academic phrases for research paper

50 Useful Academic Words & Phrases for Research

Like all good writing, writing an academic paper takes a certain level of skill to express your ideas and arguments in a way that is natural and that meets a level of academic sophistication. The terms, expressions, and phrases you use in your research paper must be of an appropriate level to be submitted to academic journals.

Therefore, authors need to know which verbs , nouns , and phrases to apply to create a paper that is not only easy to understand, but which conveys an understanding of academic conventions. Using the correct terminology and usage shows journal editors and fellow researchers that you are a competent writer and thinker, while using non-academic language might make them question your writing ability, as well as your critical reasoning skills.

What are academic words and phrases?

One way to understand what constitutes good academic writing is to read a lot of published research to find patterns of usage in different contexts. However, it may take an author countless hours of reading and might not be the most helpful advice when faced with an upcoming deadline on a manuscript draft.

Briefly, “academic” language includes terms, phrases, expressions, transitions, and sometimes symbols and abbreviations that help the pieces of an academic text fit together. When writing an academic text–whether it is a book report, annotated bibliography, research paper, research poster, lab report, research proposal, thesis, or manuscript for publication–authors must follow academic writing conventions. You can often find handy academic writing tips and guidelines by consulting the style manual of the text you are writing (i.e., APA Style , MLA Style , or Chicago Style ).

However, sometimes it can be helpful to have a list of academic words and expressions like the ones in this article to use as a “cheat sheet” for substituting the better term in a given context.

How to Choose the Best Academic Terms

You can think of writing “academically” as writing in a way that conveys one’s meaning effectively but concisely. For instance, while the term “take a look at” is a perfectly fine way to express an action in everyday English, a term like “analyze” would certainly be more suitable in most academic contexts. It takes up fewer words on the page and is used much more often in published academic papers.

You can use one handy guideline when choosing the most academic term: When faced with a choice between two different terms, use the Latinate version of the term. Here is a brief list of common verbs versus their academic counterparts:

)
add up calculate
carry out execute
find out discover
pass out distribute
ask questions about interrogate
make sense of interpret
pass on distribute

Although this can be a useful tip to help academic authors, it can be difficult to memorize dozens of Latinate verbs. Using an AI paraphrasing tool or proofreading tool can help you instantly find more appropriate academic terms, so consider using such revision tools while you draft to improve your writing.

Top 50 Words and Phrases for Different Sections in a Research Paper

The “Latinate verb rule” is just one tool in your arsenal of academic writing, and there are many more out there. But to make the process of finding academic language a bit easier for you, we have compiled a list of 50 vital academic words and phrases, divided into specific categories and use cases, each with an explanation and contextual example.

Best Words and Phrases to use in an Introduction section

1. historically.

An adverb used to indicate a time perspective, especially when describing the background of a given topic.

2. In recent years

A temporal marker emphasizing recent developments, often used at the very beginning of your Introduction section.

3. It is widely acknowledged that

A “form phrase” indicating a broad consensus among researchers and/or the general public. Often used in the literature review section to build upon a foundation of established scientific knowledge.

4. There has been growing interest in

Highlights increasing attention to a topic and tells the reader why your study might be important to this field of research.

5. Preliminary observations indicate

Shares early insights or findings while hedging on making any definitive conclusions. Modal verbs like may , might , and could are often used with this expression.

6. This study aims to

Describes the goal of the research and is a form phrase very often used in the research objective or even the hypothesis of a research paper .

7. Despite its significance

Highlights the importance of a matter that might be overlooked. It is also frequently used in the rationale of the study section to show how your study’s aim and scope build on previous studies.

8. While numerous studies have focused on

Indicates the existing body of work on a topic while pointing to the shortcomings of certain aspects of that research. Helps focus the reader on the question, “What is missing from our knowledge of this topic?” This is often used alongside the statement of the problem in research papers.

9. The purpose of this research is

A form phrase that directly states the aim of the study.

10. The question arises (about/whether)

Poses a query or research problem statement for the reader to acknowledge.

Best Words and Phrases for Clarifying Information

11. in other words.

Introduces a synopsis or the rephrasing of a statement for clarity. This is often used in the Discussion section statement to explain the implications of the study .

12. That is to say

Provides clarification, similar to “in other words.”

13. To put it simply

Simplifies a complex idea, often for a more general readership.

14. To clarify

Specifically indicates to the reader a direct elaboration of a previous point.

15. More specifically

Narrows down a general statement from a broader one. Often used in the Discussion section to clarify the meaning of a specific result.

16. To elaborate

Expands on a point made previously.

17. In detail

Indicates a deeper dive into information.

Points out specifics. Similar meaning to “specifically” or “especially.”

19. This means that

Explains implications and/or interprets the meaning of the Results section .

20. Moreover

Expands a prior point to a broader one that shows the greater context or wider argument.

Best Words and Phrases for Giving Examples

21. for instance.

Provides a specific case that fits into the point being made.

22. As an illustration

Demonstrates a point in full or in part.

23. To illustrate

Shows a clear picture of the point being made.

24. For example

Presents a particular instance. Same meaning as “for instance.”

25. Such as

Lists specifics that comprise a broader category or assertion being made.

26. Including

Offers examples as part of a larger list.

27. Notably

Adverb highlighting an important example. Similar meaning to “especially.”

28. Especially

Adverb that emphasizes a significant instance.

29. In particular

Draws attention to a specific point.

30. To name a few

Indicates examples than previously mentioned are about to be named.

Best Words and Phrases for Comparing and Contrasting

31. however.

Introduces a contrasting idea.

32. On the other hand

Highlights an alternative view or fact.

33. Conversely

Indicates an opposing or reversed idea to the one just mentioned.

34. Similarly

Shows likeness or parallels between two ideas, objects, or situations.

35. Likewise

Indicates agreement with a previous point.

36. In contrast

Draws a distinction between two points.

37. Nevertheless

Introduces a contrasting point, despite what has been said.

38. Whereas

Compares two distinct entities or ideas.

Indicates a contrast between two points.

Signals an unexpected contrast.

Best Words and Phrases to use in a Conclusion section

41. in conclusion.

Signifies the beginning of the closing argument.

42. To sum up

Offers a brief summary.

43. In summary

Signals a concise recap.

44. Ultimately

Reflects the final or main point.

45. Overall

Gives a general concluding statement.

Indicates a resulting conclusion.

Demonstrates a logical conclusion.

48. Therefore

Connects a cause and its effect.

49. It can be concluded that

Clearly states a conclusion derived from the data.

50. Taking everything into consideration

Reflects on all the discussed points before concluding.

Edit Your Research Terms and Phrases Before Submission

Using these phrases in the proper places in your research papers can enhance the clarity, flow, and persuasiveness of your writing, especially in the Introduction section and Discussion section, which together make up the majority of your paper’s text in most academic domains.

However, it's vital to ensure each phrase is contextually appropriate to avoid redundancy or misinterpretation. As mentioned at the top of this article, the best way to do this is to 1) use an AI text editor , free AI paraphrasing tool or AI proofreading tool while you draft to enhance your writing, and 2) consult a professional proofreading service like Wordvice, which has human editors well versed in the terminology and conventions of the specific subject area of your academic documents.

For more detailed information on using AI tools to write a research paper and the best AI tools for research , check out the Wordvice AI Blog .

Have a language expert improve your writing

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  • Transition Words & Phrases | List & Examples

Transition Words & Phrases | List & Examples

Published on May 29, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on August 23, 2023.

Transition words and phrases (also called linking words, connecting words, or transitional words) are used to link together different ideas in your text. They help the reader to follow your arguments by expressing the relationships between different sentences or parts of a sentence.

