Precise academic writing: The non-word void

February 21, 2019 | Blog

The importance of precision

Academic writing, by its very nature, requires precision. Mastering this precision is one of the most challenging aspects of cultivating an academic style, whether you’re new to writing or writing in a foreign language.

Fuzzy writing is, unfortunately, very common. Take, for instance, the sentence below:

The striking thing about this research is that it highlights the necessity for a reinterpretation of the laws concerning euthanasia.

Although most of the sentence is in an academic style, the word ‘thing’ carries little meaning. It acts, instead, as a non-word, identifying a noun but skirting precision by not stating precisely what the actual ‘thing’ is. The writer could be referring to ‘an aspect’ of the research or ‘the findings’ of the research. The reader is left to fill in the blanks and guess what was ‘striking’.

Other frequently encountered non-words include ‘good’, ‘bad’, ‘big’, ‘small’, and so on.   Take the example of the word ‘big’.  In the following sentence ‘big’ is partnered with ‘changes’:

The research concludes that big changes will be needed in the way legal systems treat euthanasia, in order to protect the rights of the individual.

This use of ‘big’ is so vague that it encompasses a whole array of meaning.  The writer could be trying to convey the idea of ‘substantial’ changes, ‘historic’ changes, or even ‘meaningful’ changes.  Each one of these synonyms carries a different package of meanings  for the reader.  For example, ‘historic’ would indicate that such changes are unprecedented. ‘Substantial’, on the other hand, would indicate that parts of the legal system might need to change.

The writer has failed to claim their role as the person who carries essential meaning to their audience, leading to frustration and confusion on the part of the reader. Academic writing demands that the writer state their message clearly, leaving nothing to the reader’s imagination.

Filling the non-word void

For the novice or ESL writer, however, who has limited exposure to a particular genre, being more specific can seem impossible. A good thesaurus can be of assistance here, helping the writer to find alternatives to the words in question. One useful resource is the Merriam-Webster thesaurus, which provides the writer with a range of synonyms and antonyms for a given word. A word of caution: carefully read the definitions of the alternatives supplied—not every synonym will necessarily work in a particular context.

Another remedy is to read widely in the subject area. By expanding your vocabulary, you’ll become better equipped to write precisely and effectively.