Language of Research Papers

Functions:

1. Setting a goal

2. Materials and methods

3. Further intentions

4. Data analysis

5. Experiments, tests, estimates etc.

6. Results and their interpretation

7. Unsolved problems

8. Prospects and applications

9. Concluding remarks

No.	Function	Phrases
1		In our study we have adopted / applied an innovative approach to .. In our study we develop / offer / provide / rely on / work out / use a method of … Our analysis is based on evidence / calculations / estimates / ideas / findings / observations / assumptions / hypothesis of … Our analysis combines …
2		It seems surprising that … There is a discrepancy / mismatch / contradiction between … and … It is not clear whether … … proved greater than expected. … poses another problem. This raises certain doubts as to … There is some confusion over this difference. This problem has not been thoroughly studied yet. Unfortunately, the given data are insufficient for complete representation of … These aspects deserve closer examination.
3		A few words should be given about the significance of these figures. This factor deserves a separate analysis. The most logical explanation of these results is … Our experiments have shown / proved / demonstrated that … Our findings indicate / reveal that … As our results indicate / show, … These modifications arise from … The difference between … and … becomes apparent if we … Probably the simplest explanation is that … It seems / appears reasonable to assume that … There is a close correlation between … It is important to emphasize that … As might be expected, …
4		In conclusion, it may be said that … To summarize, … To conclude, it is essential to note / highlight the most important aspects of my work. In my report I have investigated / examined / researched … The main results are as follows.
5		The chief / general / central / key / main / primary aim / goal / purpose / task of this study is to … Our report is devoted to … In this section I aim to / I will / I want to / I attempt to … examine / analyze / identify / consider / concentrate on / review / describe / clarify / show / demonstrate / investigate / determine
6		It is necessary / vital / crucial to find out / determine etc. In order to examine / reveal …, it is essential to … As an illustration of this approach, I’d like to … Evidence indicates / shows / suggests / demonstrates that … Our observations / results lead to the conclusion that … As we see, there are clear correspondences between … and
7		These results can be successfully applied to … Further investigations / research can provide new insights. These findings may be of great scientific / practical value. There are a number of important applications for these results.
8		To test the hypothesis, we have conducted a series of simulation runs. To investigate …, we decided to use the … model. One way to judge how great … is is to determine … Under these / certain / normal circumstances, … remains unchanged / tends to deviate from the norm. At each stage we check whether … has occurred. The reason why we used such methods is that … These trends have been assessed by … Calculations confirm …
9		These data require careful examination. This approach can be reasonably applied to … This problem should be examined in more detail. This model can serve as a basis for … This phenomenon should be thoroughly investigated. Here, we presume that … / find it necessary to …

Ex. 17. What are the differences among quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing? Why do we need to use them in a research paper?

Match the following three techniques and their characteristics. Write Q (quotation), P (paraphrasing), or S (summarizing) to each point. There is one point that matches all three types.

1. must be identical to the original, using a narrow segment of the source

2. is significantly shorter than the original

3. takes a rather broad segment of the source and condenses it slightly

4. must be attributed to the original author

5. involves putting the main idea(s) into your own words, including only the main point(s)

6. involves putting a passage from source material into your own words

7. is usually shorter than the original passage

8. take a broad overview of the source material

9. must match the source document word for word

Ex. 18. Watch a video explaining the rules of paraphrasing and note down answers to the following questions.

Vocabulary:

1. iridium – иридий

2. mammals – млекопитающие

3. clue – подсказка

4. quotation marks – кавычки

5. parentheses – скобки

1. What is an important ability in writing a research paper?

2. What is paraphrasing?

3. What is the main idea of the article the speaker presents?

4. What is the problem with specific terms that come up in the original paper?

5. What information is given about the Cretaceous and the Tertiary periods?

6. How much should the original language be used?

7. What are the punctuation rules involved in paraphrasing?

8. In what cases should the author’s name be given and in what cases may it be omitted?

Ex. 19. Paraphrase the following extracts in your own words, remembering to keep to all the recommendations given in the video you have watched.

1. Many factors can cause abnormally high formation pressures, i. e., pressures higher than hydrostatic. In some areas, a combination of several causes prevails. Geological conditions can vary over a wide range. Therefore, special care should be taken not to assume that the cause of overpressures established from experience in a well-known geological area necessarily causes similar conditions in a nearby basin that has not been adequately tested. Abnormally high formation pressures have been encountered worldwide in clastic and carbonate intervals. These intervals range in age from Pleistocene to as old as Cambrian, in formations as shallow as a few hundred feet, and at depths exceeding 25,000 ft.

2. Current worldwide supply and demand dynamics, coupled with the dramatic escalation of crude prices beginning in 2003, has brought a renewed interest in heavy oil (HO) and bitumen deposits.  The allure of the bitumen and heavy oil resource base is compelling, as it is estimated to contain on the order of 70% of the earth’s oil endowment relative to a 30% share for conventional oil. In the forefront of global heavy oil efforts is decades-old cold wellbore-based production in Venezuela and bitumen mining in Alberta, Canada. 

3. Steam injection, one of commercial technologies widely used to develop heavy oil reservoir, has brought reservoir engineers ’attention to improve performance of low permeability, light oil reservoir and enhance its oil recovery. Steam flooding in heavy-oil sands has been well characterized over last decades as a mature technology, and while steam has been injected into light-oil, low-permeability sands almost as long, the mechanisms and effectiveness of this process are much less understood because of the complexities of flow in these sands and high pressure steam injection.

Ex. 20. Write an abstract of your own research. Remember to keep to the recommendations mentioned in the text. Use some phrases from Exercise 16.