ACADEMIC

STYLE
CONVENTION
S
ENG101
 ACADEMIC WRITING

Academic essays are written in

a style that generally meets the
following criteria:

Forma
Objective Specific
l
 Write full words and AVOID
CONTRACTIONS WHEN
WRITING TO AN ACADEMIC
FORMAL AUDIENCE

MEANS
Do not write researchers couldn’t
NO reach definite conclusions …
CONTRACTION
S
Write: researchers could not reach …
 DO NoT ASK rhetorical questions - readers
expect DIRECT answers

FORMAL
MEANS EXAMPLE:

NO
QUESTIO DON’T WRITE: Ok, what are the causes of
low employee morale? Many possibilities exist.
NS
WRITE: Many causes of low employee morale
exist.
 USE THE APPROPRIATE NEGATIVE FORMS WHEN YOU POINT TO
QUANTITIES.

FORMAL USE:

MEANS
1. ‘FEW’ INSTEAD OF ‘NOT MANY’ FOR COUNTABLE NOUNS
2. ‘LITTLE’ INSTEAD OF ‘NOT MUCH’ FOR NOUN-COUNTABLE
AVOIDING NOUNS

NEGATIV 3. AND ‘NO’ INSTEAD OF ‘NOT ANY’

ES
EXAMPLES:
THE SUBJECTS DID NOT HAVE MUCH DIFFICULTY WITH
THE TASK = THE SUBJECTS HAD LITTLE DIFFICULTY WITH
THE TASK.
 AVOID GENDER-BIASED LANGUAGE AND USE GENDER-
OBJECTIV NEUTRAL WORDS INSTEAD
E MEANS 1. USE HE/SHE OR THEY IN REFERENCE TO AN ANTECEDENT
USING IN THE SENTENCE

GENDER- E.G., AN ADOLESCENT WOULD RATHER EXPRESS HIS/HER

FEELINGS TO THEIR PEERS THAN DO THAT TO THEIR
NEUTRAL PARENTS.

LANGUAG 2. USE GENDER NEUTRAL VOCABULARY

E E.G., BUSINESSPEOPLE / POLICE OFFICER / LANDOWNER /

CHAIRPERSON ….
 AN USE THE THIRD PERSON POINT OF VIEW WHEN
WRITING AN ACADEMIC TEXT IN WHICH RESEARCH

OBJECTI RESULTS ARE REPORTED.

DO NOT USE FIRST PERSON PRONOUNS SINCE THERE IS

VE NO ROOM FOR OPINION:

STYLE Replace: I think/ I believe / in my opinion … with:

• It should be noted that

REQUIRE • It is essential to recognize that

• It is worth pointing out that

S THIRD • It is noteworthy that

• It is important to note that
• It must be emphasized that

PERSON DO NOT ADDRESS THE READER IN AN INFORMAL

SECOND PERSON (YOU)
POINT OF
VIEW
 OBJECTIVE
MEANS
NO EXCLAMATIONS
DO NOT USE EXCLAMATIONS THAT REFLECT
STRONG FEELINGS
END YOUR STATEMENTS WITH A PERIOD (.)
EXAMPLE:
PEOPLE WHO CONTINUE LIVING THEIR LIFE
NORMALLY AND DO NOT ADMIT THE
EXISTENCE OF THE PANDEMIC ARE
GENERALLY SELF-CENTERED INDIVIDUALS.
CONCISE MEANS ELIMINATING NEEDLESS WORDINESS
Replace these ‘wordy’ phrases with a more concise alternative from the words listed below.

