Language and style in academic assignments
Each subject has its own academic tradition and its own use of language, writing style, and genre. You need to find out what is expected of your texts in your subject.
Here you will find general language advice that will apply to most types of assignments and subjects.
Academic language and style
An academic language is the writing style used between professional colleagues in research and education. Each subject has its own academic tradition, its own use of language, writing style, and genre. You need to find out what is expected of your texts in your field.
Here you will find general language advice that will apply to most types of assignments and subjects.
You should not write as you speak. The language should be so precise that your text is not misunderstood.
Who are you writing for?
The examiner will assess what you write, but you may want to imagine an interested fellow student, someone who knows a little less than you. This makes it easier to decide which new and central concepts you should define and exemplify.
Sharpen your language
Ask questions about your own text. What does it mean? What do I mean to convey here? Why am I writing this? Does it answer the assignment text?
‘Neutrality’
The neutral language does not mean that you or other writers are objective when it comes to content. By being neutral in language usage, you want to convince that your conclusions are the right ones. You use the "objective"/neutral language to express your opinion precisely and clearly.
Show reservations
Use dampers, but do not write; "I believe that...", "I feel that..." There are more objective expressions such as: "it is possible that.." "seems to...", "indicates..." etc. Do not exaggerate, too many dampers can end up expressing little.
Do not be vague
Do not write: "researchers believe that..." "many believe that..." Specify which researchers you are referring to and who "many" are.
Objectivity
Everything you write should be part of answering the assignment text or your problem. Avoid making claims that you do not justify, and when you justify something, use retrievable sources. Follow the reference style your subject uses.
Avoid colloquial language
For example, assumptions you do not have sources for. Be careful with adjectives. Example: When using the adjectives big, important or often, explain how big, why something is important or how often, if not remove them. Other adjectives that we often use orally (for example, very, terrible, incredible, huge…), remove them or replace them with concretizations. About academic language and style (sokogskriv.no).
Professional language versus foreign words
Use professional concepts/professional language to show your professional knowledge. Define professional concepts that are new and central in your text. Make sure you do not choose foreign words where you can use common, English words. Foreign words easily obscure a text, where professional concepts clarify and specify.
Can I write ‘I’?
Here you need to check out what the guidelines in your field say. Usually, you can use I when you justify how you have built up your assignment, and also when you justify something based on examples from your own professional practice, practice place or relevant work. You do not write "I think" without justifying/providing evidence for your opinion. About the use of I (sokogskriv.no).
Active or passive form of the verb?
The language can become heavy with much use of passive constructions. Passive of the verb can still be used if the subject is not determined. (In this sentence, I have written "the verb can be used" instead of "you can use the passive of the verb", because I was concerned with highlighting the use of the verb and not you).
About active/passive form (sokogskriv.no).
Recurrent theme
You need a logical connection in the text, where each paragraph builds on the previous one, and where the reader understands the course of the text. Use connecting words to clarify the transitions in the text.
Use connecting words, keywords
To show what you have done, what you are doing and what you are going to do. Save words and concepts that you can use to express what you want in the text and to vary language usage. For example: therefore, moreover, nevertheless, on the one hand, however, even though, in some cases, at the same time, in the next paragraph, first I will, as we saw above, last but not least...
Each paragraph, its own topic
Use a theme sentence, or possibly a summary sentence in each paragraph to clarify what you are writing about in this and the next paragraph. Example: "I will now look closer at...", "I have shown..., now I will...", "User participation can prove useful also for employees in nursing homes.", "The concept of authority is defined differently by... and..."
Read your own text out loud!
Are there any linguistic errors or words you repeat often? Make a reminder for yourself, and read your own texts carefully before submitting. If you read out loud, you find out if you are repeating yourself too often, if there is coherence in your text and if what you write is understandable. Be your own proofreader!