Whether writing or speaking for academics, concision is key. The goal is to choose the most to communicate in a brief, yet comprehensive way. To practice concision…

• Know the purpose
  • Only include relevant information that directly supports the purpose of the assigned task
• Know your audience
  • Avoid explanation of what they likely already know
• Avoid repetition
• Avoid qualifiers and intensifiers
  • quite, rather, somewhat, really, very, extremely
• Use active voice
  • Passive = The research results were discarded by the researchers. (8 words)
  • Active = The researchers discarded the results. (5 words)
• Replace short phrases with single words
  • makes the assumption = assumes; due to the fact that = because

Once you have a draft, set it aside and proofread out loud later. Are there sentences that could be combined without losing value? Was information repeated? Could words be removed or replaced without changing the meaning?

• Edit for concise language
  • Wordy: In the current season, days get much longer and the weather changes really fast from snow to rain to sun. (20 words)
  • Revised: Springtime brings longer days and rapidly changing weather. (8 words)

With an eye on concision, your written and spoken communication will be more effective and pleasing for audiences to consume.