E2-d: Becoming familiar with the Academic Word List

E2-dBecome familiar with the Academic Word List.

If most of your English instruction and practice so far have focused on English for conversational situations (such as traveling, shopping, giving and asking for directions, narrating daily activities, and sharing explanations or personal stories), you might feel overwhelmed by the terms you find in your academic reading and in class discussions. You might feel that your own English vocabulary needs to grow before you can fully express your academic knowledge in writing.

Although it is possible—and often preferable—to learn academic vocabulary in the context of your readings and class discussions, you can get a head start by becoming familiar with the words in the Academic Word List. The Academic Word List, compiled by a linguist, contains almost six hundred of the most frequently used academic English words. (The chart below presents the sixty most commonly used words; you can find the complete list online at the URL in the chart.)

Because you will encounter these words regularly in textbooks and in class, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with them early in your college experience.

Academic Word List

analyze define indicate proceed
approach derive individual process
area distribute interpret require
assess economy involve research
assume environment issue respond
authority establish labor role
available estimate legal section
benefit evident legislate sector
concept export major significant
consist factor method similar
constitute finance occur source
context formula percent specific
contract function period structure
create identify policy theory
data income principle vary

Source: Averil Coxhead, “Sublist 1 of the Academic World List,” School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies, Victoria University of Wellington, 2012. The entire Academic Word List is available at www.victoria.ac.nz/lals/resources/academicwordlist.