“If-then”: Using Conditional Sentences in Academic Writing
Conditional sentences are statements of an “if-then” or “unless-then” situation (although “then” is not used), or a probability. These sentences present situations and their…
Browsing Category
Language & Grammar
Easy-to-understand guidelines on academic language & grammar
What Are the Preferred Gender-Neutral Pronouns in Academic Writing?
Choosing the right pronoun for instances where a person’s gender is unknown or does not conform to the social norms is a topic that has been much discussed and debated. English…
Alike and Same: What Is the Difference?
Have you ever struggled to find the right word while framing a sentence? Well, you are not alone here! We often get confused while using words in sentence that have similar meaning…
Therefore or However? Making Effective Use of Transitional Words & Phrases in Academic Writing
A good paper is well structured and provides a coherent, clear flow of ideas. The writer should show how each idea relates to the other ideas that are discussed before and after…
Better Vs. Best: Using Comparatives and Superlatives Correctly
Adjectives are words that describe another word. Comparatives are simply adjectives used to compare two things in terms of a specific shared quality. They take three…
Correct Usage of Quotation Marks in Academic Writing
The correct use of quotation marks can be confusing for authors, especially those whose primary language is not English (ESL authors). Quotation marks are used to show that the…
8 Easy Steps to Build Your Vocabulary
Academic writers are expected (maybe, unfairly) to have a larger vocabulary than those outside their field of expertise. Publishers often have restrictions on the number of pages…
Understanding The Difference Between Number and Amount
The words “number” and “amount” are used to describe how many or how much of something is present. A research report might include information on the number of participants in the…
Mastering the Art of Brackets: A guide to proper use in academic writing
Specific paired punctuation refers to a type of punctuation that occurs in pairs and is used to enclose or separate text within a sentence. These paired punctuations such as…
How to Use Ellipses in APA Style
An ellipsis is a series of three periods (also called “ellipsis points” or “ellipsis dots”) that are used to replace missing or purposely omitted text. In most cases, an ellipsis…
Avoiding Redundancy and Improving Readability in Research Writing
Have you ever picked up a research article, only to put it down again before you have finished reading the first page? The research is interesting, but the manuscript is not well…
Do Idioms Improve or Detract from Academic Writing?
When you think of popular English idioms—hit the nail on the head, kick the bucket, the last straw, see eye to eye, and so on—and examine the possible usage, you will find that…