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This page describes the Academic Collocation List (ACL), explaining what it is and giving a full list of collocations in the ACL, sorted by headword . There is also, in another section, an ACL highlighter which can be used to highlight ACL words in a text, as well as an ACL mind map creator.
For another look at the same content, check out YouTube or Youku , or the infographic . There is a worksheet (with answers and teacher's notes) for this video.
The Academic Collocation List (ACL) is a list containing 2,469 of the most frequent and useful collocations which occur in written academic English. It can be seen as a collocational companion to the Academic Word List (AWL) , consisting of collocations (or word combinations) rather than single words.
The ACL was developed by Kirsten Ackermann and Yu-Hua Chen using the Pearson International Corpus of Academic English (PICAE), with advice from English teaching experts to ensure the collocations chosen would be useful to students of English. The ACL gives around 1.4% coverage of words in academic English (based on the source corpus used in the study). In contrast, the same collocations give only 0.1% coverage for a general corpus, showing they are indeed much more common in academic than general English.
Many of the words in the ACL are also contained in the AWL, e.g. alternative approach appears in the ACL, and both of these words appear in the AWL. However, there are many word combinations which are very common in academic writing which contain one word or no words from the AWL, such as generally agree (both of these words actually appear in the GSL ). Studying collocations is an important way to build up your academic vocabulary, and the Academic Collocation List is one possible tool to help you do this.
Check out the Quizzes section for exercises to practise using words in the ACL.
The 2,469 collocations in the ACL are listed below. The list has been adapted for this website by collecting collocations under headwords, in the same way that words in the AWL are categorised. In addition, the collocations have been listed under both of the headwords they contain in order to make them easier to find. This means, for example, that the collocation great accuracy appears both under the headword great and the headword accurate . The collocation accurate description likewise appears under accurate , as well as under the headword describe . This means each collocation appears twice in the list, once for each headword. Where words occur in the AWL , the AWL headword has been used, e.g. the AWL headword for academic is academy .
There are three versions of this list on the website:
ability | cognitive ability |
abstract | abstract concept |
abuse | sexual abuse |
academy | (in) academic circles, academic achievement, academic career, academic community, academic debate, academic discipline, academic discourse, academic institution, academic journal, academic life, academic performance, academic research, academic skills, academic study, academic success, academic work, academic world, academic writing, academic year |
accept | accept responsibility, acceptable behaviour, socially acceptable, widespread acceptance, (be) commonly accepted, (be) generally accepted, (be) universally accepted, (be) widely accepted |
access | allow access (to), deny access (to), direct access, easy access, electronic access, equal access, free access, gain access (to), give access (to), have access (to), internet access, limited access, online access, open access, provide access (to), public access, ready access, unlimited access, easily accessible, readily accessible |
account | brief account, comprehensive account, historical account |
accurate | great accuracy, accurate assessment, accurate description, accurate information, accurate measurement, accurate picture, accurate record |
achieve | achieve (a) goal, achieve (an) objective, achieve (an) outcome, academic achievement |
acquire | acquire knowledge, newly acquired |
act | sexual act, appropriate action, collective action, legal action, military action, positive action, active involvement, active participant, active participation, active role, (be) actively involved, political activism, commercial activity, cultural activity, economic activity, engage in (an) activity, human activity, learning activity, physical activity, political activity, professional activity, related activity, social activity, undertake (an) activity |
acute | particularly acute, acutely aware |
add | add information |
additional | additional cost, additional information, additional problem, additional resources, additional support |
address | address (an) issue |
adjust | structural adjustment, make adjustments |
administrate | public administration, administrative practices |
adopt | adopt (a) procedure, adopt (an) approach, (be) widely adopted |
advance | advanced economy, advanced technology, technological advances |
advantage | major advantage |
adverse | adverse effect, adverse reaction, adversely affect |
affair | economic affairs, financial affairs, internal affairs |
affect | affect (the) development (of), affect (the) outcome, adversely affect, directly affect, severely affect, significantly affect, (be) directly affected |
agency | federal agency, regulatory agency |
agenda | political agenda, set (the) agenda |
agree | generally agree, strongly agree, broad agreement, general agreement, international agreement, reach (an) agreement, strongly disagree |
aim | overall aim, primary aim |
allocate | allocate resources |
allow | allow access (to) |
ally | (be) closely allied (to, with) |
almost | almost identical |
alternative | alternative approach, alternative explanation, alternative form, alternative interpretion, alternative means, alternative method, alternative model, alternative solution, alternative source, alternative strategy, alternative view, alternative way, provide (an) alternative |
amount | (a) considerable amount (of), (a) huge amount (of), (a) significant amount (of), (a) substantial amount (of), (a) vast amount (of), (an) enormous amount (of) |
ample | ample evidence |
analyse | careful analysis, comparative analysis, conduct (an) analysis, critical analysis, detailed analysis, economic analysis, final analysis, full analysis, further analysis, historical analysis, qualitative analysis, quantitative analysis, statistical analysis, subsequent analysis, systematic analysis, textual analysis, thematic analysis, theoretical analysis, use (the) analysis, analytical approach, analytical tool |
ancestor | common ancestor |
anecdotal | anecdotal evidence |
annual | annual conference, annual meeting, annual rate, annual report, annual review |
answer | final answer |
apparent | become apparent, immediately apparent, particularly apparent |
appearance | physical appearance |
apply | apply (a) method, apply (the) theory, apply equally |
approach | adopt (an) approach, alternative approach, analytical approach, common approach, comprehensive approach, critical approach, develop (an) approach, flexible approach, general approach, holistic approach, integrated approach, logical approach, methodological approach, qualitative approach, quantitative approach, similar approach, standard approach, systematic approach, take (an) approach, theoretical approach, traditional approach, use (an) approach |
appropriate | appropriate action, appropriate behaviour, appropriate conditions, appropriate data, appropriate form, appropriate language, appropriate level, appropriate point, appropriate response, appropriate skills, appropriate treatment, appropriate way, consider appropriate, deem appropriate, particularly appropriate, seem appropriate, respond appropriately |
area | complex area, core area, cover (an) area, geographic(al) area, identify (an) area, key area, local area, main area, major area, metropolitan area, particular area, problem area, related area, rural area, specific area, subject area, urban area, vast area, whole area, wide area |
arena | political arena |
argument | compelling argument, counter argument, develop (an) argument, general argument, logical argument, main argument, make (an) argument, present (an) argument, similar argument, support (an) argument, valid argument |
armed | armed conflict |
arrangement | institutional arrangement, make arrangements |
array | (a) vast array (of), (a) wide array (of) |
article | publish (an) article |
artificial | artificial intelligence |
aspect | certain aspect, consider (an) aspect, cultural aspect, focus on (an) aspect, fundamental aspect, general aspect, key aspect, negative aspect, particular aspect, positive aspect, related aspect, social aspect, specific aspect, technical aspect, various aspects |
assess | assess (the) impact (of), assessment process, accurate assessment, make (an) assessment, risk assessment |
assign | (be) randomly assigned (to) |
assist | financial assistance, medical assistance, provide assistance, technical assistance |
associate | associated factors, (be) closely associated (with), (be) commonly associated (with), (be) positively associated (with), (be) strongly associated (with) |
assume | assume (the) role (of), assume responsibility, (be) generally assumed, basic assumption, common assumption, fundamental assumption, make (an) assumption, underlying assumption, certain assumptions |
atom | atomic energy |
attempt | deliberate attempt |
attend | attend (a) conference |
attention | careful attention, considerable attention, critical attention, draw attention (to), focus attention (on) |
attitude | change (an) attitude, negative attitude, positive attitude, changing attitudes, cultural attitudes, public attitudes, social attitudes |
audience | target audience, wider audience |
author | first author, original author |
authority | central authority, exercise authority, local authority, political authority, public authority |
autonomy | greater autonomy, relative autonomy |
available | available data, available evidence, available information, available resources, become available, currently available, freely available, make available, publicly available, readily available, widely available |
average | average score, national average |
aware | acutely aware, become aware, fully aware, increasingly aware, keenly aware, make aware, well aware, greater awareness, growing awareness, increase awareness, increased awareness, increasing awareness, public awareness, raise awareness |
background | background knowledge, cultural background, diverse background, historical background, social background |
base | (be) largely based (on), basic assumption, basic component, basic concept, basic element, basic function, basic information, basic premise, basic principle, basic research, basic structure, basic technique, legal basis, theoretical basis |
bear | bear resemblance (to) |
become | become (a) source (of), become (the) focus (of), become apparent, become available, become aware, become blurred, become established, become evident, become independent, become involved (with/in), become obvious, become visible, become widespread |
begin | begin (a) process |
behave | behave differently, acceptable behaviour, appropriate behaviour, human behaviour, individual behaviour, sexual behaviour, social behaviour |
belief | religious belief, widespread belief, (be) widely believed |
benefit | beneficial effect, provide (a) benefit, economic benefits, potential benefits |
best | (be) best described (as, in terms of) |
binary | binary opposition, binary system |
biological | biological evolution, biological science, biological sex |
blur | become blurred |
body | international body, professional body |
bond | strong bond |
boundary | clear boundary, cultural boundary, national boundary |
brief | brief account, brief description, brief discussion, brief history, brief introduction, brief overview, brief period, brief review, brief summary, brief time, briefly describe, briefly discuss |
broad | (a) broad range (of), broad agreement, broad category, broad definition, broad spectrum, broader context, (be) broadly defined, broadly similar |
business | business sector, business transaction |
call | (be) commonly called |
capacity | limited capacity |
capitalism | global capitalism, industrial capitalism, capitalist country, capitalist economy, capitalist society, capitalist system, capitalist world |
care | primary care, provide care, careful analysis, careful attention, careful consideration, careful thought, (be) carefully controlled, (be) carefully selected |
career | career development, career opportunity, academic career |
carry | carry information |
carry out | carry out (the) task, carry out research (of) |
case | civil case, exceptional case, individual case, specific case |
cast | cast doubt (on) |
category | broad category, fall into (the) category (of), general category, main category |
causal | causal link, causal relation, causal relationship |
cause | cause consequences, cause stress, major cause, underlying cause |
centre | central authority, central concept, central concern, central control, central core, central feature, central focus, central government, central importance, central issue, central part, central point, central position, central problem, central question, central role, central tenet, central theme, urban centre |
certain | certain aspect, certain assumptions, certain characteristics, certain circumstances |
challenge | face (a) challenge, major challenge, pose (a) challenge, present (a) challenge, serious challenge |
change | change (an) attitude, change constantly, change dramatically, change rapidly, climate change, cultural change, demographic change, dramatic change, economic change, fundamental change, historical change, major change, minor change, radical change, significant change, structural change, technological change, environmental changes, changing attitudes, changing circumstances, changing nature, changing needs, changing pattern, changing world, ever changing, rapidly changing, remain unchanged |
chapter | final chapter, following chapter, introductory chapter, opening chapter, preceding chapter, previous chapter, subsequent chapter |
characteristic | characteristic feature, common characteristic, defining characteristic, key characteristic, salient characteristic, specific characteristic, certain characteristics, demographic characteristics, individual characteristics, main characteristics, physical characteristics, similar characteristics |
charge | (be) highly charged |
chemical | chemical reaction |
choose | individual choice, personal choice, (be) randomly chosen |
circle | (in) academic circles |
circumstance | certain circumstances, changing circumstances, exceptional circumstances, historical circumstances, local circumstances, personal circumstances, political circumstances, social circumstances, special circumstances |
cite | (be) frequently cited |
civil | civil case, civil society |
class | class consciousness, lower class, ruling class |
classic | classic example, classic study, classic text, classic work, classical theory |
clear | clear boundary, clear distinction, clear evidence, clear focus, clear indication, clear relationship, clear statement, clear structure, entirely clear, fairly clear, (be) clearly defined, (be) clearly demonstrated, (be) clearly established, (be) clearly identified, (be) clearly related (to), clearly evident, clearly important, clearly understand, clearly visible, remain unclear |
climate | climate change, current climate, political climate, climatic conditions |
close | close contact, close proximity, close relationship, close scrutiny, (be) closely allied (to, with), (be) closely associated (with), (be) closely connected (to, with), (be) closely linked (to, with), (be) closely related (to), (be) closely tied, closely resemble, (on/upon) closer inspection, (upon, on) closer examination, closer look |
clue | provide (a) clue |
cognitive | cognitive ability, cognitive development, cognitive skills |
collaborative | collaborative learning |
colleague | professional colleague |
collect | collect data, collect information, collective action, collective identity, collective memory |
combine | combined effect |
come into | come into conflict (with) |
come into | come into contact (with) |
comment | make (a) comment, written comment |
commercial | commercial activity, commercial transaction |
commit | commit (a) crime, commit (an) offence |
common | common ancestor, common approach, common assumption, common characteristic, common culture, common error, common feature, common goal, common method, common source, common theme, common usage, fairly common, increasingly common, relatively common, (be) commonly accepted, (be) commonly associated (with), (be) commonly called, (be) commonly encountered, (be) commonly found (in), (be) commonly known (as), (be) commonly referred (to) (as), (be) commonly used |
communicate | communicate effectively, direct communication, effective communication, electronic communication, personal communication, verbal communication, written communication |
community | academic community, ethnic community, international community, local community, rural community, scientific community, virtual community, wider community |
compare | comparative analysis, comparative research, comparative study |
compel | compelling argument, compelling evidence, compelling reason |
compete | increased competition, competitive market, competitive pressure, highly competitive |
competence | demonstrate competence |
complete | complete (a) task |
complex | complex area, complex interaction, complex issue, complex pattern, complex problem, complex process, complex question, complex relationship, complex set, complex situation, complex structure, complex system, extremely complex, highly complex, increasingly complex, increasing complexity |
component | basic component, essential component, fundamental component, individual component, key component, main component, major component |
comprehensive | comprehensive account, comprehensive approach, comprehensive overview, comprehensive review, comprehensive system |
concentrate | high concentration |
concept | abstract concept, basic concept, central concept, defining concept, key concept, theoretical concept, use (the) concept concept, conceptual framework |
concern | central concern, environmental concern, major concern, primary concern, (be) mainly concerned (with), (be) particularly concerned (with), (be) primarily concerned (with) |
concerted | concerted effort |
conclude | concluding remarks, concluding section, draw (a) conclusion, general conclusion, lead to (the) conclusion, logical conclusion |
condition | sufficient condition, conditional probability, appropriate conditions, climatic conditions, create conditions, economic conditions, experimental conditions, living conditions, natural conditions, normal conditions |
conduct | conduct (a) study, conduct (a) survey, conduct (an) analysis, conduct (an) interview, conduct research |
confer | annual conference, attend (a) conference, hold (a) conference, international conference, national conference |
confine | (be) largely confined (to) |
conflict | conflict resolution, armed conflict, come into conflict (with), internal conflict, political conflict, potential conflict, resolve (a) conflict, social conflict, conflicting interests |
connect | (be) closely connected (to, with), (be) directly connected (to, with), (be) intimately connected (to, with) |
connotation | negative connotation, positive connotation |
consciousness | class consciousness, political consciousness |
consent | general consensus, political consensus, reach (a) consensus, give consent, informed consent |
consequent | cause consequences, direct consequences, economic consequences, environmental consequences, have consequences, negative consequences, political consequences, possible consequences, serious consequences, social consequences, unintended consequences |
consider | consider (a) possibility, consider (an) aspect, consider (an) issue, consider (the) impact (of), consider (the) implications, consider (the) role (of), consider appropriate, consider relevant, careful consideration, ethical consideration, further consideration, give consideration, political consideration, practical consideration, require consideration, take into consideration, (be) generally considered |
considerable | (a) considerable amount (of), (a) considerable degree (of), (be of) considerable importance, (in) considerable detail, (to a) considerable extent, considerable attention, considerable debate, considerable effort, considerable evidence, considerable influence, considerable interest, considerable research, considerable support, considerable variation, differ considerably, vary considerably |
consist | consistent pattern, consistent results |
constant | constant rate, relatively constant, remain constant, change constantly |
constitute | constituent elements, constituent parts |
constrain | impose constraints |
construct | social construct, (be) socially constructed |
contact | close contact, come into contact (with), direct contact, first contact, maintain contact, make contact, personal contact, physical contact, sexual contact, social contact |
contain | contain (an) element, contain information |
contemporary | contemporary debate, contemporary issue, contemporary life, contemporary society, contemporary world |
context | broader context, cultural context, economic context, global context, historical context, institutional context, international context, original context, political context, present context, provide context, social context, specific context, wider context, contextual factors |
continue | continued existence, continued growth, continued use, continuous process |
contrast | marked contrast, sharp contrast, stark contrast, striking contrast |
contribute | contribute significantly, contribute to (the) development (of), major contribution, make (a) contribution, significant contribution |
control | central control, government control, internal control, personal control, (be) carefully controlled, (be) tightly controlled |
controversy | controversial issue, highly controversial |
convene | conventional view, conventional wisdom |
convey | convey (a) message, convey information, convey meaning |
convince | convincing evidence |
cope | coping strategy |
core | core area, core element, core issue, core skills, core value, central core |
correct | correct (an) error, correct interpretation, politically correct |
correlate | (be) highly correlated (with), (be) negatively correlated (with), (be) positively correlated (with), (be) significantly correlated (with), (be) strongly correlated (with), high correlation, negative correlation, positive correlation, significant correlation, significant correlation, strong correlation |
cost | additional cost, rising cost |
counter | counter argument |
country | capitalist country, industrial country, industrialized country |
cover | cover (a) range (of), cover (a) topic, cover (an) area, media coverage, provide coverage |
create | create (an) environment, create (an) impression, create (an) opportunity, create conditions, create opportunities, create problems, newly created, creative process, creative thinking, creative work |
crime | commit (a) crime, criminal offence |
crisis | economic crisis |
criteria | meet criteria, objective criteria, use criteria |
critical | critical analysis, critical approach, critical attention, critical essay, critical evaluation, critical examination, critical factor, critical importance, critical inquiry, critical introduction, critical issue, critical perspective, critical point, critical reflection, critical review, critical role, critical scrutiny, critical theory, critical thinking, critical writing, highly critical, critically evaluate, radical critique |
crucial | crucial difference, crucial factor, crucial importance, crucial part, crucial point, crucial question, crucial role |
culture | cultural activity, cultural aspect, cultural attitudes, cultural background, cultural boundary, cultural change, cultural context, cultural differences, cultural dimension, cultural diversity, cultural factors, cultural heritage, cultural history, cultural identity, cultural influence, cultural institution, cultural issue, cultural life, cultural norm, cultural perspective, cultural phenomenon, cultural practice, cultural significance, cultural theory, cultural tradition, cultural values, culturally specific, common culture, dominant culture, global culture, local culture, modern culture, national culture, political culture, popular culture, traditional culture |
currency | foreign currency, single currency |
current | current climate, current issue, current policy, current research, current status, current technology, current trend, currently available |
customer | potential customer |
daily | daily living |
damage | environmental damage |
dangerous | potentially dangerous |
data | data gathering, data set, appropriate data, available data, collect data, empirical data, existing data, experimental data, extract data, gather data, historical data, interpret data, missing data, numerical data, obtain data, original data, preliminary data, present data, primary data, process data, provide data, qualitative data, quantitative data, raw data, record data, relevant data, reliable data, report data, secondary data, statistical data, store data, survey data, transmit data, use (the) data data, online database |
deal | deal (with an) issue |
death | premature death |
debate | academic debate, considerable debate, contemporary debate, heated debate, ongoing debate, political debate, public debate, theoretical debate |
decade | next decade, previous decade, early decades, recent decades |
decide | final decision, major decision, strategic decision |
deem | deem appropriate, deem necessary |
deep | (a) deep understanding (of), (at/on a) deeper level, (be) deeply embedded, (be) deeply rooted |
define | (be) broadly defined, (be) clearly defined, defining characteristic, defining concept, defining feature, broad definition, general definition, narrow definition, precise definition, use (the) definition |
degradation | environmental degradation |
degree | (a) considerable degree (of), (a) higher degree (of), (a) significant degree (of), varying degree |
deliberate | deliberate attempt |
demand | increased demand, increasing demand |
democracy | liberal democracy, social democracy, western democracy, democratic institution, democratic process, democratic society, democratic state |
demographic | demographic change, demographic characteristics, demographic factor |
demonstrate | demonstrate competence, (be) clearly demonstrated |
