Question

Read the sentence and answer the following question: I have read a bunch of informative texts on the topic you just mentioned, and I would be glad to add my insights to our conversation. Which words should be replaced with something more precise?

Answer 1

"a bunch of informative texts"

Step-by-step explanation:

This sentence, although not incorrect, is imprecise. Although it wants to convey the idea that the speaker is knowledgeable about a certain topic, it nevertheless is too vague for us to get a proper idea of the extent of the speaker's knowledge. By describing what he has read as "a bunch of informative texts," the speaker does not properly informs us of the specific number of texts he has read. Nor does he provide information on what type of informative texts he refers to (books, peer-reviewed articles, essays, etc.). This information would improve the clarity and persuasiveness of the statement.

Answer 2

When writing for academia, you’ll always want to be as precise as possible. Thus, you’ll want to stay away from generalizations, vague words, as well as relative words (words that can mean different things to different people). For instance, in looking at the sentence, there are a couple of instances where things could more precise.

“I have read a bunch…” – How much is a bunch? Here, an exact number would be the best manner to be precise. For instance, “I have 23…”

“…informative texts…” – What type of informative texts? Here, by being precise, the credibility could be affected. Scholarly journals? Tabloids? Again, it is always best to be specific.

“…on the topic you just mentioned…” – Here, to be precise, it would be best to reiterate the topic. What topic is that?