Delete Words That Add No Meaning
Lesson 11 of 20 Thesis Editing Tips
From the Examiner’s Desk
“I frequently examine theses in which years of excellent research are obscured by weak writing.”
Many writing guides focus on grammar.
This lesson focuses on readability.
Its purpose is to help readers understand your ideas more quickly and with less effort.
As a PhD examiner and thesis editor, I often find that one of the quickest ways to improve a thesis is not by adding words.
It is by removing them.
Many students assume that longer sentences sound more academic.
In reality, unnecessary words often weaken an otherwise strong argument.
Words such as actually, basically, quite, very, and extremely frequently add little or no meaning.
Removing them makes your writing clearer, more direct, and more professional.
What Are Meaningless Words?
Meaningless words are words that add emphasis without adding information.
If removing a word does not change the meaning of the sentence, the word probably does not belong there.
For example:
❌ The results were actually significant.
✅ The results were significant.
The revised sentence is shorter and stronger.
Nothing important has been lost.
Why Meaningless Words Weaken Writing
Many filler words creep into academic writing because they sound conversational.
Unfortunately, academic writing benefits from precision rather than vague emphasis.
Meaningless words often:
• Make sentences longer.
• Reduce clarity.
• Weaken the impact of important findings.
• Distract readers from the main message.
Good academic writing is economical.
Every word should contribute something useful.
Common Examples
Instead of writing:
❌ actually
delete it.
❌ basically
delete it or rewrite the sentence.
❌ quite
usually unnecessary.
❌ very
replace it with a stronger word or, better still, with evidence.
❌ completely
often redundant.
❌ extremely
usually unnecessary.
❌ at all
often adds no meaning.
❌ certain
frequently weakens precision.
❌ fortunately
avoid unless expressing opinion is appropriate.
❌ carefully
retain only if the manner of the action is scientifically important.
Examples from Academic Writing
Example 1
❌ The results were actually significant.
✅ The results were significant.
The revised sentence is more direct.
Example 2
❌ The samples were carefully analysed.
✅ The samples were analysed.
If careful analysis is expected as part of the method, the word carefully adds little value.
Example 3
❌ The treatment was very effective.
✅ The treatment was effective.
Or better still:
✅ The treatment reduced disease severity by 68%.
Specific evidence is more convincing than vague emphasis.
Example 4
❌ It is basically impossible to repeat the experiment under identical conditions.
✅ It is impossible to repeat the experiment under identical conditions.
Removing basically does not change the meaning.
💬 WhatsApp with Dr Anastasia Apostolides (reasonable hours)
Why Examiners Notice This
Examiners rarely object to one unnecessary word.
However, repeated filler words throughout a thesis create the impression that the writing has not been thoroughly edited.
Removing meaningless words sharpens your arguments and allows your evidence to speak for itself.
Strong research deserves strong writing.
Practical Editing Strategies
During your final edit, search for words such as:
• actually
• basically
• quite
• very
• really
• extremely
• completely
Delete the word.
Then read the sentence again.
If the meaning has not changed, leave it out.
This simple technique often reduces word count while improving readability.
Quick Editing Checklist
Before submitting your thesis, ask yourself:
✓ Does every word add new meaning?
✓ Can I remove unnecessary emphasis?
✓ Have I replaced vague adjectives with evidence?
✓ Can my results speak for themselves?
✓ Have I edited for clarity rather than length?
Key Takeaway
Excellent academic writing is economical.
The strongest writers do not use more words.
They use better words.
Every unnecessary word you remove makes your ideas easier to understand and your thesis more professional.
Need Professional Thesis Editing?
If you would like an experienced PhD examiner to review your thesis before submission, I’d be happy to help.
Whether you need a complete thesis edit, advice on improving clarity, or feedback on a proposal, feel free to get in touch.
Dr Anastasia Apostolides
PhD Examiner • Thesis Editor • Proposal & Academic Consultant
Helping Master’s, MBA, DBA and PhD students write with clarity and confidence.
💬 WhatsApp with Dr Anastasia Apostolides (reasonable hours)
📧 Email: info@uedit.org
📍 uedit.org
Continue Learning
This article is part of the 20 Thesis Editing Tips series.
Continue to the next lesson or explore the complete collection of free thesis resources to strengthen every stage of your academic writing.