From the Examiner’s Desk

Lesson 3 of 20

Long Sentences Do Not Sound More Academic: Why Clear, Concise Writing Makes Stronger Research

“I frequently examine theses in which years of excellent research are obscured by weak writing.”

You have spent years conducting your research. Will your writing allow your examiner to recognise its true value?

Why Students Write Long Sentences

Many students believe sophisticated research requires sophisticated sentences. In practice, clarity is a better indicator of academic maturity than complexity.

Why Supervisors and Examiners Notice

Long sentences increase cognitive load. Readers must hold several ideas in their working memory before they reach the main point, making the argument harder to follow.

Why This Costs Students Marks

Examiners assess the quality of your reasoning. When long sentences obscure that reasoning, the thesis becomes more difficult to evaluate and less persuasive.

Before and After

Before:
Although the experimental results were generally consistent with previous investigations, several observations were identified that may influence interpretation under particular environmental conditions.

After:
The experimental results were generally consistent with previous studies. However, several observations may influence interpretation under particular environmental conditions.

How to Improve Your Writing

Limit each sentence to one main idea. Break sentences longer than about 35 words where appropriate. Remove unnecessary introductory phrases, read difficult passages aloud, and revise until the meaning is immediately clear.