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Three common grammar mistakes in academic English
In this post I would like to share three mistakes that I see very often in my proofreading. 1 Use of the with nouns used in a general sense Incorrect:…
Effective motivation letters I – tips, approach and principles
Motivation letters are a key part of applications for academic programmes, study abroad, scholarships, internships, academic posts, projects, research proposals and other applications in academia. Many of the principles below…
Objectivity in academic writing
Expressing an opinion in an objective way The article Merkel legacy: EU’s queen with a tarnished crown is a superb example of objectivity and hedging in an opinion piece. Even…
Academic style: formal language
Academic writing uses formal language rather than informal or colloquial language (spoken or informal language). Informal language is much more widely used, thus part of developing an academic writing style…
Consistency
is extremely important in academic English. Awareness and checking for consistency is key since consistency may not be as important in continental styles and thus writers may forget to…
Academic style: nominalisation
In the post Academic style: being concise and precise I mentioned nominalisation. Nominalisation means changing verbs to nouns. It is often more concise, while tending to lead to more complex…
The practical benefits of learning Anglo-Saxon style 2: obtaining grants
Using the concrete example of a unit in the European Commission, this post aims to provide insight into how one grant-giving body works in practice and why using an Anglo-Saxon…
Signpost language in introductions
Continental writers often find the extensive use of signpost language in Anglo-Saxon academic writing surprising. Examples of signpost language include phrases such as This paper will explore how…; This study…
Paragraph structure
Paragraphs in academic papers should consist of 4 basic parts. Each part has a specific function. This method of structuring paragraphs derives in part from the following key concepts of…
Oxford Grammar for EAP
is an excellent resource for developing academic writing skills. Even academic writers with a few minutes per day or per week can learn new skills and…