Found in 2-3% of dissertation chapters. One "kids" instead of "children" or "a lot" instead of "substantially" tells your committee you haven't made the shift to scholarly writing.
Replace this phrase with formal academic language.
Informal language is any word or phrase that belongs in conversation but not in a dissertation. "Kids" instead of "children" or "students." "A lot of" instead of "many" or "numerous." "Get" or "got" instead of "obtain," "become," or "receive." "Thing" instead of the specific noun. These words are perfectly fine in everyday communication, but in a dissertation, they signal that you haven't fully adapted to the register of academic writing.
The issue isn't snobbery — it's precision. Informal language is almost always less precise than its formal equivalent. "A lot of students" — how many? "Things got better" — what things, and better by what measure? Formal academic language forces you to be specific: "Student achievement scores increased by 12 percentage points." The formality serves the scholarship.
Most informal language in dissertations comes from two sources: first drafts where you're getting ideas down quickly and naturally write in your speaking voice, and sections where you're less confident in the content and unconsciously retreat to comfortable phrasing. The fix is a dedicated editing pass where you search for common informal words and replace them with academic alternatives. It's one of the fastest improvements you can make to your manuscript.
Phrases like "a lot of" or "kind of" undermine your credibility as a scholar. Dissertations are formal documents that establish you as an expert—informal language contradicts that positioning.
The data didn't add up. Administrators need to get on board.
The data were inconsistent. Administrators must support these changes.
"A lot of," "said," "didn't," and "get through" are all informal. Replace each with a formal, precise alternative.
A lot of the teachers said they didn't have enough time to get through the curriculum.
A majority of teachers reported insufficient time to complete the curriculum (78%, n = 45).
"Kids" → "student participants." "Basically" → delete (adds nothing). "From" → "resided within."
The kids in the study were basically from the same neighborhood.
The student participants resided within a single geographic attendance zone.
"Big deal" → "noteworthy." "Shows" → "provides evidence." "Really works" → "effectiveness."
This is a big deal because it shows that the program really works.
This finding is noteworthy because it provides evidence of program effectiveness.
Tap each item as you review your chapter.
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