densely | (be) densely populated |
deny | deny access (to) |
department | government department |
dependent | dependent variable, highly dependent |
describe | describe (a) procedure, describe (a) method, describe (a) process, briefly describe, (be) best described (as, in terms of), previously described, accurate description, brief description, descriptive statistics |
design | experimental design, urban design, (be) specifically designed (to, for), well designed |
desire | highly desirable, socially desirable, desired outcome |
detail | (in) considerable detail, sufficient detail, technical detail, detailed analysis, detailed examination, detailed information, detailed study |
determined | (be) largely determined (by) |
develop | develop (a) method, develop (a) strategy, develop (a) technique, develop (a) theory, develop (an) argument, develop (an) approach, (be) fully developed, (be) highly developed, (be) originally developed, career development, cognitive development, contribute to (the) development (of), encourage (the) development (of), facilitate (the) development (of), further development, future development, historical development, industrial development, normal development, physical development, professional development, promote (the) development (of), regional development, significant development, subsequent development, technological development, urban development, affect (the) development (of), developmental process, developmental stage |
diagnostic | diagnostic test |
differ | differ considerably, differ significantly, differ widely, crucial difference, fundamental difference, major difference, obvious difference, sexual difference, significant difference, substantial difference, cultural differences, ethnic differences, individual differences, racial differences, radical differences, regional differences, (be) markedly different, entirely different, fundamentally different, qualitatively different, radically different, slightly different, substantially different, totally different, widely different, behave differently, think differently, treat differently |
difficult | increasingly difficult, encounter difficulties, experience difficulties, face difficulties, learning difficulties, practical difficulties, present difficulties |
digital | digital information, digital media, digital technology |
dilemma | ethical dilemma, face (a) dilemma, moral dilemma |
dimension | cultural dimension, political dimension, social dimension |
direct | direct access, direct communication, direct consequences, direct contact, direct evidence, direct impact, direct involvement, direct link, direct observation, direct relationship, direct role, (be) directly affected, (be) directly connected (to, with), (be) directly involved (in), (be) directly linked (to), (be) directly linked (to, with), (be) directly proportional (to), (be) directly related (to), (be) directly responsible (for), directly affect |
disaster | natural disaster |
discipline | academic discipline |
disclose | disclose information |
discourse | academic discourse, dominant discourse, public discourse, scientific discourse |
discover | newly discovered |
discriminate | face discrimination, positive discrimination, racial discrimination |
discuss | discuss (a) topic, discuss (an) issue, briefly discuss, (be) widely discussed, previously discussed, brief discussion, earlier discussion, fuller discussion, preceding discussion, previous discussion |
disperse | (be) widely dispersed |
display | public display |
dispose | disposable income |
dispute | resolve (a) dispute |
distinct | distinct group, distinct type, clear distinction, draw (a) distinction, make (a) distinction, sharp distinction, distinctive feature |
distinguish | distinguishing feature |
distribute | (be) widely distributed, geographic(al) distribution, normal distribution |
diverse | (a) diverse range (of), diverse background, diverse group, cultural diversity, ethnic diversity, great diversity |
divide | (be) further divided (into), dividing line |
document | (be) well documented |
documentary | documentary evidence |
domain | public domain |
domestic | domestic market, domestic sphere, domestic violence |
dominate | male dominance, dominant culture, dominant discourse, dominant form, dominant group, dominant ideology, dominant paradigm, dominant position, dominant role |
doubt | cast doubt (on) |
draft | first draft |
drama | dramatic change, dramatic effect, dramatic increase, change dramatically, increase dramatically |
draw | draw (a) conclusion, draw (a) distinction, draw (a) line, draw attention (to) |
drive | driving force |
due | due process |
duration | long duration, maximum duration, short duration |
dynamic | dynamic equilibrium, dynamic nature, dynamic process, dynamic system |
early | earlier discussion, earlier period, earlier research, earlier stage, earlier study, earlier times, earlier version, earlier work, early decades, early study |
easy | (be) easily identified, (be) easily understood, easily accessible, easy access |
economy | economic activity, economic affairs, economic analysis, economic benefits, economic change, economic conditions, economic consequences, economic context, economic crisis, economic exploitation, economic factors, economic forces, economic goal, economic growth, economic inequality, economic integration, economic interests, economic policy, economic power, economic prosperity, economic reform, economic relations, economic relationships, economic resources, economic sector, economic stability, economic status, economic structure, economic success, economic system, economic theory, economic value, economic welfare, advanced economy, capitalist economy, global economy, local economy, national economy, political economy, rural economy |
edit | revised edition |
educate | (be) highly educated, well educated, higher education, primary education, secondary education, educational institution, educational opportunity, educational policy, educational programme, educational provision, educational qualification, educational research, educational setting, educational system |
effect | adverse effect, beneficial effect, combined effect, dramatic effect, negative effect, overall effect, positive effect, profound effect, significant effect, similar effect, effective communication, effective implementation, effective intervention, effective management, effective method, effective participation, effective policy, effective treatment, highly effective, particularly effective, communicate effectively, use effectively, work effectively, environmental effects |
efficient | highly efficient |
effort | concerted effort, considerable effort, research effort |
election | presidential election |
electronic | electronic access, electronic communication, electronic media, electronic resources, electronic version |
element | basic element, contain (an) element, core element, essential element, individual element, key element, main element, single element, structural element, constituent elements |
embed | (be) deeply embedded |
emerge | newly emerging |
emission | reduce emissions |
emotion | emotional impact, emotional intelligence, emotional reaction, emotional response, emotional support |
emphasis | give emphasis, greater emphasis, increasing emphasis, particular emphasis, place emphasis, shift emphasis, special emphasis, strong emphasis |
empirical | empirical data, empirical evidence, empirical investigation, empirical research, empirical study, empirical support, empirical work |
employ | employ (a) method, employ (a) technique, employment opportunities, full employment, paid employment, high unemployment, low unemployment |
encounter | encounter difficulties, encounter problems, first encounter, (be) commonly encountered |
encourage | encourage (the) development (of) |
energy | atomic energy, nuclear energy, renewable energy, solar energy |
engage in | engage in (an) activity |
enhance | enhance learning, enhance performance, greatly enhance |
enormous | (an) enormous amount (of), enormous impact |
entire | (the) entire range (of), entire period, entirely clear, entirely different, entirely new |
entity | separate entity, single entity |
environment | create (an) environment, external environment, immediate environment, learning environment, natural environment, physical environment, political environment, social environment, urban environment, environmental changes, environmental concern, environmental consequences, environmental damage, environmental degradation, environmental effects, environmental factors, environmental impact, environmental issues, environmental policy, environmental pollution, environmental protection |
equal | equal access, equal opportunity, equal status, equal treatment, roughly equal, gender equality, greater equality, promote equality, racial equality, social equality, equally important, equally likely, equally true, equally valid, apply equally, treat equally, economic inequality, social inequality, unequal power |
equilibrium | dynamic equilibrium |
equivalent | roughly equivalent |
error | common error, correct (an) error, random error, standard error |
essay | critical essay |
essential | essential component, essential element, essential feature, essential function, essential information, essential role |
establish | establish (a) relationship, established order, established practice, established principle, (be) clearly established, (be) firmly established, (be) well established, become established, long established, newly established, once established |
ethic | ethical consideration, ethical dilemma, ethical issue, ethical principle, ethical problem, ethical question |
ethnic | ethnic community, ethnic differences, ethnic diversity, ethnic group, ethnic identity, ethnic minority, ethnic origin |
evaluate | critically evaluate, critical evaluation |
event | historical event |
ever | ever changing, ever increasing |
evident | ample evidence, anecdotal evidence, available evidence, clear evidence, compelling evidence, considerable evidence, convincing evidence, direct evidence, documentary evidence, empirical evidence, experimental evidence, find evidence, further evidence, give evidence, historical evidence, little evidence, present evidence, provide evidence, recent evidence, research evidence, scientific evidence, show evidence, strong evidence, substantial evidence, sufficient evidence, supporting evidence, (be) particularly evident, become evident, clearly evident |
evolve | biological evolution, evolutionary process, evolutionary theory |
examine | (upon, on) closer examination, critical examination, detailed examination, examine (the) role (of) |
example | classic example, obvious example, prime example, provide (an) example, specific example, striking example, typical example |
exception | notable exception, exceptional case, exceptional circumstances |
exclude | social exclusion, mutually exclusive |
exercise | exercise authority |
exist | continued existence, existing data, existing research, existing structure |
expand | expand rapidly, rapid expansion |
expect | high expectations, meet expectations, social expectations |
expend | government expenditure, public expenditure |
experience | experience difficulties, experience problems, individual experience, personal experience, previous experience, prior experience, professional experience, shared experience, experiential learning |
experiment | experimental conditions, experimental data, experimental design, experimental evidence, experimental method, experimental research, experimental results, experimental study, experimental work |
expert | expert opinion, technical expertise |
explain | alternative explanation, further explanation, give (an) explanation, plausible explanation, possible explanation, provide (an) explanation, explanatory power |
explicit | make explicit, state explicitly |
exploit | economic exploitation, sexual exploitation |
explore | explore (an) issue, explore further |
expression | facial expression |
extend | extended period, extensive research, (be) extensively used, (to a) considerable extent |
external | external environment, external factors, external forces, external influences, external source, external threat, external world |
extract | extract data, extract information |
extreme | extremely complex, extremely powerful, extremely sensitive, extremely useful, extremely valuable |
face | face (a) challenge, face (a) dilemma, face (a) problem, face difficulties, face discrimination, facial expression |
facilitate | facilitate (the) development (of) |
fact | factual information |
factor | critical factor, crucial factor, demographic factor, key factor, main factor, major factor, related factor, significant factor, specific factor, associated factors, contextual factors, cultural factors, economic factors, environmental factors, external factors, historical factors, identify factors, political factors, relevant factors, social factors |
fair | fair treatment, fairly clear, fairly common, fairly obvious, fairly straightforward, unfair treatment |
faith | religious faith |
fall into | fall into (the) category (of) |
family | nuclear family |
far | (be) far removed (from) |
feature | central feature, characteristic feature, common feature, defining feature, distinctive feature, distinguishing feature, essential feature, general feature, key feature, main feature, major feature, particular feature, positive feature, prominent feature, salient feature, significant feature, specific feature, striking feature, structural feature, identify features, physical features |
federal | federal agency, federal government, federal state |
feedback | give feedback, negative feedback, positive feedback, provide feedback, provide feedback, receive feedback |
feminist | feminist movement |
few | relatively few |
field | field research |
figure | significant figures |
final | final analysis, final answer, final chapter, final decision, final outcome, final phase, final point, final position, final product, final result, final section, final stage, final step, final version |
finance | financial affairs, financial assistance, financial institution, financial management, financial market, financial problem, financial resources, financial support |
find | find evidence, find information, key findings, main findings, preliminary findings, report findings, research findings |
finite | finite number, infinite number |
firmly | (be) firmly established |
first | first author, first contact, first draft, first encounter, first generation, first impression, first phase, first priority |
flexible | greater flexibility, flexible approach |
flow | information flow |
focal | focal point |
focus | focus attention (on), become (the) focus (of), central focus, clear focus, main focus, major focus, particular focus, primary focus, provide (a) focus, specific focus, focus on (an) aspect |
follow | follow (a) format, follow (a) procedure, follow instructions, following chapter, immediately following |
force | driving force, military force, powerful force, economic forces, external forces |
foreign | foreign currency, foreign investment, foreign investor, foreign policy |
form | alternative form, appropriate form, dominant form, modified form, specific form, traditional form, newly formed |
formal | formal structure |
format | follow (a) format, standard format, use (a) format |
formula | general formula |
found | (be) commonly found (in), (be) frequently found, (be) generally found |
foundation | provide (a) foundation (for) |
fraction | small fraction |
framework | conceptual framework, institutional framework, legal framework, regulatory framework, theoretical framework |
free | free access, free movement, religious freedom, freely available |
frequency | high/er frequency, low/er frequency, (be) frequently cited, (be) frequently found, (be) frequently referred (to), (be) frequently used, occur frequently |
fulfil | fulfil (an) obligation |
full | (a, the) full range (of), full analysis, full employment, full information, full participation, full potential, fuller discussion, (be) fully developed, (be) fully informed, (be) fully integrated, (be) fully realized, fully aware, fully understand |
function | basic function, essential function, main function, perform (a) function, primary function, serve (a) function, social function, specific function, functional requirement |
fund | public funds |
fundamental | fundamental aspect, fundamental assumption, fundamental change, fundamental component, fundamental difference, fundamental importance, fundamental principle, fundamental problem, fundamental question, fundamentally different |
further | (be) further divided (into), further analysis, further consideration, further development, further evidence, further explanation, further information, further investigation, further research, further study, explore further |
future | future development, future prospects, future research, future study |
gain | gain access (to), gain information, gain insight (into) |
gather | gather data, gather information, data gathering, information gathering |
gender | gender equality, gender stereotype |
general | general agreement, general approach, general argument, general aspect, general category, general conclusion, general consensus, general definition, general feature, general formula, general overview, general principle, general statement, general tendency, general theory, general trend, (be) generally accepted, (be) generally assumed, (be) generally considered, (be) generally found, (be) generally known (as, by), generally agree |
generation | first generation, next generation, previous generation, younger generation |
genetic | genetic variation |
geography | geographic(al) area, geographic(al) distribution, geographic(al) location |
get | get involved (with/in) |
give | give (a) presentation, give (an) explanation, give (an) indication (of), give (an) overview (of), give (sb an) impression, give (sb) treatment, give access (to), give consent, give consideration, give emphasis, give evidence, give feedback, give priority (to), give guidance, give information, give insight (into), given information, given period |
globe | global capitalism, global context, global culture, global economy, global issue, global market, global marketplace, global media, global network, global perspective, global shift, global structure, global trade, global village |
goal | achieve (a) goal, common goal, economic goal, set (a) goal, ultimate goal |
goods | imported goods |
government | government control, government department, government expenditure, government intervention, government policy, central government, federal government, local government, municipal government, national government, representative government |
graphical | graphical representation |
great | (a) great proportion (of), (a) great range (of), great accuracy, great diversity, great impact, great majority, great potential, great significance, greater autonomy, greater awareness, greater emphasis, greater equality, greater flexibility, greater likelihood, (be) greatly influenced (by), (be) greatly reduced, greatly enhance, greatly increase, vary greatly |
group | distinct group, diverse group, dominant group, ethnic group, homogeneous group, minority group, powerful group, racial group, religious group, vulnerable group |
grow | grow rapidly, growing awareness, growing trend, rapidly growing, continued growth, economic growth, significant growth |
guide | give guidance, provide guidance, guiding principle |
hardly | hardly surprising |
harm | potential harm |
have | have (a) strategy, have (a) tendency (to), have (an) obligation, have access (to), have consequences, have limitations, have potential |
health | mental health, physical health |
heat | heated debate |
heavy | (be) heavily influenced (by), rely heavily (on) |
help | seek help |
heritage | cultural heritage |
hierarchy | hierarchical structure |
high | (a) high proportion (of), high concentration, high correlation, high expectations, high incidence, high intensity, high level, high order, high percentage, high priority, high probability, high profile, high quality, high rate, high score, high standard, high status, high turnover, high unemployment, high value, relatively high, high/er frequency, (a) higher degree (of), higher education, significantly higher, slightly higher, (be) highly charged, (be) highly correlated (with), (be) highly developed, (be) highly educated, (be) highly structured, (be) highly valued, highly competitive, highly complex, highly controversial, highly critical, highly dependent, highly desirable, highly effective, highly efficient, highly influential, highly likely, highly problematic, highly relevant, highly selective, highly sensitive, highly significant, highly skilled, highly sophisticated, highly successful, highly unlikely, highly variable |
history | historical account, historical analysis, historical background, historical change, historical circumstances, historical context, historical data, historical development, historical event, historical evidence, historical factors, historical interpretation, historical knowledge, historical period, historical perspective, historical reality, historical record, historical roots, historical study, historical writing, historically specific, brief history, cultural history, natural history, oral history |
hold | hold (a) conference |
holistic | holistic approach |
homogeneous | homogeneous group |
huge | (a) huge amount (of) |
human | human activity, human behaviour, human interaction, human society, human species |
ideally | (be) ideally suited |
identical | almost identical |
identify | (be) clearly identified, (be) easily identified, identify (a) problem, identify (a) way, identify (an) area, identify (an) issue, identify factors, identify features, multiple identities, collective identity, cultural identity, ethnic identity, national identity, political identity, religious identity, sexual identity, social identity |
ideology | dominant ideology, political ideology |
ignorant | (be) largely ignored |
illness | mental illness |
illustrate | provide (an) illustration |
image | positive image, public image, visual image |
immediate | immediate environment, immediately apparent, immediately following, immediately obvious, immediately preceding |
impact | assess (the) impact (of), consider (the) impact (of), direct impact, emotional impact, enormous impact, environmental impact, great impact, likely impact, little impact, major impact, make (an) impact, negative impact, positive impact, potential impact, profound impact, significant impact |
implement | effective implementation, successful implementation |
imply | consider (the) implications, major implications, political implications, social implications, wider implications |
import | imported goods, imported products |
important | (be of) considerable importance, (be of) paramount importance, (be of) vital importance, central importance, critical importance, crucial importance, fundamental importance, increased importance, increasing importance, perceived importance, strategic importance, clearly important, equally important, increasingly important |
impose | impose constraints, impose limitations, impose restrictions |
impossible | virtually impossible |
impression | create (an) impression, first impression, give (sb an) impression, make (an) impression |
improve | improved performance, significant improvement |
incidence | high incidence |
income | disposable income, low income, middle income, national income, total income |
increase | increase (the) likelihood, increase awareness, increase dramatically, dramatic increase, greatly increase, significant increase, significantly increase, increased awareness, increased competition, increased demand, increased importance, increased interest, increased level, increased number, increased pressure, increased production, increased productivity, increased risk, (a) increasing proportion (of), increasing awareness, increasing complexity, increasing demand, increasing emphasis, increasing importance, increasing interest, increasing pressure, increasing tendency, increasing trend, ever increasing, increasingly aware, increasingly common, increasingly complex, increasingly difficult, increasingly important, increasingly popular, increasingly sophisticated |
independent | independent state, independent variable, become independent |
indicate | clear indication, give (an) indication (of), provide (an) indication (of) |
indigenous | indigenous people, indigenous population |
individual | individual behaviour, individual case, individual characteristics, individual choice, individual component, individual differences, individual element, individual experience, individual interests, individual item, individual needs, individual response, individual responsibility, individual rights, individual variable, individual variation, particular individual, private individual, single individual, unique individual |
industrial | industrial capitalism, industrial country, industrial development, industrial production, industrial society, industrialized country, industrialized nation |
inextricably | (be) inextricably linked (to, with) |
influence | considerable influence, cultural influence, major influence, positive influence, powerful influence, significant influence, (be) greatly influenced (by), (be) heavily influenced (by), (be) strongly influenced (by), external influences, highly influential, particularly influential |
inform | informed consent, (be) fully informed |
information | information flow, information gathering, information processing, information retrieval, information sharing, accurate information, add information, additional information, available information, basic information, carry information, collect information, contain information, convey information, detailed information, digital information, disclose information, essential information, extract information, factual information, find information, full information, further information, gain information, gather information, give information, given information, limited information, little information, necessary information, obtain information, personal information, process information, provide information, receive information, related information, relevant information, reliable information, seek information, share information, specific information, statistical information, store information, sufficient information, transmit information, useful information, valuable information |
initial | initial period, initial phase, initial position, initial research, initial stage |
initiate | new initiative, take initiative |
innovate | technological innovation |
inquire | critical inquiry |
