English for Research: Usage, Style, and Grammar



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A.Wallwork - English for Research Usage, Style, and Grammar - 2013
15.5
prefer verbs to nouns
1. Use a verb rather than a noun , this improves readability and conciseness.
2. Use one verb rather than a noun + verb.
YES
AVOID
1 This was used to calculate the values. This was used in the calculation of the values.
1 By correctly choosing the parameters, performance can be improved. Through the correct choice of the parameters, performance can be improved.
1,2 This allows us to transfer the money. This allows the transfer of the money to be performed . This allows the money to be
transferred .
2 The USA was compared to the Russian Federation. Ab comparison was made
between the USA and the Russian Federation.
2 The Russian Federation
performed much better than the USA. The Russian Federation showed a much better performance than the USA.
15.6
use adjectives rather than nouns
1. Use a verb + adjective construction rather than verb + noun.
2. Use more + adjective , rather than a comparative adjective + noun.
YES
AVOID
1 This method has quite an
ef fi cient calculation process. This method shows quite a good
ef fi ciency in the calculation process.
= Calculations with this method are quite ef fi cient .
2 Xis more homogeneous than Y. X has a higher homogeneity with respect to Y.


136
15.7
be careful of use of personal pronouns you, one, he,
she, they
1. The use of you to address the reader directly is rare in research manuscripts. It is normally reserved for user guides, instruction manuals, websites and email.
2. The generic pronoun one is somewhat archaic and in any case can easily be avoided.
3. Only use he and she (and his, him, her, hers ) when they are specifically used in relation to a male or female subject, respectively. Using either
he or she to refer to a generic person (i.e. where the sex of the person is irrelevant) sounds either politically incorrect or simply strange.
4. You can avoid using he and she (and he / she etc) by making the subject plural and using they / their / them / theirs.
5. When the subject must be singular, do not use the masculine pronoun, instead use he / she, him / her and his / her.

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