Using impersonal language

In the previous Step Dr Parvaneh Tavakoli mentioned that the type of language used in academic writing and its level of complexity vary from one discipline to another. Despite this variation, there are a number of characteristics of academic writing that apply in most contexts.

One of the common characteristics is the use of impersonal language. In some types of academic writing, the use of “I”, “my”, “you”, “your”, “we” and “our” is acceptable, but in most cases, and particularly in scientific writing, these forms tend to be avoided. There are a number of ways this can be done.

Using passive structures

One way to avoid these forms is to use passive structures. Research (Biber et al, 2002) has shown that passive structures are proportionately more common in scientific texts than in other types of academic writing. You’ll find that passive structures are particularly common in scientific writing when procedures are discussed, eg;

Estimates of pasture grass yield at the first cut were made over Tochigi prefecture in central Japan, using LANDSAT/MSS data collected on May 22, 1979. The analysis was conducted by attempting first land-use classification to identify pasture and meadows. Secondly, multiple regression analysis was performed to estimate the yield of the first cutting in each pasture plot. To design the regression model, 26 plots with known yield data were prepared in advance.”

Akiyama, T., Inoue, Y., Shibayama, M., Awaya, Y., & Tanaka, N. (1996). Monitoring and predicting crop growth and analysing agricultural ecosystems by remote sensing. Agricultural and Food Science, 5(3), 367-376.

It is claimed that…

It is widely acknowledged that ….

Using adjectives and adverbs to reveal your own perspective

There is compelling evidence for …..

Interestingly, this change in attitude has….

However, there are several important issues which need to be addressed in the current review of the history curriculum in English schools. Perhaps the most important of these is pupil entitlement to a historical education. The present system, whereby pupils can stop studying history at the age of 13, and where pupils from more affluent backgrounds receive a much more extensive historical education than those from poorer backgrounds is difficult to defend in a political system where all young people will have the right to vote and to exercise their choices and preferences as citizens [36].

Haydn, T. (2012). History in Schools and the Problem of “The Nation” Education Sciences 2:4 276–289.

Use of noun phrases

They sold more cars last year. (verb + noun)

Sales of cars increased last year. (noun phrase)

There is a danger that curriculum reform driven by politicians, government selected academic historians and right-wing think-tanks, combined with the exclusion or marginalisation of history education professionals (history teachers and history teacher educators) may be overly influenced by ideological concerns, and …..

(Haydn, ibid.)

Using it is + adjective and there is/are + noun

It is clear that ….

It is interesting to note that…

There is little evidence that…

There are a number of issues….

Now it’s your turn

The fragmentary, disjointed and unbalanced nature of the current subject content within the history curriculum, which leaves pupils without a coherent ‘mental map’ of the past [40, 73] also needs to be addressed. The sometimes inchoate and vague approach to the development of pupils’ ‘historical skills’ also needs to be considered.

Find

• two examples of passive structures

• a very long noun phrase

• six examples of adjectives that reveal the author’s viewpoint.

Post your answers to the comments below.

Once you’ve posted your suggestions in the comment area, have a look at this PDF with our answer. In the next Step, you’ll look at another characteristic of academic writing; cautious language.

Reference

Biber, D., Conrad, S., & Leech, G. N. (2002). Longman Student Grammar of Spoken and Written English. Harlow, Essex: Longman.