Word choice
Our aim when writing academic English is to communicate ideas clearly, accurately, and concisely. In order to achieve this, we need to choose our words carefully. We need to convey our ideas as precisely as possible, using formal language but without sounding long-winded or pompous.
In the following exercises one word is suitable for scientific, academic writing. Although there are not many situations in academic English when one form of expression is completely wrong, there are many when some forms of expression are better than others. In the following exercises one word is more appropriate than the others which are either too informal or too unusual (possibly more literary).
There are many websites which give you advice on word choice such as the Unilearning website http://unilearning.uow.edu.au/academic/1bi_formal.html. Another particularly useful resource is the Academic Phrasebank at Manchester University www.phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk gives you basic phrases for academic that you can adapt for your own needs.
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word choiceRead the following words and decide which is the most appropriate for academic writing. |
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word choiceRead the following words and decide which is the most appropriate for academic writing. |
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word choiceRead the following words and decide which is the most appropriate for academic writing. |
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word choiceRead the following words and decide which is the most appropriate for academic writing. |
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word choiceRead the following words and decide which is the most appropriate for academic writing. |
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word choiceRead the following words and decide which is the most appropriate for academic writing. |
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word choiceRead the following words and decide which is the most appropriate for academic writing. |
Frequently confused words
It is also essential that our language is as accurate as possible and this can be difficult in English when there are so many words that are easily confused.
In the following exercise you will see pairs of frequently confused words used in a sentence. You need to identify the correct word for each sentence.
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Which is the correct word? |
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Which is the correct word? |
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Which is the correct word? |
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Which is the correct word? |
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Which is the correct word? |
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Which is the correct word? |
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Which is the correct word? |
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Which is the correct word? |
You may like to look at one of the many academic vocabulary websites that are now available.
The Academic Word List consists of various lists of the words that are most frequently found in academic texts. If you access this through the Using English for Academic Purposes website http://www.uefap.org you will find clickable links to an online dictionary so that you can check that the word does, indeed, have the precise meaning you are looking for. Of course you will make mistakes, if you have never seen the word 'discreet' written down why would you think that another spelling might be possible? You have heard the word, and understand it to mean 'separate', as soon as you see 'discreet' you will assume that you have found the word you are looking for. The only real solution to this problem is to keep listening and reading so that your vocabulary increases all the time.
Clarity
The aim of academic writing is to communication your ideas as clearly as possible. In the exercise above, you identified the correct word where there is possible confusion. Other potential obstacles to clarity of expression are the use of imprecise words, the use of unnecessary words and the construction of unnecessarily complicated sentences.
In the pairs of sentences below, one sentence is correct but one contains one or more of these mistakes. Identify whether it is an error of a) imprecision, b) unnecessary (redundant words or c) unnecessary complication (a combination of redundant words, unnecessary explanation, complex sub-clauses etc).
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Which error?
The data were analysed in a number of different ways. The data were analysed in three different ways. |
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Which error?
The researchers reached the completely unrealistic conclusion that ....... The researchers reached the unrealistic conclusion that ..... |
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Which error?
The change in temperature was recorded. The increase in temperature was recorded. |
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Which error?
This reaction was very unique among the study population. This reaction was unique among the study population. |
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Which error?
The UK Department of Health put forward a policy in 2000 that all pregnant women be offered screening for rubella antibodies, syphilis, HIV and hepatitis as an integral part of their antental care during their first and all subsequent pregnancies. Since 2000 the UK Department of Health has offered screening for rubella antibodies, syphilis, HIV and hepatitis as an integral part of antenatal care. |
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Which error?
As the first assessment was conclusive, a second opinion was entirely unnecessary. As the first assessment was conclusive, a second opinion was unnecessary. |
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Which error?
In order to facilitate the evaluation of willingness to pay, in-depth interviews were conducted in three different local groups. Willingness to pay was evaluated by conducting in-depth interviews with three local groups. |