insight | gain insight (into), give insight (into), new insight, offer insight (into), provide insight (into) |
inspect | (on/upon) closer inspection |
institute | academic institution, cultural institution, democratic institution, educational institution, financial institution, national institution, political institution, public institution, social institution, institutional arrangement, institutional context, institutional framework, institutional structure, institutional support |
instruct | follow instructions |
integral | integral part |
integrate | integrated approach, integrated system, (be) fully integrated, economic integration, social integration |
intellectual | intellectual property, intellectual work |
intelligent | artificial intelligence, emotional intelligence |
intend | (be) originally intended, original intent, unintended consequences |
intense | high intensity, low intensity, intensive study |
interact | complex interaction, human interaction, significant interaction, social interaction |
intercourse | sexual intercourse |
interest | considerable interest, increased interest, increasing interest, national interest, personal interest, renewed interest, vested interest, interested party, conflicting interests, economic interests, individual interests |
internal | internal affairs, internal conflict, internal control, internal market, internal organ, internal structure |
international | international agreement, international body, international community, international conference, international context, international journal, international organization, international treaty |
internet | internet access |
interpersonal | interpersonal relationships, interpersonal skills |
interpret | interpret data, correct interpretation, historical interpretation, literal interpretation, alternative interpretion |
intervene | effective intervention, government intervention |
interview | conduct (an) interview |
intimate | intimate relationship, (be) intimately connected (to, with) |
intrinsic | intrinsic value |
introduce | introduce legislation, brief introduction, critical introduction, introductory chapter, introductory section, introductory text |
invest | foreign investment, private investment, foreign investor |
investigate | empirical investigation, further investigation, scientific investigation |
involve | (be) actively involved, (be) directly involved (in), become involved (with/in), get involved (with/in), active involvement, direct involvement |
isolate | social isolation |
issue | address (an) issue, central issue, complex issue, consider (an) issue, contemporary issue, controversial issue, core issue, critical issue, cultural issue, current issue, deal (with an) issue, discuss (an) issue, ethical issue, explore (an) issue, global issue, identify (an) issue, key issue, legal issue, main issue, major issue, methodological issue, practical issue, raise (an) issue, real issue, related issue, relevant issue, similar issue, single issue, special issue, specific issue, technical issue, theoretical issue, wider issue, environmental issues |
item | individual item |
journal | academic journal, international journal, online journal, publish (a) journal, scholarly journal |
judgement | make(a) judgement |
keenly | keenly aware |
key | key area, key aspect, key characteristic, key component, key concept, key element, key factor, key feature, key findings, key issue, key objective, key player, key policy, key principle, key role, key source, key text, key theme, key topic |
know | (be) commonly known (as), (be) generally known (as, by), (be) widely known, previously known |
knowledge | acquire knowledge, background knowledge, historical knowledge, personal knowledge, previous knowledge, prior knowledge, professional knowledge, require knowledge, specific knowledge, tacit knowledge, technical knowledge |
language | appropriate language, national language, natural language, verbal language |
large | (a) large proportion (of), (a) large range (of), large majority, large percentage, large portion, large quantities (of), (be) largely based (on), (be) largely confined (to), (be) largely determined (by), (be) largely ignored, (be) largely responsible (for) |
later | later work, later writings |
law | natural law |
lead | lead to (the) conclusion, opinion leader, party leader, political leader, leading role |
learn | learning activity, learning difficulties, learning environment, learning objective, learning outcome, learning process, learning resources, learning strategy, collaborative learning, enhance learning, experiential learning, lifelong learning |
legal | legal action, legal basis, legal framework, legal issue, legal obligation, legal position, legal proceedings, legal protection, legal requirement, legal right, legal rule, legal status, legal system |
legislate | introduce legislation, national legislation, proposed legislation, legislative measures, legislative power |
level | (at/on a) deeper level, appropriate level, high level, increased level, low level, minimum level, overall level, stress level |
liberal | liberal democracy |
life | academic life, contemporary life, cultural life, lifelong learning |
likely | greater likelihood, increase (the) likelihood, reduce (the) likelihood, likely impact, likely outcome, equally likely, highly likely, highly unlikely, seem unlikely |
limit | have limitations, impose limitations, (a) limited range (of), limited access, limited capacity, limited information, limited opportunity, limited resources, unlimited access |
line | dividing line, draw (a) line, linear relationship |
link | causal link, direct link, strong link, (be) closely linked (to, with), (be) directly linked (to), (be) directly linked (to, with), (be) inextricably linked (to, with), (be) strongly linked |
literal | (in a) literal sense, literal interpretation, literal meaning |
literary | literary text, literary tradition |
literature | published literature, relevant literature, scholarly literature |
little | little evidence, little impact, little information, little research, little significance, relatively little |
living | living conditions, living organism, living standard, daily living, make (a) living |
local | local area, local authority, local circumstances, local community, local culture, local economy, local government |
locate | geographic(al) location |
logic | logical approach, logical argument, logical conclusion |
long | long duration, long established |
longitudinal | longitudinal study |
look | closer look |
low | low/er frequency, low income, low intensity, low level, low percentage, low priority, low probability, low profile, low quality, low status, low turnover, low unemployment, relatively low, lower class |
main | main area, main argument, main category, main characteristics, main component, main element, main factor, main feature, main findings, main focus, main function, main issue, main principle, main source, main task, main theme, (be) mainly concerned (with) |
maintain | maintain contact |
major | major advantage, major area, major cause, major challenge, major change, major component, major concern, major contribution, major decision, major difference, major factor, major feature, major focus, major impact, major implications, major influence, major issue, major part, major problem, major reason, major role, major shift, major source, major theme, great majority, large majority, overwhelming majority, simple majority, vast majority |
make | make (a) comment, make (a) contribution, make (a) distinction, make (a) living, make (a) prediction, make (a) recommendation, make (a) statement, make (a) transition, make (an) argument, make (an) assessment, make (an) assumption, make (an) impact, make (an) impression, make (an) observation, make adjustments, make arrangements, make available, make aware, make contact, make explicit, make policy, make provision, make visible, make(a) judgement |
male | male dominance |
manage | effective management, financial management, middle management, senior management, strategic management, top management |
manual | manual worker |
manufacture | manufacturing sector |
marked | marked contrast, (be) markedly different |
market | competitive market, domestic market, financial market, global market, internal market, national market, global marketplace |
material | provide material, published material, relevant material, source material, useful material |
maximise | maximum duration |
mean | mean score |
meaning | convey meaning, literal meaning, original meaning, particular meaning, shared meaning, specific meaning, (in a) meaningful way |
means | alternative means, useful means |
measure | accurate measurement, legislative measures |
media | media coverage, digital media, electronic media, global media, national media, popular media, visual media |
medical | medical assistance, medical treatment |
meet | meet (a) target, meet (a) requirement, meet (an) objective, meet criteria, meet expectations, annual meeting |
member | prominent member |
memory | collective memory |
mental | mental health, mental illness, mental state |
mention | previously mentioned |
merit | relative merits |
message | convey (a) message |
method | alternative method, apply (a) method, common method, describe (a) method, develop (a) method, effective method, employ (a) method, experimental method, modern method, qualitative method, quantitative method, scientific method, standard method, statistical method, traditional method, use (a) method, methodological approach, methodological issue, methodological problem, research methodology, use (a) methodology |
metropolitan | metropolitan area |
middle | middle income, middle management |
migrate | migrant worker |
military | military action, military force, military power, military service |
minimum | minimum level, minimum requirement, minimum standard, minimum value, minimum wage |
minor | minor change, minor role, relatively minor, minority group, ethnic minority, small minority |
missing | missing data |
mobility | social mobility, political mobilization |
model | alternative model, original model, theoretical model |
modern | modern culture, modern method, modern society, modern technology |
modify | modified form, modified version |
moral | moral dilemma, moral philosophy, moral principle |
motive | (be) politically motivated |
movement | feminist movement, free movement, national movement, political movement, religious movement, social movement |
multiple | multiple identities, multiple sources |
municipal | municipal government |
mutual | mutual recognition, mutual support, mutual trust, mutual understanding, mutually exclusive |
narrow | (a) narrow range (of), narrow definition |
nation | industrialized nation, national average, national boundary, national conference, national culture, national economy, national government, national identity, national income, national institution, national interest, national language, national legislation, national market, national media, national movement, national policy, national press, national security, national survey |
native | native speaker |
nature | natural conditions, natural disaster, natural environment, natural history, natural language, natural law, natural order, natural philosophy, natural process, natural resources, natural right, natural science, natural tendency, natural world, naturally occurring, occur naturally, changing nature, dynamic nature, precise nature |
necessary | necessary information, deem necessary |
need | perceived need, changing needs, individual needs, physical needs, specific needs |
negate | negative aspect, negative attitude, negative connotation, negative consequences, negative correlation, negative effect, negative feedback, negative impact, negative outcome, negative side, negative stereotype, negative value, negative view, (be) negatively correlated (with) |
network | global network |
new | new initiative, new insight, new perspective, entirely new, newly acquired, newly created, newly discovered, newly emerging, newly established, newly formed |
next | next decade, next generation, next phase |
norm | cultural norm, social norm |
normal | normal conditions, normal development, normal distribution, normal practice |
notable | notable exception |
nuclear | nuclear energy, nuclear family, nuclear power, nuclear war, nuclear weapon |
number | finite number, increased number, infinite number, significant number, substantial number, vast number, numerical data, numerical value, numerous studies |
objective | objective criteria, objective reality, achieve (an) objective, key objective, learning objective, meet (an) objective, primary objective, set (an) objective, strategic objective, scientific objectivity |
obligation | fulfil (an) obligation, have (an) obligation, legal obligation |
observation | direct observation, make (an) observation |
obtain | obtain (a) result, obtain data, obtain information |
obvious | obvious difference, obvious example, obvious point, obvious reason, become obvious, fairly obvious, immediately obvious, seem obvious |
occur | occur frequently, occur naturally, naturally occurring |
offence | commit (an) offence, criminal offence, serious offence |
offer | offer (an) opportunity, offer insight (into) |
official | official statistics |
once | once established |
ongoing | ongoing debate, ongoing process |
online | online access, online database, online journal, online version |
open | open access, opening chapter, opening section |
opinion | opinion leader, expert opinion |
opportunity | create opportunities, employment opportunities, career opportunity, create (an) opportunity, educational opportunity, equal opportunity, limited opportunity, offer (an) opportunity, provide (an) opportunity, unique opportunity |
oppose | (be) strongly opposed, binary opposition |
optimal | optimal solution |
oral | oral history, oral presentation |
order | established order, high order, natural order |
organ | internal organ |
organise | organising principle, international organization, political organization, social organization, organizational structure |
organism | living organism |
orient | sexual orientation |
origin | ethnic origin, original author, original context, original data, original intent, original meaning, original model, original position, original research, original source, original text, original version, original work, (be) originally developed, (be) originally intended |
outcome | achieve (an) outcome, affect (the) outcome, desired outcome, final outcome, learning outcome, likely outcome, negative outcome, positive outcome, possible outcome |
overall | overall aim, overall effect, overall level, overall performance, overall picture, overall rate, overall structure |
overview | brief overview, comprehensive overview, general overview, give (an) overview (of), provide (an) overview (of) |
overwhelming | overwhelming majority |
paid | paid employment |
panel | solar panel |
paradigm | dominant paradigm |
paragraph | previous paragraph |
parameter | set (the) parameters |
paramount | (be of) paramount importance |
part | central part, crucial part, integral part, major part, previous part, significant part, substantial part, vital part, (be) partly responsible (for), constituent parts |
participate | active participant, active participation, effective participation, full participation, political participation |
particular | particular area, particular aspect, particular emphasis, particular feature, particular focus, particular individual, particular meaning, (be) particularly concerned (with), (be) particularly evident, (be) particularly suited (to), particularly acute, particularly apparent, particularly appropriate, particularly effective, particularly influential, particularly relevant, particularly sensitive, particularly significant, particularly striking, particularly successful, particularly useful, particularly valuable |
party | party leader, interested party, political party, ruling party, third party |
past | past research |
pattern | changing pattern, complex pattern, consistent pattern, similar pattern |
peace | peace treaty |
peak | reach (a) peak |
people | indigenous people |
perceive | perceived importance, perceived need, perceived threat, public perception, visual perception |
percent | high percentage, large percentage, low percentage, small percentage |
perform | perform (a) function, perform (a) study, perform (a) task, academic performance, enhance performance, improved performance, overall performance, superior performance |
period | brief period, earlier period, entire period, extended period, given period, historical period, initial period, short period, whole period |
personal | personal choice, personal circumstances, personal communication, personal contact, personal control, personal experience, personal information, personal interest, personal knowledge, personal quality, personal relationship, personal responsibility, personal safety, personal space |
perspective | critical perspective, cultural perspective, global perspective, historical perspective, new perspective, theoretical perspective |
phase | final phase, first phase, initial phase, next phase |
phenomenon | cultural phenomenon, social phenomenon |
philosophy | moral philosophy, natural philosophy, political philosophy |
physical | physical activity, physical appearance, physical characteristics, physical contact, physical development, physical environment, physical features, physical health, physical needs, physical presence, physical properties, physical proximity, physical science, physical space, physical symptom, physical world |
picture | accurate picture, overall picture |
pilot | pilot study |
pioneering | pioneering work |
pivotal | pivotal role |
place | place emphasis |
planning | planning stage, strategic planning |
plausible | plausible explanation, seem plausible |
play | play (a) role (in), key player |
point | appropriate point, central point, critical point, crucial point, final point, focal point, obvious point |
policy | current policy, economic policy, educational policy, effective policy, environmental policy, foreign policy, government policy, key policy, make policy, national policy, public policy, security policy, social policy |
political | political activism, political activity, political agenda, political arena, political authority, political circumstances, political climate, political conflict, political consciousness, political consensus, political consequences, political consideration, political context, political culture, political debate, political dimension, political economy, political environment, political factors, political identity, political ideology, political implications, political instability, political institution, political leader, political mobilization, political movement, political organization, political participation, political party, political philosophy, political reality, political reform, political representation, political significance, political spectrum, political stability, political status, political structure, (be) politically motivated, politically correct |
pollution | environmental pollution |
poorly | (be) poorly understood |
popular | popular culture, popular media, increasingly popular |
population | (be) densely populated, (be) sparsely populated, indigenous population, rural population |
portion | large portion, significant portion, small portion |
pose | pose (a) challenge, pose (a) problem, pose (a) question, pose (a) threat (to) |
position | central position, dominant position, final position, initial position, legal position, original position, privileged position, unique position |
positive | positive action, positive aspect, positive attitude, positive connotation, positive correlation, positive discrimination, positive effect, positive feature, positive feedback, positive image, positive impact, positive influence, positive outcome, positive relationship, positive result, positive value, positive view, (be) positively associated (with), (be) positively correlated (with) |
possible | consider (a) possibility, possible consequences, possible explanation, possible outcome, possible source |
potential | potential benefits, potential conflict, potential customer, potential harm, potential impact, potential problem, potential risk, potential source, potential value, full potential, great potential, have potential, potentially dangerous |
power | economic power, explanatory power, legislative power, military power, nuclear power, predictive power, purchasing power, solar power, unequal power, powerful force, powerful group, powerful influence, powerful tool, extremely powerful |
practical | practical consideration, practical difficulties, practical issue, practical significance |
practice | cultural practice, established practice, normal practice, professional practice, reflective practice, religious practice, traditional practice, administrative practices |
precede | take precedence (over), preceding chapter, preceding discussion, preceding section, immediately preceding |
precise | precise definition, precise nature |
predict | make (a) prediction |
predictive | predictive power |
preferential | preferential treatment |
preliminary | preliminary data, preliminary findings, preliminary result |
premature | premature death |
premise | basic premise |
present | physical presence, present (a) challenge, present (a) summary, present (an) argument, present context, present data, present difficulties, present evidence |
presentation | give (a) presentation, oral presentation |
presidential | presidential election |
press | national press |
pressure | competitive pressure, increased pressure, increasing pressure |
previous | previous chapter, previous decade, previous discussion, previous experience, previous generation, previous knowledge, previous paragraph, previous part, previous research, previous section, previous study, previous work, previously described, previously discussed, previously known, previously mentioned, previously thought |
primary | (be) primarily concerned (with), (be) primarily responsible (for), primary aim, primary care, primary concern, primary data, primary education, primary focus, primary function, primary objective, primary purpose, primary reason, primary research, primary responsibility, primary source, primary task |
prime | prime example, prime time |
principal | principal source |
principle | basic principle, established principle, ethical principle, fundamental principle, general principle, guiding principle, key principle, main principle, moral principle, organising principle, underlying principle |
prior | prior experience, prior knowledge |
priority | first priority, give priority (to), high priority, low priority |
private | private individual, private investment, private sector, private sphere |
privileged | privileged position |
probability | conditional probability, high probability, low probability |
problem | problem area, additional problem, central problem, complex problem, ethical problem, face (a) problem, financial problem, fundamental problem, identify (a) problem, major problem, methodological problem, pose (a) problem, potential problem, related problem, specific problem, technical problem, highly problematic, create problems, encounter problems, experience problems |
proceed | adopt (a) procedure, describe (a) procedure, follow (a) procedure, use (a) procedure, legal proceedings |
process | process data, process information, assessment process, begin (a) process, complex process, continuous process, creative process, democratic process, describe (a) process, developmental process, due process, dynamic process, evolutionary process, learning process, natural process, ongoing process, slow process, start (a) process, thinking process, thought process, underlying process, information processing |
product | final product, increased production, industrial production, increased productivity, imported products |
professional | professional activity, professional body, professional colleague, professional development, professional experience, professional knowledge, professional practice, professional qualification, professional staff, professional standard, professional status, professional support, professional training, professional work |
profile | high profile, low profile |
profound | profound effect, profound impact |
programme | educational programme |
progress | technological progress |
prominent | prominent feature, prominent member, prominent role |
promote | promote (the) development (of), promote equality |
properly | (be) properly understood |
property | physical properties, similar properties, structural properties, intellectual property |
proportion | (a) great proportion (of), (a) high proportion (of), (a) increasing proportion (of), (a) large proportion (of), (a) significant proportion (of), (a) small proportion (of), (be) directly proportional (to) |
propose | proposed legislation |
prospect | future prospects |
prosperity | economic prosperity |
protection | environmental protection, legal protection |
prove | prove successful, prove useful |
provide | provide (a) benefit, provide (a) clue, provide (a) focus, provide (a) foundation (for), provide (a) service, provide (a) source, provide (a) summary, provide (an) alternative, provide (an) example, provide (an) explanation, provide (an) illustration, provide (an) indication (of), provide (an) opportunity, provide (an) overview (of), provide access (to), provide assistance, provide care, provide context, provide coverage, provide data, provide evidence, provide feedback, provide guidance, provide information, provide material, provide resources, provide support, provide feedback, provide insight (into), educational provision, make provision |
proximity | close proximity, physical proximity |
public | public access, public administration, public attitudes, public authority, public awareness, public debate, public discourse, public display, public domain, public expenditure, public funds, public image, public institution, public perception, public policy, public sector, public sphere, public transport, public welfare, wider public, publicly available |
publish | publish (a) journal, publish (a) report, publish (an) article, publish research, published literature, published material, published research, published work |
purchase | purchasing power |
purpose | primary purpose, specific purpose |
purposes | (for) research purposes |
qualification | educational qualification, professional qualification |
qualitative | qualitative analysis, qualitative approach, qualitative data, qualitative method, qualitative research, qualitative study, qualitatively different |
quality | high quality, low quality, personal quality |
