PREFACE
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
Home > Chapter 1: What is Academic English?
Chapter 1: What is Academic English?
1b: General Features of Academic English
Academic texts are characterised by a specific style with the following four features:
i) formality
ii) objectivity
iii) precision
iv) technicality
ii) Objectivity
Tone
Academic texts usually adopt an objective and impersonal tone which makes them sound unbiased or persuasive to the audience. In academic texts, evaluations and judgements are usually presented based on findings or evidence. Personal feelings and opinions, emotional adjectives and intensifiers (i.e. adverbs that add force to other expressions) should be avoided.
Activity 3
The text in the box is neither objective nor impersonal. Identify three words that need to be replaced with reference to the reasons provided.
The respondents were thrilled by the proposal. I believe they will definitely support the campaign.
| Words to be replaced | Reasons for replacement |
|---|---|
  |
avoid using emotional words |
| |
avoid using 1st and 2nd person pronouns |
| |
avoid using strong adverbs or intensifiers |
Read the text above again. Rewrite it to sound more objective.
