Entry #11

 Writing Strategies: Hedging and Boosting

The Importance of HEDGING

HEDGING: 

• Collection of words or language strategies that allow a writer to make a statement without implying what he/she believes to be one hundred percent true or the ultimate solution or answer.
• Linguistic strategy that allows the author to avoid commiting to the absolute truth of a proposition, statement or claim.
• Writing technique that allows a writer/researcher the flexibility to make a claim without making it an absolute or categorical one putting some distance between himself and the absoluteness of the claim.

Example 1:

Categorical claim: The issues highlighted in this study are aplicable to all participating institutions.

"Hedged" claim: The issues highlighted in this study may be aplicable to many participating institutions.

Example 2:

Categorical claim: Government support will assure the spread of new knowledge and the skills necesary to use the internet to thousands of people in rural areas.

"Hedged" claim: Government support may help with the spread of new knowledge and the skills necesary to use the internet to thousands of people in rural areas.

IMPORTANCE OF HEDGING:

Hedging allows writers researchers to: 

• Anticipate and address possible opposition to his/her claims while still contributing something new due to the ongoing dialogue in a research field.
• Submit new arguments/claims (into an ongoing dialogue) while acknowledging thet there may be other, equially valid (or, perhaps, better/more effective) points of view.
• Make a new contribution to their field in a productive and cooperative way.
• Have the flexibility to avoid making absolute/categorical statements which claim that the writer/researcher has found the perfect and only answer.
• Offer something new and establishing him/himself as a possible authority on a topic, while leaving room for others voices and perspectives.
• Partcipate in ongoing conversations in fields where new evidence generated all the time and it is almost imposible to stay completely up-to-date on the current state of affais.

HOW TO HEDGE CLAIMS:

• Using lexical verbs such as: INDICATE - PROPOSE - ASSUME - ESTIMATE - SUGGEST - APPEAR - TED TO - ARGUE

Example 3:

Categorical claim: The study proves the link between smoking and lung disease.

"Hedged" claim: The study indicates/suggestes a (possible) link between smoking and lung disease.

• Using adverbial constructions such as: OFTEN - ALMOST - OCCASIONALLY - SOMETIMES - QUITE - USUALLY - PROBABLY - CERTAINLY 

Example 4:

Categorical claim: The number of unnemployed people will continue to raise as the poor economic situation persists.

"Hedged" claim: The number of unnemployed people will probably continue to raise as the poor economic situation persists.

• Using modals verbs such as: MUST - WILL - WOULD - SHOULD - MAY - CAN - COULD - MIGHT

Example 5:

Categorical claim: This (and subsequent) studies led to the conclusion that the GTP itself must be the elusive base, and therefore to the proposal of the GTP-as-base mechanism (Schweins et al. 1994, 1995).

"Hedged" claim: This (and subsequent) studies led to the conclusion that the GTP itself may be the elusive base, and therefore to the proposal of the GTP-as-base mechanism (Schweins et al. 1994, 1995).

REASONS FOR HEDGING:

• To tone down statements in order to reduce the threat of opposition from other researchers.
• To avoid overstating their results as they are aware that theirs may not be the final word on the issue.

Hedging and Boosting

HEDGING language is used in order to soften what it's being said to avoid making a too strong claim.

Categorical claim (General statement): 

Students arrive late for Monday morning classes.

Hedged claim (Qualifiend claim) by adding:

• Adverbs of frequency such as: USUALLY - NORMALLY - GENERALLY - OFTEN - SOMETIMES

Students often arrive late for Monday morning classes.

• Adverbs and adjectives of certainty such as: POSSIBLE - POSSIBLY - PROBABLE - PROBABLY - LIKELY - MAYBE - PERHAPS - GENERALLY SPEAKING

Genarally speaking, students arrive late for Monday morning classes.

• Modal verbs such as: MIGHT - MAY - COULD

Student may find this excercise challenging.

• Other verbs such as: TEND TO - SUGGEST - INDICATE - APPEAR - SEEM

BOOSTING is the opposite of hedging. It strengthens a statement so that the author can present a strong point of view by adding:

• Adverbs of frequency such as: ALWAYS - NEVER

Employees will always respond positively in such circumstances.

• Adverbs and adjectives of certainty sucha as: CERTAIN - CERTAINLY - OBVIOUS - OBVIOUSLY - DEFINITE - DEFINITELY - CONCLUSIVE - CONCLUSIVELY - EVIDENT - EVIDENTLY

Certainly, this has had an impact on learning outcomes.

This obviously has had an impactc on learning outcomes.

• Modal verbs such as: WILL - SHOULD

This will have an impact on future research in the field.

• Other verbs such as: SHOW - PROVE - EVIDENCE

These figures prove that there has been strong growth as a result of policy change.

HEDGING

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BOOSTING

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IMPORTANCE OF HEDGING AND BOOSTING

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Metacognitive analysis

Academic writing involves, among other main features, a thorough selection of words. Hedging and Boosting are linguistic strategies that help the writer to shape and give meaning to his/her ideas and claims. Through the use of specific words such as adverbs, modal verbs or adjectives of certainty the writer can soften or strenghten  statements depending on their purpose.

I found this material really interesting as it lets me discover a new meaning in already known words. It´s amazing to realize how powerful words can be and how careful we should be at the time of selecting the correct ones. I´ve always included this words in my works, however, from now on, I will think twice before writing them.

As regards the tools used in this entry, I must admit that Vocaroo was easier to use than I expected. However I had to record the audios more than once (or twice, or three times...) as I was never happy with my speech (pronunciation, entonation, etc) It´s really weird listening to oneself!