Inclusive Writing Practices - Academic Skills

Inclusive writing is a practice that ensures your writing does not inadvertently make assumptions about those you are writing about. It is important to practice inclusive writing when communicating about parts of one’s identity such as ability, age, race and ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and social or economic status. There are a few simple steps you can make to ensure your writing is inclusive and clear. Keep in mind that what is considered offensive to one group may be completely normal to another, so try to make sure your own language respects the group that you’re talking about.

Try to recognize that your audience may come from diverse, often intersectional, backgrounds. That means that what may be true for some members of a group may not be true for others. Inclusive writing understands that people are individuals and does not take the individual for granted. There is no uniform way to make sure your writing is inclusive to all, so the important thing is to put in effort and care.
The key to inclusive writing is to write with a S.P.A.R.K.

S - Specific
P - Preference
A - Adjectives
R - Relevant
K - Kind
Common Concerns
Additional Resources

Write with a S.P.A.R.K.

Specific

Be as specific as possible when discussing topics to ensure you are not generalizing about a group. If you are focussing on a specific group, either a subsection of a larger identity or people in a specific location, make this clear. People’s experiences are based in their context so make sure you identify the relevant context.
If your writing contrasts a subsection of an identity with a larger identity, you imply that these categories do not overlap. For example, if you compare the Chinese Canadian experience to Canadian experience, your writing suggests that there is a fundamental difference between those two groups. This implies that Chinese Canadians do not get a Canadian experience. Instead, it can be helpful to discuss the difference between the Chinese Canadian experience and Caucasian Canadian experience. This method will clearly state the contrast between the two without making one seem ‘normal’ as opposed to more common.

Preference

Even if you disagree, follow an individual’s preference when addressing their identity. It is not your place to decide whether one subculture or sub-group should accept the terminology used by a larger group. The nuances of identity are not as clear as they may seem to those outside the group. Even if you are in this group, do not assume that your experiences speak for others any more than you would assume that others’ experiences speak for you.

Adjectives

When discussing a group of people or an individual, refer to their identity as an adjective, not a noun. It is a descriptor of their identity, not the complete identity. For example, a cisgender man that identifies as homosexual might be described as a “gay man” or “queer man,” not “a gay” or “a queer.” Using an identity as a noun is often offensive.

Relevant

Do not include irrelevant references to a person’s identity and use neutral language where needed. For example, if you are discussing the way a group of people is portrayed in film, then it may be relevant to discuss the ways these characters are portrayed by actors within the identity compared to actors outside it. However, if you are discussing somebody’s business model, then their parts of their identity may not be relevant.

Kind

Do not judge other people’s experiences based on your own assumptions. This means that you should avoid using language such as “suffered from” to describe aspects of people’s identities. People do not generally want to be written as if their life is some massive hardship. If the person you are writing about uses this language, then use what they say. Otherwise, accept that this is part of somebody’s identity and that they still thrive.
Be aware of any inherent assumptions or stereotypes that your writing makes about the people that you discuss. This can be difficult to do at times, but consider the facts you communicate about the group and ask yourself “how do I know this?” If you cannot think of a reputable source that you got that information from, re-evaluate that information in your text.

Common Concerns

Singular “they”

All major citation styles (MLA, APA, Chicago, and CSE) accept and encourage the use of the singular “they.” However, be sure that your use of the singular “they” does not disqualify a person’s preferences. That means if a non-binary person uses “they” then you should keep to their preferences; do not use “they” to avoid using a trans person’s preferred pronouns.

Capitalization

Generally, refer to people in a particular group by the name of the group capitalized. If the category is a descriptor rather than group, than use it as an adjective. For example, somebody may be deaf and part of the Deaf community.

Offensive language within a group

Sometimes groups will reclaim language that it is unacceptable for outsiders to use. Do not use this language as a descriptor or term for the group unless doing so breaks one of the other tenets of inclusivity discussed here. However, do not censor language you present in direct quotation from another source. We do not change what a person says just because it makes us uncomfortable.

Person-first or identity-first

When describing an individual, using person-first (e.g. “person with a disability”) and identity-first (e.g. “disabled person”) are both valid approaches. Using person-first language suggests that the subject is not defined by that aspect of their identity. Using identity-first language means that the identity is the focus. Make sure your choice reflects the person’s preference when known.

Hyphens

Do not hyphenate proper adjectives if they are related to geography. For example, you would write Chinese Canadian rather than Chinese-Canadian.

Additional Resources

While these guidelines give an overview of inclusive writing practices, we encourage you to check out the following resources for more information on how to incorporate inclusivity into your academic journey.