The document discusses hedging, which refers to using cautious or tentative language in academic writing. This is important because research and theories are constantly being updated. Hedging helps reflect the strength of evidence used to support an argument. It provides examples of hedging language, such as modal verbs like "may" or "might" and verbs like "seems" or "appears." Direct, assertive language like "proves" or "absolutely" is not considered hedging. The document emphasizes using cautious language in research papers to avoid claims that cannot be definitively supported.