Whether you are writing for an academic or general online readership, words are the only tools you have to express and present your ideas to your readers. If you use them well, you will produce impactful pieces of writing. But if you misuse them, you will produce lame and blunt writings. In this discussion, we shall share ideas that will help you to select and use them effectively. Remain with this https://yourwriters.net/blog/how-to-write-a-term-paper-for-college post up to the end to learn more.
- Select and use words you know
The first rule that should guide your word choice criteria is your familiarity with the words you intend to use in your writing pieces. If you do not know the meaning of a word and how best to use it in its context, it is advisable to stop using it until you have established these facts. If you make the mistake of using unfamiliar words, you are setting yourself for misunderstanding and you will mock yourself by parading your ignorance.
- Don’tbecometoo “big”
The “big words syndrome” is one of the things you need to avoid when using words to reach out to your readers. Do not fall into this trap and try to impress your readers with a false aura of “authority, expertise, and mastery.” On the contrary, when you use words that are unnecessarily unclear, hence forcing your readers to look get back to their dictionaries after every two sentences, be sure that you will lose their attention and interest.
Look at these two sentences and judge for yourself which one you would prefer to read:
“The couple which had lately joined the matrimonial bliss and bandwagon gave us a magnanimous aviation that bestowed upon us a reminiscent picture of the homogenous link we have to a common genealogical cradle”
We can rephrase this “big word” sentence to read like this:
“Our newlywed relatives gave us a warm welcome that reminded us of our common ancestry.”
In the first example we looked at, you will not impress the reader. On the contrary, the sentence is twice longer than the second one and it is twice more difficult to understand. This way, you are only distressing your readers with unnecessary complexity.
- Usethedictionarycarefully
Even though the dictionary is a rich source words, be careful how you apply the words you learn from there. The reason is that if you read it like a parrot without assimilating the meanings of words in their usage contexts, you can end up misleading your readers. This rule applies more when dealing with synonyms because some words may be synonymous but giving them a blanket application can deny your readers the exact meaning of what you are saying. For example, the word “publication” has many shades of meanings, and you need to be specific when applying it. If you intend to tell your readers about a journal, the word publication is too wide because even though a journal is a publication, not every publication is a journal.
- Whenindoubt, trybrainstorming
Another way of arriving at the most appropriate wordings when writing is brainstorming over several related words if you are not sure how impactful a particular word is. For instance, if you are unsure about the appropriateness of the word “dubious,” you can list it along its cousins such as “suspicious, questionable…” before coming up with the best word that fits the context of what you want to say.
- When communicating to a formal audience, avoid slang
Another factor to consider in your word choice in academic writing idea that will help you to select and use impactful words in your writings is avoidingslang. Slang may communicate a message when writing to an informal audience. But if your readership requires formal seriousness, just look for the right substitutes. Instead of talking about “bucks,” just say money or cash.
● Test the appropriateness of your wordings
If you have done your part but still feel that there is a need to get more clarity of the appropriateness of your writing’s wordings, give the document to another person to read it. Ask them to look for any words or phrases they find confusing or difficult to understand by your target audience. This way, it will be easy to understand where and how you error, and hence, make the necessary adjustments.
● Use the words your users read
Lastly, your selection of words needs to have your readers in mind. While using words you understand is important, you also need to ensure that your readers also understand and can relate to them too.
Words are powerful tools for communicating to your readers. When you select and use them, pay attention to their appropriateness, your understanding of their meanings and usage, and your readers’ familiarity with them. Thisway, yourwritingswillbemoreimpactful.
