Prof Lennart Nacke, PhD Profile picture
Jan 22, 2023 10 tweets 5 min read Read on X
Most academic writing is awful at concision.

It's always:

• Verbose verbiage
• Prolix prose
• Jumbled jargon

Horrible to read.

Here's how top academic writers tweak their text. ↓
#AcademicTwitter #AcademicChatter #phdlife #phdvoice #phdstudent Hero image with text in front of yellow background (with pat
1. 'Irregardless' is a word, but don't use it.

The dictionary shows it's a word but also labels it as non-standard and incorrect in standard English.

Use either 'irrespective' or 'regardless.' This shows the dictionary definition of irregardless. Irrega
2. There is more than one way to write the possessive form of a word that ends in S.

Most academics are used to AP style, where the possessive of a word ending in S gets an apostrophe.

→ James' paper

But Chicago style recommends against that for clarity.

→ James's paper Two different styles of possessives ending in S from The Chi
3. The abbreviations 'i.e.' and 'e.g.' do not mean the same thing.

“e.g.” means "for example," and “i.e.” means "in other words" or "meaning."

“e.g.” → incomplete list of examples (no need to add 'etc.' at the end!)

“i.e.” → clarifying statement Example sentence: The interactive entertainment (i.e., games
4. Avoid run-on sentences.

Fusing together two complete sentences is not pretty.

It doesn't only happen in long sentences but can be as short as "I'm short he's a baller."

This happens when you don't use a semicolon, colon, or dash between two independent sentences. Run-on sentence example: I wish I was a little bit taller I
5. Passive voice is terrible, but it is not always incorrect.

Generally, avoid passive voice.

But:

Passive voice can be the best choice if you don't know who is responsible for an action.

"Mistakes were made." Example showing: "Mistakes were made" in front of
6. It's okay to split your infinitives.

Henry Alford, Dean of Canterbury, promoted the idea that you shouldn’t put an adverb in the middle of an infinitive
in his 1864 book:

The Queen’s English.

Not a rule, an idea.

For example: "To better understand" is common in academia. Star Trek reference image: An image of the starship Enterpri
7. You can end a sentence with a preposition.

Remove the preposition if the statement makes sense without it.

If the preposition is part of a phrasal verb or is necessary for a better style, keep it.

Example: "Let's kiss and make up." An example of a sentence ending with a preposition in front
TL;DR: Academic Writing

1. 'Irregardless' is a no-use word
2. S-ending possessives are stylistic.
3. 'i.e.' and 'e.g.' are not the same
4. Avoid run-on sentences
5. Passive voice is bad but not wrong
6. It's OK to split your infinitives
7. Prepositions can finish sentences.
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More from @acagamic

Oct 20
Most PhD students fail at research questions.

(I used to be one of them)

See, back when I started my research journey,
I thought coming up with research questions was luck.

Just throw something at the wall and hope it sticks.

Wrong.

After helping 100s of students with their research,
I've discovered a secret 4-step question formula:Image
1. Start with scope
Don't jump straight to questions.
First, outline your broad area in 1-2 sentences.

Example: "Virtual reality user interactions"
This gives you boundaries to work within.
2. Identify the gap & problem
What specific problem needs solving?
Make it obvious.

Example: "VR motion sickness during extended use"

• Look for contradictions in existing studies
• Spot practical problems without solutions
• Find areas with limited research
Read 6 tweets
Oct 17
Top researchers publish 2x more papers.

More papers, faster defence, higher grant rates.
Same effort, double output.

They all follow the same 3-pillar optimization system.

Here are 3 pillars of research superstars:
(and the research habits that compound results) 12 healthy habits for researchers
Pillar 1: Cognitive Foundation
Your brain is your primary research tool.

• Mindfulness before high-stakes presentations
• Consistent sleep for memory consolidation
• Regular exercise for enhanced focus

Without this foundation, everything else crumbles.
Pillar 2: Strategic Focus
Clarity beats activity time and again.

• Saying no to non-essential commitments
• Morning strategic planning sessions
• Weekly research trajectory reviews

This pillar protects your most valuable asset: time.
Read 6 tweets
Oct 17
I submitted my first conference article at 26.

It failed for one reason:

I structured it like a conclusion, not a story. Image
I didn’t become a better writer with tricks.
I just learned to start with the problem.

My paper didn't get rejected due to too complex prose.
But because I structured my argument backwards.

Now, I've reviewed 100+ papers from PhDs.

The biggest difference here:
Structure turns unreadable into impactful research.Image
Weak academic writing starts with the solution:

Here's what's technically interesting about it.
Here's my research result.
Here's my methodology.

This forces readers to reverse-engineer.
Why should they care about it?
Most give up before page 2. Image
Read 8 tweets
Sep 24
Over the past 16 years, I have published 20,000+ words/year in academic papers, cited 24k+ times, won many awards.

Most people don't know this peculiar paragraph writing technique that I use.

It's called PEEL (sometimes TEEL):
🧵⬇️
(1) Point (or Topic) → (2) Evidence → (3) Explanation → (4) Link.

And this is how you structure writing paragraphs. Every paragraph should be broken down into those 4 sections.

This is what goes into each section:👇
1. Point

What’s the fastest way to make your point?

Simply state it in the first sentence of your paragraph. This is also called the topic sentence.
Read 11 tweets
Sep 22
Every successful CHI author uses these 7 rules of writing.

Most graduate students do not know them.

I'm releasing them to you here for free to help you become a better writer.

🧵⬇️
1. Do not use contractions in academic writing.

It makes you sound informal and takes away the professionalism required in an academic paper.
2. Your credibility comes from using specific numbers and explaining things with specific language.

Be specific.
Read 12 tweets
Sep 14
Research success looks impressive from the outside.

But the real work happens under water.

These tricks separate thriving from struggling scholars.

Most researchers ignore them completely.

Here are 7 actions that actually drive career growth: Research iceberg
1. Write Every Single Day

Train writing consistently.
Fifteen minutes beats weekend marathons.
Daily writing builds thinking muscles you didn't you had.

• Creates momentum that compounds weekly
• Reduces writing anxiety over time
• Clarifies complex ideas faster

Consistency trumps intensity every time.
2. Build Relationships Before You Need Them

Don't be a waiter fishing for a tip.
Networking after rejection feels desperate.
Smart researchers cultivate connections continuously.

• Attend conferences for the simple conversations
• Schedule monthly coffee meetings with peers
• Help others before asking for help

Relationships open doors that merit alone cannot.
Read 9 tweets

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