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Academic English & Research vocabulary · Argument and Hedging

Assert

Meaning in academic english & research, with examples

/əˈsɜːt/verbCommon term

In academic english & research, assert means: To state firmly that something is true, often without hedging or before offering full evidence.

In Turkish: ileri sürmek, öne sürmek, iddia etmek

How it is used

A strong reporting verb: 'Smith (2018) asserts that ...' shows the author is confident and may suggest that you are not fully convinced. Contend and maintain are similar. The noun assertion is often used critically: an unsupported assertion.

Example sentences

  1. The report asserts that the reform improved outcomes, but provides no data.

  2. Avoid asserting causal links when your design is correlational.

Common collocations

  • assert that
  • strongly assert
  • unsupported assertion
  • boldly assert
  • claimA statement that something is true, which may or may not yet be supported by enough evidence.
  • argueTo state a position and give reasons and evidence to show why it is right; in academic writing it also reports what an author claims.
  • reporting verbA verb such as argue, state, suggest or find that introduces what another author has said, claimed or discovered.
  • hedgingUsing cautious language, such as may, might, appear to or suggest, so that a claim is only as strong as the evidence allows.

More terms: Argument and Hedging

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