Why are these words forbidden?
These words are on the forbidden-words list for good reason. These are all words that do not fit with the academic writing style. Therefore, it is best not to use them in a thesis, essay, or other pieces of academic writing.
An academic writing style means...
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...You write objectively. You base your writing on facts, and don't let your personal judgment come through.
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...You write impersonally. In other words, you are not writing from your own perspectiv.
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...You are as specific as possible in your wording. You avoid vague language.
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...You don't use colloquial or overly informal language. You use formal written language.
Each type of prohibited words below does not meet one or more of these criteria.
Words banned due to their subjectivity
Some words are forbidden in your thesis because they reflect an opinion. Since you must be objective in your wording in a thesis, these words are not appropriate to use. Of course, this can be allowed only if your thesis supervisor has asked you to let your opinion shine through. Furthermore, it may be allowed in the discussion section of your thesis because it is often meant for you to share your own interpretations.
These are examples of forbidden words in your thesis that are too subjective:
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Naturally, some respondents dropped out. (Omit words like "obviously" or "naturally.")
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The researchers used a well-thought-out method to obtain their findings. (Use a more neutral term here, such as "not previously used," provided the method has actually not been used before.)
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This is a very serious development. (Exaggerations with words like "very," "very," or "enormous" also come across as too subjective).
- In the end, as many as 25 respondents participated in the survey. (Leave out "as many as" here; that shows your opinion).
Of course, subjective language is allowed if you share someone else's opinion, for example, when quoting an interviewee. In that case, it is best to quote (part of) that person's statement.
Words banned because they are "too personal"
You don't write a thesis from the first person. Your intention instead is to write impersonally. This means that you do not speak from your own perspective nor do you address your reader. You may only write from yourself and address the reader in the preface and reflection. This is not allowed in the other chapters.
For this reason, the following words, among others, are generally prohibited:
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In this chapter, I discuss the results of the study. (Make this sentence impersonal, e.g., "This chapter discusses...").
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For this study, I interviewed fifteen people (make this "Fifteen people were interviewed for this study.").
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You can find the interview transcripts in Appendix 5. (Do not address your reader directly in the text. Rather, turn this into "The interview transcripts can be found in Appendix 5.")
In short, pronouns such as "I," "you," and "we" are not used in your thesis, except in a few specific chapters.
Forbidden words that are too vague
In an academic text, you should be as specific and factual as possible. This also means that you should avoid vague wording as much as you can. Always try to be specific when indicating place, time, quantity, and other things.
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The job market does look a little more favorable than in 2019. (The word "a little" is vague. How much is it? Make this "more favorable" or clarify in numbers what "a little more favorable" means.
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Since then, things have changed on social media. (It is preferable to specify exactly what has changed.)
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Many respondents are not comfortable with this. (For results, always specify how many respondents are involved. "Many" is a vague word).
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Previously, Company X paid little attention to the topic of job satisfaction. (What do you mean by "previously?" Please provide a year where possible).
Forbidden words that come from colloquial language
In academic texts, you write with formal language. Therefore, colloquial language should be avoided in your thesis. That means you want to avoid, among others, the following words or phrases:
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A few hypotheses were drawn up for this study. Which ones exactly are these? More on that in Section 5.4. (Do not use rhetorical questions. Of course, you may use questions when you present the research question and your sub-questions).
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Pediatricians have a tough job making the right diagnosis. (Prefer not to use proverbs in your thesis.)
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These are not things that are often researched. (The word "things" is colloquial and too vague. Rather, make specific what you mean by "things.")
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There has been no decline in the number of patients with diabetes. Even though there is plenty of campaigning against obesity. ("Even though" at the beginning of a sentence is colloquial language. It is better to make these two sentences one sentence with a comma before "even.")
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It is not actually a favorable development. (The word "actually" is a forbidden word in colloquial language, and is best avoided in your thesis.)
What else should you pay attention to when writing your thesis?
Only avoiding these forbidden words in your thesis won't get you to the finish line. Want to make sure your thesis is written flawlessly and in the right style? Read our article on language use in your thesis for more tips. Another option: have your thesis proofread by one of our editors. They will make sure your thesis is written correctly and with good academic style.