Question 1

What vocabulary should I use in academic writing?

Accepted Answer

Academic writing requires precise, formal vocabulary. Key areas include: hedging language (the evidence suggests, may indicate, appears to) for expressing calibrated certainty; transition words (furthermore, however, consequently) for showing logical relationships; analytical verbs (demonstrates, contends, challenges) for describing what sources do; and formal register substitutes (demonstrate for show, examine for look at). Vocabulary should increase precision, not complexity for its own sake.

Question 2

What is hedging language in academic writing?

Accepted Answer

Hedging language expresses calibrated uncertainty — it signals that a claim is supported by evidence but is not absolute. Modal verbs (may, might, could), epistemic verbs (suggests, indicates, appears), and adverbs of degree (largely, primarily, generally) are all hedging tools. Good hedging is not vagueness — it is precision about the strength of evidence. Hedge claims where evidence is partial or conditional; do not hedge established facts.

Academic Vocabulary Flashcards