Avoiding stuffy language: "Therefore", "Thus"?

Question

In my thesis, I'm using "thus" and "therefore" a lot. This is repetitive and it sounds stuffy. Is there any alternative which sounds a bit more relaxed but is acceptable in scientific writing? "So" would be too colloquial, I suppose.Example for "thus:"> Later in life, neural responses to sensory input become highly> differentiated, as do overt reactions. Thus, it can be assumed that> neurons adapt their responses mediated by experience...> The neural responses used by the SC to localize stimuli are stochastic.> Thus, the SC’s task can be described as a statistical inference> problem: ...(Sorry, I didn't find any examples for "therefore" which would make sense outside of the thesis.)

Answer 1

Hi Madeline,

For this specific question, some other connectors I would suggest that imply causation are consequently, subsequently, and accordingly. You could also vary your construction so as to use a more varied vocabulary, with phrases such as "it then follows..." or "as a result." All of these options should give you greater variety of word choice while still maintaining a professional and academic tone!