Have you ever received feedback from a reviewer who simply said “unclear” – and wondered what exactly they meant? We understand that this is one of the most discouraging comments you can get in an academic peer review. After all, you may have invested weeks or months in your work only to hear that your writing is “unclear” or “difficult to follow.”
These comments can feel vague and unhelpful – especially if you knew exactly what you meant when you wrote. The truth is that “unclear writing” doesn’t usually refer to your ideas, but to the way those ideas are presented. It’s a shorthand that reviewers use when something in your text makes them pause, reread, or struggle to understand.
The good news is that clarity can be learned and strengthened. Once you understand the main issues that often lead to “unclear writing,” you can correct them. And when you do, your research will come across as sharper, more convincing, and more effective.
Issues that lead to unclear writing
Weak structure and flow
The most common reason why a writing feels unclear is a weak structure. When ideas come up in a confusing order, readers can’t understand the argument you’re trying to build. A paper may jump between topics, repeat points, or drift away from its main argument.
The best solution is to treat the structure as a foundation, not as an afterthought. Create an outline before you start writing and make sure that each section has a clear purpose. Use headings, topic sentences, and transitions within the text to guide the reader. Think of yourself as a guide leading someone along a path – they should never wonder where they are or why they are there.
See also: How to write a solid research paper outline
Overly long or complex sentences
Another common issue is long, tangled sentences. Academic writers often try to fit too many ideas into one line, filling it with clauses, qualifiers, and side thoughts. As a result, readers have to pause and reread the text, which interrupts their understanding.
If a sentence is not immediately understandable, it probably needs to be revised. Divide complex thoughts into shorter sentences and delete extra words that make little sense. Writing is clearest when each sentence directly communicates one idea.
Excessive jargon
Technical terms and acronyms are part of academic writing, but if they are overused, they can quickly become overwhelming. Even experts in your field will struggle if every sentence is packed with jargon. Reviewers don’t want to be impressed by difficult vocabulary – they want to understand your work.
If necessary, you can still use technical terms, but define them when they first appear and use simple language where possible.
For example, “collaborative approaches to cognitive behavioral therapy” is much clearer than “synergistic paradigms of cognitive behavioral interventions.” Both are correct, but one invites the reader in while the other pushes them away.
Ambiguous pronouns
Words like “this,” “it,” and “they” are small but powerful sources of confusion. If it is not clear what they refer to, the reader is left in the dark.
Take this example: “The new policy had several unforeseen consequences, including delays in the project. This caused frustration among the team.”
What does “this” refer to – the policy, the consequences, or the delays? Adding one noun solves the problem: “This delay caused frustration among the team.”
Always make sure pronouns point to something specific, not to a vague idea.
Passive voice and noun-heavy writing
Passive voice and noun-heavy writing make a text harder to follow. They are not always wrong, but using them too often creates distance and weakens clarity.
Compare: “The results were analysed by the researcher” and “The researcher analysed the results.”
The second is clearer and more direct.
Nominalisations – turning verbs into nouns – have the same effect. “The implementation of the plan will lead to an improvement of efficiency” is heavier and harder to process than “Implementing the plan will improve efficiency.” Clear writing puts actors and actions up front.
Missing transitions
Sometimes the individual sentences are clear, but the text as a whole seems disjointed. This happens when transitions between ideas are missing. The reader wonders how one section is connected to the next, and your argument seems interrupted.
Transitions act like signposts. Words such as “however,” “for example,” or “as a result” show how ideas are connected. Clear topic sentences also guide the reader, and even a brief reminder of how a point supports your argument can keep them on track.
Vague or imprecise language
Finally, vague wording often earns the “unclear” label. Terms like “a small improvement,” “very high,” or “significant results” mean different things to different people. Without details, readers are left guessing.
Specific statements are always clearer. Instead of “We had a large sample,” say “We had 300 participants.” Instead of “The method significantly improved the results,” write “The method improved the yield by 25%.” Precise language leaves no room for doubt and strengthens your credibility.
See also: How to make your writing more readable for academic success
Examples of clearer writing
Consider these examples of how to improve unclear sentences. Small changes – shorter sentences, active voice, and precise nouns – make the text easier to read.
❌ Original
“In light of the fact that numerous contributing factors were operational, the ultimate outcome of the experiment was demonstrated to be less predictable than initially hypothesised.”
✅ Revision
“Because many factors were at play, the outcome of the experiment was less predictable than expected.”
❌ Original
“The proliferation of nominalisations in a discursive formation may be an indication of a tendency toward pomposity and abstraction.”
