however synonym academic writing

however synonym academic writing

The Importance of Using Synonyms in Academic Writing

1. Introduction

It is the purpose of this essay to explain the varied importance of using synonyms in academic writing. The need to write precisely, or word to exact meaning, is fundamental to following any doctrine of academic study. Almost certainly, this stems from the student’s desire to obtain the highest possible marks in relation to the amount of work they put in. No student wants to see a piece of work returned which is covered in red pen (or its Microsoft Word equivalent) and the universal symbol of misunderstanding – the question mark. Commonly referred to as editing, the final procedure issued out on any written piece, whether it is an essay or a scientific report, is the most essential, yet possibly the most undervalued. The volume of red pen that ends up on the aforementioned essay can be quite overwhelming, given the scrupulousness of many markers. Hence, the edit can end up changing vast portions of work that the student feels is already at a high standard. The prospect of having to rewrite sections of work can be daunting and, for the most part, vexing. But it is a great deal less troublesome if a limited vocabulary is not the cause of the errors found. This article will prove this statement correct, as it becomes evident that the ability to use language fluently and accurately is connected to having a wide range of vocabulary and the skill to use synonyms effectively.

2. Benefits of Using Synonyms

So if a writer wishes to avoid the use of a familiar word, he must often pause to consider what it is that he really means, or to recall to mind some word that he has met with in reading. For he will have no success in searching for a word of which the more exact meaning is not already present to his mind; the word and the idea must be found together. Now there is no better way of helping him to remember the exact meaning of a word than by setting before him, in the thesaurus form, a list of a few words more or less nearly synonymous with it, and there is no better way of storing in his memory the various shades of meaning that distinguish two even though the subject is now habitually ignored – than by committing to memory some short list of instances in which the two have been seen to be different.

If teachers advise you to use a variety of words and phrases in your essays, how can synonyms be of any use to you? Sometimes what a word means is not felt the same way by all people; precisely what is wanted is a word that will discharge its full meaning in a given context. The first of the benefits of using synonyms is that they serve to show the exact shades of meaning of the word. The finer distinctions between the significations of one word and of another nearly resemble each other, or between different uses of the same word, are often, for various reasons, of considerable importance.

3. Strategies for Incorporating Synonyms

Using a thesaurus is a well-known technique and needs no explanation. However, it should be borne in mind that the lists of synonyms given cannot always be directly translated to the word being replaced. An English-English dictionary may need to be used in conjunction. Step-by-step editions of many thesauruses are also available. These are useful if the user is still unfamiliar with many words.

Acquiring quality dictionaries and thesauruses can be seen as a basic step in learning to find more synonyms. There are vast ranges of English language dictionaries. English learner’s dictionaries are also recommended as these give more explanation of meaning and context. In addition to this, there are now many corpus databases that can be accessed through the internet. These are useful because they show how words are actually used in certain phrases. It could be said that this is more reliable than the example sentences given in a dictionary. For example, when translating into English, a Japanese person may use a word that he knows, but this doesn’t mean it is the appropriate word in that context. In this situation, an English learner’s dictionary or corpus database may come out as more precise.

There are numerous techniques that can be employed when searching for synonyms of words and phrases in order to produce an academic text of a more refined quality. It should be remembered that not all synonyms are the same in meaning. To word phrase into comprehensible academic English, first choose a more specific synonym. Generic synonyms should be avoided.

4. Common Mistakes to Avoid

Using the same word over and over can get quite annoying. But it’s not only about annoying the reader; it’s also about the risk of the writer coming across as someone who lacks knowledge of vocabulary. The sentence “At this time we were shown the different research projects that were being carried out” scored very high for the Disastrous category due to the use of “were” and “research”. A score so high would mean that the reader would assume that the study was done surreptitiously and might likely involve undercover work. This does show the sentence could have been interpreted in a different way than what was intended. A much improved score was achieved with, “Initially, we were briefed on the various research projects taking place at the time.” The use of “various” was enough to slightly change the meaning of what was written and avoid commitment of changing it right or wrong. “Briefed on” was considered a much better choice of verb than “shown”. The best possible score was achieved with, “At first we were given an insight into the array of research projects being undertaken.” This is slightly different from the original sentence and takes it to a different level of understanding with “insight” and “array”. This is a good example of the power of synonyms. Even if a sentence is rated at a lower level, it may be easier to comprehend than a higher-rated sentence. At Wordvice, we believe that a complex concept does not necessarily need to be explained with complex language, and this example serves as evidence to support this. While it is unrealistic to expect people to maintain the highest levels of written communication at all times, using our proofreading and editing services will certainly help people to reduce the number of errors they make with extensive help and tutelage. By taking a little extra time to assimilate and understand the reasons behind our corrections, you too can learn to avoid these mistakes and improve your writing skills.

5. Conclusion

In conclusion, the use of synonyms in academic writing is not merely encouraged; it is a necessity. It is a mark of a good writer if he can express complicated ideas in a simple way. It is the ability to recount something in a profound way that delineates a writer from someone who’s just documenting information. Choosing the appropriate word is usually hard, particularly one that doesn’t change the meaning of the sentence. In many cases, the word will be an abstract one like aspect, feature, level, type, etc. As an art and as a science, the usage of these words should be taught and practiced. Writing that is precise and to the point is harder to write, but usually more rewarding given that the probability of misunderstandings is less. As well as teaching students twists and turns of the language, synonym usage can be used when editing, and this is a crucial skill. Students are taught to read through and change weak choice of words, and this can be identified using a thesaurus. Proofreading an essay is often seen as a tedious and repetitive task, but it is an important one as it ensures clarity. Editing an essay and enhancing it with more sophisticated synonyms can also be the key to changing C level work into A level work. This transformation comes through practice and an understanding, but synonym usage is a highly effective method to quickly improve any written work.