The proposed solution to the problem did not work. Therefore , we attempted a second solution. However , this solution was also unsuccessful.

For clear writing, it’s essential to understand the meaning of transition words and use them correctly.

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Table of contents

When and how to use transition words, types and examples of transition words, common mistakes with transition words, other interesting articles.

Transition words commonly appear at the start of a new sentence or clause (followed by a comma ), serving to express how this clause relates to the previous one.

Transition words can also appear in the middle of a clause. It’s important to place them correctly to convey the meaning you intend.

Example text with and without transition words

The text below describes all the events it needs to, but it does not use any transition words to connect them. Because of this, it’s not clear exactly how these different events are related or what point the author is making by telling us about them.

If we add some transition words at appropriate moments, the text reads more smoothly and the relationship among the events described becomes clearer.

Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939. Consequently , France and the United Kingdom declared war on Germany. The Soviet Union initially worked with Germany in order to partition Poland. However , Germany invaded the Soviet Union in 1941.

Don’t overuse transition words

While transition words are essential to clear writing, it’s possible to use too many of them. Consider the following example, in which the overuse of linking words slows down the text and makes it feel repetitive.

In this case the best way to fix the problem is to simplify the text so that fewer linking words are needed.

The key to using transition words effectively is striking the right balance. It is difficult to follow the logic of a text with no transition words, but a text where every sentence begins with a transition word can feel over-explained.

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There are four main types of transition word: additive, adversative, causal, and sequential. Within each category, words are divided into several more specific functions.

Remember that transition words with similar meanings are not necessarily interchangeable. It’s important to understand the meaning of all the transition words you use. If unsure, consult a dictionary to find the precise definition.

Additive transition words

Additive transition words introduce new information or examples. They can be used to expand upon, compare with, or clarify the preceding text.

Function Example sentence Transition words and phrases
Addition We found that the mixture was effective. , it appeared to have additional effects we had not predicted. indeed, furthermore, moreover, additionally, and, also, both and , not only but also , , in fact
Introduction Several researchers have previously explored this topic. , Smith (2014) examined the effects of … such as, like, particularly, including, as an illustration, for example, for instance, in particular, to illustrate, especially, notably
Reference The solution showed a high degree of absorption. , it is reasonable to conclude that … considering , regarding , in regard to , as for , concerning , the fact that , on the subject of
Similarity It was not possible to establish a correlation between these variables. , the connection between and remains unclear … similarly, in the same way, by the same token, in like manner, equally, likewise
Clarification The patient suffered several side effects, increased appetite, decreased libido, and disordered sleep. that is (to say), namely, specifically, more precisely, in other words

Adversative transition words

Adversative transition words always signal a contrast of some kind. They can be used to introduce information that disagrees or contrasts with the preceding text.

Function Example sentence Transition words and phrases
Conflict The novel does deal with the theme of family. , its central theme is more broadly political … but, however, although, though, equally, by way of contrast, while, on the other hand, (and) yet, whereas, in contrast, (when) in fact, conversely, whereas
Concession Jones (2011) argues that the novel reflects Russian politics of the time. this is correct, other aspects of the text must also be considered. even so, nonetheless, nevertheless, even though, on the other hand, admittedly, despite , notwithstanding , (and) still, although, , regardless (of ), (and) yet, though, granted
Dismissal It remains unclear which of these hypotheses is correct. , it can be inferred that … regardless, either way, whatever the case, in any/either event, in any/either case, at any rate, all the same
Emphasis The chemical is generally thought to have corrosive properties. , several studies have supported this hypothesis. above all, indeed, more/most importantly
Replacement The character of Godfrey is often viewed as selfish, self-absorbed. (or) at least, (or) rather, instead, or (perhaps) even, if not

Causal transition words

Causal transition words are used to describe cause and effect. They can be used to express purpose, consequence, and condition.

Function Example sentence Transition words and phrases
Consequence Hitler failed to respond to the British ultimatum, France and the UK declared war on Germany. therefore, because (of ), as a result (of ), for this reason, in view of , as, owing to x, due to (the fact that), since, consequently, in consequence, as a consequence, hence, thus, so (that), accordingly, so much (so) that, under the/such circumstances, if so
Condition We qualified survey responses as positive the participant selected “agree” or “strongly agree.” , results were recorded as negative. (even/only) if/when, on (the) condition that, in the case that, granted (that), provided/providing that, in case, in the event that, as/so long as, unless, given that, being that, inasmuch/insofar as, in that case, in (all) other cases, if so/not, otherwise
Purpose We used accurate recording equipment our results would be as precise as possible. to, in order to/that, for the purpose of, in the hope that, so that, to the end that, lest, with this in mind, so as to, so that, to ensure (that)

Sequential transition words

Sequential transition words indicate a sequence, whether it’s the order in which events occurred chronologically or the order you’re presenting them in your text. They can be used for signposting in academic texts.

Function Example sentence Transition words and phrases
Enumeration This has historically had several consequences: , the conflict is not given the weight of other conflicts in historical narratives. , its causes are inadequately understood. , … first, second, third…
Initiation , I want to consider the role played by women in this period. in the first place, initially, first of all, to begin with, at first
Continuation , I discuss the way in which the country’s various ethnic minorities were affected by the conflict. subsequently, previously, eventually, next, before , afterwards, after , then
Conclusion , I consider these two themes in combination. to conclude (with), as a final point, eventually, at last, last but not least, finally, lastly
Resumption my main argument, it is clear that … to return/returning to , to resume, at any rate
Summation Patel (2015) comes to a similar conclusion. , the four studies considered here suggest a consensus that the solution is effective. as previously stated/mentioned, in summary, as I have argued, overall, as has been mentioned, to summarize, briefly, given these points, in view of , as has been noted, in conclusion, in sum, altogether, in short

Transition words are often used incorrectly. Make sure you understand the proper usage of transition words and phrases, and remember that words with similar meanings don’t necessarily work the same way grammatically.

Misused transition words can make your writing unclear or illogical. Your audience will be easily lost if you misrepresent the connections between your sentences and ideas.

Confused use of therefore

“Therefore” and similar cause-and-effect words are used to state that something is the result of, or follows logically from, the previous. Make sure not to use these words in a way that implies illogical connections.

  • We asked participants to rate their satisfaction with their work from 1 to 10. Therefore , the average satisfaction among participants was 7.5.

The use of “therefore” in this example is illogical: it suggests that the result of 7.5 follows logically from the question being asked, when in fact many other results were possible. To fix this, we simply remove the word “therefore.”

  • We asked participants to rate their satisfaction with their work from 1 to 10. The average satisfaction among participants was 7.5.

Starting a sentence with also , and , or so

While the words “also,” “and,” and “so” are used in academic writing, they are considered too informal when used at the start of a sentence.

  • Also , a second round of testing was carried out.

To fix this issue, we can either move the transition word to a different point in the sentence or use a more formal alternative.

  • A second round of testing was also carried out.
  • Additionally , a second round of testing was carried out.

Transition words creating sentence fragments

Words like “although” and “because” are called subordinating conjunctions . This means that they introduce clauses which cannot stand on their own. A clause introduced by one of these words should always follow or be followed by another clause in the same sentence.

The second sentence in this example is a fragment, because it consists only of the “although” clause.

  • Smith (2015) argues that the period should be reassessed. Although other researchers disagree.

We can fix this in two different ways. One option is to combine the two sentences into one using a comma. The other option is to use a different transition word that does not create this problem, like “however.”

  • Smith (2015) argues that the period should be reassessed, although other researchers disagree.
  • Smith (2015) argues that the period should be reassessed. However , other researchers disagree.

