Academic Style (Academic Writing)

Summary

In the 'Academic English UK' video, the focus is on the conventions of academic style in writing. The presenter outlines key 'do's' and 'don'ts', emphasizing the use of academic vocabulary and passive structures, while avoiding colloquialisms, personal pronouns, contractions, and vague language. The video also touches on the importance of referencing, hedging language, and specificity. Exercises are provided to practice rewriting sentences into an academic style, and resources for further learning are recommended, including a worksheet and Stephen Bailey's book on academic writing.

Takeaways

• 📘 Academic style refers to the conventions associated with academic writing, with key elements that are generally agreed upon among academic English teachers.
• 🚫 Avoid using idiomatic or colloquial language; instead, utilize academic vocabulary, such as terms from the Academic Word List.
• 🙅‍♂️ Limit the use of phrasal verbs, personal pronouns (like 'I'), contractions, and questions in academic essays as they are considered informal.
• 💬 Omit personal adverbs that create a narrative feel, such as 'surprisingly' or 'unfortunately', to maintain an objective tone.
• 📋 Avoid using numbering and bullet points in paragraphing, as well as vague language like 'and so on' or 'etc.'; be specific.
• 🔄 Refrain from repetition, which can indicate a lack of vocabulary or an inability to use synonyms effectively.
• 📚 Use more passive structures and nominalization to formalize your writing, for example, 'The data was analyzed' or 'An analysis of the data showed'.
• 🔗 Incorporate referencing systems to give credibility and context to your academic writing.
• 🤔 Employ cautious or tentative hedging language to express uncertainty or to qualify statements in academic writing.
• 🔍 Be precise with vocabulary, differentiate between keywords, and use specific figures to convey accuracy in academic writing.
• 🖊️ Practice rewriting sentences to make them more academic by identifying and replacing informal words with their academic counterparts.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video?

The main topic of the video is the academic style in academic writing, focusing on the conventions and elements that should or should not be included.

What is the definition of academic style according to the video?

Academic style is the set of conventions often associated with academic writing, which includes a general agreement among academic English teachers on the key elements to include or avoid.

What are some 'do nots' in academic writing as mentioned in the video?

Some 'do nots' in academic writing include using phrasal verbs, personal pronouns (like 'I', 'we'), contractions, questions forms, personal adverbs, numbering and bullet points in paragraphing, vague language, repetition, and basic language used in spoken English.

What are some 'dos' in academic writing according to the video?

Some 'dos' in academic writing include using academic vocabulary, passive structures, referencing systems, cautious or tentative hedging language, accurate vocabulary, and being specific with figures and synonyms.

Why should idiomatic or colloquial language be avoided in academic writing?

Idiomatic or colloquial language should be avoided in academic writing because it is seen as informal and not suitable for the formal tone required in scholarly work.

How can one find alternatives to informal words in academic writing?

One can find alternatives to informal words by using resources like thesaurus.com or by using Google with the '+' operator to find synonyms that are appropriate in the given context.

What is the significance of using passive structures in academic writing?

Passive structures are significant in academic writing as they can make the writing more formal and objective, which is preferred in scholarly work.

What is the role of hedging language in academic writing?

Hedging language is used in academic writing to show that the writer is not 100% certain of the facts stated, adding a level of caution and tentativeness to the claims made.

Why is it important to be specific in academic writing?

Being specific in academic writing is important to demonstrate precision, accuracy, and a clear understanding of the subject matter, as well as to avoid ambiguity.

What is the recommended approach to rewrite a sentence to make it more academic according to the video?

The recommended approach includes identifying informal or non-academic words, finding synonyms using resources like thesaurus.com, and considering changes to sentence structure, such as using passive voice or nominalization.

What resource is suggested in the video for practicing academic writing style?

The video suggests using a worksheet available on the Academic English UK website under the 'academic style' section, which requires a small fee of 50 pence.

Which book is recommended in the video for further understanding of academic writing?

The book recommended in the video is 'Academic Writing: A Handbook for International Students' by Stephen Bailey, published in 2014.