These reporting verbs have been put into

FIND YOUR three categories: strong, neutral, and

tentative. Each verb has its own shade of
REPORTING meaning. Using the correct word relies on
you making a correct interpretation of
what the source is saying.
VERB

Strong reporting verbs are used when the source makes strong arguments and
claims.

asserts,, argues
asserts argues,, applauds
applauds,, claims
claims,, emphasizes
emphasizes,, contends
contends,,

maintains,, theorizes
maintains theorizes,, supports
supports the
the view that,, denies
view that denies,, negates
negates,,
Strong
refutes,, rejects
refutes rejects,, challenges
challenges,, strongly
strongly believes that,, counters
believes that counters

the view/
the view /argument that,, persuades
argument that persuades,, affirms
affirms,, proves
proves,,

contends,, etc
contends etc..

Neutral reporting verbs are used when the source primarily reports without
making a strong claim. Also, these verbs are used when you explain a source’s
methodology.

Neutral

Tentative verbs are used when a source suggests or speculates without certainty.

suggests,, speculates
suggests speculates,, intimates
intimates,, hypothesizes
hypothesizes,, proffers
proffers,,

implies,, proposes
implies proposes,, posits
posits the
the view that,, questions
view that questions the
the view
view

Tentative that,, postulates

that postulates,, wonders
wonders,, considers
considers,, hopes
hopes,, doubts
doubts,, supposes
supposes,,

guesses,, brings
guesses up,, hints
brings up hints,, mentions
mentions,, introduces
introduces,, conjectures
conjectures,,

contemplates,, surmises
contemplates surmises,, studies
studies,, etc
etc..

EXAMPLE WORDS & PHRASES

Academic writing requires you to use citations to refer to the original source when you have
used someone else’s ideas or concepts in your writing. One of the most common ways to
incorporate these citations into your writing is to use these reporting verbs to present the
information. Keep in mind that there are many more reporting verbs you can use to more fully
express how you feel about the sources you are using in your essays, theses, and dissertations.