Just a random cool word. Thanks, Dr. B!
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/genuflect
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/genuflect
Just a random cool word. Thanks, Dr. B!
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/genuflect
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So often I'll read an undergraduate paper and see this sentence as an opener "In today's society..."
Okay. Pause. That sentence is so overgeneralizing and vague that it will undoubtedly lose you points. through papers I constantly read sentences that start with "overall..." or "because of this..." and it just looks really sloppy. So! Here are some great words that can be used to start a sentence when you just don't know what to say! Interestingly - Duh!!! it is one word that gets the sentence going, AND it insists to your reader that the thing you are about to say is interesting! total win-win! (e.g. Interestingly, these studies all point to a link between direct communication and relational satisfaction) Alternatively - This is great for following up a sentence in a literature review. It directs attention to the point you are about to make by separating your current sentence from the last few that preceded it. (e.g. The authors of this article claim that most people are not satisfied with their relationships. Alternatively, the aim of this study is to examine what elements contribute to high levels of relationship satisfaction) To wit - This is an oldie, but a goody. Its basically saying "namely" or "that is to say" or "specifically." This is a really good attention grabber in my experience because nobody ever uses it. I would say you're good to use this once per paper (e.g. The results showed that people tend to be more happy when direct communication is used during arguments. To wit, it appears that individuals you are more passive in their communication experience more uncertainty and confusion) Notable/Noteworthy/Of note - Again, these direct attention to the fact that what you are about to say should be paid attention to. Use it in place of any of the above as a substitute so that you don't use the same phrase over and over again Fittingly - Ooooo I love this one. Its good for connecting two thoughts that require connection in order to make sense (e.g. There is little research that examines the way that couples interact with their social networks. Fittingly, the aim of this study will be to bridge that gap) Accordingly - Again, great for connecting two thoughts. Use it in place of fittingly for some nice parity. Okay those are just a few one word sentence starters; there are also a ton of phrases and many other useful words that can help you to "beef" your paragraphs up and make your sentences flow smoothly. Hope you enjoy and use these in your paper (no really, for my sake, please use them!). Love, James Who knew that there was a shorter version of the word "persuasive?" It's simply just "suasive." I'm totally using this. It's like abbreviating, but it's legit (see what I did there?). You can also use the noun form, "suasion." Pretty nifty, huh? More dorky words to add to the pot!
It looks like there may be a minor difference between persuasion and suasion, but overall they're fairly interchangeable. Suasion may suggest more of the possibility for persuasion, but I'm not totally positive on that based on the definitions I found. Link posted below. What do you think? Peace & Love, Sophia Sometimes, I entertain myself by reading dictionaries. And although it's a bit of an odd habit, I know there are others out there who share my nerdy interest. This page is for them. :)
My favorite vocab book (which is basically a dictionary in cute clothing) is called The Big Book of Words You Should Know. It organizes its lists by funny chapters such as, "Words You Absolutely Should Know," "Words Most People Don't Know," "Words You Should Know to Sound Overeducated," and "Words You Probably Shouldn't Know." (That last one is all about naughty words - we'll get there eventually). For now, here are a few letter A favorites from the chapter, "Words You Should Know to Sound Overeducated." Let's just dive in with the fun stuff. (Side note: is overeducated even a thing?!) Amalgamate: (uh-MAL-guh-mate) "To blend into a coherent single unit. Originally, an amalgamation was the mixture of an alloy or metal with mercury. Today, to amalgamate is taken to mean to combine of a number of elements into a whole" (p. 328). Anachronism: (uh-NAK-ruh-niz-um) "The depiction of something as occurring or existing at a point in time it did not. An anachronism is an intentional or unintentional representation of a historically incorrect situation. A portrait of George Washington holding a pocket calculator would be an example of an anachronism" (p. 329). Apoplectic: (ap-uh-PLECK-tic) "An 'apoplexy' is a stroke, but apoplectic often is used to describe an extremely agitated state of rage" (p. 330). Apotheosis: (uh-POTH-ee-oh-sis) "A perfect example; the epitome of a person, place, thing, etc. Also, apotheosis can mean something or someone elevated to a god-like status" (p. 330). Assiduously: (uh-SID-joo-us-lee) "Constantly; unceasingly in effort; persistently. Someone who is diligent and persistent is assiduous. Someone who words unremittingly and attentively words assiduously" (p. 331). Aver: (uh-VER) "To assert the truthfulness of a statement" (p. 332). Axiomatic: (ak-see-uh-MATT-ick) "Someone accepted to be self-evident" (p. 332). Okay kids, all for now! Enjoy! :) -Sophia |