quantity | quantitative analysis, quantitative approach, quantitative data, quantitative method, quantitative research, quantitative result, quantitative study, large quantities (of), small quantities (of), vast quantities (of) |
question | central question, complex question, crucial question, ethical question, fundamental question, pose (a) question, raise (a) question, reflective question, related question, specific question |
racial | racial differences, racial discrimination, racial equality, racial group, racial stereotype |
radical | radical change, radical critique, radical differences, radical transformation, radically different |
raise | raise (a) question, raise (an) issue, raise awareness |
random | random error, random sample, random variable, (be) randomly assigned (to), (be) randomly chosen, (be) randomly selected |
range | (a) broad range (of), (a) diverse range (of), (a) great range (of), (a) large range (of), (a) limited range (of), (a) narrow range (of), (a) vast range (of), (a) whole range (of), (a) wide range (of), (a, the) full range (of), (the) entire range (of), cover (a) range (of) |
rapid | rapid expansion, rapidly changing, rapidly growing, change rapidly, expand rapidly, grow rapidly |
rare | relatively rare |
rate | annual rate, constant rate, high rate, overall rate |
raw | raw data |
reach | reach (a) consensus, reach (a) peak, reach (an) agreement |
react | adverse reaction, chemical reaction, emotional reaction, strong reaction |
read | widely read |
ready | (be) readily understood, readily accessible, readily available, ready access |
real | real issue, historical reality, objective reality, political reality |
realize | (be) fully realized |
reason | compelling reason, major reason, obvious reason, primary reason, underlying reason |
receive | receive feedback, receive information, receive treatment, well received |
recent | recent decades, recent evidence, recent research, recent study, recent survey, relatively recent |
reciprocal | reciprocal relationship |
recognize | mutual recognition, (be) widely recognized |
recommend | make (a) recommendation |
record | record data, accurate record, historical record |
recurrent | recurrent theme |
reduce | reduce (the) likelihood, reduce emissions, reduce stress, (be) greatly reduced, (be) significantly reduced, significant reduction |
refer | specific reference, (be) commonly referred (to) (as), (be) frequently referred (to) |
reflect | critical reflection, reflective practice, reflective question |
reform | economic reform, political reform, social reform, welfare reform |
regarded | (be) widely regarded (as) |
region | regional development, regional differences, regional variation |
regulate | regulatory agency, regulatory framework |
relate | related activity, related area, related aspect, related factor, related information, related issue, related problem, related question, related topic, (be) clearly related (to), (be) closely related (to), (be) directly related (to), (be) strongly related (to), causal relation, economic relations, causal relationship, clear relationship, close relationship, complex relationship, direct relationship, establish (a) relationship, intimate relationship, linear relationship, personal relationship, positive relationship, reciprocal relationship, significant relationship, social relationship, special relationship, strong relationship, symbiotic relationship, economic relationships, interpersonal relationships, relative autonomy, relative merits, relative status, relatively common, relatively constant, relatively few, relatively high, relatively little, relatively low, relatively minor, relatively rare, relatively recent, relatively simple, relatively stable, relatively straightforward |
relevant | relevant data, relevant factors, relevant information, relevant issue, relevant literature, relevant material, consider relevant, highly relevant, particularly relevant |
religious | religious belief, religious faith, religious freedom, religious group, religious identity, religious movement, religious practice |
rely | reliable data, reliable information, rely heavily (on) |
remain | remain constant, remain stable, remain unchanged, remain unclear |
remark | remarkably similar, concluding remarks |
remove | (be) far removed (from) |
renew | renewable energy, renewed interest |
report | report data, report findings, annual report, publish (a) report |
representation | graphical representation, political representation, schematic representation, visual representation |
representative | representative government |
require | require consideration, require knowledge, require resources, functional requirement, legal requirement, meet (a) requirement, minimum requirement |
research | (for) research purposes, research effort, research evidence, research findings, research methodology, research topic, academic research, basic research, carry out research (of), comparative research, conduct research, considerable research, current research, earlier research, educational research, empirical research, existing research, experimental research, extensive research, field research, further research, future research, initial research, little research, original research, past research, previous research, primary research, publish research, published research, qualitative research, quantitative research, recent research, scholarly research, scientific research, traditional research, undertake research |
resemble | bear resemblance (to), closely resemble |
resolve | conflict resolution, resolve (a) conflict, resolve (a) dispute |
resource | additional resources, allocate resources, available resources, economic resources, electronic resources, financial resources, learning resources, limited resources, natural resources, provide resources, require resources, scarce resources, sufficient resources, use resources, valuable resources |
respond | respond appropriately, appropriate response, emotional response, individual response |
responsible | accept responsibility, assume responsibility, individual responsibility, personal responsibility, primary responsibility, social responsibility, take responsibility, (be) directly responsible (for), (be) largely responsible (for), (be) partly responsible (for), (be) primarily responsible (for), socially responsible |
restrict | impose restrictions |
result | final result, obtain (a) result, positive result, preliminary result, quantitative result, similar result, consistent results, experimental results |
retrieval | information retrieval |
review | review (a) study, annual review, brief review, comprehensive review, critical review |
revise | revised edition, revised version |
rich | rich source |
right | legal right, natural right, individual rights |
rising | rising cost |
risk | risk assessment, increased risk, potential risk |
role | active role, assume (the) role (of), central role, consider (the) role (of), critical role, crucial role, direct role, dominant role, essential role, examine (the) role (of), key role, leading role, major role, minor role, pivotal role, play (a) role (in), prominent role, significant role, take (a) role (in), take on (the) role (of, as), take up (the) role (of, as), vital role |
root | (be) deeply rooted, historical roots |
roughly | roughly equal, roughly equivalent |
rule | legal rule, ruling class, ruling party |
rural | rural area, rural community, rural economy, rural population, rural society |
safe | safe sex, personal safety |
salient | salient characteristic, salient feature |
sample | random sample |
scarce | scarce resources |
scheme | schematic representation |
scholarly | scholarly journal, scholarly literature, scholarly research, scholarly work |
science | biological science, natural science, physical science, scientific community, scientific discourse, scientific evidence, scientific investigation, scientific method, scientific objectivity, scientific research, scientific theory |
score | average score, high score, mean score, test score |
scrutiny | close scrutiny, critical scrutiny |
secondary | secondary data, secondary education, secondary source |
section | concluding section, final section, introductory section, opening section, preceding section, previous section |
sector | business sector, economic sector, manufacturing sector, private sector, public sector, service sector, state sector |
secure | security policy, national security |
seek | seek help, seek information |
seem | seem appropriate, seem obvious, seem plausible, seem unlikely |
select | (be) carefully selected, (be) randomly selected, highly selective |
seminal | seminal study, seminal work |
senior | senior management |
sense | (in a) literal sense, specific sense, extremely sensitive, highly sensitive, particularly sensitive |
separate | separate entity |
serious | serious challenge, serious consequences, serious offence |
serve | serve (a) function |
service | service sector, military service, provide (a) service |
set | set (a) goal, set (a) target, set (an) objective, set (the) agenda, set (the) parameters, complex set, data set |
setting | educational setting, social setting |
severely | severely affect |
sex | biological sex, safe sex, sexual abuse, sexual act, sexual behaviour, sexual contact, sexual difference, sexual exploitation, sexual identity, sexual intercourse, sexual orientation, sexual violence |
share | share information, shared experience, shared meaning, shared values, widely shared, information sharing |
sharp | sharp contrast, sharp distinction |
shift | global shift, major shift, significant shift, shift emphasis |
short | short duration, short period |
show | show (a) tendency, show (a) trend, show evidence, show variation |
side | negative side |
sign | sign (a) treaty |
significant | cultural significance, great significance, little significance, political significance, practical significance, social significance, statistical significance, (a) significant amount (of), (a) significant degree (of), (a) significant proportion (of), significant change, significant contribution, significant correlation, significant correlation, significant development, significant difference, significant effect, significant factor, significant feature, significant figures, significant growth, significant impact, significant improvement, significant increase, significant influence, significant interaction, significant number, significant part, significant portion, significant reduction, significant relationship, significant role, significant shift, significant variation, highly significant, particularly significant, statistically significant, (be) significantly correlated (with), (be) significantly reduced, significantly affect, significantly higher, significantly increase, contribute significantly, differ significantly, vary significantly |
similar | similar approach, similar argument, similar characteristics, similar effect, similar issue, similar pattern, similar properties, similar result, similar situation, broadly similar, remarkably similar |
simple | simple majority, relatively simple, simplified version |
single | single currency, single element, single entity, single individual, single issue, single source, single variable |
situation | complex situation, similar situation |
skill | technical skill, transferable skill, skilled worker, highly skilled, academic skills, appropriate skills, cognitive skills, core skills, interpersonal skills, unskilled worker |
slightly | slightly different, slightly higher |
slow | slow process |
small | (a) small proportion (of), small fraction, small minority, small percentage, small portion, small quantities (of) |
social | social activity, social aspect, social attitudes, social background, social behaviour, social circumstances, social conflict, social consequences, social construct, social contact, social context, social democracy, social dimension, social environment, social equality, social exclusion, social expectations, social factors, social function, social identity, social implications, social inequality, social institution, social integration, social interaction, social isolation, social mobility, social movement, social norm, social organization, social phenomenon, social policy, social reform, social relationship, social responsibility, social setting, social significance, social status, social structure, social theory, social transformation, social trend, social welfare, (be) socially constructed, socially acceptable, socially desirable, socially responsible, capitalist society, civil society, contemporary society, democratic society, human society, industrial society, modern society, rural society, traditional society, western society, wider society, socioeconomic status |
solar | solar energy, solar panel, solar power, solar system |
solution | alternative solution, optimal solution |
sophisticated | highly sophisticated, increasingly sophisticated |
source | source material, alternative source, become (a) source (of), common source, external source, key source, main source, major source, original source, possible source, potential source, primary source, principal source, provide (a) source, rich source, secondary source, single source, use (a) source, useful source, multiple sources |
sovereign | sovereign state |
space | personal space, physical space |
sparingly | use sparingly |
sparsely | (be) sparsely populated |
speaker | native speaker |
special | special circumstances, special emphasis, special issue, special relationship, special status |
species | human species |
specific | specific area, specific aspect, specific case, specific characteristic, specific context, specific example, specific factor, specific feature, specific focus, specific form, specific function, specific information, specific issue, specific knowledge, specific meaning, specific needs, specific problem, specific purpose, specific question, specific reference, specific sense, specific type, culturally specific, historically specific, (be) specifically designed (to, for) |
spectrum | broad spectrum, political spectrum |
sphere | domestic sphere, private sphere, public sphere |
stable | political instability, economic stability, political stability, relatively stable, remain stable |
staff | professional staff |
stage | developmental stage, earlier stage, final stage, initial stage, planning stage |
standard | standard approach, standard error, standard format, standard method, high standard, living standard, minimum standard, professional standard |
stark | stark contrast |
start | start (a) process |
state | state explicitly, state sector, democratic state, federal state, independent state, mental state, sovereign state, clear statement, general statement, make (a) statement, written statement |
statistic | statistical analysis, statistical data, statistical information, statistical method, statistical significance, statistical technique, statistical test, statistically significant, descriptive statistics, official statistics, use statistics |
status | current status, economic status, equal status, high status, legal status, low status, political status, professional status, relative status, social status, socioeconomic status, special status |
step | final step |
stereotype | gender stereotype, negative stereotype, racial stereotype |
store | store data, store information |
straightforward | fairly straightforward, relatively straightforward |
strategy | strategic decision, strategic importance, strategic management, strategic objective, strategic planning, alternative strategy, coping strategy, develop (a) strategy, have (a) strategy, learning strategy, teaching strategy, use (a) strategy |
stress | stress level, cause stress, reduce stress |
striking | striking contrast, striking example, striking feature, particularly striking |
strong | strong bond, strong correlation, strong emphasis, strong evidence, strong link, strong reaction, strong relationship, strong tendency, (be) strongly associated (with), (be) strongly correlated (with), (be) strongly influenced (by), (be) strongly linked, (be) strongly opposed, (be) strongly related (to), strongly agree, strongly disagree, strongly suggest |
structure | structural adjustment, structural change, structural element, structural feature, structural properties, basic structure, clear structure, complex structure, economic structure, existing structure, formal structure, global structure, hierarchical structure, institutional structure, internal structure, organizational structure, overall structure, political structure, social structure, underlying structure, (be) highly structured |
study | numerous studies, academic study, classic study, comparative study, conduct (a) study, detailed study, earlier study, early study, empirical study, experimental study, further study, future study, historical study, intensive study, longitudinal study, perform (a) study, pilot study, previous study, qualitative study, quantitative study, recent study, review (a) study, seminal study, subsequent study, systematic study, theoretical study |
subject | subject area |
subsequent | subsequent analysis, subsequent chapter, subsequent development, subsequent study, subsequent work |
substantial | (a) substantial amount (of), substantial difference, substantial evidence, substantial number, substantial part, substantially different |
success | academic success, economic success, successful implementation, highly successful, particularly successful, prove successful |
sufficient | sufficient condition, sufficient detail, sufficient evidence, sufficient information, sufficient resources |
suggest | strongly suggest |
suited | (be) ideally suited, (be) particularly suited (to) |
summary | brief summary, present (a) summary, provide (a) summary, useful summary |
superior | superior performance |
support | support (an) argument, additional support, considerable support, emotional support, empirical support, financial support, institutional support, mutual support, professional support, provide support, technical support, widespread support, supporting evidence |
surprising | hardly surprising |
survey | survey data, conduct (a) survey, national survey, recent survey |
symbiotic | symbiotic relationship |
symptom | physical symptom |
system | binary system, capitalist system, complex system, comprehensive system, dynamic system, economic system, educational system, integrated system, legal system, solar system, transport system |
systematic | systematic analysis, systematic approach, systematic study |
tacit | tacit knowledge |
take | take (a) role (in), take (an) approach, take initiative, take precedence (over), take responsibility, take into consideration, take on (the) role (of, as), take up (the) role (of, as) |
target | target audience, meet (a) target, set (a) target |
task | carry out (the) task, complete (a) task, main task, perform (a) task, primary task |
teach | teaching strategy |
technical | technical aspect, technical assistance, technical detail, technical expertise, technical issue, technical knowledge, technical problem, technical skill, technical support, technical term |
technique | basic technique, develop (a) technique, employ (a) technique, statistical technique, use (a) technique |
technology | technological advances, technological change, technological development, technological innovation, technological progress, advanced technology, current technology, digital technology, modern technology |
tendency | general tendency, have (a) tendency (to), increasing tendency, natural tendency, show (a) tendency, strong tendency |
tenet | central tenet |
term | technical term |
test | test (a) theory, test score, diagnostic test, statistical test |
text | classic text, introductory text, key text, literary text, original text, textual analysis |
theme | thematic analysis, central theme, common theme, key theme, main theme, major theme, recurrent theme |
theory | theoretical analysis, theoretical approach, theoretical basis, theoretical concept, theoretical debate, theoretical framework, theoretical issue, theoretical model, theoretical perspective, theoretical study, theoretical understanding, theoretical work, apply (the) theory, classical theory, critical theory, cultural theory, develop (a) theory, economic theory, evolutionary theory, general theory, scientific theory, social theory, test (a) theory, use (a) theory |
think | think differently, thinking process, creative thinking, critical thinking |
third | third party |
thought | thought process, careful thought, previously thought |
threat | external threat, perceived threat, pose (a) threat (to) |
tied | (be) closely tied |
tightly | (be) tightly controlled |
time | brief time, prime time |
times | earlier times |
tool | analytical tool, powerful tool, useful tool |
top | top management |
topic | cover (a) topic, discuss (a) topic, key topic, related topic, research topic |
total | total income, totally different |
trade | global trade |
tradition | cultural tradition, literary tradition, western tradition, traditional approach, traditional culture, traditional form, traditional method, traditional practice, traditional research, traditional society, traditional value, traditional view |
training | professional training |
transaction | business transaction, commercial transaction |
transfer | transferable skill |
transform | radical transformation, social transformation, undergo transformation |
transit | make (a) transition |
transmit | transmit data, transmit information |
transport | transport system, public transport |
treat | treat differently, treat equally, appropriate treatment, effective treatment, equal treatment, fair treatment, give (sb) treatment, medical treatment, preferential treatment, receive treatment, unfair treatment |
treaty | international treaty, peace treaty, sign (a) treaty |
trend | current trend, general trend, growing trend, increasing trend, show (a) trend, social trend |
true | equally true |
trust | mutual trust |
turnover | high turnover, low turnover |
type | distinct type, specific type |
typical | typical example |
ultimate | ultimate goal |
undergo | undergo transformation |
underlie | underlying assumption, underlying cause, underlying principle, underlying process, underlying reason, underlying structure |
understand | clearly understand, fully understand, (a) deep understanding (of), mutual understanding, theoretical understanding, (be) easily understood, (be) poorly understood, (be) properly understood, (be) readily understood |
undertake | undertake (an) activity, undertake research, undertake work |
unique | unique individual, unique opportunity, unique position |
universally | (be) universally accepted |
urban | urban area, urban centre, urban design, urban development, urban environment |
usage | common usage |
use | use (a) format, use (a) method, use (a) methodology, use (a) procedure, use (a) source, use (a) strategy, use (a) technique, use (a) theory, use (an) approach, use (the) analysis, use (the) concept concept, use (the) data data, use (the) definition, use criteria, use effectively, use resources, use sparingly, use statistics, continued use, widespread use, (be) commonly used, (be) extensively used, (be) frequently used, (be) widely used, useful information, useful material, useful means, useful source, useful summary, useful tool, extremely useful, particularly useful, prove useful |
valid | valid argument, equally valid |
value | valuable information, valuable resources, extremely valuable, particularly valuable, core value, economic value, high value, intrinsic value, minimum value, negative value, numerical value, positive value, potential value, traditional value, (be) highly valued, cultural values, shared values |
various | various aspects |
vary | dependent variable, highly variable, independent variable, individual variable, random variable, single variable, considerable variation, genetic variation, individual variation, regional variation, show variation, significant variation, wide variation, vary considerably, vary greatly, vary significantly, vary widely, varying degree |
vast | (a) vast amount (of), (a) vast array (of), (a) vast range (of), vast area, vast majority, vast number, vast quantities (of) |
verbal | verbal communication, verbal language |
version | earlier version, electronic version, final version, modified version, online version, original version, revised version, simplified version |
vested | vested interest |
view | alternative view, conventional view, negative view, positive view, traditional view |
village | global village |
violence | domestic violence, sexual violence |
virtual | virtual community, virtually impossible |
visible | become visible, clearly visible, make visible |
visual | visual image, visual media, visual perception, visual representation |
vital | (be of) vital importance, vital part, vital role |
vulnerable | vulnerable group |
wage | minimum wage |
war | nuclear war |
way | (in a) meaningful way, alternative way, appropriate way, identify (a) way |
weapon | nuclear weapon |
welfare | welfare reform, economic welfare, public welfare, social welfare |
well | (be) well documented, (be) well established, well aware, well designed, well educated, well received |
western | western democracy, western society, western tradition |
whole | (a) whole range (of), whole area, whole period |
wide | (a) wide array (of), (a) wide range (of), wide area, wide variation, (be) widely accepted, (be) widely adopted, (be) widely believed, (be) widely discussed, (be) widely dispersed, (be) widely distributed, (be) widely known, (be) widely recognized, (be) widely regarded (as), (be) widely used, widely available, widely different, widely read, widely shared, differ widely, vary widely, wider audience, wider community, wider context, wider implications, wider issue, wider public, wider society |
widespread | widespread acceptance, widespread belief, widespread support, widespread use, become widespread |
wisdom | conventional wisdom |
work | work effectively, academic work, classic work, creative work, earlier work, empirical work, experimental work, intellectual work, later work, original work, pioneering work, previous work, professional work, published work, scholarly work, seminal work, subsequent work, theoretical work, undertake work, manual worker, migrant worker, skilled worker, unskilled worker |
world | academic world, capitalist world, changing world, contemporary world, external world, natural world, physical world |
write | academic writing, critical writing, historical writing, later writings, written comment, written communication, written statement |
year | academic year |
young | younger generation |
Like the website? Try the books. This extract from Unlock the Academic Wordlist: Sublists 1-3 contains all sublist 1 words, plus exercises, answers and more!
