 Academic jargon. Jargon refers to the specialized words or phrases with specific definitions that are shared by people within a certain field. While jargon can be very useful, its use can also exclude people from information or resources. Think about medical terminology that you might hear in a hospital. To medical workers, their use of jargon brings clarity to the situation, but to a patient, it can do the opposite. So why does jargon exist in the first place? Let's use a cooking example to illustrate how it works. Saute the onions is another way of saying, heat a little oil in a pan over medium heat, add the chopped onions once it's hot, and cook until brown. But it's easier and quicker to say saute than to describe the whole process in every recipe. It's also easier to memorize this process when you have a single specialized word for it. When you're learning new terminology, it's not just the memorization of a definition. It's about using that specialized word or phrase to understand and remember the bigger idea that it summarizes. This is just as true in research communities. Jargon is used to describe complex ideas more efficiently, and new jargon is created to summarize things that may not have succinct names yet. After all, it's really difficult to learn about something if you don't have a name for it. When people don't have the terms to define something clearly, they might even believe that it doesn't exist. Kimberly Crenshaw discusses this in her TED talk, The Urgency of Intersectionality, stating, where there's no name for a problem, you can't see a problem. And when you can't see a problem, you pretty much can't solve it. Jargon can get confusing when an everyday word like intersection also has a very specific meaning that defines a very specific problem. For example, if I'm using Crenshaw's theory of intersectionality, to understand how intersections of race and gender affect beauty norms, my use of intersectionality has a more complex definition than if I'm using the word to describe a location or provide directions like meaning at the intersection of Perry and Turner Street. This needs to describe complex system of ideas with just one word or phrase is why you're running to so much jargon throughout your academic career and beyond. Knowing the words that experts use to describe something will also help you search for more information about it. So the next time you're faced with new vocabulary, consider when is jargon useful and necessary? When is it just being used to exclude people from conversations or information? And how can specific words help you unlock broader concepts?