And vs. as well as

Students often use the phrase “ as well as ” in place of “and,” but its usage is slightly different. Using “and” suggests that the things you’re listing are of equal importance, while “as well as” introduces additional information that is less important.

  • Chapter 1 discusses some background information on Woolf, as well as presenting my analysis of To the Lighthouse .

In this example, the analysis is more important than the background information. To fix this mistake, we can use “and,” or we can change the order of the sentence so that the most important information comes first. Note that we add a comma before “as well as” but not before “and.”

  • Chapter 1 discusses some background information on Woolf and presents my analysis of To the Lighthouse .
  • Chapter 1 presents my analysis of To the Lighthouse , as well as discussing some background information on Woolf.

Note that in fixed phrases like “both x and y ,” you must use “and,” not “as well as.”

  • Both my results as well as my interpretations are presented below.
  • Both my results and my interpretations are presented below.

Use of and/or

The combination of transition words “and/or” should generally be avoided in academic writing. It makes your text look messy and is usually unnecessary to your meaning.

First consider whether you really do mean “and/or” and not just “and” or “or.” If you are certain that you need both, it’s best to separate them to make your meaning as clear as possible.

  • Participants were asked whether they used the bus and/or the train.
  • Participants were asked whether they used the bus, the train, or both.

Archaic transition words

Words like “hereby,” “therewith,” and most others formed by the combination of “here,” “there,” or “where” with a preposition are typically avoided in modern academic writing. Using them makes your writing feel old-fashioned and strained and can sometimes obscure your meaning.

  • Poverty is best understood as a disease. Hereby , we not only see that it is hereditary, but acknowledge its devastating effects on a person’s health.

These words should usually be replaced with a more explicit phrasing expressing how the current statement relates to the preceding one.

  • Poverty is best understood as a disease. Understanding it as such , we not only see that it is hereditary, but also acknowledge its devastating effects on a person’s health.

Using a paraphrasing tool for clear writing

With the use of certain tools, you can make your writing clear. One of these tools is a paraphrasing tool . One thing the tool does is help your sentences make more sense. It has different modes where it checks how your text can be improved. For example, automatically adding transition words where needed.

If you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or writing rules make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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100+ Research Vocabulary Words & Phrases

academic phrases for research paper

The academic community can be conservative when it comes to enforcing academic writing style , but your writing shouldn’t be so boring that people lose interest midway through the first paragraph! Given that competition is at an all-time high for academics looking to publish their papers, we know you must be anxious about what you can do to improve your publishing odds.

To be sure, your research must be sound, your paper must be structured logically, and the different manuscript sections must contain the appropriate information. But your research must also be clearly explained. Clarity obviously depends on the correct use of English, and there are many common mistakes that you should watch out for, for example when it comes to articles , prepositions , word choice , and even punctuation . But even if you are on top of your grammar and sentence structure, you can still make your writing more compelling (or more boring) by using powerful verbs and phrases (vs the same weaker ones over and over). So, how do you go about achieving the latter?

Below are a few ways to breathe life into your writing.

1. Analyze Vocabulary Using Word Clouds

Have you heard of “Wordles”? A Wordle is a visual representation of words, with the size of each word being proportional to the number of times it appears in the text it is based on. The original company website seems to have gone out of business, but there are a number of free word cloud generation sites that allow you to copy and paste your draft manuscript into a text box to quickly discover how repetitive your writing is and which verbs you might want to replace to improve your manuscript.

Seeing a visual word cloud of your work might also help you assess the key themes and points readers will glean from your paper. If the Wordle result displays words you hadn’t intended to emphasize, then that’s a sign you should revise your paper to make sure readers will focus on the right information.

As an example, below is a Wordle of our article entitled, “ How to Choose the Best title for Your Journal Manuscript .” You can see how frequently certain terms appear in that post, based on the font size of the text. The keywords, “titles,” “journal,” “research,” and “papers,” were all the intended focus of our blog post.

research words and phrases word cloud

2. Study Language Patterns of Similarly Published Works

Study the language pattern found in the most downloaded and cited articles published by your target journal. Understanding the journal’s editorial preferences will help you write in a style that appeals to the publication’s readership.

Another way to analyze the language of a target journal’s papers is to use Wordle (see above). If you copy and paste the text of an article related to your research topic into the applet, you can discover the common phrases and terms the paper’s authors used.

For example, if you were writing a paper on  links between smoking and cancer , you might look for a recent review on the topic, preferably published by your target journal. Copy and paste the text into Wordle and examine the key phrases to see if you’ve included similar wording in your own draft. The Wordle result might look like the following, based on the example linked above.

research words and phrases word cloud, cancer study

If you are not sure yet where to publish and just want some generally good examples of descriptive verbs, analytical verbs, and reporting verbs that are commonly used in academic writing, then have a look at this list of useful phrases for research papers .

3. Use More Active and Precise Verbs

Have you heard of synonyms? Of course you have. But have you looked beyond single-word replacements and rephrased entire clauses with stronger, more vivid ones? You’ll find this task is easier to do if you use the active voice more often than the passive voice . Even if you keep your original sentence structure, you can eliminate weak verbs like “be” from your draft and choose more vivid and precise action verbs. As always, however, be careful about using only a thesaurus to identify synonyms. Make sure the substitutes fit the context in which you need a more interesting or “perfect” word. Online dictionaries such as the Merriam-Webster and the Cambridge Dictionary are good sources to check entire phrases in context in case you are unsure whether a synonym is a good match for a word you want to replace. 

To help you build a strong arsenal of commonly used phrases in academic papers, we’ve compiled a list of synonyms you might want to consider when drafting or editing your research paper . While we do not suggest that the phrases in the “Original Word/Phrase” column should be completely avoided, we do recommend interspersing these with the more dynamic terms found under “Recommended Substitutes.”

A. Describing the scope of a current project or prior research

To express the purpose of a paper or research

This paper + [use the verb that originally followed “aims to”] or This paper + (any other verb listed above as a substitute for “explain”) + who/what/when/where/how X. For example:

To introduce the topic of a project or paper

To describe the analytical scope of a paper or study

*Adjectives to describe degree can include: briefly, thoroughly, adequately, sufficiently, inadequately, insufficiently, only partially, partially, etc.

To preview other sections of a paper

[any of the verbs suggested as replacements for “explain,” “analyze,” and “consider” above]

B. Outlining a topic’s background

To discuss the historical significance of a topic

Topic significantly/considerably +

+ who/what/when/where/how…

 

*In other words, take the nominalized verb and make it the main verb of the sentence.

To describe the historical popularity of a topic

 

 verb] verb]
To describe the recent focus on a topic
To identify the current majority opinion about a topic
To discuss the findings of existing literature

To express the breadth of our current knowledge-base, including gaps
To segue into expressing your research question

C. Describing the analytical elements of a paper

To express agreement between one finding and another

To present contradictory findings

To discuss limitations of a study

D. Discussing results

To draw inferences from results

To describe observations

E. Discussing methods

To discuss methods

To describe simulations

This study/ research…

+

“X environment/ condition to..”

+

[any of the verbs suggested as replacements for “analyze” above]

F. Explaining the impact of new research

To explain the impact of a paper’s findings

To highlight a paper’s conclusion

To explain how research contributes to the existing knowledge-base

Wordvice Writing Resources

For additional information on how to tighten your sentences (e.g., eliminate wordiness and use active voice to greater effect), you can try Wordvice’s FREE APA Citation Generator and learn more about how to proofread and edit your paper to ensure your work is free of errors.

