Successful University Writing

It is important to try to be as exact as you can when choosing words.

All-purpose adjectives such as significant, important or major, should be avoided.  Similarly, vague verbs such as involved can be improved with more specific terms. Consider these examples:

Original - Allowing the states to dictate the national division of GST was a significant legacy of the Brown government.

Revised - Allowing the states to dictate the national division of GST was a costly legacy of the Brown government.

Revised - Allowing the states to dictate the national division of GST was a popular legacy of the Brown government.

or

Original - Jonathon Smallwood was involved in the development of the original solar-powered commercial vehicle.

Revised - Jonathon Smallwood advocated to government for the development of the original solar-powered commercial vehicle.

In both these examples, choosing words that are more precise lend weight and meaning to the sentence. 

Technical jargon

Jargon can refer to specialised or technical language. In this sense, it is desirable to accurately include language that relates to your discipline, especially in academic writing. Part of learning in any field is learning the language of the discipline, though sometimes it will be appropriate to demonstrate your understanding of technical terms as part of your writing. 

Clichéd jargon

However, the type of jargon to avoid is that which comes across as obscure, unnecessary and 'fancy'. Keep in mind that it is more important to communicate with clarity than to sound impressive or incorporate 'buzz words'. Consider the following sentence:

There has been a recent pivot towards a new normal where employees are always expected to give one hundred and ten percent and always think outside the box. Businesses that don't get on board probably won't have the bandwidth to dominate.

Using clichéd jargon like this limits the impact and clarity of the writing, and can come across as lazy. The following sentence is much more precise:

A recent trend of high expectations on employees' creativity and dedication suggests these as being required qualities for a business to be competitive in the market.

Redundant words are those that repeat a concept within a phrase, and therefore serve no purpose. If you have redundant words in your writing, it is a sign that you need to do some editing. 

For example, the phrase "the chairs were small in size" is redundant because the reader would understand the meaning if you just said "the chairs were small", as the concept of size is implied in the sentence.

Consider some other ways that the removal of redundant words improves sentence clarity.

Redundant - It is interesting to note that this program has been in place since 2012. 
More concise -  This program has been in place since 2012. 

Redundant -These studies basically found that there has been a reduction in anti-social behaviours in the community over the past decade.
More concise -  These studies found that there has been a reduction in anti-social behaviours in the community over the past decade.

Redundant -The end result of the testing demonstrated benefits for the majority of participants.
More concise -  The testing demonstrated benefits for the majority of participants.

Here are more examples of redundant words:

• has been previously
• four different groups witnessed
• a total of 98 participants
• they were both alike
• one and the same
• in close proximity
• completely unanimous
• just exactly
• summarise briefly
• the reason is because
• due to the fact that
• each and every
• basically, precisely, definately, actually, generally, kind of

Transition, connecting or linking words and phrases ("signposts") tell the reader where the argument is going and what is coming next; essential for indicating flow of logic and argument. As you read you'll notice these signposts guiding the way. Use the list below to find the right word or phrase to connect, transition, or link the points in your writing.

• Time links: then, next, while, since and after.
• Cause and effect links: consequently, therefore, as a result.
• Addition Links: furthermore, moreover, similarly, in addition.
• Contrast Links: conversely, but, however, although, nevertheless, and whereas.
• Adding to a point already made: also, moreover, furthermore, again, further, in addition, besides, above all, too, as well as, either, neither...nor, not only...but also, similarly, correspondingly, in the same way, indeed, in fact, with respect to, and regarding.
• Writing in lists: first(ly), secondly(ly), third(ly), another, yet another, in addition, finally, to begin with, in the second place, moreover, additionally, also, next, then, and to conclude, lastly and finally.
• Putting the same idea in a different way: in other words, rather, or, better, in that case, to put it (more) simply, in view of this, with this in mind, to look at this another way.
• Introducing examples: that is to say, in other words, for example, for instance, namely, an example of this, and, as follows, as in the following examples, such as, including, especially, particularly, in particular, notably, chiefly, mainly and mostly.
• Introducing an alternative point: by contrast, another way of viewing this is, alternatively, again, rather, one alternative is, another possibility is, on the one hand...on the other hand, conversely, in comparison, on the contrary, in fact, though and although.
• Returning to emphasise your earlier viewpoint: however, nonetheless, in the final analysis, despite x, notwithstanding x, in spite of x, while x may be true, nonetheless, although, though, after all, at the same time, on the other hand, all the same, even if x is true, although x may have a good point.
• Showing the results of something: therefore, accordingly, as a result, so (then), it can be seen that, the result from this, consequently, now, we can see, then, that, it is evident that, because of this, thus, hence, for this reason, owing to x, this suggests that, it follows that, in other words, otherwise, in that case and that implies.
• Summing up or concluding: therefore, so, in short, in conclusion, to conclude, in all, on the whole, to summarise, to sum up briefly, in brief, altogether, overall, thus and thus we can see that.