Writing concisely shows respect for your reader’s time and attention and keeps you under your word count! Here are some tips for eliminating excess wordiness and crafting strong, concise sentences that communicate your ideas effectively and clearly, without unnecessary filler.
Use plain language
Avoid complex words or jargon when simpler words will do.
Example
Instead of saying “utilize,” you can simply say “use.” Avoid phrasal (two-or-more words) verbs like “look for” and “talk about” in favour of strong, one-word academic verbs like “examine” and “discuss.”
Edit yourself
Avoid unnecessary fillers that do not add any meaningful content to your writing.
Example
Words like “very” and “somewhat” don’t usually add value and can be removed without changing meaning.
Be precise
Be specific to convey your ideas effectively and reduce the need for additional explanation. Academic writing prefers concrete language and examples.
Example
Instead of saying “a large number of,” write the exact quantity if it will help illustrate to your reader how “large” the number is.
Combine sentences
Eliminate unnecessary repetition and improve the flow of your writing.
Example
Instead of writing “The experiment was conducted. The results were significant,” you can write, “The experiment produced significant results.” This is a good option when your sentences are fairly short.
Use active voice
If your discipline prefers it, and if the “actor” or “do-er” of the sentence’s action is known and relevant.
Example
A passive voice sentence like “Trends in climate change effects in BC were analyzed in a 2024 study” can be changed to “Smith et al. (2024) analyzed trends in climate change effects in BC.” This is especially important in writing about the results of other authors’ research and giving appropriate credit.
Edit without mercy by reviewing your draft with a critical eye. Remove any unnecessary words, phrases, or sentences. Ask yourself if each word contributes to your argument or if it can be omitted. Enlisting the help of a CAC writing consultant or a tool like Quillbot or ChatGPT might be useful at this point for suggestions on how to reduce word count and cut excess verbiage.
To learn more about this topic and to get help
Book a free in-person or online appointment with an academic skills advisor at the Academic Skills Centre!