Author: Sheldon Smith ‖ Last modified: 28 November 2022.
Sheldon Smith is the founder and editor of EAPFoundation.com. He has been teaching English for Academic Purposes since 2004. Find out more about him in the about section and connect with him on Twitter , Facebook and LinkedIn .
The AWL highlighter allows you to highlight words from the AWL (Academic Word List) in any text you choose.
The Academic Word List (AWL) contains 570 word families which frequently appear in academic texts.
The Academic Collocation List (ACL) is a list containing 2,469 of the most frequent and useful collocations which occur in written academic English.
Academic vocabulary consists of general words, non-general academic words, and technical words.
Resources for vocabulary contains additional activities and information (requires users to be logged in).
Learning vocabulary depends on knowing how much to learn, the type of vocabulary to study, and how to study it properly.
Although many might consider essay writing an easy task, it is not always the case with most students. Writing academic papers (essays, term papers, research papers, dissertations, theses, proposals, reports, and other assignments) requires students to hone and practice continuously. Thus, mastering writing at the academic level takes time and much practice, after which most students begin to be confident writing essays. For some, this confidence comes towards the end of the undergraduate course, while some master the art a few months or a week into their undergrad level studies.
This might sound like you, and you do not have to feel sorry about it. We have a list of academic writing power words that you can use when writing academic assignments. These words and phrases to use in your essay and other papers will help you avoid the dead words that probably deny you the top grade. Together with our team of experts in best essay writing, we have listed essential academic words that you can use in your introduction, body, and conclusion for all your essays and research papers .
Although you might have arguments and ideas that might attract the best grade, using the words we have listed could help you articulate, expound, and present the ideas effectively. Consequently, you will end up with a standard academic paper that any professional can grade, or that attracts your reader's attention and keeps them glued to the end.
After all, academic writing is a formal practice that disdains cliches or dead words such as colloquial expressions, controversial phrases, or casual words/slang. This means that the words you use when texting your friends, such as LOL, OMG, TIA, and the rest, should only end in the messages and not on the PDF or Word document you are typing your essay. As we have mentioned, formal academic writing is very delicate; it requires in-depth skills.
We hope that as you plan, write, and polish your essay, you will consider using the words we have listed here for inspiration and to hone your professional writing skills.
Crafting a perfect introduction is arguably the most challenging part of academic writing. Whether you write the introduction first or last, it is always the invitation point for your readers to enjoy what is in the body. So, naturally, with adequate planning and structuring, you need to ensure that the introduction counts.
To begin an essay, you need to mind that your reader is uninformed about your arguments and topic, which means that the very first sentence has to summarize the central argument and the topic.
Although there is no preserved set of words to use in your essay introduction, you use the following words and phrases to explain what your essay is discussing (its scope) without losing the formality of your academic writing.
This list of phrases is not complete; you can use the other phrases and words we will cover in the following sections of this guide. As long as you have a good reason to use a phrase, do not feel limited : use it for the glory of excellent grades.
When providing general explanations, both in the body, introduction, and conclusion of your essays, either for complex or easy points, you can use these phrases:
We will see (in the course of this guideline) how else you can use the exact phrases in your essay.
Any standard piece of academic writing must include examples. For instance, when presenting an argument in an argumentative or persuasive essay, you must illustrate your essay with examples to make the arguments stand out. Examples help clarify explanations, which makes it easy for the reader to connect the dots. Besides, they create an ideal picture in the mind of the reader. Instead of repeating for example when introducing illustrations in your essay, here are other phrases, transitions, and words that you can use in their place.
Academic essays that receive top scores always have well-kit paragraphs that entail the topic sentence, arguments, examples (illustration), and closing sentences with the relevant transition words. These academic phrases are helpful when introducing examples. You can ideally use them in any academic piece, including theses, proposals, and dissertations. They help you avoid repeating similar phrases, which facilities readability and smooth flow in your essays.
When writing academic essays, it is vital to demonstrate that a given argument or point is fundamental. You can highlight this in your essay writing by using the following phrases:
These words can comfortably be used interchangeably when demonstrating significant ideas that are critical to understanding a topic.
You can use phrases that acknowledge what others have said concerning a topic at the beginning of your essay. When you begin your essay with such phrases, you are posing your argument based on the authors' findings or a general interest/concern in your area of research. You can use such phrases when the evidence supports or refutes your arguments. Here are the essay phrases to use when acknowledging authors:
Introducing the views of an author who is an authority in your area of interest or topic is critical in academic essay writing. For example, when you include a quote but do not want to use parenthetical citation or the exact words, you can use academic phrases such as:
Although you are referencing a quote here, it is not always advisable to use direct quotes at the start of your essay unless directed by your instructor. This means that using the above phrases can help spice up your essay introduction.
When writing an essay, whether it be an English class essay or any essay, you must emphasize the main argument. The idea behind this is to create coherence within your essay. You can use the transition words below to emphasize your paragraphs. This list of academic essay words can be used in the introduction, body, and even conclusion.
When describing ideas or presenting arguments in sequence within an essay, here are the proven phrases and words that can earn you the best grades in school.
It would help if you were extra careful when introducing ideas because each paragraph only has one idea. They are also ideal when giving a list of examples.
You can also show the order of events using the phrases below:
These phrases come in handy when writing about a linear event or a sequential occurrence of facts. They further help to maintain a good flow, clarity, and coherence.
Essays, even the short ones, should be as informative as possible. Knowing how to present arguments, points, and facts concisely and helps you avoid bluff in the essay. As the flow of your essay matters to the reader and for your grades, we recommend that you use these phrases or words that denote more information or flow. These words will help you to chronologically and structurally present your arguments and ideas
These are academic phrases that help you expand your argument; add a point you have made without interrupting the flow of your essay. You can also use them when beginning new paragraphs.
The next set of essay words are a great choice when you want to add a piece of information that corroborates the argument or point you just mentioned. When writing academic essays and papers, it is critical to concur with your arguments. Doing so not only helps you to keep your readers glued but also helps you to contextualize your research. They also help you avoid repeating also many times. Repetitions are a sure way to score poor grades in your essay : they make your writing predictive and boring. Here are some words to save you grades and embracement.
You can also use the essay phrases below when stating your claim or introducing your claim. When your essay requires you to prove how you will achieve a goal- as is with a problem-solution essay or proposal argument essay , you can use these sentences to expand your points.
You can also use the academic phrases below to improve continuity in your essay write-up. These essay phrases explain a point that you already made but differently. Avoid repetition when elaborating specific points or arguments in your essay by using the phrases below
The phrases above can also be used when rounding up a point that came before the sentence that you begin.
An Example: He was already abusive to both the mother and the kids. In other words, it was a long-term domestic violence case.
In academic essays, there are instances when you are required to include information that proves or refutes a point. For instance, when writing an argumentative essay, you have to include a counterargument. To show the views of the researchers that disagree with your main argument or point of view, you can use these words to introduce alternative arguments:
These phrases are a seamless way to include an alternative perspective.
An Example: While 35% of the population appears to be living below the poverty line, the remaining 65% seem to be doing well.
You can also use phrases that show contrast, present uncertainty, and compare facts associated with your significant arguments. Here are some of the phrases:
The phrases above demonstrate expertise in your topic, authority in writing and help you convince your readers.
When you intend to demonstrate a positive aspect of your subject matter, you can use these phrases in your academic piece:
Example : Provided that there is a red flag in a relationship, it is only safe that the victim acts or seeks help.
To add contrast, you can also highlight the relevance of an opinion, argument, point, or fact as regards your research. Here are some academic words that can help you introduce paragraphs or sentences that have big ideas in your essay:
An essay conclusion carries as much weight as the introduction. Therefore, you must ensure that you have concluding words for your essay good enough to wrap up your arguments. In addition, considering that your conclusion should have a summary of the main ideas, your final statement and road plan to the conclusion must be evident. Here is a list of categorized phrases to use to conclude an essay effectively:
These are essay phrases that you use when articulating your reasons in the essay. Some of them summarize the relevant ideas or arguments, while others emphasize the relevant arguments.
We have explored the list of useful phrases for writing great essays. When coupled with the correct vocabulary words, an essay easily scores the top grade in a rubric. When you use the words above, you automatically sound smart.
Whether you are writing a narrative, argumentative, or descriptive essay, these are words that you can use to convince your readers. They help you maintain a good flow, play around with other vocabularies, present authors' views, and finalize your essay in a bang.
We hope that these words will transform your essays from better to best. So, stay confident while articulating points, arguments, and ideas in your essays.
If writing an essay is not your thing, and these academic words and phrases sound Greek to you, you can hire an essay writer. Sourcing essay writing help from Gradecrest guarantees you a sample academic essay that is well-formatted. In addition, we have writers who specialize in writing different essays and can deliver within the shortest turnaround time.
Gradecrest is a professional writing service that provides original model papers. We offer personalized services along with research materials for assistance purposes only. All the materials from our website should be used with proper references. See our Terms of Use Page for proper details.
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These exercises on the academic word list are designed to improve your knowledge of vocabulary for the IELTS test.
Start Learning the Words
The AWL consists of 570 word families , and these words are the most common words to be found in academic texts.
This is why they are so useful to learn if you are studying for tests like IELTS where your level of vocabulary can affect your score.
Sublist 1 contains the most common words that are in the Academic Word List, sublist 2 contains the next most common, and so on.
The words shown on this page below are just the headwords . If you download the full academic word list , you can see that there are many variations of each word according to whether you are using it as a noun, verb, adjective etc.
There are a total of 60 word families in each sublist, apart from sublist 10 which has 30.
In order to make your learning of the words structured, each academic word list has been divided into sets of 10 words. Each set of exercises then focuses on just those 10 words.
When you are confident you know them, you can move onto the next 10.
Before you start learning them it is important to understand that recognizing the words and actually using them are two very different skills, the first one being much easier than the second.
Lets look at an example using the first word on the academic word list, analyse :
If you learn the word analyse and its meaning and are aware of the other word forms, then you may well understand the meaning of the word when you read it, whichever form it is in.
However, knowing which one to use when you are writing is a much more difficult skill and will take a lot more practice and time to master!
These academic word list exercises will help you to get to know the words, but you will need to work on your own as well. No website will be a substitute for actually practicing the words when you are writing and checking your usage.
And an important thing to do whenever you learn a new word from the academic word list or elsewhere is to learn which words it collocates with.
And the number one rule with vocabulary - only use words in the test that you are confident you know how to use!
Or you are at least confident you understand its meaning and where it can be used - a few errors in word form are ok in the test if you are not looking for a top score as you will be given some credit for using less common words.
However, you may find you actually lower your band score if you try to use lots of clever vocabulary but you are not using it properly or making lots of word form errors!
This will only confuse the examiner when they read your work. Try to keep improving your vocabulary, but when it comes to the test, stick with what you know and are confident with!
analyse approach area assess assume authority available benefit concept consist | constitutional context contract create data definition derived distribution economic environment | established estimate evidence export factors financial formula function identified income | indicate individual interpretation involved issues labour legal legislation major method | occur percent period policy principle procedure process required research response | role section sector significant similar source specific structure theory variable |
achieve acquisition administration affect appropriate aspects assistance categories chapter commission | community complex computer conclusion conduct consequences construction consumer credit cultural | design distinction elements equation evaluation features final focus impact injury | institute invest items journal maintain normal obtain participate perceive positive | potential previous primary purchase range region regulations relevant resident resource | restrict secure seekt select site strategy survey text tradition transfer |
alternative circumstance comment compensate component consent considerable constant constrain contribute | convene | emphasis | interact | philosophy | sex |
access | communicate | error | internal | parallel | resolve |
academy | consult | evolve | license | orient | style |
abstract | capable | exceed | incidence | migrate | recover |
adapt | contrary | empirical | identical | phenomenon | submit |
abandon | clarify | deviate | induce | plus | tense |
accommodate | commence | duration | mature | preliminary | sphere |
adjacent | enormous | odd |
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Thomas Babb
Writing a compelling essay involves much more than simply putting your thoughts on paper. It demands the use of a precise vocabulary that not only enriches your content but also structures it in a way that is both logical and engaging. The right words and phrases can transform your essay from a basic assignment to an insightful and persuasive piece of writing.
This guide introduces you to 100 essential words and phrases recommended by expert English tutors that will help you convey your ideas more effectively. From adding information to expressing contrasts, and from illustrating examples to summarising your points, these carefully selected terms will enhance the clarity and impact of your essays.
When crafting an essay, integrating additional details effectively can enrich the written content and present a well-rounded argument. Here's how you can use each phrase under this category:
1. Furthermore - Use this to add weight to a point already mentioned, providing further evidence without redundancy.
2. Moreover - Similar to "furthermore," it introduces information that not only adds to the argument but enhances it.
3. Similarly - This indicates that the upcoming point shares notable characteristics with the previous one, aiding in drawing parallels.
4. Additionally - Introduces extra information or arguments that augment the current discussion.
5. Also - A simpler form of "additionally" that integrates extra facts smoothly.
6. Likewise - Indicates similarity and supports points by showing how they relate to each other in terms of qualities or actions.
7. In addition - This phrase is useful for contributing additional supportive details in a clear manner.
8. As well as - Functions to include another subject or item into your discussion without diverging from the main topic.
9. Not only... but also - A powerful structure for emphasizing not just one, but two important points, enhancing the depth of the argument.
10. Alongside - Implies that the information being added runs parallel to the already established facts, reinforcing them.
These phrases, when used correctly, help to build a strong, cohesive narrative flow in your essays, guiding the reader through a logical progression of ideas. For more on enhancing your writing with effective information addition, explore resources like Oxford Royale's Essay Writing Tips .
Introducing concrete examples is crucial in illustrating and supporting your claims effectively in an essay. Here’s how to use each word or phrase linked to this category:
11. For instance - Introduces a specific example that illuminates a broader point, helping to clarify complex ideas.
12. For example - Functions similarly to "for instance," offering a direct illustration to support or demonstrate a claim.
13. Such as - Prepares the reader for an example that is part of a larger category, typically used to list items or concepts.
14. Like - Introduces comparisons or examples in a casual and relatable manner.
15. Particularly - Highlights an example that is especially relevant to the argument, focusing attention on significant details.
16. In particular - Similar to "particularly," but often used to introduce a standout example that underscores a critical point.
17. Including - Serves to add examples to a list that may already be understood to be part of the topic being discussed.
18. Namely - Specifies and introduces exact and often multiple examples or details directly related to the point.
19. Chiefly - Points to the most important or significant examples or reasons in support of an argument.
20. Mainly - Indicates that the examples provided are the primary ones to consider, focusing on the most relevant instances.
Effective use of these phrases not only clarifies your points but also strengthens your arguments by making abstract concepts tangible. For detailed guidance on how to incorporate examples effectively in your essays, refer to academic resources like Harvard College Writing Center .
IB English tutors suggest that Using contrast effectively in your essays can highlight differences that clarify your points or show alternative perspectives. Here’s how to use each phrase to demonstrate contrast:
21. Conversely - Signals a stark contrast to what has just been discussed, often introducing an opposing viewpoint.
22. However - A versatile tool to introduce a contradiction or counterpoint, breaking from the previous line of reasoning.
23. Nevertheless - Indicates persistence of a stated fact or opinion despite the contrasting information that follows.
24. On the other hand - Used to present a different perspective or an alternative to the argument previously mentioned.
25. Although - Begins a sentence where the main clause contrasts with the lesser significant, conditional clause.
26. Even though - Similar to "although," but often emphasizes a stronger degree of contrast between the conflicting elements.
27. But - A simple and direct way to introduce a contradiction to the preceding statement.
28. Yet - Suggests a contrast that is surprising or unexpected based on the previous statements.
29. Instead - Introduces an alternative action or thought in response to what has been previously discussed.
30. Rather - Used to correct or propose a different idea from what was initially stated or understood.
These phrases are essential for essays where comparing and contrasting ideas, arguments, or perspectives is necessary to deepen understanding or enhance the argument’s complexity. To learn more about using contrast in writing, visit educational resources such as Purdue Online Writing Lab .
A-Level English tutors point out that effectively indicating cause and effect relationships in your essays helps clarify the reasons things happen and the consequences that follow. Here’s how to use each word or phrase to illustrate these relationships:
31. Consequently - Signals a direct result from the action or situation mentioned, highlighting the effect or outcome.
32. Therefore - Used to introduce a logical conclusion or result that follows from the reasoning presented earlier.
33. Thus - Indicates a conclusion or result that is a natural consequence of the facts previously mentioned.
34. Hence - Similar to "thus," it conveys a consequence that is a logical extension from the argument or data presented.
35. Accordingly - Shows that an action or decision is a logical response to the circumstances or facts discussed.
36. As a result - Directly points out the outcome or effect resulting from a specific cause or set of conditions.
37. This leads to - Introduces a sequence where one event or fact causes another, often used to chain multiple effects.
38. It follows that - Used when deducing a conclusion that logically arises from the preceding argument or evidence.
39. Leading to - Connects an initial action or decision directly with its consequences, highlighting a progression of events.
40. Contributing to - Indicates that the action or event adds to a situation, leading to a particular result or effect.
Mastering the use of these phrases can enhance the persuasive power of your writing by clearly linking actions and their consequences.
Effectively emphasising key points in your essays can make your arguments more compelling and memorable. Here’s how to appropriately use each word or phrase to add emphasis:
41. Significantly - Indicates that something is of great importance or consequence, drawing the reader's attention to the gravity of the point being made.
42. Importantly - Prioritises the following information as crucial for understanding the argument or situation.
43. Indeed - Reinforces the truth of a statement, often used to confirm and agree with a previously mentioned point that might be surprising or emphatic.
44. Absolutely - A strong affirmation that leaves no doubt about the veracity or importance of the statement.
45. Definitely - Communicates certainty about a fact or opinion, strengthening the author's stance.
46. Certainly - Similar to "definitely," it expresses a high degree of assurance about the information being provided.
47. Undoubtedly - Suggests that there is no doubt about the statement, reinforcing its truth and relevance.
48. Without a doubt - A more emphatic form of "undoubtedly," eliminating any ambiguity about the point’s validity.
49. Particularly - Highlights specific information as especially significant within a broader context.
50. Especially - Used to indicate that something holds more significance than other elements, often emphasizing exceptional cases or instances.
Using these expressions strategically can enhance the persuasive impact of your writing by underscoring the most critical elements of your argument. To see more words and further explore techniques for adding emphasis in academic writing, visit resources like Cambridge Dictionary Blog .
In academic essays, clearly explaining and clarifying complex ideas is essential for effective communication. IGCSE tutors and GCSE tutors suggest that each of these phrases can be used to enhance understanding:
51. That is to say - Used to introduce a rephrasing or elaboration on something that has just been stated.
52. In other words - Helps clarify a statement by expressing it in different terms for better understanding.
53. To put it another way - Similar to "in other words," it offers an alternative explanation or perspective to ensure clarity.
54. To clarify - Directly states the intent to make something clearer or to resolve any misunderstandings.
55. To explain - Introduces a detailed explanation aimed at enhancing understanding of a complex issue or point.
56. This means that - Connects a statement or idea to its implications or necessary interpretations.
57. This implies - Suggests a deeper, often unspoken consequence or meaning behind the given information.
58. Put simply - Introduces a simpler or more straightforward version of what has been discussed, making it more accessible.
59. In simpler terms - Another phrase to ease comprehension by breaking down complex concepts into basic language.
60. Thus - Concludes an explanation by summarizing the logical result or conclusion derived from the argument made.
Using these phrases effectively can help articulate intricate arguments in a more digestible format, aiding the reader’s understanding and engagement.
