Academic Vocabulary
Academic vocabulary is the shared language of scholarly writing across disciplines. It differs from subject-specific terminology (e.g., photosynthesis, amortisation) — instead, it consists of general words that appear across many academic fields: analyse, assess, conclude, evidence, framework, hypothesis.
The Academic Word List
The Academic Word List (AWL), developed by Averil Coxhead, contains 570 word families that appear frequently in academic texts. Learning these words significantly improves academic reading and writing. Key families include:
| Word Family | Example uses |
|---|---|
| analyse / analysis | The data were analysed using regression. |
| assess / assessment | The study assessed the impact of… |
| concept / conceptual | The conceptual framework was derived from… |
| establish / established | A causal link has not been established. |
| evidence | There is limited evidence to support… |
| framework | Within a cognitive framework… |
| hypothesis | The hypothesis was tested using… |
| indicate / indication | The results indicate that… |
| significant / significance | A statistically significant difference was found. |
| theory / theoretical | From a theoretical perspective… |
Replacing Informal Vocabulary
| Informal | Academic |
|---|---|
| show | demonstrate, indicate, reveal |
| say | argue, contend, claim, state, propose |
| look at | examine, investigate, analyse |
| think about | consider, reflect on, evaluate |
| use | employ, utilise, apply |
| find out | determine, ascertain, establish |
| get better | improve, develop, enhance |
| get worse | deteriorate, decline |
| important | significant, substantial, critical, crucial |
| start | initiate, commence, establish |
Do not use academic vocabulary just to sound impressive. Only use a word if it precisely expresses what you mean. Choosing utilise when use is perfectly correct does not improve your writing — it just adds syllables.
Academic Verbs for Argument and Analysis
These verbs are frequently needed in academic writing:
To present a view: argue, assert, claim, contend, propose, suggest, maintain
To evaluate or critique: challenge, question, dispute, examine, assess, evaluate, critique
To support or agree: confirm, corroborate, support, demonstrate, substantiate, endorse
To introduce evidence: cite, note, report, find, observe, document
Avoiding Common Mistakes
- Do not use informal intensifiers:
very, really, so→ significantly, considerably, notably - Avoid vague nouns:
things, stuff, aspects→ specify what you mean - Avoid “I think” and “I believe”: use hedging language or evidence instead
- Do not overuse the same word: vary vocabulary to demonstrate range
Building academic vocabulary takes time. Do not try to memorise word lists. Instead, read widely in your field, notice unfamiliar academic words in context, and practise using them in your own writing.