Academic Vocabulary Scientific text is precise, impersonal and objective. It typically uses the third person, the passive tense, complex terminology, and various footnoting and referencing systems.

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Scientific English Course Master 1

^st

Level AACQ & Veg Prod Academic Year 2019-2020, 2

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Sem

Academic Vocabulary

Scientific text is precise, impersonal and objective. It typically uses the third person, the passive tense, complex terminology, and various footnoting and referencing systems.

Good scientific writing is characterised by objectivity.

Adjectives, nouns:

The table below gives you an example of most common items used in academic writing, Use a dictionary to check the exact meaning, write it.

Adjectives Nouns Meaning

achievable achievement

acquired acquisition

analytical analysis

contributory contribution/ contributor

creative creation

definitive definition

derived derivation

distributive distribution/ distributor

emphatic emphasis

evaluative evaluation

hypothetical hypothesis

indicative indication/ indicator interpretative interpretation

invested investment

predictive prediction/ predictor reliable reliability

responsive response

significant significance

synthetic synthesis

variable variation/ variable

Task1:

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Complete the third case with the appropriate verb derived from the adjectives and nouns above

Adjectives Nouns Verb

achievable achievement

acquired acquisition

analytical analysis

contributory contribution/ contributor

creative creation

definitive definition

derived derivation

distributive distribution/ distributor

emphatic emphasis

evaluative evaluation

hypothetical hypothesis

indicative indication/ indicator

interpretative interpretation

invested investment

predictive prediction/ predictor

reliable reliability

responsive response

significant significance

synthetic synthesis

variable variation/ variable

Task 2: Put the most suitable word ending in each sentence.

a) Green chemistry is pred……….. to be clean and safe to the environnement, b) A signif………. difference was observed between the experiments, c) The increase var………. between 9 and 11 degree,

d) the computer was creat……….. during the second world war, e) you need a hypoth……….. before starting your thesis,

f) the firm invest……… all the budget to find solution to the actual disease, g) the reviewers evaluat………. the scientific work.

h) you need to find a substitute to the syn……… product in use,

i) the conclusion is an important cont………. to the previous studies.

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Academic Adjectives:

The following table gives you opposite adjectives, put them in order, and retain them Adjectives

absolute abstract logical metaphorical precise rational relevant subjective theoretical

Objective Literal

Practical or empirical or pragmatic Irrational

Relative Illogical Concrete

Vague or approximate or rough irrelevant

Adjectives Their opposites

absolute

abstract

logical

metaphorical

precise

rational

relevant

subjective

theoretical

Academic Vocabulary:

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In writing, academics use many expressions which are neutral, but they also use rather formal expressions which are not common in everyday language. Knowing whether an expression is formal or just neutral is important.

neutral More formal

In short, briefly, basically In sum, to sum up

only Sole(ly)

Almost/more or less virtually

try attempt

Mainly/mostly primarily

Typical of Characteristic of

Academic language tries to be clear and precise, so it is important to keep a vocabulary notebook and learn also the differences between similar words,

-Remarque:

Academic language puts a lot of information into noun phrases rather than spreading it out over a whole sentence. For example, instead of saying Radiation was accidentally released over a 24-hour period, damaging a wide area for a long time, an academic might say The accidental release of radiation over a 24-hour period caused widespread long-term damage.

That why it is therefore important to learn the different forms of a word, for example:

noun verb Adjective(s) Adverb(s)

accident - accidental accidentally

Quantity/quantification quantify Quantitative/quantifiable Quantitatively/

quantifiably

To develop your academic vocabulary, you should study the Academic Word List (AWL). This is a list of 570 items commonly used in academic texts across various disciplines, created by Averil Coxhead at the School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies at Victoria

University of Wellington, New Zealand.

In the next page you will find the Academic Word List, use a dictionary to search for their exact meaning, use each noun in a new sentence.

