Activity 2.1 Why does academic writing need to be formal, objective, complex, concise and specific? To find the answer to this question read the text below and underline the word that best completes each sentence. An academic is responsible for expanding the boundaries of knowledge. This is serious business and a/an 1) (informal, formal , complex) writing style reflects the Importance and sincerity of this work. If an academic text contains informal casual language, the credibility of the writer is weakened. Therefore, in an academic text you see 2) (formal, concise, sophisticated) academic vocabulary and words written in their 3) (shorter, complex, full) form. Academic writing appears 4) (complex, concise, specialized) because it often refers to abstract ideas, whereas everyday language is more concrete and familiar. Academic subjects have their own 5) (specialized, formal, unnecessary) vocabulary too which students of other subjects may not be familiar with. Oddly, if English is not your first language, the importance of being 6) (complex, concise, objective) in academic writing adds to this complexity. Sentences that are structured around 7) (noun, verb, adverb) phrases are generally 8) (unnecessary, complex, concise) and clearer than sentences constructed around 9) (noun, verb, adverb), but they may be more difficult for students to write. The same is true when writers use sentences that contain subordinate clauses or lists. Sophisticated adverbs and connecting words, and 10) (use, definitions, highlighting) of important words also add to the darity and precision of academic writing. An academic paper should be written in an 11) (academic, objective, informal) style. Academics focus on information and argumentation. In other words, they establish the facts by writing about what they have leamed from others and from that own research, and how this has led to new conclusions. This style of writing therefore avoids personal 12) (pronouns, words, stories) and the passive voice is a common linguistic feature. Emotional language is also avoided. Being assertive, and therefore appearing superior and arrogant, is regarded negatively. Writers are expected to be cautious, or tentative, about the conclusions they come to and so 13) (hesitating complexity, hedging) is another typical characteristic of academic writing​