Expert IB tutors and A-Level tutors recommend that effectively summarising and concluding your essays is crucial for reinforcing your main points and providing a satisfying closure to any persuasive essay. Here’s how to use each word or phrase to effectively wrap up your discussions:
61. In conclusion - Signals the beginning of the final summary, clearly stating that the argument is drawing to a close.
62. To sum up - Introduces a concise summary of the key points discussed, often used before the final conclusion.
63. Ultimately - Indicates a final, overarching conclusion derived from the arguments and evidence presented.
64. Finally - Marks the introduction of the last point or an additional important point that concludes the discussion.
65. Lastly - Similar to "finally," it is used to introduce the final argument or point in the list.
66. To conclude - Directly states the intent to wrap up the essay, leading into a summary of the main findings.
67. In summary - Offers a recap of the essential elements discussed, reinforcing the thesis without introducing new information.
68. All things considered - Provides an overall conclusion, taking into account all the points made throughout the essay.
69. In the final analysis - Suggests a thorough consideration of all aspects discussed, leading to a concluding viewpoint.
70. After all - Implies that the conclusion takes into account all arguments and evidences previously presented.
Mastering the use of these concluding phrases ensures that your essay ends on a strong note, summarising key points and reinforcing your argument.
Highlighting similarities effectively can enhance your argument by showing connections and parallels between ideas or topics. Here’s how to use each phrase to discuss similarities in your essays:
71. Similarly - Indicates that what follows is in alignment with the previous statement, reinforcing the connection between two points.
72. Likewise - Also used to show agreement or similarity, it confirms that the upcoming point supports the previous one in terms of characteristics or outcomes.
73. Just as - Introduces a comparison, suggesting that the situation or argument is equivalent to another.
74. As with - Used before mentioning another example, indicating that it shares properties or conditions with what has been discussed.
75. Equally - Implies that two or more elements are on the same level in terms of importance, quality, or characteristics.
76. Analogous to - Introduces a more formal comparison, indicating that one situation is comparable to another, often used in more scientific or technical discussions.
77. Comparable to - Suggests that two things can be likened to each other, providing a basis for comparison.
78. In the same way - Confirms that the action, process, or idea mirrors another, reinforcing the similarity.
79. Just like - A more casual phrase used to draw a direct comparison, making the similarity clear and understandable.
80. Similarly important - Asserts that the importance or relevance of two or more aspects is equal, emphasising their comparative significance.
Utilising these phrases allows you to effectively link concepts and arguments, showing how they complement or mirror each other, which can strengthen your overall thesis. For further reading on comparing and contrasting ideas effectively, the University of North Carolina Writing Center offers excellent resources.
Offering alternatives in your essays can demonstrate critical thinking by showing different possibilities or approaches. Here’s how to use each word or phrase to introduce alternative ideas:
81. Alternatively - Introduces a different option or suggestion, providing another route or perspective.
82. On the contrary - Used to present a direct opposition to the previously mentioned idea, emphasising a contrasting point.
83. Rather - Suggests a preference for one choice over another, typically used to propose a different approach or opinion.
84. Conversely - Indicates a reversal of what has been previously stated, introducing an opposing viewpoint.
85. Instead - Specifies a substitute or replacement, clearly stating that one option is to be considered in place of another.
86. On the flip side - Introduces a contrasting scenario or viewpoint in a more informal manner, often used in conversational or less formal writing.
87. Rather than - Presents a comparison between two choices, highlighting a preference for one over the other.
88. As an alternative - Explicitly states the introduction of a different option or method, providing variety to the discussion.
89. Either...or - Sets up a choice between two distinct options, forcing a decision that impacts the argument’s direction.
90. Neither...nor - Used to deny two possibilities simultaneously, often restructuring the argument by excluding common options.
Incorporating these phrases allows you to explore and present multiple facets of an issue, enriching the essay’s depth and persuasiveness. For tips on effectively presenting alternative arguments, visit Harvard College Writing Center .
Effectively expressing conditions in your essays can help outline scenarios where certain outcomes or arguments hold true. Here’s how to use each word or phrase to specify conditions:
91. If - Introduces a conditional statement, setting up a scenario where a specific result depends on a preceding condition.
92. Unless - Specifies an exception to a general rule or statement, indicating that a condition will change the outcome if not met.
93. Provided that - Sets a stipulation or requirement for a scenario to occur, emphasizing that certain conditions must be satisfied.
94. Assuming that - Suggests a hypothesis or a precondition that needs to be accepted before proceeding with an argument or conclusion.
95. In case - Prepares for a situation that might occur, setting up precautions or actions based on potential scenarios.
96. Even if - Acknowledges that even under certain circumstances, the primary argument or conclusion still holds.
97. Only if - Restricts the conditions under which a statement or outcome is valid, narrowing down the scenarios to very specific ones.
98. Whether - Presents alternatives, usually offering a choice between possibilities within the condition stated.
99. As long as - Indicates that a condition is contingent upon the duration or continuation of a specified situation.
100. Given that - Introduces a premise as a fact, assuming its truth for the sake of argument or to advance the discussion.
In crafting compelling essays, the strategic use of specific words and phrases can significantly enhance both the clarity and persuasiveness of your writing. By mastering the use of these 100 essential terms, students can effectively structure their essays, convey complex ideas, and articulate contrasts and comparisons with precision. Each category of phrases serves a unique purpose, from adding information to providing alternatives, which empowers writers to construct well-rounded arguments and engage their readers more deeply.
As you continue to refine your essay-writing skills, remember that the power of your arguments often lies in the details—the precise words and phrases you choose to express your thoughts. The power of a well crafted essay introduction and precise essay conclusion should also not be overlooked. By integrating these tools into your writing repertoire, you are better equipped to present clear, persuasive, and engaging essays that stand out in academic settings.
Effective essay planning begins with a clear understanding of the essay question. Break down the question to identify key terms and the required response. Create an outline to organise your main points and supporting arguments logically. Consider using a mind map to visually plot connections between ideas, which can spur creative thinking. Allocate time for research, writing, and revision within your plan. Practising essay plans for different questions can enhance your ability to organise thoughts quickly and efficiently, a crucial skill especially under exam conditions.
An effective introduction grabs the reader's attention, sets the tone, and provides a clear thesis statement. Start with a hook such as a provocative question, a startling statistic, or a compelling quote. Provide some background information to set the context, ensuring it's directly relevant to the essay's question. The thesis statement should be concise and outline your main argument or response to the question. This setup not only intrigues but also informs the reader about the essay's focus, establishing your understanding and control of the subject.
The best evidence is relevant, credible, and supports your thesis directly. Use primary sources where possible as they provide first-hand accounts that you can analyse directly. When primary sources are not available, rely on peer-reviewed journals and reputable publications. Diversify your sources to avoid over-reliance on a single type of evidence, and critically evaluate sources for bias and reliability. Properly integrating this evidence into your argument involves summarising, paraphrasing, and quoting sources while always linking back to your main argument.
To make your arguments more persuasive, begin with a clear, assertive thesis statement. Structure your essay so each paragraph introduces a single point supporting your thesis. Use credible evidence and explain how this supports your argument. Address potential counterarguments to show the depth of your understanding and strengthen your position by demonstrating why your approach is preferable. Employing a confident but respectful tone and precise language also enhances the persuasiveness of your essay.
Common pitfalls in essay writing include poor structure, weak thesis statements, and lack of coherence. Avoiding these starts with a robust plan and clear outline. Stay on topic by linking each paragraph back to your thesis statement. Avoid plagiarism by properly citing all sources. Overly complex sentence structures can confuse readers, so strive for clarity and conciseness. Finally, neglecting proofreading can leave typographical and grammatical errors, which diminish the quality of your work, so always review your essay thoroughly.
Time management in exams is crucial. Allocate about 10% of your time for planning, 80% for writing, and 10% for revising. Quickly outline your main points to structure your essay from the start. Write your body paragraphs first, as these contain the bulk of marks, then your introduction and conclusion. Keep an eye on the clock and pace yourself to ensure you have enough time to adequately develop your arguments and conclude effectively.
After writing your essay, take a break before you start editing to give you a fresh perspective. Read your essay aloud to catch awkward phrasing and sentences that don't flow logically. Check for consistency in tense and point of view throughout the essay. Use spell-check tools, but do not rely on them solely—manually check for homophones and commonly confused words. Consider having someone else read your work to catch errors you might have overlooked and to provide feedback on the clarity of your arguments.
A strong thesis statement is clear, concise, and specific. It should express one main idea that is debatable, meaning there is potential for argument. Reflect on the essay prompt and decide on your position regarding the topic. Your thesis should guide the reader through your arguments and indicate the rationale behind your viewpoint. It serves as the backbone of your essay, so ensure it is robust and directly linked to the question asked.
Handling counterarguments effectively involves acknowledging them and then refuting them with stronger evidence or reasoning. Present them fairly and objectively, then use logical, fact-based arguments to demonstrate why your position remains valid. This not only shows critical thinking but also strengthens your original argument by showing you have considered multiple perspectives.
The conclusion of an essay should effectively summarise the main arguments discussed while reaffirming the thesis statement. It should synthesise the information presented rather than introducing new ideas. Provide a final perspective on the topic or suggest implications, further research or practical applications to leave the reader with something to ponder. A strong conclusion can reinforce your argument and leave a lasting impression on the reader.
To ensure logical flow, each paragraph should seamlessly connect to the next with clear transitions. Focus on structuring paragraphs around one main idea that supports your thesis. Use transitional words and phrases to show the relationship between paragraphs. Consistency in your argumentation style and maintaining a clear focus throughout the essay will help keep your writing coherent.
To maintain reader interest, start with a strong hook in your introduction and use engaging content like relevant anecdotes, striking statistics, or interesting quotes throughout your essay. Vary your sentence structure and use active voice to keep the narrative dynamic. Also, ensure your topic is relevant and your arguments are presented with passion and clarity.
To integrate quotes effectively, introduce the quote with a sentence that sets up its relevance to your argument, then follow the quote with analysis or interpretation that ties it back to your main point. Do not rely heavily on quotes to make your points; use them to support your arguments. Ensure that every quote is properly cited according to the required academic style guide.
Descriptive essays focus on detailing a particular subject to give the reader a clear image or understanding of the topic through vivid language and sensory details. In contrast, argumentative essays aim to persuade the reader of a particular viewpoint or position using evidence and reasoning. The former is more about painting a picture, while the latter is about convincing through argument.
Feedback is invaluable for improving essay writing skills. Actively seek out feedback from teachers, peers, or tutors and focus particularly on recurring themes in their comments. Reflect on this feedback critically and apply it to your future essays. Regularly revisiting and revising your work based on constructive criticism allows you to develop a more refined and effective writing style over time.
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Acronyms (NATO), contractions (shouldn’t) and initialisms (WHO) are all types of abbreviation, which are when one or many words are shortened from their original form for quickness.
Related readers: Words , Word Structures , Abbreviations
The first section of a dissertation or thesis in which a summary of the entire primary research is provided to the reader in brief.
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These are the rules and regulations that students and tutors should follow if they wish to be considered functioning members of an academic community.
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The vocabulary and language structures which are acceptable in academic contexts, such as cohesive devices, hedging language or reporting verbs.
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When a member of an academic institution breaks the rules of that institution, such as by cheating, colluding or committing plagiarism.
A bank of words collected by linguistics (language scientists) which are used much more frequently in academic contexts than in general settings.
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In referencing, an acknowledgement is when one author publicly recognises the ideas and research of another author, usually by including a combination of citations and references.
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A word class which is usually used to describe nouns within a sentence, such as difficult in difficult examination .
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A word class which is usually used to modify verbs within a sentence and which often end in the suffix -ly, such as slowly in speak slowly .
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A phrase function (like a subject or an object) in which a phrase acts like an adverb in an expression, modifying the verb, an adjective or another adverb.
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In grammar, this is a lexical process in which morphemes (pieces of words) are attached to an existing word to alter its grammar, meaning or class.
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The organisation of a list of items (such as a reference list) using the alphabet, with items that start with ‘A’ coming first on that list and those that begin with ‘Z’ being placed last.
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When a word has the opposite meaning to another word, such as how big and small are antonyms of each other (related to synonym).
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A type of punctuation mark (‘) which is particularly useful for forming abbreviations and possessive constructions.
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A collection of optional resources placed at the back of an assignment that are not essential to grading that work, including items such as transcripts, questionnaires or images.
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In grammar, these are a type of determiner which can be divided into definite ( the ) and indefinite ( a/an ) forms, both of which are used to specify nouns.
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The name of the organisation or business that would like to be recognised as the author of a piece of work, such as the British Broadcasting Corporation .
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The first type of (undergraduate) degree available at university, usually completed within three or four years of continuous on-campus or distance-learning study.
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An element of an introductory paragraph that provides the reader with the context of the essay topic, such as a definition of key terms or the history of the topic in brief.
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An alphabetical list of sources that were read when completing an academic assignment, usually placed at the end of that assignment with careful formatting (much the same way a reference list).
When learning is conducted both face-to-face in class and online in a mixed format, particularly popular in modern institutions.
The expressions and gestures which a presenter makes to provide information to the audience beyond and in addition to the spoken word.
Related readers: Presentation Skills , Body Language , Delivery Strategies
A written instruction such as AND, NOT, “” and * that is used in a library or internet search engine to expand or narrow a researcher’s search results.
Related readers: Research Skills , Conducting Digital Searches , Finding Academic Sources
The Certificate in Advanced English as created and managed by Cambridge University to test the proficiency in English of non-native speakers.
Related readers: Careers Advice , CAE , IELTS Tests
The combination of numbers and letters which are printed on the spine of a library book to indicate the precise location of that book within the library’s shelves.
The Cambridge University Certificate of English Language Teaching to Adults.
Related readers: Getting Qualified , Cambridge University CELTA
The organisation of a list of items (usually in a reference list) using historical dates, with items that have earlier dates (such as ‘2001’) being placed before those with more recent dates (such as ‘2019’).
A piece of text such as (Jones, 2020) that is placed within an academic assignment or published research to acknowledge a source being used as support for that work.
Related readers: Referencing , Referencing Features , Citation Types
In grammar, the combination of a subject and a verb creates a clause, which may be independent or dependent depending on whether another cause is required to form a complete sentence.
Related readers: Grammar Practice , Sentences , Sentence Clauses
Similar to a society, an academic club is a collection of like-minded people who work together to complete a goal, whether a sport, an activity or an intellectual pursuit.
Related readers: Getting Experienced , Clubs and Societies
The various words and phrases which are used to signpost and make connections within academic communication (particularly within essays), such as however , finally or the first .
Related readers: Academic Language , Cohesive Devices , Coherence and Cohesion
When words or phrases have a tendency to be found together, such as how give and advice or do and homework are found together.
Related readers: Academic Language , Phrases , Collocations
This is a type of academic misconduct in which two or more students work together on a piece of work that is intended to be completed alone, such as an essay.
A type of punctuation mark (:) which is often taken to mean for example and which is used to introduce a new independent clause
Related readers: Punctuation , Colons and Semicolons
A type of punctuation mark (,) which is most commonly used to list words or phrases or to separate clauses.
Related readers: Punctuation , Commas
A language structure which compares one thing with another, usually by adding -er to an adjective, such as faster or smarter (she is smarter than he is).
Related readers: Grammar Practice , Affixes , Comparatives and Superlatives
A phrase function (like a subject or an object) in which a word, phrase or clause completes the meaning of an expression, usually following subjects and copula verbs.
A sentence which is made of one independent clause and one dependent clause, such as Because I study English daily, I am quite good at it .
Related readers: Grammar Practice , Sentence Structures , Compound-Complex Sentences
A sentence which is made of two or more independent clauses and one or more dependent clause, such as Because I study English daily, I am quite good at it and I think I will pass the test .
A sentence which is made of two or more independent clauses, such as I study English, and I like French too .
Related readers: Grammar Practice , Sentence Structures , Simple and Compound Sentences
A word that is formed by joining two words together in a compound, such as how work and book can combine to create the new word workbook .
Related readers: Word Structures , Abbreviations , Compounds
The practice of using as few words as possible to express something clearly, particularly important in academic assessments which have limited word counts.
Related readers: Writing Skills , Concision
The practice of speaking fluently by focusing on improving areas of connected speech, such as elision and liaison.
Related readers: Pronunciation Skills , International Phonetic Alphabet , Connected Speech
A special type of verb such as be or seem which carries little meaning and which is used to join a subject with its complement – as in she seems angry .
Related readers: Word Types , Verb Functions , Copula Verbs
The act of agreeing to an aspect of an argument, usually indicated in the topic sentence of a body paragraph directly before a rebuttal.
Related readers: Essay Writing , Body Paragraphs , Conceding and Rebutting
A word class which is used to combine words, phrases or sentences, such as and , because or while (divided into coordinating and subordinating types).
Related readers: Grammar Practice , Word Types , Conjunctions
The close-mouthed sounds which are used to pronounce a word, usually represented by graphemes such as k, m, t and z in the English language.
Related readers: Word Structures , Pronunciation Skills , Syllables
A type of abbreviation in which two words are blended together into one form, usually using an apostrophe (‘) in English, such as how should and not become shouldn’t .
Related readers: Word Structures , Abbreviations , Contractions
A contributing author is one who has written only one or two chapters in a published source (such as an edited book) that contains many chapters from multiple different authors.
A type of conjunction which is used to join coordinating clauses and words, such as and , but and so .
A collection of words, phrases and sentences, usually millions of words big, which is studied by linguists and language students to increase the knowledge of language patterns.
Related readers: Research Skills , Using Corpora
Unlike exams, this is the assessed work which is completed throughout a course that contributes to a student’s final grade, such as essays and presentations.
Related readers: Assignments , Essays , Presentations
The description of something in as clear, logical and concise a way as possible, usually to clarify its meaning, purpose or significance.
Related readers: Writing Skills , Defining and Categorising
The methods which are used to improve a presenter’s delivery, such as paying attention to body language, pronunciation, tone and posture.
The Cambridge University Diploma in English Language Teaching to Adults.
In grammar, demonstratives ( this/these/that/those ) are a type of determiner and are used to specify nouns as part of the noun phrase.
A type of clause (subject and verb combination) which cannot stand as a complete clause with being combined with another clause, such as Because I study English…
Related readers: Grammar Practice , Sentences , Dependent Clauses
A word class which includes articles ( the ), demonstratives ( this ) and quantifiers ( some ), all of which are used to modify nouns as part of the noun phrase.
A lexical and grammatical process in which affixes are added to words to alter their meaning or word class (see prefixes and suffixes).
Related readers: Grammar Practice , Affixes , Derivational Affixation
A book or online tool which attempts to list, exemplify and define all the words in a given language.
Related readers: Research Skills , Using Dictionaries
An extended essay of between 10,000 and 15,000 words, usually completed at the end of a bachelor’s or master’s degree as the final assessment.
Related readers: Essay Writing , Dissertations
Also known as a PhD, this terminal degree is usually completed within four to eight years after submission of a thesis and completion of a viva.
Related readers: Getting Qualified , Doctorate Degrees , Theses
A Digital Object Identifier (DOI) is an alphanumeric identifier which is used to locate online sources (particularly journal articles) in large digital repositories.
Related readers: Referencing , References and Reference Lists , Conducting Digital Searches
The process of planning and producing an academic assessment, particularly the writing of a an essay in an early and unfinished stage.
Related readers: Study Skills , Planning and Drafting
The process of checking a piece of work for content-based errors or gaps, such as the deletion of a paragraph, the improvement of a sentence or the addition of a new supporting detail.
Related readers: Writing Skills , Editing and Proofreading
A numeric reference to an explanation, source or additional comment which is included as a note on a separate page at the end of a piece of research or an assignment.
Related readers: Referencing , Endnotes and Footnotes , Referencing Styles
A written academic assignment that requires an introduction, a body section and a conclusion (and which is shorter than a dissertation or thesis).
Related readers: Essays , Essay Types , Essay Writing
A Latin term meaning and others which is used directly after the first author’s family name within a citation (Smith et al. , 2010) to indicate that four or more authors have authored that source.
