CLASSIC FICTION

ACADEMIC WRITING
TIPS
Semester 5
Classic Fiction
Academic Year 2022-2023
Professor A. Benlamine
 Useful Academic Expressions
These are some useful expressions used in academic writing:
1. Stating your own position on a subject or topic
This paper/study/discussion/analysis/review aims at...
The aim of this (paper) etc. is to…
The main focus of this (article) is to…
It shall be argued in this paper/essay/review that…
The view presented in this paper/essay/review is that…
2. Presenting your own point of view
I strongly believe that...
To my mind...
As far as I see this work/novel/passage/text...
It seems very obvious/evident to me that...
I think/contend/believe that...
There are many reasons why…
It is important/necessary to point out that…
The first thing to be considered is…
3. Supporting your view and adding more information:
The first/second reason why…is…
Firstly/Secondly...
The most important element/factor to be considered here
is that…
In addition, …
Furthermore, …
Another reason is …
A further point is …
4. Drawing a Conclusion
To sum up, ...
In a nutshell, ...
As a conclusion, ...
As a summary, ...
All in all, ...
To conclude, ...
 
TOO INFORMAL
Academic writing is generally more formal than the
writing we see in non-academic writings. The following
words and phrases are considered too informal for a
dissertation or academic paper.
A lot of: A lot of studies
(Many/several/a great number of/eight) studies
America: A researcher in America
A researcher in (the United States/the US/the USA)
Isn’t, can’t, doesn’t, won’t, would’ve (or any other contraction)
The passage isn’t
The passage is not
Kind of, sort of: The findings were kind of significant
The findings were (somewhat significant/significant to some
degree)
You, your: (I.e. the second-person point of view)
You can clearly see the results
One can clearly see the results
The results can clearly be seen
INFORMAL SENTENCE BEGINNINGS

Some words are acceptable in certain contexts, but become

too informal when used at the beginning of a sentence. You
can replace these with appropriate transition words or
simply remove them from the sentence.
Also: Also, the participants were in agreement on the third
question
(Moreover/Furthermore), the participants were in agreement
on the third question
So: So it can be concluded that the ending needs further
refinement
Therefore, it can be concluded that the model needs further
refinement
And: And the characters were all over the age of 30
The participants were all over the age of 30
Besides: Besides, we asked all the participants to sign an
agreement
Additionally, we asked all the participants to sign an
agreement
TOO COMMON MONOSYLLABIC WORDS
Bad: A bad result
A (poor/negative) result
Get: This text gets attention
This character receives the attention of readers
Give: This chapter gives us an overview
This chapter (provides/offers/presents) an overview
Show: The passage below shows us…
The passage below (illustrates/demonstrates/reveals)
TOO VAGUE
Using vague terms makes your writing imprecise and may cause
people to interpret it in different ways. Always try to be as
specific as possible.
Stuff: People are concerned about their stuff
People are concerned about their
(belongings/possessions/personal effects)
Thing: The study presents many things
The study presents many (details/findings/recommendations)
TOO EXAGGERATED
Academic writing is usually unadorned and direct. Some
adverbs of frequency (such as always and never),
superlatives (terms that indicate something is of the highest
degree, such as the best), and intensifiers (words that create
emphasis, such as very) are often too dramatic. They may
also not be accurate – you’re making a significant claim
when you say something is perfect or never happens.
Always, never: Researchers always argue that
Researchers (frequently/commonly/ typically) argue that
Perfect, best, worst, most (or any other superlative): The
perfect solution to the problem
(An ideal solution/one of the best solutions) to the problem
Very, extremely, really, too, so (or any other intensifier):
This story/novel is extremely important
This novel/story is (important/critical/crucial)
GENERALLY UNNECESSARY
You should strive to make your academic writing as
concise as possible. Avoid adding words and phrases that
do not add meaning, even if you think they give your
writing a more refined feel.
Has got/have got: This dissertation has got four chapters
This dissertation has four chapters
Serves to, helps to: This chapter serves to explain
This chapter explains
You/Your

Example: By the end of the story, you discover that ….

Better: In the end, the reader discovers that ….

Use third person pronouns or be specific: Readers, the

reader, the audience, critics etc.
Do not use ‘how’ to make the reader fill in the mental
blanks suggested by the writer of the analysis.

Example: The narrator/writer explains how it feels to be an

orphan boy.

Better: The narrator helps the reader to figure out the

helplessness of being fatherless/motherless/without family
protection/support in 19th century England. Do not ask the
reader to guess what you can clearly explain.
 EXPLAINING THE EFFECT FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
HAS ON THE TEXT
(and, by extension, on the reader)

 The author/writer uses similes/metaphors etc. to

emphasise /highlight/accentuate/underscore/underline/lay
the emphasis on the idea that …
 The writer resorts to the use of symbolism/symbols/imagery
etc. to put his message across in a more palpable manner/to
make his idea(s) stronger/sharper/more
effective/influential/significant/understandable.
 The writer uses irony/ambiguity/mystery/confusion to
reinforce/strengthen/underpin the idea that….
 The author makes use of …. to allow the reader to feel/think

of/imagine/figure out how something works/functions…

 The writer uses irony/ambiguity/mystery/confusion to
reinforce/strengthen/underpin the idea that….
 The author makes use of …. to allow the reader to feel/think
of/imagine/figure out how something works/functions…
 The writer draws many advantages from the use of
symbolism/personification etc. He tries to
implicate/involve/associate the reader/audience
in/with the main plot/theme/action/events etc.
Writers’ Purpose:
The ultimate purpose behind the use of such
tropes/rhetorical devices is to enable students to
understand how figurative language contributes to
deciphering /decoding/decrypting/interpreting the
meaning of the literary text, and how it affects our
perception of characters/themes/plot/setting etc.