Hints for using specialist vocabulary in your academic area

A good way to make sure your word choice is appropriate is to model it on the word choice in the readings for your subject. If you are still having trouble finding appropriately formal words, you can use a thesaurus, BUT always check your chosen word in a dictionary and try to find some examples of its use before using it in your essay. This will ensure that it conveys your meaning exactly.

WARNING: Do not use a word if you are unsure of its meaning. This will not make your language sound more academic; it will simply obscure the message you are trying to communicate.