specific words

Examples of specific words in the following topics:

• Precision

  • General words and specific words are not opposites.
  • General words cover a broader spectrum with a single word than specific words.
  • Specific words are a subset of general words.
  • You can increase the clarity of your writing by choosing specific words over general words.
  • Here's an example of general and specific words in a sentence:

• Quotation Marks

  • Quotation marks are most often used to mark direct speech or words from another author or speaker. 
  • Quotation marks can also be used to highlight specific words, express the title of a short literary work, or to emphasize irony.
  • Quotation marks represent another person's exact words.
  • Either quotation marks or italics can indicate when a word refers to the word itself rather than its associated concept (i.e., when the word is "mentioned" rather than "used").
  • (Here, the period comes after the quotation mark because quotation marks are used to highlight specifically what should be typed.)

• Capital Letters

  • Always capitalize the very first word of a sentence, no matter what it is.
  • The names of cities, states, countries, continents, and other specific geographic locations are capitalized.
  • In titled works (such as books, articles, or artwork) the majority of the words are capitalized.
  • These words are only capitalized if they come at the beginning of the title.
  • This can vary based on style, so be sure to check your manual for specifics.

• The Importance of Wording

  • What is the difference between density and specific gravity, and how does this relate to the weight and hardness of wood?
  • I didn't think density and specific gravity were important until I got how they related to wood's weight and hardness?
  • Knowing the difference between the denotation, or literal meaning of words, and connotation, or the wide range of thoughts and impressions made by words or phrases, will improve academic writing.
  • Avoid overly informal diction as well, as these words are often less specific or simply not appropriate for academic writing.
  • Think of the difference in the words "domicile" vs.

• Incorporating Your Sources Into Your Paper

  • Direct quotations are words and phrases that are taken directly from another source, and then used word-for-word in your paper.
  • When paraphrasing, you may put any part of a source (such as a phrase, sentence, paragraph, or chapter) into your own words.
  • You may find that the original source uses language that is more clear, concise, or specific than your own language, in which case you should use a direct quotation, putting quotation marks around those unique words or phrases you don't change.
  • It is common to use a mixture of paraphrased text and quoted words or phrases, as long as the direct quotations are inside of quotation marks.
  • While the use of quotation marks or parenthetical citations tells your reader that these are not your own words or ideas, you should follow the quote with a description, in your own terms, of what the quote says and why it is relevant to the purpose of your paper.

• Step 6: Editing and Proofreading

  • If spell-check suggests bizarre corrections for one of your words, it could be that you know a word it does not.
  • Defined terms: When using terms specific to your topic, make sure you define them for your readers who may not be familiar with them.
  • "Trembled" is a more specific form of "shook," which is itself an improvement over "was shaking."
  • People are more capable of understanding words in context than word processors.
  • For example, spell-check software can't always tell whether "their," "there" or "they're" fits in a specific sentence, but a person always can.

• Using Pointing Words

  • The phrase "those intricacies of form" lets the reader know that the writer is referring to the same specific instances of metrical variation that were discussed earlier in the poem.
  • Pointing words are words, such as "this," "these," or "those," which are used to help orient your reader and establish continuity within your writing.
  • The phrase "those intricacies of form" lets the reader know that the writer is referring to the same specific instances of metrical variation that were discussed earlier in the poem.
  • In the title, the word "these" acts as a pointing word that points back to the noun, "wild animals," contained in the first sentence.
  • Pointing words are used to produce continuity in your writing.

• Abbreviations and Acronyms

  • An abbreviation is the shortened form of a word or phrase.
  • An abbreviation is the shortened form of a word or phrase.
  • If told to use a specific style manual, such as MLA or Turabian, be sure to check what it says about specific usage rules.
  • Acronyms are abbreviations that form another word.
  • Laser is so frequently used as a word that few people know it is an acronym.

• Introduction to Inflection

  • In the context of grammar, inflection is altering a word to change its form, usually by adding letters.
  • In English grammar, "inflection" is the broad umbrella term for changing a word to suit its grammatical context.
  • You’ve probably never heard this word before, but you actually do it all the time without even thinking about it.
  • A word you might have heard before, especially if you’ve taken a foreign language like Spanish, is “conjugation.”
  • Conjugation is the specific type of inflection that has to do with verbs.

• Choosing Search Terms for Sources

  • Before you start conducting your research, you should have created a research plan with a specific research question.
  • The first option is to use key terms, or words that will appear frequently in the article.
  • To search key terms, think about important words that will occur in sources you could use.
  • Most search engines will generate results based on how frequently those words appear in articles and their abstracts.
  • Phrase your search terms as specifically as possible, so that you only find relevant sources.