Related readers: Referencing , Including Authors , Citation Types
Conducted before a course in the middle of a course or at the end of the course, examinations are assessments which are designed to test a student’s competence in a subject.
Related readers: Examinations , Exam Preparation , Exam Types
A name (also known as a surname ) which is shared among family members such as ‘Johnson’, ‘Small’ or ‘Zhang’ and which is most often the same as the father’s family name.
A verb which can be conjugated to demonstrate grammatical features such as tense or agreement.
Related readers: Word Types , Verb Functions , Verbs
The precise display rules which should be followed to correctly format a given assignment, usually involving aspects such as spacing, punctuation, capitalisation, italics and font size.
Related readers: Essay Writing , Essay Formatting
A numeric reference to an explanation, source or additional comment which is placed at the bottom of the same page in an assignment or piece of research as a short note.
A type of punctuation mark (.) which is most commonly used in abbreviations ( Mr. ) or to mark the end of a complete sentence.
Related readers: Punctuation , Full Stops , Abbreviations
The first week of university which is dedicated to the freshman (the new first-year students), usually involving interactive activities and information sessions.
Related readers: Settling In , Fresher’s Week , Making Friends
Listening for the overall message of something, not listening for specific information or detail.
Related readers: Listening Skills , Gist, Specific and Detail Listening
A name that is more unique to an individual than a family name, such as ‘Alex’, ‘Paige’ or ‘Isabella’ – often provided to a person by their parents as a first or middle name.
The written representation of a sound in a language, such as how /ʃ/ is written using the graphemes [s] and [h] in combination, as in shout .
Related readers: Grammar Practice , Words , Spelling
An assessed academic assignment in which a small group of students work together to discuss a topic or series of topics for around 10 minutes.
Related readers: Assignments , Group Discussions
A type of indentation which is used for improving the display of references, in which every line of that reference other than the first line is indented within the page.
The words and phrases such as may , could and might possibly which are used to make a claim or argument more cautious and which protect the author’s reputation.
Related readers: Vocabulary , Academic Language , Hedging Language
When a word has the same spelling or pronunciation as another word but different meanings and origins, such as check and Czech .
Related readers: Grammar Practice , Word Meanings , Homonyms and Polysemes
A type of punctuation mark (-) which is most commonly used to join prefixes and suffixes to words or to compound words into adjective phrases.
Related readers: Punctuation , Dashes and Hyphens , Affixes
An unproven theory, usually at the centre of a piece of academic investigation in order to find empirical evidence for its veracity and accuracy.
Related readers: Writing Skills , Hypothesising Trends
A Latin term meaning the same which is included in repeating citations to indicate that the new information which has been introduced is also taken from the previously cited source.
A word or phrase which possesses a meaning which is not obvious from the words it contains, such as raining cats and dogs (raining heavily) or burning the midnight oil (staying up late).
Related readers: Grammar Practice , Word Meanings , Idiomatic Phrases (Idioms)
The International English Language Testing System which is designed to measure the proficiency in English of non-native speakers.
Related readers: Careers Advice , CAE , TOEFL Tests
A type of clause (subject and verb combination) which can stand as a complete clause without being combined with another clause, such as I study English…
Related readers: Grammar Practice , Sentences , Independent Clauses
A verb which cannot be conjugated to demonstrate grammatical features such as tense or agreement, such as to study or studying .
A lexical and grammatical process in which affixes are added to words to alter aspects of their grammar such as plurality, possession or tense (see prefixes and suffixes).
A supportive language-based course provided usually to non-native speakers of English who are in the middle of studying for a bachelor’s or master’s degree.
Related readers: Getting Qualified , In-sessional Courses
A type of citation that demonstrates clear source voice in which the source authors are placed inside the main text and outside the brackets of the citation, like Smith (2010).
A type of alphabet which is used to represent all possible sounds in all languages around the world.
Related readers: Pronunciation Skills , International Phonetic Alphabet
A verb which cannot take any objects in a grammatical structure, such as in the object-less expression the ice melted vs the transitive expression I melted the ice .
Related readers: Word Types , Verb Functions , Verb Transitivity
Different to a seminar, a lecture is traditionally when a tutor delivers a presentation to a class while the students quietly take notes, whether online or offline.
Related readers: Lectures and Seminars
The signposting language which is used in a spoken lecture to indicate certain things, such as the inclusion of new information, comparison, exemplification or summarisation.
Related readers: Listening Skills , Gist, Specific and Detail Listening , Listening for Lecture Cues
The third section of a dissertation or thesis in which the writer provides a detailed summary of the most important research which has been conducted about the essay topic.
Related readers: Dissertations , Theses , The Literature Review
The first type of (postgraduate) degree available at university, usually completed within one or two years of continuous on-campus or distance-learning study.
The fourth section of a dissertation or thesis in which the writer provides a detailed description of the particular methods which were used to collect the primary research.
Related readers: Dissertations , Theses , The Methodology
A special type of verb such as can or should which cannot be conjugated and which adds modality (possibility, permission, etc.) to the verb phrase.
Related readers: Word Types , Verb Functions , Modal Verbs
The pieces of a word which are used to build words, which may include bases, roots and affixes (see prefixes and suffixes) in the study of morphology.
Related readers: Grammar Practice , Words , Affixes
A type of citation in which more than one source is listed within the same set of brackets to indicate that the same claim or piece of evidence is taken from multiple sources, such as (Smith, 2010; Jones, 2012; Zhang, 2020).
A type of citation (which demonstrates a combination of writer and source voice) that is usually found at the end of a piece of information with all its elements inside brackets, such as (Smith, 2010).
The small cards which are used during a presentation to prompt the presenter’s memory as to the content of their presentation.
Related readers: Presentation Skills , Scripts and Notecards
When the details of a presentation, publication or discussion are written in note form, whether using a personalised notetaking style or a method such as Cornell notes , margin notes or mind mapping .
Related readers: Study Skills , Mind Mapping , Notetaking
The most common word class in any language, nouns are used to describe objects, ideas and events (such as chair , love or Christmas ) and may be pluralised and made possessive.
Related readers: Words , Word Types , Nouns
A phrase function (like a subject or a complement) in which a noun or noun phrase acts as the receiver of the action of the verb, such as English in he studies English .
Related readers: Grammar Practice , Phrase Functions , Subjects and Objects
Also known as a roadmap, the outline is a element of an introductory paragraph that provides the reader with a brief list of the main ideas of the essay in the same order as presented in the body.
Related readers: Essay Writing , Introductory Paragraphs , Outlines
The pattern of having to repeat grammatical elements with the same grammatical pattern when listed together, as in I came, I saw, I conquered .
Related readers: Academic Language , Phrases , Parallel Structures
When one author takes another author’s ideas or evidence and writes that information in different words while maintaining the same or similar meaning.
Related readers: Writing Skills , Paraphrasing
In grammar, a type of language structure using be + past participle in which the agent of the action is absent from the structure or placed into a by phrase, such as in the exam was completed by me .
Related readers: Word Types , Verb Functions , Passive Constructions
When a piece of research is checked by other professionals or academics for accuracy and to help guarantee quality, reliability and veracity.
A special type of verb + adverb/preposition combination such as clock in or shut down which carries idiomatic meaning and which is is uncommonly used in academic contexts.
Related readers: Word Types , Verb Functions , Phrasal Verbs
When one author uses or copies another author’s work or research without providing clear acknowledgement in the form of citations and references.
Related readers: Study Skills , Plagiarism Avoidance , Referencing
When two words which look identical have different meanings, such book in the expressions read a book and book a table .
A collection of academic assessments such as drawings or essays which are collated together into one document or folder to form a single assignment.
Related readers: Assignments , Portfolios
As a word class, prepositions ( at/on/over ) are unique in that they pre-modify nouns and noun phrases, providing information about space, time or manner.
Related readers: Words , Word Types , Prepositions
A type of affix such as un- or re- that attaches to the beginning of a word to change that word’s meaning, such as in do , redo and undo .
A preparatory language-based course provided usually to non-native speakers of English who are about to begin studying for a bachelor’s or master’s degree.
Related readers: Getting Qualified , Pre-sessional Courses
The original data resources or investigations that might be used as a source of information, such as a recording or a diary, or a journal article that includes details about its own research.
Related readers: Referencing , Sources and Search Terms
When the author of a piece of work carefully checks that work before submission for features such as formatting, spelling and grammar.
As a word class, pronouns ( I/you/she ) are unique in that they can be used in place of nouns to describe people, animals and objects.
Related readers: Words , Word Types , Pronouns
The symbols which are used to show pauses, divisions or grammatical relations within a written text, such as a full stop (.), a comma (,), a semicolon (;) or a colon (:).
Related readers: Punctuation , Colons and Semicolons , Commas
In grammar, quantifiers ( some/many/few ) are a type of determiner that is used to specify the number or amount of a noun.
The precise or subtly modified words of one author used in another author’s work, usually provided alongside citations and within quotation marks.
Related readers: Referencing , Citation Types , Quoting
A document provided by a module convenor or tutor which details the recommended sources that students should read to complete a course or module.
Related readers: Reading Skills , Reading Strategies
The speed at which someone can read, usually measured by comparing the length of reading time with the number of words in order to determine words-per-minute.
Related readers: Reading Skills , Improving Reading Speed
The methods which are used to read more efficiently, such as skimming, scanning and reading for detail.
The act of challenging a particular aspect of an argument, usually indicated in the topic sentence of a body paragraph directly after a concession.
An element of a concluding paragraph in which the author provides solutions, future considerations and recommendations to the reader about the essay topic.
Related readers: Essay Writing , Concluding Paragraphs , Recommendations
A piece of text at the end of a piece of research that acknowledges a source being used as supporting information for that work, such as: Jones, R. (2020) Example reference . London: Publishers.
Related readers: Referencing , Referencing Features , References and Reference Lists
Elements such as Name of author , Year of publication and Source title which are used to build a referencing feature such as a citation, endnote or reference.
An alphabetical/chronological list of all the sources which are read and cited within a piece of research, placed at the back of that research with careful ordering and formatting.
The features which are used by writers to acknowledge sources within a piece of research, including citations, endnotes, footnotes, references and reference lists.
A piece of software such as Zotero or Mendeley that helps students and researchers to manage and organise the referencing features included in their work.
Related readers: Referencing , Referencing Features , Referencing Management Software
The elements, formatting and ordering rules which are required when following a particular style of referencing such as Harvard, Chicago, MLA or Oxford.
Related readers: Referencing , Referencing Features , Referencing Styles
A type of citation that identifies the repetition of a source within a text, showing that the information being cited is from the same source as in the previous citation.
The verbs which are used alongside integral citations to report or discuss another author’s ideas or research, such as argue , claim or state .
Related readers: Vocabulary , Academic Language , Reporting Verbs
A physical or digital storage space for sources, such as in a library or online database.
An element of a concluding paragraph in which the author concedes to the limitations of their research and highlights to the reader the gaps for future investigations.
Related readers: Essay Writing , Concluding Paragraphs , Research Gaps
The detailed document which tutors use to evaluate an assessment, involving numerous criteria such as coherence and cohesion or delivery depending on the assessment type.
Related readers: Course Management , Building Rubrics
A financial grant given to students who are in financial difficulty or who excel at a subject, usually to complete a bachelor’s, master’s or doctorate degree.
Related readers: Applying for Scholarships , Bachelor’s Degrees , Master’s Degrees
The combination of search terms and Boolean operators which can be used to narrow or expand search results within a search engine in order to better find valuable sources.
Related readers: Research Skills , Sources and Search Terms
A word or phrase (commonly noun phrases) that is used to narrow or expand search results within a search engine in order to find valuable sources.
A type of citation in which the author of a piece of work wishes to cite a primary source that they have only read about in a secondary source, such as (Smith, 2010, cited in Jones, 2020).
A source that describes or discusses the unique research of another (primary) source but which does not necessarily detail any new research itself.
A type of punctuation mark (;) which is used to join two independent clauses or a list of phrases or words.
An ungrammatical sentence which is usually formed when a single dependent clause has no adjoining independent clause to complete it, such as in Because I like English .
Related readers: Grammar Practice , Sentence Structures , Sentence Run-Ons and Fragments
An ungrammatical sentence which is formed when two or more independent clauses are improperly joined together, such as I like English, I study it every day .
A computer programme such as Turnitin that helps students and tutors find instances of potential plagiarism by comparing the uploaded work with a large existing database.
Related readers: Referencing , Referencing Management Software , Turnitin and Test Your Text
A sentence which is made of only one independent clause, such as I study English .
Unlike a lecture, a seminar is traditionally when students and tutors participate together in class with discussions and various task-based activities.
Similar to a club, an academic society is a collection of like-minded people who work together to complete a goal, whether a sport, an activity or an intellectual pursuit.
Any text such as a book, interview or website that is used to add supporting information to an academic assignment or piece of academic research.
Related readers: Sources and Search Terms , Research Skills , Finding Academic Sources
The details of a source that are needed in order to correctly reference that source, such as the precise name of the author (Smith) or the precise year that source was printed (2019).
The use of summarising and paraphrasing techniques in order to include numerous sources within the same paragraph, such as to debate the same topic.
Related readers: Sources and Search Terms , Research Skills , Synthesising Sources
The type of source which may be used to provide supporting information in a pieces of academic research, such as a book, a journal article or a digital magazine article.
The gaps in a piece of text between words, sentences, paragraphs and visual data which are used to distinguish these items more clearly for the reader.
This is the writer’s opinion about the essay topic, indicated first in the introduction but repeated in the topic sentences of the body section as well.
Related readers: Essay Writing , Introductory Paragraphs , Stance
A phrase function (like a complement or an object) in which a noun or noun phrase acts as the doer of the action of the verb, such as he in he studies .
In English grammar, agreement is shown between a subject and its verb, such as how I plays is incorrect but I play demonstrates correct subject-verb agreement.
Related readers: Word Types , Verb Functions , Subject-Verb Agreement
A type of conjunction which is used to join subordinating clauses and phrases, such as however , because and while .
A type of affix such as – ment or – ed that attaches to the end of a word to change that word’s meaning, word class or grammar such as in ship , shipment and shipped .
When one or more authors’ ideas are abbreviated, paraphrased and synthesised in order to create a much shorter version of the original text.
Related readers: Writing Skills , Paraphrasing , Summarising
An element of a concluding paragraph that summarises the main ideas presented in the body section of an essay, briefly detailing also the key findings of the investigation.
Related readers: Essay Writing , Concluding Paragraphs , Summary of Main Ideas
The final sentence of a body paragraph in which the writer summarises the main idea(s) of the paragraph or transitions from one main idea to another.
Related readers: Essay Writing , Body Paragraphs , Summary-Transition Sentences
A language structure which indicates the absolute form of something, usually by adding -est to an adjective, such as fastest or smartest (she is the smartest person in the room).
The main section of a body paragraph in which the writer provides evidence, examples and explanation from sources in order to support the topic sentence.
Related readers: Essay Writing , Body Paragraphs , Supporting Details
The piece of a word which contains at least one consonant and one vowel, such as con- or -tains in contains .
When a word has a similar meaning to another word, such as how big and large are synonyms of each other (related to antonym).
The student version of the Turnitin software which enables students to check their own assignments for possible instances of plagiarism by highlighting similarity with other authors’ works.
Related readers: Referencing , Plagiarism Avoidance , Turnitin and Test Your Text
An extended academic essay of between 40,000 and 100,000 words, usually completed as the primary assessment of a doctorate degree (PhD).
Related readers: Essay Writing , Theses
An element of a concluding paragraph that reminds the reader (in different words) of the introductory thesis statement and writer’s stance.
Related readers: Essay Writing , Concluding Paragraphs , Thesis Restatements
An element of an introductory paragraph that provides the reader with the argumentative focus of the essay (the thesis) and an outline of the body sections’ main ideas.
Related readers: Essay Writing , Introductory Paragraphs , Thesis Statements
The Test of English as a Foreign Language which is designed to measure the proficiency in English of non-native speakers.
An element of a body paragraph that reminds the reader of the essay topic and introduces the main idea(s) being discussed in that paragraph.
Related readers: Essay Writing , Body Paragraphs , Topic Sentences
A verb which can take one (monotransitive), two (ditransitive) or three (tritransitive) objects in a grammatical structure, as in give me the book .
A piece of software which is designed to check similarity between submitted research or assignments and a large database of uploaded sources in order to suggest instances of plagiarism.
An academic institution which typically accredits and awards bachelor’s, master’s and PhD qualifications.
A Uniform Resource Locator (also known as a web address) is used to identify an online resource such as a web page, uploaded file or digital image.
Related readers: Research Skills , Conducting Digital Searches
A class of words that demonstrate an action ( kick ), state ( love ) or occurrence ( happen ) and which can be conjugated to show tense, aspect and modality.
In English grammar, this is the expression of passages of time through the verb phrase in simple ( study ), continuous ( studying ) and perfect ( have studied ) forms.
Related readers: Word Types , Verb Functions , Verb Aspect
In English grammar, modality (ability, permission, future, etc.) is expressed on the verb phrase via hedging language and modal verbs such as may , will and could .
Related readers: Word Types , Verb Functions , Verb Modality
The expression of absolute time in an expression via the form of the main verb, which in English may be the present ( study ) or past ( studied ) (modality is used to show the future not tense).
Related readers: Word Types , Verb Functions , Verb Tense
Whether or not a verb can take an object (transitive vs. intransitive), and how many objects that verb takes.
Any visual tool which is used to enhance a performance or presentation, such as a poster, a handout, a PPT presentation or a whiteboard.
Related readers: Presentation Skills , Using Visual Aids
The final task of a PhD in which the doctorate student is required or orally defend their research in front of a panel of experts.
Related readers: Essay Writing , Theses , The PhD Viva
The specific words you have learned or are attempting to learn.
Related readers: Vocabulary , Academic Language
The author which communicates an idea or argument in a piece of work is said to have voice : this can be the writer’s voice or the voices of external sources which provide supporting evidence.
Related readers: Writing Skills , Balancing Voices , Synthesising Sources
The open-mouthed sounds within a word, usually represented by the graphemes a e i o u in the English language.
The amount of words permitted in an academic assessment and the record of that number at the end of an essay or assessment, often within a range of +/–10%.
A method of identifying words depending on their placement in a sentence and their grammatical rules, such as nouns , adjectives or verbs .
Related readers: Words , Word Types , Word Forms
A grouping of the same words which have different forms when in different classes, such as how inform , informative and information are in the same family.
A description of the shape of a particular word, depending on its word class and whether it has any attached prefixes or suffixes.
Everything you should know about academic writing: types, importance, and structure, concise writing: tips, importance, and exercises for a clear writing style.
Academic editing: what it is and why it matters.
We have helped 10,000s of undergraduate, Masters and PhD students to maximise their grades in essays, dissertations, model-exam answers, applications and other materials. If you would like a free chat about your project with one of our UK staff, then please just reach out on one of the methods below.
Academic writing is a formal style of writing used in universities and scholarly publications. It is characterised by a clear focus on argumentation, the presentation of evidence, and a logical structure. This type of writing is essential for communicating complex ideas and research findings in a coherent and credible manner.
Academic writing is a structured and evidence-based form of writing that is used to convey scholarly information. It includes essays, research papers, dissertations, and reports. This writing style emphasises clarity, precision, and a logical flow of ideas, often incorporating a formal tone and style. The main goal is to inform, argue, or analyse a topic based on evidence and sound reasoning.
There are several types of academic writing, each serving a different purpose:
These are short pieces of writing on a particular subject, presenting the author’s argument or perspective.
Detailed studies presenting original research findings, often published in academic journals.
Extensive research projects submitted as part of a degree program, presenting the author’s research and findings.
Comprehensive surveys of existing research on a particular topic.
Structured documents that describe and analyse specific topics or events.