Academic Wordlist

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List 1

Words 1-10 Words 11-20 Words 21-

30 Words 31-

40 Words 41-50

achieve authority consistent distinction factors administration available constitutional economic feature

affect benefit consumer element final

analysis category context environment financial

approach community create error focus

appropriate complex culture equation function

area concerning data establish global

aspects conclusion definition estimate identify assistance conduct destructive evaluation impact assume consequence discovery evidence income

Words 51-

60 Words 61-70 Words 71-

80 Words 81-

90 Words 91-

100

indicate media policy regulations similar individual method positive relevant solution

injury modern potential require source

investment normal previous research specific

involve obtain primary resident strategy

issue restrict process resources structure

item occur purchase response theory

legal participation range sector threat

maintenance percent recent security traditional

major period region significant transport

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List 2

30 Words 31-

40 Words 41-50

access attitude constant demonstrate ensure

activity aware contact despite equivalent

alter capacity contribution dimension evolution alternative challenge core domestic exclude amendment circumstance correspond dominant exposure

annual comment criteria emerge external

apparent communication cycle emphasis facilitate application concentration debate enable fundamental approximate conflict decline energy funds

artificial considerable deduction enforcement generation

Words 51-

60 Words 61-70 Words 71-

80 Words 81-

90 Words 91-

100

hence location occupation project sufficient

hypothesis logic option promote summary

illustrate marginal orientation proportion supply

image maximum outcome psychology task

immigration mechanism overall reaction technique implement medical parallel remove technology initial mental perspective resolution transition integration modification philosophy specify trend

layer negative precise stability version

legislation network predict subsequent volume

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List 3

30 Words 31-

40 Words 41-50

abstract author definite exceed identical

accurate brief deny expansion ignorance

acknowledge capable discrimination expert imply

adaptation civil disposal fees incentive

adequate classical diversity flexibility incorporated adjust comprehensive domain foundation index

adult contrary dynamic gender infrastructure

advocate coordination eliminate global inhibition

aid couple equipment grade innovation

attribute decades estate guarantee instance

Words 51-

60 Words 61-70

Words 71- 80

Words 81- 90

Words 91- 100

instruction minimum pursue simulation sustainable intelligence monitoring rational solely symbolic interact motivation recovery somewhat topic

interval neutral reject status trace

investigation obvious release stress transformation

isolated overseas reveal style ultimate

justification parameter role substitution underline lecture phenomenon satisfy successive unique

liberal prohibit scope survey utility

migration publish sequence survive visible

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List 4

Words 1-10 Words 11-

20 Words 21-

30 Words 31-

40 Words 41-50 accommodatio

n behalf contradict devote exhibit

accompany bias controversy differentiation explicit advance cease conversely diminish exploitation analogous chart cooperate displacement extract anticipate clarity crucial display federal appendix coherence currency distorted fluctuations appreciate coincide denote dramatic format arbitrary commodity detect duration founded assure confirm deviation ethical guidelines automatically contemporary device eventually highlighted

Words 51-60 Words 61-

70 Words 71-

80 Words 81-

90 Words 91-

100

implicit medium portion revision theme

incompatible military precede revolution thereby

induce mutual predominantl

y scenario uniform

inevitably norms priority schedule validity

inherent notion prospect sphere vehicle

intensity nuclear qualitative suspended via intermediate objective radical target violation

internal paragraph random team virtual

manual passive reinforce temporary vision

mature perceive relax tension widespread

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List 5

30 Words 31-40 Words 41-50

abandon assembly compile creditable encounter abate assessment complement deceive enhance

abrupt assign comprise depression enormous

accumulation attain conceive derive entirely acquisition avert concurrent distribution entrepreneur

adjacent coal confined divergent erosion

aggregate collapse conform doubt forbearance albeit colleagues confuse drastic forthcoming ambiguous combat consciousness election frustration ancestor commit convinced empirical goal

Words 51-

60 Words 61-70 Words 71-

80 Words 81-90 Words 91- 100

homogenous invoke ongoing reluctant substantiate inclination justify overlap restore supplementary indulge likewise persistent restraint sympathy

infer link pose rigid termination

initiative manage possess route transmission

insight manipulation preliminary sacrifice undergo inspection merge presumption scale unify integral nonetheless ratio so-called vital

intervention notwithstandin

g refine straightforward voluntary

intrinsic odd relate subordinate whereby