Academic Writing Style: 10 Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Academic writing is not about ornate, complicated sentences. Quite the opposite: it is clear, objective, precise and evidence-based language. Below are the mistakes we see most often in theses and papers, with corrected examples.

1. Informal language

• Wrong: I think social media really messes with young people.
• Right: Social media use has been associated with young people’s self-perception (Author, Year).

Avoid "I think", "really", "basically", "a lot of" and similar expressions.

2. Overgeneralisation

• Wrong: Everyone knows technology improves learning.
• Right: Many studies show that technology-supported instruction is positively associated with achievement.

Avoid absolute words such as "everyone", "no one", "always", "never".

3. Unproven certainty

• Wrong: This study proves that social media causes depression.
• Right: In this study, time spent on social media was positively associated with depressive symptoms.

A correlational study does not prove causation; use "proves", "undoubtedly" and "clearly" with care.

4. Unsupported claims

If you state scientific information, cite it. If you cannot find a source, soften the claim or remove it.

5. Repetitive patterns

Starting every paragraph with "Moreover…" or "In this context…", or repeating "plays an important role", makes the text monotonous. Vary your transitions and make sure every paragraph adds something new.

6. Overly long sentences

If a sentence contains more than one main idea, split it. Readers should not forget the beginning by the time they reach the end.

7. Grammar and agreement errors

Check subject–verb agreement and dangling modifiers, and remove redundant phrases such as "end result" or "past history".

8. Inconsistent terminology

Do not call a concept "self-efficacy" in one place and "self-confidence" in another. Use the term you defined consistently throughout.

9. Inconsistent tense

A common convention: past tense for describing previous studies and your methods ("were collected", "was found"), present tense for established knowledge. Whatever you choose, be consistent.

10. Spelling and punctuation

Proofread carefully, and follow the spelling conventions (e.g. British or American English) required by your institution or journal.

Editing with Academiana

In Academiana you can select part of your text and use "Make academic", "Shorten", "Expand" or "Restructure"; your citations are preserved. "Reduce repetition" removes repetitive patterns and near-identical sentences, and the quality check automatically finds informal expressions, overstated claims and repetition across chapters.