✅ Revision
“Excessive use of abstract nouns can make writing pompous and overly abstract.”
❌ Original
“Several new statistical techniques were applied in the analysis, improving the results. This was significant for the field.”
✅ Revision
“Several new statistical techniques improved the results. This improvement is significant for the field.”
How InstaText helps with clarity
Clarity improves with practice, but it’s also helpful to have tools that highlight problems as you write. InstaText, an advanced editing assistant, was developed with this goal in mind. It focuses on clarity, fluency, and readability – the very areas where reviewers most often find fault.
If your sentences are too long, InstaText suggests splitting them up. If your phrasing is vague, it offers sharper alternatives. If your writing relies too much on passive voice, it can suggest active versions. It also proposes smoother transitions to make your paragraphs flow better.
Unlike generative AI, InstaText does not generate content. Using advanced language technologies, it only works with your text and refines it to make it clearer and more natural without changing your meaning. This makes it safe for academic contexts where originality and authorship matter.
Another advantage is the side-by-side format. You can see your original text next to the suggested version, accept what helps, and ignore what does not. Over time, this interactive process helps you recognise your own habits and write more clearly on your own while keeping you cognitively engaged.
See also: How InstaText improves writing and cognitive skills
For researchers, the benefits are practical. Submissions go through fewer rounds of revision. Reviewers spend their time evaluating your ideas instead of puzzling over your sentences. And because clearer texts are easier to read, your work can reach and influence more people.
Editing support for non-English languages
If you write in languages other than English, you can use InstaText too. While English is our most advanced, professional-grade service, we also support Portuguese, German, Italian, French, and Spanish.
Non-English editing is constantly improving as we gather more data and feedback. Please review the edits and use your judgment.
Exercises to practice clearer writing
Improving clarity is an active skill. Here are a few exercises you can try with your own drafts:
- Shorten a sentence. Find a sentence that is more than thirty words long. Rewrite it as two or three shorter sentences. Compare which version expresses the idea more directly.
- Check pronouns. Look for “this,” “it,” or “they.” Revise each so that the referent is clear. For example, “This is important” becomes “This distinction is important.”
- Simplify jargon. Choose a jargon-heavy sentence. Rewrite it as if you were explaining it to a first-year graduate student. Ask a colleague outside your field if the revision is clearer.
- Switch to active voice. Find a paragraph full of “was” or “were.” Rewrite some sentences in active voice: “The survey was carried out on 200 participants” becomes “We carried out the survey on 200 participants.”
- Get feedback. Swap a page with a peer. Ask them to highlight anything that seems confusing. Revise those sections for clarity. Alternatively, you can use InstaText, which acts as a human editor, giving you real-time feedback.
Practicing these exercises regularly will help you spot unclear writing before a reviewer does.
See also: Self-editing: Simple tips to improve your own writing
Final thoughts
Clarity is not just a matter of style – it is essential for academic writing. It enables the reader to quickly understand your work, recognise its significance, and engage with your ideas. Unclear writing hides good research. Clear writing allows it to shine.
By structuring better, simplifying sentences, reducing jargon, clarifying pronouns, using active voice, adding transitions, and choosing precise words, you can make your work much more effective. And with the help of tools like InstaText, you can develop these habits faster and with greater confidence.
When reviewers read your next paper, you want them to focus on your results – not struggle with your sentences.
Take the next step with InstaText
If you’re not yet an InstaText user, you can try it for free – no credit card required – and experience how it can transform your writing in English and other major languages while helping you improve your language skills.
If you are already using InstaText, explore the website to discover all its features and learn how to make the most of the tool. The blog also offers practical tips and examples that can help you keep improving your academic writing.
What academics say about InstaText
“InstaText is a great tool! I use it to improve English texts such as articles, projects and abstracts for conferences. The tool provides very useful suggestions that help me to translate the text to a professional level so that no additional review by “native speakers” is required. The time and money savings are obvious. I highly recommend it!”
— Dr. Janez Konc, Senior Researcher
“I am a translator and proofreader by profession and have tried many editing tools. It’s not an exaggeration to say that all the other apps I’ve used so far don’t come close to InstaText. It is literally innovative and revolutionary and has taken the editing game to a new level, leaving other competitors in the dust.”
— Dr. Ghodrat Hassani, Researcher in Translation Studies
“I can hardly imagine writing articles without InstaText. When I read through the proposed improvements, I immediately understand how the text should sound. It’s like a proofreader you can access at any time.”
— Dr. Jana Krivec, Senior Lecturer
