The Academic Word List: Learn These Words

How and what words people in a discourse community use are also part of the conventions which govern usage. Academic writing is a good example. When you read college writing, a basic set of words appear again and again. College researchers will study anything, and several years ago a professor in New Zealand, Averil Coxhead, used statistics to figure out a list of words which appear most frequently in academic writing but which are not on the list of the most frequently used words in English. . I am assigning you the job of learning the vocabulary in this list you don't already know.

Why? Because it will help you in several key ways. Studies subsequent to Coxhead's have shown that students who learn this set of words understand academic writing, like that found in college texts, around ten percent better than students who have never studied the vocabulary. Ten percent better understanding may not sound like much, but think of it this way: if you understand the reading and discussion ten percent better in every class, that's a full letter grade difference; so, if you're used to getting a "C," just by learning this vocabulary, studies show you'll be getting a "B" instead. In terms of long term GPA, this means the difference between a 2.0 and a 3.0 GPA. Second, if you want your writing to be recognized as "academic," then you have to use the words good academic writers use.

So, here's the list of the sixty most frequent words in academic writing:

analyze
approach
area
assess
assume
authority
available
benefit
concept
consist

constitute
context
contract
create
data
define
derive
distribute
economy
environment

establish
estimate
evident
export
factor
finance
formula
function
identify
income
indicate

individual
interpret
involve
issue
labor
legal
legislate
major
method
occur

percent
period
policy
principle
proceed
process
require
research
respond
role

section
sector
significant
similar
source
specific
structure
theory
vary

analyze	constitute	establish	indicate	occur	role
approach	context	estimate	individual	percent	section
area	contract	evident	interpret	period	sector
assess	create	export	involve	policy	significant
assume	data	factor	issue	principle	similar
authority	define	finance	labour	proceed	source
available	derive	formula	legal	process	specific
benefit	distribute	function	legislate	require	structure
concept	economy	identify	major	research	theory
consist	environment	income	method	respond	vary