EAP Academic Writing Conventions 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following best describes 'hedging language' in academic writing?
- Using exaggerated claims to persuade readers
- Using cautious language to indicate uncertainty or limitations (Correct answer)
- Using informal expressions to connect with the audience
- Using passive voice to avoid responsibility
Correct answer: Using cautious language to indicate uncertainty or limitations
Hedging language uses words like 'may,' 'might,' or 'suggests' to indicate that claims are not absolute certainties.
Question 2: Which sentence uses an appropriate formal register for academic writing?
- The experiment was kind of a failure.
- The results show that the hypothesis was wrong, obviously.
- The data indicate that the initial hypothesis was not supported. (Correct answer)
- We totally messed up the first trial.
Correct answer: The data indicate that the initial hypothesis was not supported.
Formal academic writing avoids contractions, colloquialisms, and overly casual language in favor of precise, objective phrasing.
Question 3: In academic writing, what is the primary purpose of a topic sentence?
- To introduce a new argument in the conclusion
- To state the main idea of a paragraph (Correct answer)
- To summarize the entire essay
- To provide a counter-argument
Correct answer: To state the main idea of a paragraph
A topic sentence introduces the central point of a paragraph and guides the reader through the content that follows.
Question 4: Which of the following is an example of nominalization?
- The researchers investigated the problem.
- The investigation of the problem was conducted by researchers. (Correct answer)
- Researchers looked into the problem carefully.
- The problem was looked at by the research team.
Correct answer: The investigation of the problem was conducted by researchers.
Nominalization converts verbs or adjectives into nouns, as in changing 'investigate' to 'investigation,' a hallmark of formal academic style.
Question 5: What does 'coherence' mean in the context of academic writing?
- Using complex sentence structures throughout
- Having ideas logically connected and flowing smoothly (Correct answer)
- Repeating key terms in every paragraph
- Writing long paragraphs with detailed examples
Correct answer: Having ideas logically connected and flowing smoothly
Coherence refers to how well ideas are logically connected and transition smoothly from one to the next throughout a text.
Question 6: Which transition word best signals a contrast in academic writing?
- Furthermore
- Therefore
- However (Correct answer)
- Additionally
Correct answer: However
'However' is used to introduce a contrasting idea or to qualify a previous statement in academic writing.
EAP Academic Writing Conventions 1
Which of the following best describes 'hedging language' in academic writing?