Avoiding informal language in academic writing
- 1. 4. AVOIDING INFORMAL LANGUAGE IN ACADEMIC WRITING When writing a paper, you want to communicate to your reader that you have thought carefully about your ideas. If you write in an informal style that reminds the reader of a casual conversation, your reader may not take your ideas as seriously. It is important to edit your paper for language that is informal. INFORMAL LANGUAGE TO EDIT HOW TO MAKE LANGUAGE MORE FORMAL Generalizations „ Criminals are dangerous. „ Americans are overweight. Be more specific „ Violent criminals can be dangerous. „ Two-thirds of Americans are overweight. Vague language „ School is a big thing in my life. „ They arrested some people at the march. „ Drinking while driving is bad. Use more specific words „ School is an important part of my life. „ They arrested some protesters at the march. „ Drinking while driving is dangerous. Using “you” instead of a specific person/group „ When you work with a patient who is very ill, you need to be patient. Replace “you” with a specific person/group „ When nurses work with a patient who is very ill, they need to be patient. Informal words and expressions „ My aunt has a lot of kids. „ The criminal justice system is messed up. Use more formal words „ My aunt has many children. „ The criminal justice system has serious problems. Phrasal verbs used in conversation „ I looked up information about nursing positions. Replace with a one-word verb „ I researched information about nursing positions. Contractions „ Many patients don’t listen to their doctors. Remove the contraction „ Many patients do not listen to their doctors. Incomplete sentences (Fragments) „ I chose to attend a CUNY college. Because it is near my home. Join the fragment to a complete sentence „ I chose to attend a CUNY college because it is near my home. Created in 2007 at the Center for English Language Support, John Jay College, on a U.S. Department of Education (Title V Collaborative) Grant awarded to John Jay College of Criminal Justice and Queensborough Community College. Page 1 of 2
- 2. EXERCISE 1 (Have a tutor help you.) 1. Identify the different types of informal language in the following paragraph. 2. Follow the instructions to make the language more formal. Americans disagree whether the death penalty is a bad idea or not. Some people don’t think that the death penalty is humane, while many conservatives believe that it’s fair punishment for killing someone, even if the murderer is under 18 years old.. I believe the death penalty is a good way to stop kids from killing each other. Nobody would commit a crime. When you find out that guys you know have been fried for a crime. 1. IDENTIFY THE INFORMAL LANGUAGE 2. MAKE THE LANGUAGE MORE FORMAL Generalizations Be more specific Vague language Use more specific words Using “you” instead of a specific person/group Replace with a specific person/group Informal words and expressions Use more formal words Phrasal verbs used in conversation Replace with a one-word verb Contractions Remove the contraction Incomplete sentences (Fragments) Join the fragment to a complete sentence EXERCISE 2 (Do this by yourself or have a tutor help you.) 1. Review a paper you have written. 2. Underline all the language that is too informal, and make a note about why the language is too informal (e.g., the language is vague; the sentence is incomplete). 3. Then, rewrite the sentences with the informal language to make them more formal. Created in 2007 at the Center for English Language Support, John Jay College, on a U.S. Department of Education (Title V Collaborative) Grant awarded to John Jay College of Criminal Justice and Queensborough Community College. Page 2 of 2