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Academic style

In the previous topic, we noted that some common words have specialised meanings in Sociology. You may also have noticed that, in addition to this technical vocabulary, sociologists adopt a particular style of writing that is also familiar from many other disciplines you may be studying. This "academic" style is characterised by several features. The main feature of this writing is that it seeks to appear objective; thus, it rarely uses personal pronouns, such as "I" or "you" and it avoids using emotionally expressive language. It also uses language precisely and accurately and is more formal in expression (in other words, it avoids speechlike or journalistic writing).

The following tasks are designed to help you develop further your ability to write in an academic style.

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