Academic Writing in English: 11 Practical Tips for German Students

Literature Review and Citation Conventions

The literature review is the heart of every academic paper. In English, there are important conventions that differ from the German style.

Reporting verbs are crucial. Instead of always using 'says' or 'writes', use varied verbs:

• Neutral: states, notes, observes, reports, describes
• Agreement: confirms, demonstrates, establishes, proves
• Critical: claims, argues, asserts, contends
• Cautious: suggests, proposes, implies, indicates

Note the difference between direct and indirect citation. In English papers, indirect citation (paraphrasing) is preferred. Direct quotes should be used sparingly.

Writing Methodology and Results Convincingly

The methodology section must be detailed enough for other researchers to replicate your study. Use simple past passive: 'A questionnaire was distributed to 200 participants.' Describe sample, instruments, procedures, and data analysis systematically.

In the results section, present your data objectively without interpreting them. Use precise phrases for statistical results:

• 'The results revealed a significant correlation between X and Y.'
• 'As shown in Table 2, there was a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05).'
• 'Figure 3 illustrates the distribution of responses.'

Important: Avoid words like 'prove' in the results. In science, nothing is definitively proven -- use 'indicate', 'suggest', or 'support' instead.

Writing the Discussion and Conclusion

The discussion is the most demanding part of an academic paper. Here you interpret your results and place them in the research context. Use hedging to formulate your statements with appropriate caution:

• Modal verbs: may, might, could, would
• Adverbs: possibly, perhaps, potentially, arguably
• Phrases: 'It appears that...', 'This may be attributed to...', 'One possible explanation is...'

The conclusion summarizes the key findings and provides an outlook. Use phrases such as:

• 'In conclusion, this study has demonstrated that...'
• 'The findings contribute to the existing body of knowledge by...'
• 'Future research should investigate...'

Avoid introducing new information or arguments in the conclusion.

Writing the Perfect Abstract

The abstract is the showcase of your work -- it often determines whether someone will continue reading your article. A good abstract usually contains 150-300 words and follows a clear structure:

The five elements of a good abstract:

1. Background: 'The increasing importance of X has led to...'
2. Research aim: 'This study aims to investigate...'
3. Method: 'A mixed-methods approach was employed...'
4. Results: 'The results indicate that...'
5. Conclusion: 'These findings have implications for...'

Always write the abstract last, when you know the full content of your paper. Avoid citations, abbreviations (on first occurrence), and references to tables or figures in the abstract.