Understanding University Phrase Bans

What Is a University Phrase Ban?

A university "phrase ban" isn't actually a formal ban with penalties. Rather, it's guidance from academic writing advisory services on avoiding certain overused, vague phrases that weaken academic writing. The University of Manchester's phrase guidance is one of the most well-known examples, but similar recommendations exist at many universities.

These guidelines aim to help students develop more precise, evidence-based, and critical writing that meets university standards and earns better marks.

Key Point

Phrase "bans" are not about restricting your expression but encouraging clearer, more precise academic language. They help you avoid common pitfalls that signal to markers that your writing lacks the expected level of precision and critical thinking.

Understanding these discouraged phrases and why they're problematic is an important step toward developing stronger academic writing skills. Markers often associate these phrases with weaker assignments, so eliminating them can immediately improve the perception of your work.

Commonly Discouraged Phrases

The following phrases are often discouraged in academic writing, along with explanations of why they're problematic and suggestions for better alternatives:

Discouraged Phrase	Why It's Problematic	Better Alternative
Since the beginning of time/the dawn of mankind	Hyperbolic and historically inaccurate	Provide a specific historical context: 'Since the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century...'
It is widely known/believed that	Vague and unsupported assertion	Cite specific evidence: 'According to Smith's (2020) survey of 1,000 participants...'
This proves that	Overstates conclusions from evidence	Use more measured language: 'This suggests/indicates/provides evidence that'
I personally believe/feel that	Too subjective for academic writing	'The evidence indicates that' or 'Based on X and Y, it appears that'
In today's society/modern society	Too vague and generalizing	Be specific: 'In contemporary Britain' or 'In 21st-century urban contexts'
Throughout history	Overgeneralizes across time periods	'During the Renaissance period' or 'Throughout the 20th century'
Always/never	Absolute claims are rarely defensible	'Frequently,' 'rarely,' 'in most cases,' or provide specific statistics
As we all know	Presumes universal knowledge	Provide evidence: 'Research has established that...'
Obviously/clearly	Implies point requires no explanation	Explain why it matters: 'Significantly,' or simply omit
Very/really/extremely	Imprecise intensifiers	Use precise quantification or specific descriptions

Categories of Discouraged Phrases

Banned phrases generally fall into several categories, each weakening your academic writing in different ways:

1. Overgeneralizations and Hyperbole

Examples: "Since the dawn of time," "Throughout history," "People have always"
Problem: These make sweeping claims that cannot be substantiated and signal a lack of precision.

2. Unsupported Claims

Examples: "It is widely known that," "Experts agree," "Research has shown"
Problem: These make claims without specific citations or evidence.

3. Excessive Subjectivity

Examples: "I feel that," "I believe," "In my opinion"
Problem: Academic writing prioritizes evidence over personal opinion.

4. Overstatement of Results

Examples: "This proves," "This demonstrates conclusively," "It is certain that"
Problem: Few things in academic research are "proven" with absolute certainty.

5. Imprecise Language

Examples: "Many people," "A lot of research," "Very important"
Problem: These lack the specificity needed for scholarly writing.

Why These Categories Matter

Understanding these categories helps you develop an "internal editor" that can automatically identify problematic language in your writing. Rather than memorizing a list of banned phrases, recognize the patterns of imprecise or inappropriate language.

Better Alternatives

Replacing discouraged phrases with stronger alternatives isn't just about avoiding penalties; it's about developing more precise, evidence-based writing.

                        Key Principles for Alternatives
                        Be specific: Replace general references with precise time periods, places, and groups
Cite evidence: Replace unsupported assertions with specific research or data
Use measured language: Replace absolutist terms with appropriate qualifiers
Maintain academic tone: Replace subjective language with evidence-based observations
Acknowledge complexity: Replace oversimplifications with nuanced analysis

                    

Before and After Examples

Example 1: Before: "Since the dawn of time, mankind has been fascinated with the stars. It is widely known that ancient civilizations used stars for navigation." After: "Archaeological evidence from Mesopotamian civilizations dating to approximately 3000 BCE indicates human interest in celestial objects (Jones, 2018). Multiple ancient societies, including the Polynesians, Vikings, and Arabs, developed sophisticated navigation systems based on stellar observation (Smith, 2020)." Example 2: Before: "In today's society, social media has a huge impact on teenagers. I personally believe that this is causing a mental health crisis." After: "In the United Kingdom between 2010 and 2023, social media usage among 13-18 year-olds increased by 45% (Roberts, 2023). This coincides with a 32% rise in reported anxiety and depression in the same demographic (National Health Service, 2024), suggesting a potential relationship between these trends."

Finding the Right Alternative

When replacing a discouraged phrase, ask yourself these questions:

What specific time period, location, or group am I referring to?
What evidence supports this claim, and who provided it?
What is the appropriate level of certainty for this conclusion?
How can I frame this point in terms of evidence rather than opinion?
What specific details can replace vague descriptions?

Top Tip from Lecturers

Before submitting your work, use your word processor's search function to find phrases like "I believe," "proves," "throughout history," "since the beginning," and "it is widely known." Replace these with more precise, evidence-based language, and you'll likely see an immediate improvement in your marks.