Before submitting your manuscript to academic journals, be sure to use our free AI Proofreader to catch errors in grammar, spelling, and mechanics. And use our English editing services from Wordvice, including academic editing services , cover letter editing , manuscript editing , and research paper editing services to make sure your work is up to a high academic level.

We also have a collection of other useful articles for you, for example on how to strengthen your writing style , how to avoid fillers to write more powerful sentences , and how to eliminate prepositions and avoid nominalizations . Additionally, get advice on all the other important aspects of writing a research paper on our academic resources pages .

26 powerful academic phrases to write your introduction (+ real examples)

academic phrases for research paper

If you struggle with writing an introduction and finding the right wording, academic key phrases can help! Here is a list of 26 useful academic phrases to write the introduction of a research paper or thesis. Furthermore, examples from published academic papers across various disciplines are provided to demonstrate how the academic phrases can be applied effectively.

Academic key phrases presenting the research aim or objective in an introduction

The aim of this study is….

Example: “ The aim of this study is the investigation of different molten copper alloys regarding their efficiency as catalytic media for the pyrolysis of methane in an inductively heated bubble column reactor. ” ( Scheiblehner et al. 2023, p. 6233 )

In this study, we investigate…

Our primary objective was to assess….

Example: “ Our primary objective was to assess subpopulation status through estimation of survival rates and abundance, particularly in comparison with the relative stability from 2007 to 2010 reported by Bromaghin et al. (2015) .” ( Bromaghin et al., 2021, p. 14252 )

This study aims to answer the following research question:

The goal of this paper is to….

Example: “The goal of this paper is to delineate whether, why, and how human-AI interaction is distinctly difficult to design and innovate.” ( Yang et al., 2020, p. 174 )

Academic key phrases linking the research to existing publications in an introduction

The topic gained considerable attention in the academic literature in…, prior research has hypothesized that….

Example: “Prior research has hypothesized that racial and ethnic disparities may be mitigated if the patient and provider share the same race due to improved communication and increased trust” ( Otte, 2022, p. 1 )

Existing research frequently attributes…

Interestingly, all the arguments refer to…, prior studies have found that….

Example: “ Prior studies have found that court-referred individuals are more likely to complete relationship violence intervention programs (RVIP) than self-referred individuals. ” ( Evans et al. 2022, p. 1 )

Academic key phrases pointing out research gaps in an introduction

Yet, it remains unknown how…, there is, however, still little research on….

Example: “There is, however, still little research on what integrated STEM approaches require from schools and teachers, and on the potential obstacles that may prevent teachers from running this kind of teaching.” ( Bungum and Mogstad, 2022, p. 2 )

Scholars working on the topic are still dealing with unanswered questions.

Existing studies have failed to address…, the topic is under-researched.

Example: “‘Third places’ – public and commercial sites that are neither home nor work – are often overlooked by policymakers, health officials, and researchers alike (Glover & Parry, 2009). Yet they can serve vital and life-saving roles in our communities. Their relevance to public health and quality of life is understated and under-researched, particularly among socioeconomically marginalized, vulnerable, and isolated individuals. ” ( Finlay et al., 2020, p. 1 )

Academic key phrases highlighting the research contribution in an introduction

This paper contributes to the field…, in light of these considerations, we think it is interesting to analyze…, the contributions of this study are twofold/threefold/….

Example: “ The contributions of this study are threefold. First, by examining daily role transitions as mediators in the relationship between telework and work-to-home and home-to-work conflict, our study helps to understand through which mechanisms telework affects thework-home interface… ” ( Delanoeije et al., 2019, p. 1845 )

Moving a step further, in this article, …

Therefore, it is essential to review…, this study contributes to the literature in several ways. first, ….

Example: “ This study contributes to the literature in several ways. First, we simultaneously accounted for possible positive and potential negative effects of telework on employees’ work-home conflict… ” ( Delanoeije et al., 2019, p. 1862 )

Academic key phrases previewing findings in the introduction

The analysis showcases that…, our results are in line with the literature and confirm…, contrary to our expectations, the results….

Example: “ Contrary to our expectations, the results from our European survey show that clustering of shoots by establishing S. anglica patches was universally observed across sites, despite widely varying environmental conditions. ” ( Van de Ven, 2022 et al., p. 1345 )

The findings support the use of…

The results of the conducted experiments show…, master academia, get new content delivered directly to your inbox, 24 popular academic phrases to write your abstract (+ real examples), 17 strong academic phrases to write your literature review (+ real examples), related articles, how to introduce yourself in a conference presentation (in six simple steps), how to revise a manuscript by responding to reviewer comments, juggling research and teaching obligations, how to disagree with reviewers (with examples).

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Impressive Academic Phrases for Writing Manuscripts

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If you are a graduate student or a researcher, you definitely know the challenges involved in composing academic documents. Right from the abstract to the conclusion, every section must follow a logical structure. Using appropriate language, tense, voice, and perspective to present your ideas is very important. As a good practice, researchers prior to writing a manuscript extensively read previously published literature. However, scanning for the right phrases and then using them as templates to fill in data obtained from their work can be extremely time-consuming! In the following article we present to you a “quick reference guide for impressive academic phrases”. Collated from hundreds of published manuscripts, these frequently used academic phrases are tailored to what every section of your article should achieve.

Benefits of Using Tailor-made Academic Phrases

  • Using these phrases will simplify your writing process. You can invest your time and efforts for something more productive.
  • These phrases will help you write in a clear and concise manner.
  • Ready-made phrases can expedite your process of organizing your data in a logical manner.
  • There are far less chances of plagiarism as these are generic phrases that find acceptance across all disciplines.
  • Editors and peer reviewers may find it easier to run through your data when expressed using standard or conventional phrases. This may assist in speeding up the review process and increasing your chances of a faster publication.
  • Think about your target audience – busy researchers and academicians! They will surely enjoy reading a manuscript that is crisp and engaging.
  • Structure of a manuscript is paramount! These phrases may also help you create a logical framework for your data.

Abstract is that element of a manuscript that convinces your reader why your article is worth reading. It is like a miniature article that clearly states the objectives and briefly explains all your key findings.

XYZ is the primary/main/leading/major cause of… XYZ is /are attracting considerable interest/gaining widespread attention due to… An intriguing/important/challenging aspect of XYZ is… As far as we know/to our knowledge this is the first study/no previous research has investigated… Very few studies have investigated/have shown/examined/focused on… One approach /alternative approach to solve these problems… The aim /overall objective/ultimate goal of… This paper reports/outlines/proposes/describes/presents a novel approach.. This manuscript examines/focusses on/addresses/investigates/sheds light on how to.. The aim of this study/work/research was to broaden/widen/extend/further the current knowledge about… Here, we describe/present a simple/novel/radical/effective/interesting solution for

Introduction and literature review

This section focuses on – what did you investigate and why it is important? Consequently, you have to provide some background information and thereafter introduce the aims or arguments of the paper.

