According to scholars

You will almost always find this phrase at the very beginning of a sentence to set the stage. It acts as an introductory clause, followed by a comma. For example: According to scholars, the pyramid was built as a tomb. You can also tuck it into the middle of a sentence if you want to sound particularly sophisticated. The text was, according to scholars, written in the late 14th century. Notice how it slows the sentence down? That’s intentional. It forces the reader to pause and respect the authority you’ve just invoked. In a digital world of 'fake news,' this phrase is a beacon of (hopefully) peer-reviewed light. It’s also a great way to avoid saying 'I don't know' while still sounding smart. Just make sure there actually are some scholars who agree with you. If you make it up, you aren't a scholar; you're just a creative storyteller.

This phrase lives in the penthouse of formality. It is very much a C1 level expression because it belongs in university lecture halls, high-end documentaries on Netflix, and formal essays. You won't hear it at a frat party unless someone is being very sarcastic. It belongs to the 'Academic Register.' This is the way people speak when they are wearing blazers or sitting in front of a shelf of leather-bound books. If you use it while texting your friend about where to meet for lunch, they might think you’ve been hacked by a 19th-century professor. However, in a job interview or a presentation, it shows you have a high command of English and respect for evidence. It’s the 'tuxedo' of English phrases. It looks great in the right setting, but you'd look a bit silly wearing it to the beach.

You’ll see this phrase pop up on Wikipedia pages constantly. It’s the bread and butter of historical documentaries. Imagine watching a show about King Arthur. The narrator might say, According to scholars, there is no evidence Arthur was a real person. Ouch, childhood ruined, right? But that's the power of the phrase—it delivers the cold, hard truth of research. You might also see it in a high-end news article in the New Yorker or The Economist. Even in a Zoom meeting for work, if you are discussing market trends, you might say, According to scholars of consumer behavior, people are buying more plants than ever. It sounds way more impressive than saying, 'I saw a lot of people on Instagram with succulents.' It gives your observations a backbone of research.

Use this when you want to sound objective and well-read. It’s perfect for the 'Introduction' or 'Literature Review' section of a university paper. It’s also great for professional presentations where you need to cite data without listing twenty different names. Use it when there is a general agreement among experts. It’s a great tool for 'hedging'—which is a fancy way of saying you aren't 100% sure yourself, but the experts are. If you’re writing a blog post about the benefits of meditation, saying According to scholars makes your health tips feel like medical advice rather than just 'vibes.' It’s about building a bridge between your words and the vast library of human knowledge. Just don't let the bridge collapse under the weight of your own ego.

Never use this for personal preferences. According to scholars, I am the funniest person in the room is a joke, not a fact (unless you’ve actually been studied by a team of comedians). Avoid using it when the experts actually disagree. If there is a massive debate, saying According to scholars is misleading because it implies everyone agrees. In that case, use Scholars are divided on.... Also, don't use it in casual, high-speed environments like a WhatsApp group chat. If your friend asks, 'Is it raining?' and you reply, According to scholars of meteorology, precipitation is imminent, you are officially the 'too much' friend. Nobody likes the 'too much' friend. Keep it for the boardroom, the classroom, or the serious dinner party where everyone is drinking wine and talking about the economy.

The biggest mistake is saying According to me. That is a direct translation from some languages, but in English, it sounds very strange and a bit arrogant. We say In my opinion or I think. Another common error is adding a 'says' after it. ✗ According to scholars says... is a double-header of redundancy. The According to already does the job of the 'says.' Just say According to scholars, [fact]. Also, watch out for the plural. It’s almost always scholars (plural) because one scholar is just one person's opinion, but scholars implies a group consensus. If you only have one person, say According to Dr. Smith. Don't try to make one guy sound like a whole faculty. That’s just academic catfishing.

If you want to mix things up, you can use Experts suggest or Researchers believe. These are slightly less 'stuffy' than According to scholars but still carry weight. For a more modern, data-driven vibe, try Studies show. If you want to be even more formal, you can use Academic consensus dictates that... but only if you want to sound like you’ve swallowed a dictionary. On the more informal side, you might hear people say The smart people say... or Word on the street in academia is... though the latter is mostly used by people who want to sound cool while talking about history. Each variation has a slightly different 'flavor,' so choose the one that fits your outfit—I mean, your context.

Is scholars just a fancy word for teachers? Not exactly. While many scholars are teachers (professors), the term refers specifically to people who do original research and contribute to a field of study. Can I use it in a YouTube video? Absolutely! It’s very common in 'Video Essays' to give the creator some authority. Do I need to name the scholars? Not always. The phrase is often used when the information is widely accepted. However, if you're in a formal academic setting, you'll eventually need to provide a citation. Using the phrase without any proof is like saying 'Trust me, I'm a doctor' while wearing a plastic stethoscope.