What is Fluff in Academic Writing and How Do You Avoid It?

Dear Student,

Do you ever see the words “fluff” or “redundant” in remarks from your professors and wonder what they mean? Whether your answer is yes or no to the above question, you are in luck today because this email focuses on how you can ensure that you don’t get such comments again.

In today’s advice, I’ll describe fluff in academic writing and then present some tips on avoiding it.

What is Fluff in Academic Writing?

In writing, the term fluff means unnecessary words. It also denotes off-topic content. The main challenge with fluff is that it buries the important stuff inside the unnecessary content, making your paper hard to read.

So, it doesn’t matter how well you know what you are writing about; if the fluff in your paper bores the marker, you will likely get fewer marks than you deserve.

Let me give you an example of fluff in a sentence:

  • The main aim of this email is to completely and fully answer the questions: What is fluff in academic writing, and how do you avoid it?

All the 27 words in this sentence contribute nothing to the email. Why?

  • We already know the topic, so it is unnecessary to repeat it.
  • The terms main, fully, and completely do not practically mean anything.
  • Completely and fully mean the same thing.
  • The sentence is hard to read and awkward.

How Do You Avoid Fluff?

Now that you know what fluff is, let’s see how you can avoid it:

Plan Your Paper

Start by reading the assignment brief carefully and identifying the terms and concepts it emphasises. This will ensure that you remain on-topic all the time and avoid any fluff from the beginning. Remember, you’ll never have to remove fluff if you didn’t create it in the first place.

Know What You Want To Say

Fluff often results from a writer who doesn’t fully understand what they are writing about. Therefore, start by reading widely on the topic you want to write about. This will ensure that you always write in a concise and straightforward manner.

Consider the Word Count

When the guidelines provide a word count, the people who created the task know how many words will be sufficient to make the desired point. If you notice that your essay has more words than stipulated, the extra words are probably fluff.

The UKWriters College has a valuable resource on removing fluff and reducing your word count.

We Can Help

For many students who speak English as a second language, it can be challenging to identify and reduce fluff in their writing. We can help you get rid of any fluff in your writing.

Contact us today for a no-obligation sample