An ever-increasing body of literatures shows that.. Very recently, XYZ have provided new evidences for… Several studies have hypothesized /proposed/put forward.. In recent years, there has been growing/considerable interest in… The last few years has witnessed/ seen a huge growth in XYZ. This study constitutes a relatively new area of research which has emerged from… In order to elucidate/reveal/understand the XYZ mechanism… For several years, researchers have been focusing on XYZ in an attempt to understand… To address these three gaps in research outlined above, we formulated the following research question… Overall, this review paper puts an emphasis on… Preliminary/ initial studies on XYZ primarily focused on… An increase/decrease in factor X was first reported/noted/identified by… Several studies, for instance [1], [4], and [9]  have suggested/highlighted/revealed/proposed/demonstrated…. XYZ et al. calculated/analyzed/estimated… ABC traced the developments/advancements /evolution of XYZ… PQR  maintains/suggests/underlines/argues/suggests that… Few authors have also suggested that… Although there are several studies consistent with XYZ , no study has till date examined… Previous studies reported by [A], [B] and [C] cannot be considered conclusive as…. Studies by XYZ have led to a more profound understanding of… Only a few studies in literature demonstrate… To fill this gap in literature, this manuscript/paper identifies… To develop/establish a novel/effective alternative… Our findings might be useful/vital/crucial for developing a simple/effective/cost-effective…method for.. Despite several reviews in the literature that address the importance of XYZ none of the recently published articles have comprehensively discussed the important roles of… While XYZ is well documented in literature ([1],[5],[8],[16]), to date, no research has… However, we argue that the reported literature suffers from certain limitations…

Materials and Methods

This sections provides details about the study site, organisms studies, experimental design, and computational or statistical methods used to analyze the data.

In our preliminary experiments, we determined that… This phenomenon was experimentally investigated by… The principle focus of this experiment was to calculate… The XYZ strain used in this study was kindly supplied by… Statistical analyses were performed by using … test with a significance level of … Data analysis (regression analysis/correlation studies) and graphical representations were performed using…

Results and Discussion

This section discusses all the outcomes relevant to the research question. One needs to highlight the significance of the results and indicate whether your findings support or reject the hypothesis.

When analyzing the data, we applied XYZ technique and… The current study confirmed the findings/found clear support for the… Our results demonstrated/found evidence that… From the results it is evident/clear that… Moreover, the results of the empirical studies showed that… Additionally, researchers have found a positive/negative relationship/correlation between… These findings/results are consistent/in line/in accordance with… in addition we assessed…, the findings revealed significant differences in… On the contrary, very few studies have reported… Equally important is the fact that there is strong correlation between… The limitations of the present study include… Although widely accepted, this method suffers from certain limitations .. It is interesting to note that… Further investigation/studies are required to precisely/accurately understand/elucidate… In addition to these findings, the results of our previous studies demonstrate…

Conclusions

The conclusions section highlights all the important trends and comparisons identified in the study. It also states the limitations as well as future recommendations to carry out subsequent research.

XYZ has shown promising results and thus could be a powerful technique/tool/method for… These findings could provide new insights into… The significant benefits/key contributions/main achievements of this study can be summarized as.. We believe that XYZ merits further research to discover/explore… and potential for… Also this remains a subject for future studies/experiments. Although further investigations are needed, the present study contributes to a better understanding/characterization of… In this review/article we addressed the current progress and challenges in… Nevertheless, there are still critical challenges regarding.. Furthermore, XYZ is a domain where much remains to be studied… As a final remark, it is also vital to mention…

We hope these academic phrases will assist you in the logical development of your manuscript and making it impactful. Let us know your feedback in the comments section below!

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academic phrases for research paper

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Academic Phrasebank

Academic Phrasebank

Discussing findings.

  • GENERAL LANGUAGE FUNCTIONS
  • Being cautious
  • Being critical
  • Classifying and listing
  • Compare and contrast
  • Defining terms
  • Describing trends
  • Describing quantities
  • Explaining causality
  • Giving examples
  • Signalling transition
  • Writing about the past

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The term ‘discussion’ has a variety of meanings in English. In academic writing, however, it usually refers to two types of activity: a) considering both sides of an issue, or question before reaching a conclusion; b) considering the results of research and the implications of these. Discussion sections in dissertations and research articles are probably the most complex sections in terms of their elements. They normally centre around a ‘statement of result’ or an important ‘finding’. As there is usually more than one result, discussion sections are often structured into a series of discussion cycles. The most common elements in these cycles, and some of the language that is typically associated with them, are listed below. Note that when offering explanations and suggesting implications the language used is very tentative or cautious (refer to the section entitled  B e ing cautious ).

Providing background information: reference to the literature

Several reports have shown that … As mentioned in the literature review, … Prior studies that have noted the importance of … Very little was found in the literature on the question of … Previous studies evaluating X observed inconsistent results on whether … A strong relationship between X and Y has been reported in the literature. In reviewing the literature, no data was found on the association between X and Y.

Providing background information: reference to the question

The third question in this research was … An initial objective of the project was to identify … The first question in this study sought to determine … It was hypothesised that participants with a history of … The present study was designed to determine the effect of … With respect to the first research question, it was found that … This study set out with the aim of assessing the importance of X in …

Restating the result or one of several results

This study found that … Another finding is that … The results of this study show that … The current investigation found that … In this study, Xs were found to cause … On the question of X, this study found that … The first part of the questionnaire revealed that … This experiment did not detect any evidence for … The most obvious finding to emerge from the analysis is that …

Pointing out interesting or important findings

One interesting finding is … Another important finding is that … The most important result was that … Most striking was the substantial difference in … Another finding that stands out from the results reported earlier is …

(Perhaps) the most striking
important
disturbing
significant
interesting
compelling
unexpected
clinically relevant
finding is …

Indicating an unexpected outcome

What is surprising is that … Surprisingly, X was found to … One unanticipated result was that … What is curious about this result is that … Surprisingly, no differences were found in … This finding was unexpected and suggests that … One unexpected finding was the extent to which … It is somewhat surprising that no X was noted in this condition … It is interesting to compare Figure 4 with Figure 2 in Smith (2019) that shows … One surprising variable that was found to be significantly associated with X was … Contrary to expectations, this study did not find a significant difference between … These findings are somewhat surprising given the fact that other research shows …

Comparing the result: supporting previous findings

This study confirms that X is associated with … This finding was also reported by Smith  et al . (1989). This finding is consistent with that of Smith (2000) who … Comparison of the findings with those of other studies confirms … This also accords with our earlier observations, which showed that … These results reflect those of Smith  et al . (1992) who also found that … Increased activation in the X in this study corroborates these earlier findings. These results corroborate the findings of a great deal of the previous work in … This finding broadly supports the work of other studies in this area linking X with Y. In accordance with the present results, previous studies have demonstrated that … It is encouraging to compare this figure with that found by Jones (1993) who found that … Consistent with the literature, this research found that participants who reported using X also … This study supports evidence from previous observations (e.g. Smith, 2006; Jones  et al ., 2011). There are similarities between the attitudes expressed by X in this study and those described by …

These results

further support the idea of …
confirm the association between …
are consistent with data obtained in …
match those observed in earlier studies.
are in line with those of previous studies.
are in agreement with those obtained by …
are in accord with recent studies indicating that …
seem to be consistent with other research which found …
are consistent with those of Smith and Jones (2015) who …
are in agreement with Smith’s (1999) findings which showed …
support previous research into this brain area which links X and Y.
corroborate the ideas of Smith and Jones (2008), who suggested that …

Comparing the result: contradicting previous findings

This study has been unable to demonstrate that … However, this result has not previously been described. This outcome is contrary to that of Smith et al. (2001) who found … This finding is contrary to previous studies which have suggested that … In contrast to earlier findings, however, no evidence of X was detected. The yields in this investigation were higher compared to those of other studies. However, the findings of the current study do not support the previous research. Smith et al. (1999) showed that … This differs from the findings presented here … The overall level was found to be 15%, lower than that of previously reported levels. It has been suggested that … (Smith et al. , 2002). This does not appear to be the case. The levels observed in this investigation are far below those observed by Smith  et al.  (2007). These results differ from Smith’s 2003 estimate of Y, but they are broadly consistent with earlier …