Academic writing is crucial for several reasons. Firstly, it contributes to the body of knowledge in various fields, helping to advance understanding and innovation. Secondly, it allows scholars to communicate their findings and ideas clearly and effectively, fostering academic discourse and collaboration. Thirdly, academic writing helps develop critical thinking and analytical skills, as it requires writers to evaluate evidence, construct coherent arguments, and engage with complex ideas. Additionally, mastering academic writing is essential for academic and professional success, as it is a key component of most higher education curricula.
The structure of academic writing typically follows a standardised format, which helps organise the content logically and coherently. The basic structure includes :
Academic writing can vary in style depending on the discipline and the type of writing. Common styles include :
Each style has its own rules for formatting, citations, and references, which writers must adhere to ensure consistency and credibility.
Understanding academic writing is essential for students, researchers, and professionals engaged in scholarly work. It encompasses various types, each with a specific purpose, and follows a structured format to ensure clarity and coherence.
Academic writing is crucial for contributing to knowledge, developing critical skills, and achieving academic success. By mastering different academic writing styles and structures, writers can effectively communicate their ideas and research findings, advancing their field and fostering academic growth.
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Methodology
Published on January 2, 2023 by Shona McCombes . Revised on September 11, 2023.
What is a literature review? A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources on a specific topic. It provides an overview of current knowledge, allowing you to identify relevant theories, methods, and gaps in the existing research that you can later apply to your paper, thesis, or dissertation topic .
There are five key steps to writing a literature review:
A good literature review doesn’t just summarize sources—it analyzes, synthesizes , and critically evaluates to give a clear picture of the state of knowledge on the subject.
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What is the purpose of a literature review, examples of literature reviews, step 1 – search for relevant literature, step 2 – evaluate and select sources, step 3 – identify themes, debates, and gaps, step 4 – outline your literature review’s structure, step 5 – write your literature review, free lecture slides, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions, introduction.
When you write a thesis , dissertation , or research paper , you will likely have to conduct a literature review to situate your research within existing knowledge. The literature review gives you a chance to:
Writing literature reviews is a particularly important skill if you want to apply for graduate school or pursue a career in research. We’ve written a step-by-step guide that you can follow below.
Writing literature reviews can be quite challenging! A good starting point could be to look at some examples, depending on what kind of literature review you’d like to write.
You can also check out our templates with literature review examples and sample outlines at the links below.
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Before you begin searching for literature, you need a clearly defined topic .
If you are writing the literature review section of a dissertation or research paper, you will search for literature related to your research problem and questions .
Start by creating a list of keywords related to your research question. Include each of the key concepts or variables you’re interested in, and list any synonyms and related terms. You can add to this list as you discover new keywords in the process of your literature search.
Use your keywords to begin searching for sources. Some useful databases to search for journals and articles include:
You can also use boolean operators to help narrow down your search.
Make sure to read the abstract to find out whether an article is relevant to your question. When you find a useful book or article, you can check the bibliography to find other relevant sources.
You likely won’t be able to read absolutely everything that has been written on your topic, so it will be necessary to evaluate which sources are most relevant to your research question.
For each publication, ask yourself:
Make sure the sources you use are credible , and make sure you read any landmark studies and major theories in your field of research.
You can use our template to summarize and evaluate sources you’re thinking about using. Click on either button below to download.
As you read, you should also begin the writing process. Take notes that you can later incorporate into the text of your literature review.
It is important to keep track of your sources with citations to avoid plagiarism . It can be helpful to make an annotated bibliography , where you compile full citation information and write a paragraph of summary and analysis for each source. This helps you remember what you read and saves time later in the process.
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To begin organizing your literature review’s argument and structure, be sure you understand the connections and relationships between the sources you’ve read. Based on your reading and notes, you can look for:
This step will help you work out the structure of your literature review and (if applicable) show how your own research will contribute to existing knowledge.
There are various approaches to organizing the body of a literature review. Depending on the length of your literature review, you can combine several of these strategies (for example, your overall structure might be thematic, but each theme is discussed chronologically).
The simplest approach is to trace the development of the topic over time. However, if you choose this strategy, be careful to avoid simply listing and summarizing sources in order.
Try to analyze patterns, turning points and key debates that have shaped the direction of the field. Give your interpretation of how and why certain developments occurred.
If you have found some recurring central themes, you can organize your literature review into subsections that address different aspects of the topic.
For example, if you are reviewing literature about inequalities in migrant health outcomes, key themes might include healthcare policy, language barriers, cultural attitudes, legal status, and economic access.
If you draw your sources from different disciplines or fields that use a variety of research methods , you might want to compare the results and conclusions that emerge from different approaches. For example:
A literature review is often the foundation for a theoretical framework . You can use it to discuss various theories, models, and definitions of key concepts.
You might argue for the relevance of a specific theoretical approach, or combine various theoretical concepts to create a framework for your research.
Like any other academic text , your literature review should have an introduction , a main body, and a conclusion . What you include in each depends on the objective of your literature review.
The introduction should clearly establish the focus and purpose of the literature review.
Depending on the length of your literature review, you might want to divide the body into subsections. You can use a subheading for each theme, time period, or methodological approach.
As you write, you can follow these tips:
In the conclusion, you should summarize the key findings you have taken from the literature and emphasize their significance.
When you’ve finished writing and revising your literature review, don’t forget to proofread thoroughly before submitting. Not a language expert? Check out Scribbr’s professional proofreading services !
This article has been adapted into lecture slides that you can use to teach your students about writing a literature review.
Scribbr slides are free to use, customize, and distribute for educational purposes.
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If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.
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A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources (such as books, journal articles, and theses) related to a specific topic or research question .
It is often written as part of a thesis, dissertation , or research paper , in order to situate your work in relation to existing knowledge.
There are several reasons to conduct a literature review at the beginning of a research project:
Writing the literature review shows your reader how your work relates to existing research and what new insights it will contribute.
The literature review usually comes near the beginning of your thesis or dissertation . After the introduction , it grounds your research in a scholarly field and leads directly to your theoretical framework or methodology .
A literature review is a survey of credible sources on a topic, often used in dissertations , theses, and research papers . Literature reviews give an overview of knowledge on a subject, helping you identify relevant theories and methods, as well as gaps in existing research. Literature reviews are set up similarly to other academic texts , with an introduction , a main body, and a conclusion .
An annotated bibliography is a list of source references that has a short description (called an annotation ) for each of the sources. It is often assigned as part of the research process for a paper .
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McCombes, S. (2023, September 11). How to Write a Literature Review | Guide, Examples, & Templates. Scribbr. Retrieved June 7, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/dissertation/literature-review/
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Remember, the personal insight questions are just that—personal. Which means you should use our guidance for each question just as a suggestion in case you need help. The important thing is expressing who you are, what matters to you and what you want to share with UC.
1. Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes or contributed to group efforts over time. Things to consider: A leadership role can mean more than just a title. It can mean being a mentor to others, acting as the person in charge of a specific task, or taking the lead role in organizing an event or project. Think about what you accomplished and what you learned from the experience. What were your responsibilities?
Did you lead a team? How did your experience change your perspective on leading others? Did you help to resolve an important dispute at your school, church, in your community or an organization? And your leadership role doesn't necessarily have to be limited to school activities. For example, do you help out or take care of your family? 2. Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side. Things to consider: What does creativity mean to you? Do you have a creative skill that is important to you? What have you been able to do with that skill? If you used creativity to solve a problem, what was your solution? What are the steps you took to solve the problem?
How does your creativity influence your decisions inside or outside the classroom? Does your creativity relate to your major or a future career? 3. What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time? Things to consider: If there is a talent or skill that you're proud of, this is the time to share it.You don't necessarily have to be recognized or have received awards for your talent (although if you did and you want to talk about it, feel free to do so). Why is this talent or skill meaningful to you?
Does the talent come naturally or have you worked hard to develop this skill or talent? Does your talent or skill allow you opportunities in or outside the classroom? If so, what are they and how do they fit into your schedule? 4. Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced. Things to consider: An educational opportunity can be anything that has added value to your educational experience and better prepared you for college. For example, participation in an honors or academic enrichment program, or enrollment in an academy that's geared toward an occupation or a major, or taking advanced courses that interest you; just to name a few.
If you choose to write about educational barriers you've faced, how did you overcome or strive to overcome them? What personal characteristics or skills did you call on to overcome this challenge? How did overcoming this barrier help shape who you are today? 5. Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement? Things to consider: A challenge could be personal, or something you have faced in your community or school. Why was the challenge significant to you? This is a good opportunity to talk about any obstacles you've faced and what you've learned from the experience. Did you have support from someone else or did you handle it alone?
If you're currently working your way through a challenge, what are you doing now, and does that affect different aspects of your life? For example, ask yourself, How has my life changed at home, at my school, with my friends or with my family? 6. Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom. Things to consider: Many students have a passion for one specific academic subject area, something that they just can't get enough of. If that applies to you, what have you done to further that interest? Discuss how your interest in the subject developed and describe any experience you have had inside and outside the classroom such as volunteer work, internships, employment, summer programs, participation in student organizations and/or clubs and what you have gained from your involvement.
Has your interest in the subject influenced you in choosing a major and/or future career? Have you been able to pursue coursework at a higher level in this subject (honors, AP, IB, college or university work)? Are you inspired to pursue this subject further at UC, and how might you do that?
7. What have you done to make your school or your community a better place? Things to consider: Think of community as a term that can encompass a group, team or a place like your high school, hometown or home. You can define community as you see fit, just make sure you talk about your role in that community. Was there a problem that you wanted to fix in your community?
Why were you inspired to act? What did you learn from your effort? How did your actions benefit others, the wider community or both? Did you work alone or with others to initiate change in your community? 8. Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California? Things to consider: If there's anything you want us to know about you but didn't find a question or place in the application to tell us, now's your chance. What have you not shared with us that will highlight a skill, talent, challenge or opportunity that you think will help us know you better?
From your point of view, what do you feel makes you an excellent choice for UC? Don't be afraid to brag a little.
Start early..
Give yourself plenty of time for preparation, careful composition and revisions.
Making a list of accomplishments, activities, awards or work will lessen the impact of your words. Expand on a topic by using specific, concrete examples to support the points you want to make.
Talk about yourself so that we can get to know your personality, talents, accomplishments and potential for success on a UC campus. Use “I” and “my” statements in your responses.
Although you will not be evaluated on grammar, spelling or sentence structure, you should proofread your work and make sure your writing is clear. Grammatical and spelling errors can be distracting to the reader and get in the way of what you’re trying to communicate.
Your answers should reflect your own ideas and be written by you alone, but others — family, teachers and friends can offer valuable suggestions. Ask advice of whomever you like, but do not plagiarize from sources in print or online and do not use anyone's words, published or unpublished, but your own.
Once you are satisfied with your answers, save them in plain text (ASCII) and paste them into the space provided in the application. Proofread once more to make sure no odd characters or line breaks have appeared.
This is one of many pieces of information we consider in reviewing your application. Your responses can only add value to the application. An admission decision will not be based on this section alone.
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More than 100 reference examples and their corresponding in-text citations are presented in the seventh edition Publication Manual . Examples of the most common works that writers cite are provided on this page; additional examples are available in the Publication Manual .
To find the reference example you need, first select a category (e.g., periodicals) and then choose the appropriate type of work (e.g., journal article ) and follow the relevant example.
When selecting a category, use the webpages and websites category only when a work does not fit better within another category. For example, a report from a government website would use the reports category, whereas a page on a government website that is not a report or other work would use the webpages and websites category.
Also note that print and electronic references are largely the same. For example, to cite both print books and ebooks, use the books and reference works category and then choose the appropriate type of work (i.e., book ) and follow the relevant example (e.g., whole authored book ).
Examples on these pages illustrate the details of reference formats. We make every attempt to show examples that are in keeping with APA Style’s guiding principles of inclusivity and bias-free language. These examples are presented out of context only to demonstrate formatting issues (e.g., which elements to italicize, where punctuation is needed, placement of parentheses). References, including these examples, are not inherently endorsements for the ideas or content of the works themselves. An author may cite a work to support a statement or an idea, to critique that work, or for many other reasons. For more examples, see our sample papers .
Reference examples are covered in the seventh edition APA Style manuals in the Publication Manual Chapter 10 and the Concise Guide Chapter 10
Textual works are covered in Sections 10.1–10.8 of the Publication Manual . The most common categories and examples are presented here. For the reviews of other works category, see Section 10.7.
Data sets are covered in Section 10.9 of the Publication Manual . For the software and tests categories, see Sections 10.10 and 10.11.
Audiovisual media are covered in Sections 10.12–10.14 of the Publication Manual . The most common examples are presented together here. In the manual, these examples and more are separated into categories for audiovisual, audio, and visual media.
Online media are covered in Sections 10.15 and 10.16 of the Publication Manual . Please note that blog posts are part of the periodicals category.
Home — Essay Samples — Social Issues — White Privilege — The Pros and Cons of Privilege: An Academic Inquiry
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Introduction, body paragraph 1: advantages of privilege, body paragraph 2: disadvantages of privilege, body paragraph 3: the nuanced nature of privilege.
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If you're struggling to choose the right words for your essay, don't worry—you've come to the right place! In this article, we've compiled a list of over 300 words and phrases to use in the introduction, body, and conclusion of your essay. Contents: Words to Use in the Essay Introduction. Words to Use in the Body of the Essay.
4. That is to say. Usage: "That is" and "that is to say" can be used to add further detail to your explanation, or to be more precise. Example: "Whales are mammals. That is to say, they must breathe air.". 5. To that end. Usage: Use "to that end" or "to this end" in a similar way to "in order to" or "so".
The Oxford Phrasal Academic Lexicon (OPAL) is a set of four word lists that together provide an essential guide to the most important words and phrases to know in the field of English for Academic Purposes (EAP). This list gives around 370 important phrases for academic writing, grouped into 15 functional areas. Written phrases 1.
The Academic Word List (AWL), developed by Averil Coxhead at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, contains 570 word families which frequently appear in academic texts, but which are not contained in the General Service List (GSL).When compiling the list, the author found that the AWL covers around 10% of words in academic texts; if you are familiar with words in the GSL, which ...
Here are some examples of strong verbs commonly used in academic writing: Analyze: Examine in detail to understand the components or structure. Critique: Assess or evaluate the strengths and weaknesses. Demonstrate: Show the evidence to support a claim or argument. Illuminate: Clarify or make something clearer.
Example The biome is diverse. In other words, it's home to a wide variety of species. 12. That is to say. Provides clarification, similar to "in other words.". Example The reaction is exothermic; that is to say, it releases heat. 13. To put it simply. Simplifies a complex idea, often for a more general readership.
This produced a list of 570 word families that are common in most types of academic writing. A word family is a word with all its related forms, so e.g. analysis, analyze, analyst, analytic are all one word family. This list excludes the 20002,000 most frequent word families in general English, so the AWL can claim to be a list specific to ...
The New Academic Word List (NAWL) is a list of 963 words which frequently appear in academic texts, ... non-fiction, student essays, academic discourse, and best selling academic textbooks. The NGSL and NAWL in combination give 92% coverage of words from that corpus (86% for the NGSL and 6% for the NAWL). ...
in a specific or general way. Attributing claims with more or less support or certainty. Words that link ideas, helping to create a 'flow' in the writing. Many conjunctions can be used at the start of a sentence and/or. to link two short sentences into one long one. See WriteSIte for examples, exceptions and exercises.
The Academic Word L ist is a compilation of the most frequent words in academic texts. These are the types of words you will see most often, and be expected to use in your own work. List one is the most common, list two the next most common., and so on. Each word is only one form of the word, and it includes the other word forms. For example ...
50 linking words to use in academic writing. academic writing. linkers. essay writing. thesis. ESL. English. It's very common for students to use long words they don't understand very well in their essays and theses because they have a certain idea of what academic writing should be.
4. Moreover; furthermore; in addition; what's more. These types of academic phrases are perfect for expanding or adding to a point you've already made without interrupting the flow altogether. "Moreover", "furthermore" and "in addition" are also great linking phrases to begin a new paragraph. Here are some examples:
Browse Academic Word List from analytical to inconsistency in Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English at OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com. The Academic Word List contains words learners of English will meet if they study at a university or college.
Essay Expression PDF - (download) academic, essay expressions, essay writing. We share daily lessons, free English learning materials for ESL students and language learners from all over the world. These useful academic expressions, words, vocabulary and phrases will help you to write a top-notch essay. PDF also available.
Academic vocabulary and academic word lists (AWL) Improving academic vocabulary skills is an important aspect of any language study at university level. Academic vocabulary can be seen everywhere: in textbooks, journals, lecture handouts, exam papers, essays, assignments, etc. However, vocabulary skills do not improve simply through a natural ...
Sharing is caring! How to Write a Great Essay in English! This lesson provides 100+ useful words, transition words and expressions used in writing an essay. Let's take a look! The secret to a successful essay doesn't just lie in the clever things you talk about and the way you structure your points.
The Academic Collocation List (ACL) is a list containing 2,469 of the most frequent and useful collocations which occur in written academic English. It can be seen as a collocational companion to the Academic Word List (AWL), consisting of collocations (or word combinations) rather than single words. The ACL was developed by Kirsten Ackermann and Yu-Hua Chen using the Pearson International ...
When writing an essay, whether it be an English class essay or any essay, you must emphasize the main argument. The idea behind this is to create coherence within your essay. You can use the transition words below to emphasize your paragraphs. This list of academic essay words can be used in the introduction, body, and even conclusion. Definitely
While the words "also," "and," and "so" are used in academic writing, they are considered too informal when used at the start of a sentence. Also, a second round of testing was carried out. To fix this issue, we can either move the transition word to a different point in the sentence or use a more formal alternative.
Mission. The Purdue On-Campus Writing Lab and Purdue Online Writing Lab assist clients in their development as writers—no matter what their skill level—with on-campus consultations, online participation, and community engagement. The Purdue Writing Lab serves the Purdue, West Lafayette, campus and coordinates with local literacy initiatives.
analytic. analytical. analytically. analyse. analysed. analyses. analysing. If you learn the word analyse and its meaning and are aware of the other word forms, then you may well understand the meaning of the word when you read it, whichever form it is in. However, knowing which one to use when you are writing is a much more difficult skill and ...
The right words and phrases can transform your essay from a basic assignment to an insightful and persuasive piece of writing. This guide introduces you to 100 essential words and phrases recommended by expert English tutors that will help you convey your ideas more effectively. From adding information to expressing contrasts, and from ...
An extended academic essay of between 40,000 and 100,000 words, usually completed as the primary assessment of a doctorate degree (PhD). Related readers: Essay Writing, Theses. Thesis Restatement. An element of a concluding paragraph that reminds the reader (in different words) of the introductory thesis statement and writer's stance.
1. Be considerate with humor. Showing off your sense of humor lets your personality show through your words and can make reading the essay more entertaining. Try including a few sentences that you think will bring a smile to the reader's face, or use adjectives to insert some colorful comedy. 2.
Additionally, mastering academic writing is essential for academic and professional success, as it is a key component of most higher education curricula. Academic Writing Structure . The structure of academic writing typically follows a standardised format, which helps organise the content logically and coherently.
What is the purpose of a literature review? Examples of literature reviews. Step 1 - Search for relevant literature. Step 2 - Evaluate and select sources. Step 3 - Identify themes, debates, and gaps. Step 4 - Outline your literature review's structure. Step 5 - Write your literature review.
Remember, the personal insight questions are just that—personal. Which means you should use our guidance for each question just as a suggestion in case you need help. The important thing is expressing who you are, what matters to you and what you want to share with UC. 1. Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have ...
More than 100 reference examples and their corresponding in-text citations are presented in the seventh edition Publication Manual.Examples of the most common works that writers cite are provided on this page; additional examples are available in the Publication Manual.. To find the reference example you need, first select a category (e.g., periodicals) and then choose the appropriate type of ...
Body Paragraph 1: Advantages of Privilege. One of the most apparent advantages of privilege is the access to opportunities. Individuals who possess certain privileges often enjoy better educational resources, job prospects, and social networks. For instance, children from affluent families have access to high-quality education, extracurricular ...