How to Master Academic Vocabulary and Use it in Your Writing

Dear Student,

As a student, you can only show your understanding of what you’ve learned when you describe it in your own words. To do so, you need to assemble a considerable amount of academic vocabulary.

In today’s email, I focus on what the phrase academic vocabulary means. I will also provide some of the most common academic words every student should know.

What is Academic Vocabulary?

Academic vocabulary denotes words or phrases traditionally associated with academic text or discourse. Such terms or phrases are not commonly used in day-to-day or informal writing or conversation. You will find this type of language in contexts related to learning, such as classrooms, textbooks, and assignments.

Compared to our daily language, academic language is more challenging and complex. The publisher of academic books and journals, Sage, has a comprehensive article on academic vocabulary.

Why is it Important to Acquire Academic Vocabulary?

You need to acquire as many academic words as possible because your success in your education is directly linked to how well you can use words that describe what you have learned.

While academic language is easier to acquire for those who speak English as a mother tongue, second language speakers can struggle. Therefore, to close the gap between the first-language speakers of English and those who speak it as a second language, the latter needs to make a deliberate effort to learn academic language.

Since academic documents and books use academic language, students must understand these words to complete tasks successfully. For example, if you do not understand the difference between describe and analyse, you will have challenges answering a question that includes such words.

How to Acquire Academic Vocabulary

Even as a second-language speaker of English, you can acquire academic vocabulary and improve your marks. Here are some tips on how you can do this:

• Read a lot: When you expose yourself to academic texts, including books, research papers, and journal articles, your academic vocabulary will improve.
• Create a vocabulary list: Keep a special journal to record new words and their meanings.
• Use technology: Check out language learning apps online that allow you to customise your learning based on your subject.
• Participate in discussions: Don’t be held back by the prospect of making mistakes when participating in academic discussions; the more you practice, the more vocabulary you gain.
• Ask for feedback: Share your writing with other students and professors and ask for feedback.

If you are struggling with academic writing, at Virtual English Teacher, we have editors who can help you efficiently use academic vocabulary in your papers.

Contact us today for a free, no-obligation sample of your text.