- •1. Establishing why your topic (X) is important
- •2. Outlining the past-present history of the study of X (no direct references to the literature)
- •3. Outlining the possible future of X
- •4. Indicating the gap in knowledge and possible limitations
- •5. Stating the aim of your paper and its contribution
- •6. Explaining the key terminology in your field
- •7. Explaining how you will use terminology and acronyms in your paper
- •10. Reviewing past literature
- •11. Reviewing subsequent and more recent literature
- •8. Giving the structure of paper - what is and is not included
- •9. Giving general panorama of past-to-present literature
- •12. Reporting what specific authors of have said
- •13. Mentioning positive aspects of others’ work
- •14. Highlighting limitations of previous studies - authors not mentioned by name
- •15. Highlighting limitations of previous studies - authors mentioned by name
- •16. Using the opinions of others to justify your criticism of someone’s work
- •17. Describing purpose of testing / methods used
- •18. Outlining similarities with other authors’ models, systems etc.
- •19. Describing the apparatus and materials used and their source
- •20. Reporting software used
- •21. Reporting customizations performed
- •22. Formulating equations, theories and theorems
- •23. Explaining why you chose your specific method, model, equipment, sample etc.
- •24. Explaining the preparation of samples, solutions etc.
- •25. Outlining selection procedure for samples, surveys etc.
- •26. Indicating the time frame (past tenses)
- •27. Indicating the time frame in a general process (present tenses)
- •28. Indicating that care must be taken
- •29. Describing benefits of your method, equipment etc.
- •30. Outlining alternative approaches
- •31. Explaining how you got your results
- •32. Reporting results from questionnaires and interviews
- •33. Stating what you found
- •34. Stating what you did not find
- •35. Highlighting significant results and achievements
- •36. Stating that your results confirm previous evidence
- •37. Stating that your results are in contrast with previous evidence
- •38. Stating and justifying the acceptability of your results
- •39. Expressing caution regarding the interpretation of results
- •40. Outlining undesired or unexpected results
- •41. Admitting limitations
- •42. Explaining and justifying undesired or unexpected results
- •43. Minimizing undesired or unexpected results
- •44. Expressing opinions and probabilities
- •45. Announcing your conclusions and summarizing content
- •46. Restating the results (Conclusions section)
- •47. Highlighting achievements (Conclusions section)
- •48. Highlighting limitations (Conclusions section)
- •49. Outlining possible applications and implications of your work
- •50. Future work already underway or planned by the authors
- •51. Future work proposed for third parties to carry out
- •52. Acknowledgements
- •53. Referring to tables and figures, and to their implications
- •54. Making transitions, focusing on a new topic
- •55. Referring backwards and forwards in the paper
- •56. Referring back to your research aim
- •57. Referring outside the paper
5. Stating the aim of your paper and its contribution
In this report / paper / review / study we …
This paper outlines / proposes / describes / presents a new approach to …
This paper examines / seeks to address / focuses on / discusses / investigates how to solve …
This paper is an overview of / a review of / a report on / a preliminary attempt to …
The present paper aims to validate / call into question / refute Peng’s findings regarding …
X is presented / described / analyzed / computed / investigated / examined / introduced / discussed in order to …
The aim of our work / research / study / analysis was to further / extend / widen / broaden current knowledge of …
Our knowledge of X is largely based on very limited data. The aim of the research was thus / therefore / consequently to
The aim of this study is to study / evaluate / validate / determine / examine / analyze / calculate / estimate / formulate …
This paper calls into question / takes a new look at / re-examines / revisits / sheds new light on …
With this in mind / Within the framework of these criteria / In this context we tried to …
We undertook this study / initiated this research / developed this methodology to …
We believe that we have found / developed / discovered / designed an innovative solution to …
We describe / present / consider / analyze a novel / simple / radical / interesting solution for …
6. Explaining the key terminology in your field
The term ‘X’ is generally understood to mean / has come to be used to refer to / has been applied to …
In the literature, X usually refers / often refers / tends to be used to refer to …
In the field of X, several / various / many definitions of Y can be found.
The term X is / was / has been used by Molotov [2011] to refer to …
Molotov uses the term X [2011] to refer to / denominate …
X is defined by Peng [1990] to refer to / to mean …
Vitous [2015] has provided / put forward / proposed a new definition of X, in which …
X is defined / identified / described as … [Njimi 2004].
In the literature there seems to be no general definition of X / a general definition of X is lacking/ there is no clear definition of X.
Several authors have attempted to define X, but as yet / currently / at the time of writing there is still no accepted definition.
In broad / general terms, X is / can be defined as a way to …
The broad / general / generally accepted use of the term X refers to …
X is sometimes equated with / embodies a series of …
X, Y and Z are three kinds / types / categories / classes of languages.
There are three kinds of languages: / The three kinds of languages are: / Languages can be divided into three kinds: X, Y and Z.
7. Explaining how you will use terminology and acronyms in your paper
The acronym PC stands for / denotes …
The subjects (henceforth named / hereafter ‘X’) are…
The subject, which we shall call / refer to as ‘X’, is …
Throughout this paper / section we use the terms ‘mafia’ and ‘the mob’ interchangeably, following / in accordance with the practice of this department where this study was conducted.
The fonts, i.e. / that is to say the form of the characters, are of various types.
There are three different types, namely / specifically: X, Y and Z.
Throughout the / In this paper we use / will use the term X to refer to …
In this chapter X is used / will be used to refer to …
In this paper the standard meaning of X is / will be used ..
This aspect is / will be dealt with in more detail in Sect. 2.
We will see / learn / appreciate how relevant this is in the next subsection.