort of/kind of |
| vague expressions | a lot, a couple of, thing, stuff | |
| exaggerations | always/never, definitely, every/none, best/greatest | |
| opinionated or subjective expressions | naturally/obviously, of course, should | |
| clichés | at the end of the day, a happy medium | |
| fillers | literally, serves to/helps to, really | |
| contractions | can’t, won’t, don’t, isn’t, it’s | |
| Think twice before using | the first or second person | I, we, our, you, your |
| jargon | Demurrer, cytokinesis, aneuploidy | |
| gendered language | man, mankind, congressman, him or his when referring to people of all genders |
Informal and Colloquial Expressions
Because academic writing is more formal than other kinds of writing, some words or expressions that may be acceptable in emails, blog posts, or text messages are too informal for academic contexts and may seem unsophisticated. Here are some informal and colloquial words to avoid in academic writing.
| Informal word(s) | Replacement(s) | Example |
|---|---|---|
| America | the United States, the US, the USA | The study focused on |
| bad | poor, negative | The results were |
| big, humongous, huge | large, sizeable, significant | A |
| has got | has, must | The senator said that the government |
| get, got | receive | The writer |
| give | provide, offer, present | Table 5.2 |
| good | optimal, strong, prime (or replace with a more descriptive adjective) | The findings were |
| kind of, sort of | somewhat, to some degree, in the category of | The scholar |
| till | until, to, through | The study will run from March |
| show | demonstrate, reveal, illustrate | The interviews |
Vague Writing
Academic writing should be as precise as possible. Unambiguous language strengthens papers, while vague wording leaves too much to a reader’s interpretation. Whenever possible, prefer exact values—percentages, measurements, statistics—to broader terms. Here are some imprecise words to avoid in academic writing.
| Vague word(s) | Replacement(s) | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a bit | Specify the exact amount. | The experiment required |
| a couple of/some | Specify the exact amount or replace with many, several, a number of. | |
| a lot of, lots of | Specify the exact amount or replace with many, several, a great number of, significant, or numerous. | The announcement received |
| a ton | Specify the exact amount or replace with many, several, a great number of, a substantial amount of, or significant. | The government spent |
| and so on | Either finish the thought, eliminate the phrase, or replace with a more specific phrase like including other factors or additionally. | Civil engineers must consider load, terrain, weather and |
| anything, something | Specify the item(s). | |
| nice | Specify the quality. | It was a |
| most | Specify the amount or replace with many or the majority of. | |
| stuff, thing | Specify the item(s), or replace with object, sample, point, or finding. |
Exaggerations
Academic writing should allow for reasonable doubt. While academic writers can be confident, they must acknowledge that their ideas and theories may be disproven. Avoid language that suggests absolute authority or knowledge.
Superlatives, such as largest and best, should be used only if they refer to provable facts (for example, describing a company as the largest in Europe) or if the writer is quoting another source (for example, saying that Rolling Stone ranked a certain recording as the best single of 2018).
| Exaggeration | Replacement(s) | Example |
|---|---|---|
| always | Specify the amount or replace with the word frequently. | The results were the same over 120 iterations. |
| definitely, absolutely | Eliminate or replace with greatly, likely, significantly, or strongly. | The findings |
| every | Specify the amount or add a phrase to convey reasonable doubt, such as almost, essentially, or recorded. | Every recorded species of this |
| never | Specify the amount or replace with the word rarely. | None of the 30 surveyed respondents chose the fourth option. |
| none | Specify the amount or add a phrase to convey reasonable doubt, such as almost, essentially, or recorded. | No respondents answered positively. |
| proves, proof | supports | This finding |
Subjectivity
In academic writing, arguments must be supported by evidence. Avoid words that imply conclusions based on the writer’s personal opinions; use objective language to support the main argument. Here are some subjective words to avoid in academic writing.
