| 
Grammatical structures
- In general, it is best to avoid contractions (note that they are becoming acceptable in some disciplines):
- Some negative forms are more formal than others (hint: the less formal ones usually occur with contractions):
- Limit the use of expressions like and so forth, etc. It is better to be explicit.
- Avoid addressing the reader as you.
- It is best to limit the use of direct questions. They are more widely used in some disciplines than in others.
- Place adverbs within the verb.
| The central bank chairman predicted that a devaluation wouldn't take place. |  |
The central bank chairman predicted that a devaluation would not take place. |
| Informal | Formal |
|---|---|
|
not… any The subjects didn't experience any negative effects from the procedure. |
no The subjects experienced no negative effects from the procedure. |
|
not… much There hasn't been much research on this topic. |
little There has been little research on this topic. |
|
not… many This line of research has not produced many results. |
few This line of research has produced few results. |
| Analysis involves using summaries, coding etc. to select, focus and simplify data. | |
Analysis involves using summaries, coding and other techniques to select, focus and simplify data. |
| You can find support for this proposition in several studies. | |
Support for this proposition can be found in several studies. |
| What are the indications of a robust trading strategy? | |
The indications of a robust trading strategy are:… or It is important/useful to consider what the indications of a robust trading strategy are. |
| In this section, first I will discuss how commercial buildings can be built in economical ways | |
In this section, I will first discuss how commercial buildings can be built in economical ways. |
| Then any underlying causes can be identified and adressed. | |
Any underlying causes can then be identified and adressed. |
Adapted from Swales & Feak, 2004 pp. 22-23
See how good you are at identifying 'un-academic' language. Click on the words and phrases in this piece of writing from the Web that you think are informal or idiomatic.
Take a sales person who is really churning out the sales. They have surpassed their all-time best results, and are riding the wave of success. Watch them operate. They don't stop to fool around. They grab that phone and make one more call. Everything they touch turns to success. They can't seem to do a thing wrong.
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Now try rewriting the passage in a more formal, academic style.
This is one possible way of rewriting the passage:
When observing the behaviour of staff who achieve a high volume of sales, it can be seen that they waste no time, but seize every opportunity to make contact with potential customers. All their efforts seem to be rewarded with success.
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Take a sales person who is really churning out the sales. They have surpassed their all-time best results, and are riding the wave of success. Watch them operate. They don't stop to fool around. They grab that phone and make one more call. Everything they touch turns to success. They can't seem to do a thing wrong.