THE USE OF REPORTING VERBS, HEDGES, AND BOOSTERS IN AN EXPANDED LITERATURE REVIEW: A REFLECTION ON ACADEMIC WRITING PRACTICES

This paper examines the use of reporting verbs, hedges, and boosters in an expanded literature review on foreign language anxiety. It highlights how specific linguistic choices help writers appropriately represent the strength of claims, distinguish between degrees of certainty, and accurately reflect the intentions of original authors. Through reflective analysis, this study shows how reporting verbs such as argue, suggest, imply, and propose perform different rhetorical functions and how hedges and boosters shape the tone of academic writing. The discussion demonstrates that these linguistic tools play an essential role in maintaining precision, caution, and academic integrity when summarizing research. The paper also emphasizes that understanding the strategic use of hedges and boosters can help writers meet disciplinary expectations and produce more credible academic texts.