| Subjective word(s) | Replacement(s) | Example |
|---|---|---|
| beautiful, wonderful, awful, ugly, hideous | Specify the quality as objectively as possible. | The composition was The building was |
| better | Replace with a more objective word or phrase. | The candidate had a |
| clearly, naturally, of course, obviously, undoubtedly | Eliminate or replace with a more objective word. | |
| perfect, ideal, best | Replace with a more specific qualifier or the words strong, key, or crucial. | The applicant was |
| should | Explain the rationale behind the recommendation. | Activists could benefit greatly from studying the protest. |
Clichés and Colloquialisms
Clichés are overused expressions, while colloquialisms are those patterns of expression typical of informal speech. In addition to making a paper seem overly informal or conversational, these clichés suggest that the writer lacks a clear understanding of her message. Replacing such phrases with more precise language will help improve the tone of your writing. In academic writing, it is advisable to steer clear of certain clichés.
| Cliché or colloquialism | Replacement | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a happy medium | a compromise | The two sides reached a |
| a stumbling block | an obstacle | The proposal encountered |
| above board | legitimate | Unlike previous proposals, the resolution was |
| at the end of the day, when all is said and done | ultimately or in conclusion | |
| get through | Replace with a more specific verb or use endure or survive. | The researcher had to |
| in this day and age, in recent years | Specify the time period or use currently, presently, or today. | |
| think outside the box | Specify the idea or replace with words like creative and innovative. | The economist was known to |
Fillers
Some words or phrases are superfluous in academic writing, and sentences tend to be stronger when they are removed. These filler words are best avoided in academic writing.
| Filler | Replacement | Example |
|---|---|---|
| literally | Eliminate entirely unless you mean ‘in a literal manner.’ | The scientist had |
| really, too | Eliminate or specify the quality. | The results were |
| serves to, helps to | Eliminate entirely. | This quote |
| so | Eliminate entirely or replace with a more specific word. | The poem is |
| very, extremely | Eliminate the word or replace with important, crucial, critical, significant, key. | Her testimony was |
Language to Be Cautious With
First or second person
The first person (I/we/my/our) is not always deemed acceptable in academic papers. Given that opinions differ on this point, always consult the style guide used in your field; while you may be able to use the first person in certain sections, others may require the third person or passive language.
In contrast, the second person (you/your) is almost never used in academic writing, though it may be appropriate in creative writing or personal communication. Remember that the second person also includes commands, such as add 10 ml to the solution. In most cases, the best way to avoid the second person is to restructure the sentence.
| Person | Replacement | Example |
|---|---|---|
| First person:I/we/my/our | Replace with a third-person actor (the researcher, the writer) or rewrite the sentence passively. | A regression analysis was performed. The researcher performed a regression analysis. |
| Second person:you/your | Restructure the sentence or replace with a neutral term like one or the reader. | Most of those who first heard this result found it unlikely. The result seems unlikely. It was an unlikely result under the circumstances. One might think the result unlikely. |
Jargon
Jargon is another aspect of academic writing that can prove particularly problematic for some writers. Despite the abundance of technical terms in academic writing, it’s crucial to take your audience’s familiarity with jargon into account when crafting your text. It’s important to choose appropriate subject-specific terminology, of course, but remember that your ultimate goal is for as many readers as possible to read and understand your paper. To further that goal, introduce complex or industry-specific terms with clear definitions.
| Jargon | Explanation | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Aneuploidy | The presence of an abnormal number of chromosomes in a cell. | In this study, researchers reviewed the causes of aneuploidy, namely, the presence of an abnormal number of chromosomes in a cell. |
| Demurrer | A written response in which the defendant seeks dismissal of an allegation due to insufficient grounds. | The party against whom a complaint has been filed may object by demurrer—a legal document in which the defendant requests dismissal of an allegation due to insufficient grounds. |
Gendered language
Replace gendered language with gender-neutral alternatives to avoid perpetuating gender bias.
| Gendered language | Replacement(s) | Example |
|---|---|---|
| man, mankind | person, people, humanity, humankind | The wheel is one of |
| professional designations that end in -man or -woman, such as policeman or congresswoman, -ette, such as usherette, or -ess, such as actress | Replace with gender-neutral words. | police officer, congressperson, legislator, usher, actor |
| girl, lady in reference to women, such as weather girl | Replace with gender-neutral terms. | The weather |
The drive to reduce bias and improve inclusion has led to the formulation of guidelines by many academic publishers.
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