Expressing cautious claims and academic stance

Objective: Present claims with an appropriate degree of certainty and avoid unsupported absolute statements.

Explanation

Hedging devices such as appear, suggest, may, likely and to some extent allow a writer to qualify a claim. They are especially useful when evidence is limited.

Examples

The findings appear to support the initial hypothesis.
This difference may be partly due to the sample size.

Practice

Choose the correct answer.

Choose the appropriately cautious academic claim.

Practice

Choose the correct answer.

It is ___ that several factors influenced the outcome.

Practice

Choose the correct answer.

The difference ___ be partly due to the small sample.