Academic Language and the Challenge of Reading for Learning About Science
Abstract
A major challenge to students learning science is the academic language in which science is written. Academic language is designed to be concise, precise, and authoritative. To achieve these goals, it uses sophisticated words and complex grammatical constructions that can disrupt reading comprehension and block learning. Students need help in learning academic vocabulary and how to process academic language if they are to become independent learners of science.
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The lower linguistic quality of digital texts may prevent students from being exposed to academic models typically found in traditional printed texts.
“Additionally, the lower linguistic quality of digital texts may prevent students from being exposed to academic models typically found in traditional printed texts (Snow, 2010).”
From Do New Forms of Reading Pay Off? A Meta-Analysis on the Relationship Between Leisure Digital Reading Habits and Text Comprehension (2025) · cites this paper as Snow, 2010
Early readers engaging in frequent digital reading may learn less academic vocabulary and syntax, or develop to a lesser extent the ability to keep focused on a task.
“early readers engaging in frequent digital reading may learn less academic vocabulary and syntax (Snow, 2010), or develop to a lesser extent the ability to keep focused on a task (Koolstra et al., 1997)”
From Do New Forms of Reading Pay Off? A Meta-Analysis on the Relationship Between Leisure Digital Reading Habits and Text Comprehension (2025) · cites this paper as Snow, 2010
Peer-reviewed primary literature provides evaluated scientific content, and reading the primary literature consequently strengthens student understanding of the scientific process.
“Peer-reviewed primary literature provides evaluated scientific content, and reading the primary literature consequently strengthens student understanding of the scientific process (5, 8, 16).”
From Incorporating Primary Scientific Literature in Middle and High School Education (2016) · cites this paper as [16]
Scientific writing is characterised by highly specialist vocabulary, concise and precise use of language, often accompanied by complex grammatical structures.
“Scientific writing is characterised by highly specialist vocabulary, concise and precise use of language, often accompanied by complex grammatical structures [4,5].”
From Perceptions of scientific research literature and strategies for reading papers depend on academic career stage (2017) · cites this paper as [4]
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“…barriers to the primary literature are the unique characteristics of scientific texts: their high informational content, discipline-specific jargon, and the formal writing style that differs from textbooks or informal texts that students often find online (Gehring and Eastman, 2008; Snow, 2010).”
BackgroundZheng, K. (2025) · Linguistics and Education · doi:10.1016/j.linged.2025.101406 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
Incorporating Primary Scientific Literature in Middle and High School Education
Fankhauser, S. C., & Lijek, R. S. (2016) · Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education · doi:10.1128/jmbe.v17i1.1004 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
“Peer-reviewed primary literature provides evaluated scientific content, and reading the primary literature consequently strengthens student understanding of the scientific process (5, 8, 16).”
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- Authors
- Snow, C. E.
- Affiliations
- Harvard University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Snow, Catherine E.
- ORCID
- Snow, Catherine E.
- Venue
- Science
- Published
- 2010-04-23
- Volume
- 328
- Issue
- 5977
- Pages
- 450-452
- ISSN
- 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
- 1095-9203
- OpenAlex
- W2032851430
- Cited by
- 584
- References
- 13
- Citations by year
- 2026: 31 · 2025: 41 · 2024: 50 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 32 · 2021: 38 · 2020: 47 · 2019: 79 · 2018: 46 · 2017: 32 · 2016: 47 · 2015: 27 · 2014: 37 · 2013: 22 · 2012: 15
- FWCI
- 32.84
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Reading and Literacy Development
- Social Sciences › Education › Science Education and Pedagogy
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Second Language Acquisition and Learning
- Keywords
- academic language, academic vocabulary, scientific reading, reading comprehension, science learning, self-directed learning, vocabulary teaching
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Child, Humans, Language, Learning, Linguistics, Reading, Science, Vocabulary, Comprehension
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