ELSA Academic Language & Register Flashcards

Which sentence uses the most formal academic register?

Answer: The results indicate a significant correlation between the two variables.

Academic register uses formal vocabulary like 'indicate,' 'significant,' and 'correlation' rather than informal phrasing.

Which transition word best signals a contrast between two ideas?

Answer: However

'However' is used to introduce a contrasting or opposing idea in academic and formal writing.

In an academic essay, what is the purpose of a thesis statement?

Answer: To state the central argument or main claim of the essay

A thesis statement presents the writer's central argument or position, typically at the end of the introduction paragraph.

Which of the following best replaces 'get' in a formal academic context: 'Students should ___ feedback from their instructors.'?

Answer: obtain

'Obtain' is the formal academic equivalent of the informal 'get' and is appropriate in written academic contexts.

Which sentence correctly uses a hedging expression appropriate for academic writing?

Answer: The data suggest that urban populations may be more vulnerable to this effect.

Hedging language such as 'suggest' and 'may' allows academic writers to make cautious, evidence-based claims without overstating certainty.

What does it mean to paraphrase a source in academic writing?

Answer: To restate the author's ideas in your own words while citing the source

Paraphrasing means restating someone else's ideas in your own words and sentence structure while still crediting the original source.