Offering an explanation for the findings

A possible explanation for this might be … Another possible explanation for this is that … There are several possible explanations for this result. Several factors could explain this observation. Firstly, … An alternative explanation for this result is that it is due to … It is difficult to explain this result, but it might be related to …

This inconsistency may be due to … This discrepancy could be attributed to … These differences can be explained in part by … These relationships may partly be explained by … The observed increase in X could be attributed to … The observed correlation between X and Y might be explained in this way: …

It seems possible that these results are due to … It may be that these participants benefitted from … The possible interference of X cannot be ruled out. Differences between X and Y may have influenced … There are two likely causes for the differences between … Since this difference has not been found elsewhere it is probably not due to …

This (rather) intriguing
surprising
interesting
contradictory
result
finding
could be due to…
may be related to …
might be a result of …
can be attributed to …
is likely to be related to …
may reflect the differences in …
could have been generated by …
might be explained by the fact that…

Advising cautious interpretation of the findings

Another source of uncertainty is … A note of caution is due here since … These findings may be somewhat limited by … These findings cannot be extrapolated to all patients. These data must be interpreted with caution because … It could be argued that the positive results were due to … These results therefore need to be interpreted with caution. In observational studies, there is a potential for bias from … It is important to bear in mind the possible bias in these responses. Although exclusion of X did not …, these results should be interpreted with caution. However, with a small sample size, caution must be applied, as the findings might not be …

It is possible that these results are due to …
are limited to …
do not represent …
have been confounded by …
were influenced by the lack of …
may underestimate the role of …
are biased, given the self-reported nature of …
may not be reproducible on a wide scale across …

Suggesting general hypotheses

These findings suggest that … It is possible, therefore, that … The findings reported here suggest that … According to these data, we can infer that … The present study raises the possibility that … Hence, it could conceivably be hypothesised that … This observation may support the hypothesis that … It may be the case therefore that these variations … It is therefore likely that such connections exist between … The value of X suggests that a weak link may exist between … These results provide further support for the hypothesis that … Therefore, X could be a major factor, if not the only one, causing …

Noting implications of the findings

These findings suggest that … It can therefore be assumed that the … An implication of this finding is the possibility that … One of the issues that emerges from these findings is … Some of the issues emerging from this finding relate specifically to … The results of this observational study suggest that X may help prevent …

These results
findings
suggest that …
provide support for …
cast some doubt on …
have implications for …
support the idea that …
challenge the notion that …
might further indicate that …
may help us to understand …
may be taken to indicate that …
reveal something about the nature of …
provide some tentative initial evidence that …
raise intriguing questions regarding the nature of …

Commenting on the findings

This finding is reassuring since … These findings are rather disappointing. However, these results were not very encouraging. The test was successful as it was able to identify students who … The present results are significant in at least two major respects. Unfortunately, these findings are rather difficult to interpret because …

This is a(n)
These are
(particularly) useful
valuable
troubling
important
promising
surprising
reassuring
remarkable
encouraging
disappointing
result(s).
finding(s).

Giving suggestions for future work

This is an important issue for future research. Research questions that could be asked include … Several questions remain unanswered at present. Despite these promising results, questions remain. Additional research is needed to better understand the … A further study with more focus on X is therefore suggested. There is abundant room for further progress in determining … Future studies on the current topic are therefore recommended. Further work is needed to develop reliable analytical methods for … To develop a full picture of X, additional studies will be needed that … In future investigations, it might be possible to use a different X in which … Further studies, which take these variables into account, will need to be undertaken.

Further work is
research is
studies are
investigations are
needed to
required to
identify the …
establish how …
confirm whether …
assess the risks of …
ascertain whether …
determine whether …
examine the effects of …
evaluate the impact of …
address the following questions:
gain a better understanding of …
explore the mechanisms behind …
assess the longer-term impact of …
confirm and validate these findings.
identify or develop drugs that can …

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academic phrases for research paper

17 academic words and phrases to use in your essay

(Last updated: 20 October 2022)

Since 2006, Oxbridge Essays has been the UK’s leading paid essay-writing and dissertation service

We have helped 10,000s of undergraduate, Masters and PhD students to maximise their grades in essays, dissertations, model-exam answers, applications and other materials. If you would like a free chat about your project with one of our UK staff, then please just reach out on one of the methods below.

For the vast majority of students, essay writing doesn't always come easily. Writing at academic level is an acquired skill that can literally take years to master – indeed, many students find they only start to feel really confident writing essays just as their undergraduate course comes to an end!

If this is you, and you've come here looking for words and phrases to use in your essay, you're in the right place. We’ve pulled together a list of essential academic words you can use in the introduction, body, and conclusion of your essays .

Whilst your ideas and arguments should always be your own, borrowing some of the words and phrases listed below is a great way to articulate your ideas more effectively, and ensure that you keep your reader’s attention from start to finish.

It goes without saying (but we'll say it anyway) that there's a certain formality that comes with academic writing. Casual and conversational phrases have no place. Obviously, there are no LOLs, LMFAOs, and OMGs. But formal academic writing can be much more subtle than this, and as we've mentioned above, requires great skill.

So, to get you started on polishing your own essay writing ability, try using the words in this list as an inspirational starting point.

Words to use in your introduction

The trickiest part of academic writing often comes right at the start, with your introduction. Of course, once you’ve done your plan and have your arguments laid out, you need to actually put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and begin your essay.

You need to consider that your reader doesn’t have a clue about your topic or arguments, so your first sentence must summarise these. Explain what your essay is going to talk about as though you were explaining it to a five year old – without losing the formality of your academic writing, of course! To do this, use any of the below words or phrases to help keep you on track.

1. Firstly, secondly, thirdly

Even though it sounds obvious, your argument will be clearer if you deliver the ideas in the right order. These words can help you to offer clarity and structure to the way you expose your ideas. This is an extremely effective method of presenting the facts clearly. Don’t be too rigid and feel you have to number each point, but using this system can be a good way to get an argument off the ground, and link arguments together.

2. In view of; in light of; considering

These essay phrases are useful to begin your essay. They help you pose your argument based on what other authors have said or a general concern about your research. They can also both be used when a piece of evidence sheds new light on an argument. Here’s an example: The result of the American invasion has severely impaired American interests in the Middle East, exponentially increasing popular hostility to the United States throughout the region, a factor which has proved to be a powerful recruitment tool for extremist terrorist groups (Isakhan, 2015). Considering [or In light of / In view of] the perceived resulting threat to American interests, it could be argued that the Bush administration failed to fully consider the impact of their actions before pushing forward with the war.

3. According to X; X stated that; referring to the views of X

Introducing the views of an author who has a comprehensive knowledge of your particular area of study is a crucial part of essay writing. Including a quote that fits naturally into your work can be a bit of a struggle, but these academic phrases provide a great way in.

Even though it’s fine to reference a quote in your introduction, we don’t recommend you start your essay with a direct quote. Use your own words to sum up the views you’re mentioning, for example:

As Einstein often reiterated, experiments can prove theories, but experiments don’t give birth to theories.

Rather than:

“A theory can be proved by experiment, but no path leads from experiment to the birth of a theory.” {Albert Einstein, 1954, Einstein: A Biography}.

See the difference?

And be sure to reference correctly too, when using quotes or paraphrasing someone else's words.

academic phrases for research paper

Adding information and flow

The flow of your essay is extremely important. You don’t want your reader to be confused by the rhythm of your writing and get distracted away from your argument, do you? No! So, we recommend using some of the following ‘flow’ words, which are guaranteed to help you articulate your ideas and arguments in a chronological and structured order.

