Understanding Nominalizations in Academic Writing: Why They Should Be Avoided and How to Avoid Them

Introduction

Nominalizations are a common feature in academic writing, but their overuse can lead to unclear and cumbersome prose. This article will explain what nominalizations are, why they should generally be avoided, and provide examples of how to avoid them to improve clarity and readability in academic texts.

What Are Nominalizations?

Nominalizations occur when verbs (actions) or adjectives (descriptions) are turned into nouns (things). For example, the verb "analyze" becomes the noun "analysis," and the adjective "happy" becomes the noun "happiness." While nominalizations are not inherently bad, their excessive use can make writing more abstract and less direct.

Why Should Nominalizations Be Avoided?

1. Clarity and Precision: Nominalizations can obscure the main action or focus of a sentence. For instance, "The implementation of the policy was successful" is less direct than "The policy was successfully implemented." The latter sentence clearly identifies the action and the actor.
2. Conciseness: Nominalizations often require additional words to form complete sentences, leading to wordiness. For example, "The examination of the data led to the conclusion that..." can be more concisely written as "Examining the data led to the conclusion that..."
3. Engagement: Active verbs make writing more dynamic and engaging. Sentences with nominalizations can feel static and impersonal. For example, "The decision was made by the committee" is less engaging than "The committee decided."
4. Readability: Academic texts are often dense and complex. Reducing nominalizations can make sentences easier to read and understand. For example, "The exploration of the topic will be conducted by the researchers" can be simplified to "The researchers will explore the topic."

Examples of Avoiding Nominalizations

1. Identify the Nominalization: Look for nouns that could be verbs. For example, in the sentence "The analysis of the results was conducted by the team," "analysis" is a nominalization.
2. Convert to Active Verbs: Change the nominalization back to its verb form. "The team analyzed the results" is more direct and clear.
3. Simplify the Sentence Structure: Often, nominalizations are part of complex sentence structures. Simplifying these can improve readability. For example, "The implementation of the new system will result in an improvement in efficiency" can be rewritten as "Implementing the new system will improve efficiency."
4. Use Dynamic (action) Verbs: Lean towards dynamic verbs over static verbs. For example, "They were thinking about skipping school for the day” could be rewritten as, “The students considered skipping school for the day.” Or, “I think I failed the exam” could be, “I failed the exam.” Rationale: Everything you write (in the third person) is what you think, but writing, “I think…” becomes unnecessary.

Practical Tips for Avoiding Nominalizations

1. Revise for Active Voice: Passive constructions often accompany nominalizations. Revising sentences to use active voice can help reduce nominalizations. For example, "The discovery of the solution was made by the scientist" can be revised to "The scientist discovered the solution."
2. Be Specific: Vague nouns often indicate nominalizations. Be specific about who is doing what. For example, "The presentation of the findings will be done by the team" can be revised to "The team will present the findings."
3. Read Aloud: Reading your writing aloud can help you identify awkward or unclear sentences. If a sentence feels cumbersome, check for nominalizations.
4. Use Grammar Tools: Many word processors and grammar checkers can identify passive voice and nominalizations. Use these tools to help revise your writing.