Hedging

Definition: “Hedging is a type of language use which 'protects' your claims. Using language with a suitable amount of caution can protect your claims from being easily dismissed. It also helps to indicate the level of certainty we have in relation to the evidence or support."1 Links to an external site.

Academic writers  can hedge in two different ways, utilising:

1.    Approximators: words or phrases which indicates lack of precision or clarity.

2.    Shields: words or phrases which indicates lack of commitment.

Consider the student example which highlights both types of hedging constructions.

Is it Possible to Over-Hedge?

While hedging is useful tool, it should be used strategically. It is important that academic writers do not hedge unnecessarily, or indiscriminately, throughout their text. Over-hedging will result in the text sounding uncertain and speculative. Consider the student example to see the effect of too much hedging language.

LANGUAGE CONSIDERATIONS

Please see the table below for common words and phrases that are used for hedging:

Hedging Language

Approximators

Nouns: tendency, estimate, approximation

Verbs: tend, estimate, approximate

Adverbs: roughly, approximately, largely, for the most part, partially, as a

whole, generally, to a certain extent, usually, typically, in general

Adjectives: rough, approximate, partial, general, usual, typical, estimated,

preliminary

Shields

Nouns: doubt, indication, likelihood, possibility, probability, suggestion,

suspicion

Verbs: could, may, might, should, appear, claim, indicate, seem,

suggest, suspect

Adverbs: conceivably, perhaps, possibly, probably, presumably, seemingly

Adjectives: conceivable, doubtful, likely, possible, probable, questionable,

unclear, unlikely

Hedging Grammar Patterns

it + link verb + adjective + that/whether: e.g. "it is unlikely that"; "it is unclear whether"

it + link verb + adjective + to + infinitive: e.g. "it is possible to ascertain"

it + passive verb + that: e.g. "it is thought/believed that"

it + link verb + that: e.g. "it seems that"

there + be + the/a + noun + that: e.g. "there is a suspicion/assumption that"

this + noun: e.g. "this possibility"

the/a + noun+ that: e.g. "the suggestion that"

the/a + noun+ be + that: e.g. "the probability/likelihood is that"