4. Moreover; furthermore; in addition; what’s more

These types of academic phrases are perfect for expanding or adding to a point you’ve already made without interrupting the flow altogether. “Moreover”, “furthermore” and “in addition” are also great linking phrases to begin a new paragraph.

Here are some examples: The dissociation of tau protein from microtubules destabilises the latter resulting in changes to cell structure, and neuronal transport. Moreover, mitochondrial dysfunction leads to further oxidative stress causing increased levels of nitrous oxide, hydrogen peroxide and lipid peroxidases.

On the data of this trial, no treatment recommendations should be made. The patients are suspected, but not confirmed, to suffer from pneumonia. Furthermore, five days is too short a follow up time to confirm clinical cure.

5. In order to; to that end; to this end

These are helpful academic phrases to introduce an explanation or state your aim. Oftentimes your essay will have to prove how you intend to achieve your goals. By using these sentences you can easily expand on points that will add clarity to the reader.

For example: My research entailed hours of listening and recording the sound of whales in order to understand how they communicate.

Dutch tech companies offer support in the fight against the virus. To this end, an online meeting took place on Wednesday...

Even though we recommend the use of these phrases, DO NOT use them too often. You may think you sound like a real academic but it can be a sign of overwriting!

6. In other words; to put it another way; that is; to put it more simply

Complement complex ideas with simple descriptions by using these sentences. These are excellent academic phrases to improve the continuity of your essay writing. They should be used to explain a point you’ve already made in a slightly different way. Don’t use them to repeat yourself, but rather to elaborate on a certain point that needs further explanation. Or, to succinctly round up what just came before.

For example: A null hypothesis is a statement that there is no relationship between phenomena. In other words, there is no treatment effect.

Nothing could come to be in this pre-world time, “because no part of such a time possesses, as compared with any other, a distinguishing condition of existence rather than non-existence.” That is, nothing exists in this pre-world time, and so there can be nothing that causes the world to come into existence.

7. Similarly; likewise; another key fact to remember; as well as; an equally significant aspect of

These essay words are a good choice to add a piece of information that agrees with an argument or fact you just mentioned. In academic writing, it is very relevant to include points of view that concur with your opinion. This will help you to situate your research within a research context.

Also , academic words and phrases like the above are also especially useful so as not to repeat the word ‘also’ too many times. (We did that on purpose to prove our point!) Your reader will be put off by the repetitive use of simple conjunctions. The quality of your essay will drastically improve just by using academic phrases and words such as ‘similarly’, ‘as well as’, etc. Here, let us show you what we mean:

In 1996, then-transport minister Steve Norris enthused about quadrupling cycling trips by 2012. Similarly, former prime minister David Cameron promised a “cycling revolution” in 2013…

Or Renewable Energy Initiative (AREI) aims to bridge the gap of access to electricity across the continent (...). Another key fact to remember is that it must expand cost-efficient access to electricity to nearly 1 billion people.

The wording “not only… but also” is a useful way to elaborate on a similarity in your arguments but in a more striking way.

academic phrases for research paper

Comparing and contrasting information

Academic essays often include opposite opinions or information in order to prove a point. It is important to show all the aspects that are relevant to your research. Include facts and researchers’ views that disagree with a point of your essay to show your knowledge of your particular field of study. Below are a few words and ways of introducing alternative arguments.

8. Conversely; however; alternatively; on the contrary; on the other hand; whereas

Finding a seamless method to present an alternative perspective or theory can be hard work, but these terms and phrases can help you introduce the other side of the argument. Let's look at some examples:

89% of respondents living in joint families reported feeling financially secure. Conversely, only 64% of those who lived in nuclear families said they felt financially secure.

The first protagonist has a social role to fill in being a father to those around him, whereas the second protagonist relies on the security and knowledge offered to him by Chaplin.

“On the other hand” can also be used to make comparisons when worded together with “on the one hand.”

9. By contrast; in comparison; then again; that said; yet

These essay phrases show contrast, compare facts, and present uncertainty regarding a point in your research. “That said” and “yet” in particular will demonstrate your expertise on a topic by showing the conditions or limitations of your research area. For example:

All the tests were positive. That said, we must also consider the fact that some of them had inconclusive results.

10. Despite this; provided that; nonetheless

Use these phrases and essay words to demonstrate a positive aspect of your subject-matter regardless of lack of evidence, logic, coherence, or criticism. Again, this kind of information adds clarity and expertise to your academic writing.

A good example is:

Despite the criticism received by X, the popularity of X remains undiminished.

11. Importantly; significantly; notably; another key point

Another way to add contrast is by highlighting the relevance of a fact or opinion in the context of your research. These academic words help to introduce a sentence or paragraph that contains a very meaningful point in your essay.

Giving examples

A good piece of academic writing will always include examples. Illustrating your essay with examples will make your arguments stronger. Most of the time, examples are a way to clarify an explanation; they usually offer an image that the reader can recognise. The most common way to introduce an illustration is “for example.” However, in order not to repeat yourself here are a few other options.

12. For instance; to give an illustration of; to exemplify; to demonstrate; as evidence; to elucidate

The academic essays that are receiving top marks are the ones that back up every single point made. These academic phrases are a useful way to introduce an example. If you have a lot of examples, avoid repeating the same phrase to facilitate the readability of your essay.

Here’s an example:

‘High involvement shopping’, an experiential process described by Wu et al. (2015, p. 299) relies upon the development of an identity-based alliance between the customer and the brand. Celebrity status at Prada, for example, has created an alliance between the brand and a new generation of millennial customers.

academic phrases for research paper

Concluding your essay

Concluding words for essays are necessary to wrap up your argument. Your conclusion must include a brief summary of the ideas that you just exposed without being redundant. The way these ideas are expressed should lead to the final statement and core point you have arrived at in your present research.

13. In conclusion; to conclude; to summarise; in sum; in the final analysis; on close analysis

These are phrases for essays that will introduce your concluding paragraph. You can use them at the beginning of a sentence. They will show the reader that your essay is coming to an end:

On close analysis and appraisal, we see that the study by Cortis lacks essential features of the highest quality quantitative research.

14. Persuasive; compelling

Essay words like these ones can help you emphasize the most relevant arguments of your paper. Both are used in the same way: “the most persuasive/compelling argument is…”.

15. Therefore; this suggests that; it can be seen that; the consequence is

When you’re explaining the significance of the results of a piece of research, these phrases provide the perfect lead up to your explanation.

16. Above all; chiefly; especially; most significantly; it should be noted

Your summary should include the most relevant information or research factor that guided you to your conclusion. Contrary to words such as “persuasive” or “compelling”, these essay words are helpful to draw attention to an important point. For example:

The feasibility and effectiveness of my research has been proven chiefly in the last round of laboratory tests.

Film noir is, and will continue to be, highly debatable, controversial, and unmarketable – but above all, for audience members past, present and to come, extremely enjoyable as a form of screen media entertainment.

17. All things considered

This essay phrase is meant to articulate how you give reasons to your conclusions. It means that after you considered all the aspects related to your study, you have arrived to the conclusion you are demonstrating.