1.At this point in time = 

2. Due to the fact that = 
3. As a matter of fact = 
4. At all times = 
5. At the present time = 
6. By means of = 
7. For the purpose of = 
8. In spite of the fact that = 
9. In the event that = 
10. In the final analysis = 
11. A sufficient number = 
12. Have the ability to = 
13. Until such time as = 
14. In the nature of = 

Because in fact finally enough for now Although if able to always currently by until
like
 CONCISE REPLACE MULTI-WORD WITH SINGLE ONES
MEANS VERBS
Brought on Caused
ONE-WORD Look into Investigate
VERBS Figure out Determine
Make up Constitute
Go together Coincide
• USE VERBS THAT REDUCE THE
Start off Begin
INFORMALITY OF THE SENTENCE
Come up Arise
Come up against Experience
• USE ONE-WORD VERBS INSTEAD OF Cut out Remove
MULTI-WORD VERBS WHERE Find out discover
POSSIBLE put off delay
Think about Consider
 • AVOID COLLOQUIAL WORDS AND PHRASES THAT ARE USUALLY USED
IN INFORMAL CONVERSATIONS (PRETTY BIG, QUITE A LOT, KID,
GONNA, AIN’T…).
EXAMPLE: SEVERAL CHILDREN HAVE DEVELOPED PANIC ATTACKS AFTER
AUGUST 4TH EXPLOSION.
A SPECIFIC • AVOID GENERAL (WEAK) WORDS & USE SPECIFIC/ ACADEMIC
STYLE VOCABULARY. REPLACE ‘BIG’ WITH ‘SIGNIFICANT’, AND ‘KIDS’ WITH
‘CHILDREN’…
REQUIRES EXAMPLE: COVID-19 IS ASSOCIATED WITH A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF
ACADEMIC HEALTH HAZARDS.
• REPLACE ‘LIKE’ WITH ‘SUCH AS’ WHEN INTRODUCING EXAMPLES
VOCABULA
RY • DO NOT USE ETC: INTRODUCE YOUR LIST WITH SUCH AS & ADD ‘AND’
BEFORE THE LAST ITEM IN YOUR LIST
EXAMPLE: THESE SPECIAL TAX LAWS HAVE BEEN APPROVED IN SOME
COUNTIES IN THE U.K., SUCH AS CUMBRIA, DORSET, DEVON, WEST
MIDLANDS, AND EAST ANGLIA.
SUPPLY A MORE SUITABLE ACADEMIC WORD/PHRASE FOR
THE ITALICIZED PARTS OF THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES:

1. THE REACTION OF THE MANAGING DIRECTOR WAS SORT OF NEGATIVE.

2. THE ECONOMIC OUTLOOK FOR THE BUSINESS IS PRETTY BAD.

3. THE FUTURE OF FUNDING IS UP IN THE AIR.

4. BRITAIN’S MAJOR CAR MANUFACTURERS ARE PLANNING TO TEAM UP ON THE RESEARCH NEEDED FOR
MORE FUEL-EFFICIENT CARS.

5. IT IS IMPERATIVE TO CONCENTRATE IN MEETINGS SO AS TO CATCH THE IMPORTANT ISSUES.

 USE TENTATIVE & CAUTIOUS RATHER
THAN ASSERTIVE LANGUAGE
AN TO AVOID OVER-GENERALIZING AND REFLECT UNCERTAINTY

OBJECTIV
EXAMPLES:

1. USE POSSIBLY & PROBABLY IN FRONT OF VERBS AND NOUNS PHRASES

E& E.G., THIS IS POSSIBLY CAUSED BY … THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT
FACTOR …

SPECIFIC
STYLE
2. USE THE MODAL VERBS MAY & MIGHT

E.G., THIS MAY BE THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR

REQUIRES
HEDGES
3. USE APPEARS TO & SEEMS TO

E.G., THIS APPEARS TO BE THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR

4. AVOID ALWAYS & EVERY & ALL - REPLACE THEM WITH OFTEN – MANY – MUCH –
SOME – MOST – SEVERAL
 HOW CAN YOU CHANGE THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS
TO MAKE THEM MORE CAUTIOUS?

