Conciseness and Clarity
Watch those word counts
With several assignments lining up and as their deadline is approaching things that one need to remember at all times 'word limit'.
word limit matters for several reasons:
Redundant Phrases
phrases can help make our writing clear and short that fits within the word limit
These are few guides. However, one may decide to keep it that way as well.
Other Redundant Phrases
Its very tempting to try turning a easy reading sentence in to a complicated one. So, in academic writing its better to keep the writing as simple as possible.
Three in number = three
Red in colour = red
True facts = facts
Long in duration = long
very unique = unique
A short summary = summary
a new innovation = an innovation
Avoiding expletive construction
expletive constructions' are swear words in an assignment/essay, we must avoid swearing at all times writing academic paper. However, grammatically it does not mean to swear but the use of 'There is' or 'There are' in the beginning of the sentence, see the below example of an assignment discussing primary education.
The above sentence needs to be correct such as:
The both sentences mean exactly the same, the second sentence is three words shorter also its less direct and it will not make people feel it.
Avoiding repetition
Repetition can be problematic in many ways.
General Rule for repetition
Take the repeated noun, turn it in to the subject of the sentence, and add additional information.
This rule will also help the students while reviewing literature to write the writers word in your own words.
Using simple words instead of complex ones
Every discipline have their own subject specific terminology. In a academic writing if we have to choose between a difficult word or phrase and a easy one its advised to use the easier one. For instance:
The experiment was initialized at 7pm, subsequently halted half an hour later owing to complication, and re-initialized the next day
the experiment was started at 7pm, then stopped half an hour later because of problems, and begun again the next day.
Both sentences mean the same thing, but the way its articulated is different the second sentence is more understandable then first sentence.
Simple sentences
Always chose simpler sentence over difficult ones. Similarly, with word choices when writing academically.
Does this belong here?
While writing, the writer needs to think in each step of the way. How the ideas, sentences or words added to the writing is connected to each other and how this connection leads to the topic that your writing. This will help the reader particularly, if its an assignment the individual may make him/herself eligible for high GPA. There is no example. However, this comes with practice.
Meaningless modifier: 'very'/'really'/'extremely'/'severely'/'...
Academic writing means writing precisely. The above mentioned modifier are not SMART - Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant or Time-bound. In academic writing try to be precise and SMART.
The Future Tense
The active and passive voices
Sentence can be written in either the 'active' or 'passive' voices.
In academic writing its encouraged to write in active voice, this is the simplest way of writing. However, if one choose to use passive voice. Passive voice is potentially complicated and may lead the reader to a different direction.
Changing negative to affirmative
A 'negative', in grammar, is a phrase that includes the word 'not' or 'no' to express a lack of something, or the absence of a quality. Sometimes, we can shorten these, and also write more powerful, 'punchy' phrases, by replacing them with an 'affirmative' - one word in most cases that means the same thing.
Not correct = mistake
Not different = the same
Not the same = different
Not allow = prevent
Not notice = overlook
Not many = few
Not often = rarely
Not stop = continue
Not include = omit
Using the word 'this'
In academic writing try to make sure that your readers understand what 'this' is referring to or your assignments or academic paper can be confusing and misleading.
With several assignments lining up and as their deadline is approaching things that one need to remember at all times 'word limit'.
word limit matters for several reasons:
- Faculties or facilitators time vs long assignments/essays
- Faculties wants to see, how clear arguments and points are expressed in a limited space
- Writing for Journals or Books also have word limits, this will also help students to be able to fit their ideas within the word limits they are given.
- Writing reports or documents as part of the professional life, also have word limits these skills will stay with one long after the university life as well
Redundant Phrases
phrases can help make our writing clear and short that fits within the word limit
- At this point of time = now
- In order to = to
- Because of the fact that = because
- In this particular place = here
- A lot of = many
- Take in to consideration = consider
- First of all = first/firstly
- Prior to = before
- In the event that = if
- Due to the fact that = because
- A number of = several
- A variety of = several
- In addition to = Additionally
These are few guides. However, one may decide to keep it that way as well.
Other Redundant Phrases
Its very tempting to try turning a easy reading sentence in to a complicated one. So, in academic writing its better to keep the writing as simple as possible.
Three in number = three
Red in colour = red
True facts = facts
Long in duration = long
very unique = unique
A short summary = summary
a new innovation = an innovation
Avoiding expletive construction
expletive constructions' are swear words in an assignment/essay, we must avoid swearing at all times writing academic paper. However, grammatically it does not mean to swear but the use of 'There is' or 'There are' in the beginning of the sentence, see the below example of an assignment discussing primary education.
- There are many schools which have implemented a more flexible curriculum.
The above sentence needs to be correct such as:
- Many Schools have implemented a more flexible curriculum.
The both sentences mean exactly the same, the second sentence is three words shorter also its less direct and it will not make people feel it.
Avoiding repetition
Repetition can be problematic in many ways.
- In a broad issue, where a point is mentioned several times
- Shows poor vocabulary
- Shows lazy writing
- Repetition of one word in every sentences and paragraph
General Rule for repetition
Take the repeated noun, turn it in to the subject of the sentence, and add additional information.
This rule will also help the students while reviewing literature to write the writers word in your own words.
Using simple words instead of complex ones
Every discipline have their own subject specific terminology. In a academic writing if we have to choose between a difficult word or phrase and a easy one its advised to use the easier one. For instance:
The experiment was initialized at 7pm, subsequently halted half an hour later owing to complication, and re-initialized the next day
the experiment was started at 7pm, then stopped half an hour later because of problems, and begun again the next day.
Both sentences mean the same thing, but the way its articulated is different the second sentence is more understandable then first sentence.
Simple sentences
Always chose simpler sentence over difficult ones. Similarly, with word choices when writing academically.
Does this belong here?
While writing, the writer needs to think in each step of the way. How the ideas, sentences or words added to the writing is connected to each other and how this connection leads to the topic that your writing. This will help the reader particularly, if its an assignment the individual may make him/herself eligible for high GPA. There is no example. However, this comes with practice.
Meaningless modifier: 'very'/'really'/'extremely'/'severely'/'...
Academic writing means writing precisely. The above mentioned modifier are not SMART - Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant or Time-bound. In academic writing try to be precise and SMART.
The Future Tense
- Future tense is often unnecessary in academic writing, while simple present tense can be replaced perfectly.
- Using future tense is waste of word (out the word limit given)
The active and passive voices
Sentence can be written in either the 'active' or 'passive' voices.
- The active voice goes: Noun/Subject - verb - noun/object
- The passive voice goes: Noun/object - some form of the verb 'to be' - verb - by - noun/object
In academic writing its encouraged to write in active voice, this is the simplest way of writing. However, if one choose to use passive voice. Passive voice is potentially complicated and may lead the reader to a different direction.
Changing negative to affirmative
A 'negative', in grammar, is a phrase that includes the word 'not' or 'no' to express a lack of something, or the absence of a quality. Sometimes, we can shorten these, and also write more powerful, 'punchy' phrases, by replacing them with an 'affirmative' - one word in most cases that means the same thing.
Not correct = mistake
Not different = the same
Not the same = different
Not allow = prevent
Not notice = overlook
Not many = few
Not often = rarely
Not stop = continue
Not include = omit
Using the word 'this'
In academic writing try to make sure that your readers understand what 'this' is referring to or your assignments or academic paper can be confusing and misleading.
(Osmond, 2013)