After mastering the use of these academic words and phrases, we guarantee you will see an immediate change in the quality of your essays. The structure will be easier to follow, and the reader’s experience will improve. You’ll also feel more confident articulating your ideas and using facts and examples. So jot them all down, and watch your essays go from ‘good’ to ‘great’!

academic phrases for research paper

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Ref-n-Write: Scientific Research Paper Writing Software

Academic Phrasebook – A Guide for Writing Research Papers

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academic phrases for research paper

IMAGES

  1. Over 20 Transitional Academic Phrases for a Research Paper's Conclusion

    academic phrases for research paper

  2. Academic Phrases for Writing Literature Review Section of a Research

    academic phrases for research paper

  3. Academic Essay Writing

    academic phrases for research paper

  4. Academic Phrases for Your Research Paper's Introduction in 2022

    academic phrases for research paper

  5. Academic Phrasebank

    academic phrases for research paper

  6. 15 Academic Words and Phrases to Use in Your Essay

    academic phrases for research paper

COMMENTS

  1. 50 Useful Academic Words & Phrases for Research

    Edit Your Research Terms and Phrases Before Submission. Using these phrases in the proper places in your research papers can enhance the clarity, flow, and persuasiveness of your writing, especially in the Introduction section and Discussion section, which together make up the majority of your paper's text in most academic domains.

  2. Academic Phrasebank

    The Academic Phrasebank is a general resource for academic writers. It aims to provide you with examples of some of the phraseological 'nuts and bolts' of writing organised according to the main sections of a research paper or dissertation (see the top menu ). Other phrases are listed under the more general communicative functions of ...

  3. PDF Academic Phrasebank

    Preface. The Academic Phrasebank is a general resource for academic writers. It aims to provide the phraseological 'nuts and bolts' of academic writing organised according to the main sections of a research paper or dissertation. Other phrases are listed under the more general communicative functions of academic writing.

  4. PDF Research Writing: Starter Phrases

    Sometimes we find it difficult to find the right phrase to start sentences. At such times, a useful strategy is to borrow the phrases of others, known as 'syntactic borrowing' (Kamler & Thomson, 2006; Swales & Feak, 2004). To do this, look at some sentences in various sections of a research journal in your discipline and remove all the ...

  5. (PDF) Useful Phrases for Writing Research Papers

    For example choose: Since x = y …. Although x = y …. Rather than. Given the fact that x = y …. Despite the fact that x = y …. Notwithstanding the fact that x = y …. Of course, if you ...

  6. PDF The Oxford Phrasal Academic Lexicon™

    The Oxford Phrasal Academic Lexicon (OPAL) is a set of four word lists that together provide an essential guide to the most important words and phrases to know in the field of English for Academic Purposes (EAP). This list gives around 370 important phrases for academic writing, grouped into 15 functional areas. Written phrases 1.

  7. PDF 7th Edition Discussion Phrases Guide

    Discussion Phrases Guide. Papers usually end with a concluding section, often called the "Discussion.". The Discussion is your opportunity to evaluate and interpret the results of your study or paper, draw inferences and conclusions from it, and communicate its contributions to science and/or society. Use the present tense when writing the ...

  8. Useful Research Words and Phrases for All Sections

    5. Useful Phrases for the Journal Submission Cover Letter/Rebuttal Letter. As with research papers, there are usually dozens of options for how to phrase the language in letters to journal editors. This section suggests several of the most common phrases that authors use to express their objectives and persuade editors to publish their journals.

  9. Useful Phrases and Sentences for Academic & Research Paper Writing

    Click here for the academic phrases and vocabulary for the introduction section of the research paper…. 3. Literature review. The literature review should clearly demonstrate that the author has a good knowledge of the research area. Literature review typically occupies one or two passages in the introduction section.

  10. PDF English for Writing Research Papers Useful Phrases

    Index of Useful Phrases. Establishing why your topic (X) is important. Outlining the past-present history of the study of X (no direct references to the literature) Outlining the possible future of X. Indicating the gap in knowledge and possible limitations. Stating the aim of your paper and its contribution.

  11. Academic Phrasebank

    Academic phrasebank refers to a library containing a collection of English phrases that can be readily used in scientific papers and academic reports. The REF-N-WRITE team has painstakingly created a phrasebank of 20,000 academic writing phrases for use by students and researchers writing research papers. These academic phrases were extracted ...

  12. Transition Words & Phrases

    Research paper Academic writing Starting the research process ... Transition Words & Phrases | List & Examples. Published on May 29, 2020 by Jack Caulfield. Revised on August 23, 2023. ... If you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or writing rules make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and ...

  13. PDF Starter Phrases for Academic Writing-2

    Starter Phrases for Academic Writing Across the academic disciplines, writers often introduce their ideas, or the ideas of others, with simple phrases. You can use the phrases in this handout to achieve your rhetorical purpose. Meta-language that signals a text's organization Arguments against phenomenon X depend on four assumptions:

  14. 100+ Research Vocabulary Words & Phrases

    Wordvice provides high-quality English proofreading and editing services.We have helped thousands of researchers, students, writers, and businesses maximize the impact of their writing. Here are 100+ active verbs to make your research writing more engaging. Includes additional tops to improve word and phrase choices.

  15. 26 powerful academic phrases to write your introduction (+ real

    If you struggle with writing an introduction and finding the right wording, academic key phrases can help! Here is a list of 26 useful academic phrases to write the introduction of a research paper or thesis. Furthermore, examples from published academic papers across various disciplines are provided to demonstrate how the academic phrases can ...

  16. Impressive Academic Phrases for Writing Manuscripts

    Right from the abstract to the conclusion, every section must follow a logical structure. Using appropriate language, tense, voice, and perspective to present your ideas is very important. As a good practice, researchers prior to writing a manuscript extensively read previously published literature. However, scanning for the right phrases and ...

  17. Academic Phrasebank

    Discussing findings. The term 'discussion' has a variety of meanings in English. In academic writing, however, it usually refers to two types of activity: a) considering both sides of an issue, or question before reaching a conclusion; b) considering the results of research and the implications of these. Discussion sections in dissertations ...

  18. 17 academic words and phrases to use in your essay

    To do this, use any of the below words or phrases to help keep you on track. 1. Firstly, secondly, thirdly. Even though it sounds obvious, your argument will be clearer if you deliver the ideas in the right order. These words can help you to offer clarity and structure to the way you expose your ideas.

  19. Academic Phrases for Writing Results & Discussion Sections of a

    Academic Phrases for Writing Results & Discussion Sections of a Research Paper. The results and discussion sections are one of the challenging sections to write. It is important to plan this section carefully as it may contain a large amount of scientific data that needs to be presented in a clear and concise fashion.

  20. Lists of general phrases that can be very helpful to write a good

    The lists below offer general phrases that can be used in many kinds of research papers. For. mastering the terminology and phraseology specific to a field, regular reading of the relevant ...

  21. Academic Phrases for Writing Literature Review Section of a Research Paper

    In this blog, we discuss phrases related to literature review such as summary of previous literature, research gap and research questions. The literature review should clearly demonstrate that the author has a good knowledge of the research area. A well-written literature review should provide a critical appraisal of previous studies related to the current research area rather than a simple ...

  22. Intuition in Organizations: New Research Directions

    This 15th annual intuition symposium at AoM showcases new research directions in the discipline. The empirical contributions investigate the role of intuition in academic output and organizational forecasting. The conceptual contributions compare and contrast intuition with tacit knowledge and artificial intelligence. Both research streams are bound together through a contribution about a ...

  23. Academic Phrases for Writing Introduction Section of a Research Paper

    In this blog, we discuss phrases related to introduction section such as opening statement, problem definition and research aims. Introduction section should provide the reader with a brief overview of your topic and the reasons for conducting research. The introduction is a perfect place to set the scene and make a good first impression. Regarding word count, introduction typically occupies ...

  24. Academic Phrasebook

    This document elaborates on a typical research paper format and provides practical ideas for sketching the research paper outline for your work. In the following sections, we cover all the main headings you will need to include when constructing your research paper outline. The research paper format illustrated in this document is a standard basic format that is applicable to most academic papers.