1. AMERICANS ARE FRIENDLIER THAN BRITISH PEOPLE.

2. THE GREATEST SCIENTIST EVER WAS NEWTON.
3. SPAIN HAS THE BEST FOOTBALL TEAM IN THE WORLD.
4. THE TEAM FAILED BECAUSE THEY ARE UNTALENTED, SPOILT AND OVER-
PAID.
5. THE KEY TO HIS SUCCESS WAS HIS UPBRINGING.
6. PLAYING VIOLENT VIDEO GAMES CAUSES MORE AGGRESSION, BULLYING,
AND FIGHTING.
 COMPOUND SENTENCES
A COMPOUND SENTENCE REFERS TO A SENTENCE MADE UP OF TWO INDEPENDENT CLAUSES (OR COMPLETE
SENTENCES) CONNECTED WITH A COORDINATING CONJUNCTION (FAN BOYS): FOR/AND/NOR/BUT/OR/YET/SO

EXAMPLES:
1.JOE WAITED FOR THE TRAIN, BUT THE TRAIN WAS LATE.
 
2.I LOOKED FOR MARY AND SAMANTHA AT THE BUS STATION, BUT THEY ARRIVED AT THE STATION BEFORE NOON
AND LEFT ON THE BUS BEFORE I ARRIVED.
 
3.MARY AND SAMANTHA ARRIVED AT THE BUS STATION BEFORE NOON, AND THEY LEFT ON THE BUS BEFORE I
ARRIVED.
 
4.MARY AND SAMANTHA LEFT ON THE BUS BEFORE I ARRIVED, SO I DID NOT SEE THEM AT THE BUS STATION.
 COMPLEX SENTENCES
• A COMPLEX SENTENCE IS MADE UP OF AN INDEPENDENT CLAUSE AND ONE OR
MORE DEPENDENT CLAUSES CONNECTED TO IT.
EXAMPLES OF DEPENDENT CLAUSES INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

1. BECAUSE MARY AND SAMANTHA ARRIVED AT THE BUS STATION BEFORE NOON
2. WHILE HE WAITED AT THE TRAIN STATION
3. AFTER THEY LEFT ON THE BUS

• DEPENDENT CLAUSES SUCH AS THOSE ABOVE CANNOT STAND ALONE AS A

SENTENCE, BUT THEY CAN BE ADDED TO AN INDEPENDENT CLAUSE TO FORM A
COMPLEX SENTENCE.
 SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS
DEPENDENT CLAUSES BEGIN WITH SUBORDINATING
CONJUNCTIONS.
COMMON SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS:
• AFTER / BEFORE
• AS / IF
• BECAUSE / SINCE
• EVEN THOUGH / ALTHOUGH / THOUGH
• UNLESS / UNTIL
• WHEN / WHENEVER / WHEREAS / WHEREVER / WHILE
 If you rely heavily on compound sentences in an essay,
you should consider revising some of them into complex
sentences.

IMPORTAN While coordinating conjunctions can indicate some type

of relationship between the two independent clauses in
T TIPS the sentence, they sometimes do not indicate much of a
relationship. Too many compound sentences can weaken
writing.

Complex sentences are often more effective than

compound sentences because a complex sentence
indicates clearer and more specific relationships between
the main parts of the sentence.
 • TURN VERBS INTO NOUNS (+ OF) & MAKE OTHER NECESSARY
CHANGES IN THE SENTENCE. THIS MAKES THE SENTENCE MORE
FORMAL & CONCISE.

EXAMPLES:

COMPLEX
1. IF YOU FAIL THE PSYCHOMETRIC TEST, YOU WON’T BE EMPLOYED BY
STYLE THE COMPANY = FAILING THE PSYCHOMETRIC TEST RESULTS IN
FAVORS UNEMPLOYMENT.
NOMINALIZATIO
NS 2. IF THE INSTRUCTOR DISTRIBUTES THE TEST RESULTS EARLY, STUDENTS
WILL KNOW THEIR STANDING BEFORE THE WITHDRAWAL DEADLINE = THE
EARLY DISTRIBUTION OF THE TEST RESULTS WILL PROVIDE STUDENTS
WITH KNOWLEDGE OF THEIR STANDING BEFORE THE WITHDRAWAL
DEADLINE.