English for academic research writing exercises

Contents 1 Punctuation and spelling........................................................... 1.1 commas: reducing number of ............................................. 1.2 commas: adding ................................................................. 1.3 semicolons: replacing ......................................................... 1.4 brackets: removing ............................................................. 1.5 hyphens: adding ................................................................. 1.6 hyphens: deciding where needed ....................................... 1.7 initial capitalization: in titles ................................................ 1.8 initial capitalization: in main text ......................................... 1.9 various punctuation issues: 1 ............................................. 1.10 various punctuation issues: 2 ............................................. 1.11 spelling ............................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 2 Word order .................................................................................. 2.1 choosing the best subject to put at the beginning of the phrase ...................................................................... 2.2 putting the key words first ................................................... 2.3 avoiding beginning the sentence with it is: 1 ...................... 2.4 avoiding beginning the sentence with it is: 2 ...................... 2.5 choosing the best word order to help the reader: 1 ............ 2.6 choosing the best word order to help the reader: 2 ............ 2.7 choosing the best word order to help the reader: 3 ............ 2.8 shifting the parts of the phrase to achieve optimal order: 1 .................................................................. 2.9 shifting the parts of the phrase to achieve optimal order: 2 .................................................................. 2.10 shifting the parts of the phrase to achieve optimal order: 3 .................................................................. 2.11 shifting the parts of the phrase to achieve optimal order: 4 .................................................................. 13 14 16 17 18 19 22 24 25 26 28 29 xi xii Contents 2.12 reducing the number of commas and parts of the sentence ................................................................... putting sentences into the correct order ............................. typical mistakes .................................................................. 30 31 32 3 Writing short sentences and paragraphs ................................ 3.1 dividing up long sentences: 1 ............................................. 3.2 dividing up long sentences: 2 ............................................. 3.3 dividing up long paragraphs 1 ............................................ 3.4 dividing up long paragraphs 2 ............................................ 3.5 dividing up long paragraphs 3 ............................................ 3.6 dividing up long paragraphs 4 ............................................ 3.7 putting paragraphs into their most logical order ................. 3.8 writing short sentences: 1................................................... 3.9 writing short sentences: 2................................................... 3.10 writing short sentences: 3................................................... 33 34 36 38 40 42 43 45 46 46 46 4 Link words: connecting phrases and sentences together ..... 4.1 linking sentences and paragraphs ...................................... 4.2 deleting unnecessary link words ........................................ 4.3 deciding when link words are necessary ............................ 4.4 choosing best link word ...................................................... 4.5 reducing the length of link words / phrases ........................ 4.6 shifting the position of link words expressing consequences .................................................................... 4.7 using link words to give additional neutral information ....... 4.8 using link words to give additional positive information ...... 4.9 using link words to give additional negative information..... 4.10 making contrasts ................................................................ 4.11 making evaluations ............................................................. 4.12 connecting sentences by repetition of key word or a derivation of the key word ........................................... 4.13 describing processes ......................................................... 4.14 describing causes .............................................................. 4.15 describing effects and consequences ................................ 4.16 making contrasts, concessions, qualifications, reservations, rejections ...................................................... 4.17 outlining solutions to problems ........................................... 4.18 outlining a time sequence................................................... 4.19 explaining figures and tables: making comparisons ........... 4.20 making evaluations and drawing conclusions: 1 ................. 4.21 making evaluations and drawing conclusions: 2 ................. 47 48 49 50 51 52 62 63 65 66 67 67 Being concise and removing redundancy ............................... 5.1 removing individual redundant words ................................. 5.2 removing several redundant words: 1 ................................. 5.3 removing several redundant words: 2 ................................. 69 70 71 73 2.13 2.14 5 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 61 Contents 5.4 5.5 reducing the word count: titles ............................................ replacing several words with one preposition or adverb ............................................................................ replacing several words with one adverb............................ replacing several words with one word ............................... replacing a verb + noun construction with a single verb: 1 ................................................................... identifying verb and noun clauses ...................................... replacing a verb + noun construction with a single verb: 2 ................................................................... replacing a noun phrase with a verb or can: 1 .................... replacing a noun phrase with a verb or can: 2 .................... replacing nouns with verbs in titles of papers ..................... identifying whether link words could be deleted ................. deleting unnecessary link words: 1 .................................... deleting unnecessary link words: 2 .................................... deleting unnecessary link words: 3 .................................... unnecessary use of we and one: 1 .................................... unnecessary use of we and one: 2 .................................... avoiding redundancy in introductory phrases ..................... avoiding redundancy in references to figures, tables etc. ........................................................................... rewriting unnecessarily long sentences: 1 .......................... rewriting unnecessarily long sentences: 2 .......................... rewriting unnecessarily long sentences: 3 .......................... reducing length of an abstract ............................................ reducing length of an introduction ...................................... reducing the length of the outline of the structure .............. reducing the length of the review of the literature: 1 ........... reducing the length of the review of the literature: 2 ........... reducing the length of the materials and methods ............. reducing the length of the conclusions section................... reducing the length of the acknowledgements ................... 92 93 94 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 102 103 Ambiguity and political correctness ........................................ 6.1 repetition of words to aid reader’s understanding: 1 ........... 6.2 repetition of words to aid reader’s understanding: 2 ........... 6.3 avoiding ambiguity due to use of -ing form: 1 ..................... 6.4 avoiding ambiguity due to use of -ing form: 2 ..................... 6.5 disambiguating sentences: 1 .............................................. 6.6 disambiguating sentences: 2 .............................................. 6.7 pronouns and political correctness ..................................... 6.8 non-use of masculine terms for generic situations: 1 ......... 6.9 non-use of masculine terms for generic situations: 2 ......... 6.10 non-use of masculine terms for generic situations: 3 ......... 105 106 107 108 109 110 112 113 114 115 115 5.6 5.7 5.8 5.9 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 5.16 5.17 5.18 5.19 5.20 5.21 5.22 5.23 5.24 5.25 5.26 5.27 5.28 5.29 5.30 5.31 5.32 6 xiii 75 76 77 78 79 80 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 xiv 7 8 Contents Paraphrasing and avoiding plagiarism .................................... 7.1 deciding what is acceptable to cut and paste ..................... 7.2 quoting statistics ................................................................. 7.3 paraphrasing by changing the parts of speech .................. 7.4 paraphrasing by changing nouns into verbs ....................... 7.5 paraphrasing by changing the parts of speech and word order: 1 ............................................................... 7.6 paraphrasing by changing the parts of speech and word order: 2 ............................................................... 7.7 finding synonyms: verbs 1 .................................................. 7.8 finding synonyms: verbs 2 .................................................. 7.9 finding synonyms: verbs 3 .................................................. 7.10 finding synonyms: nouns 1 ................................................. 7.11 finding synonyms: nouns 2 ................................................. 7.12 finding synonyms: adjectives .............................................. 7.13 finding synonyms: adverbs and prepositions 1 ................... 7.14 finding synonyms: adverbs and prepositions 2 ................... 7.15 paraphrasing by changing word order ................................ 7.16 replacing we with the passive form..................................... 7.17 making a summary: 1 ......................................................... 7.18 making a summary: 2 ......................................................... 7.19 making a summary: 3 ......................................................... 7.20 making a summary: 4 ......................................................... Defining, comparing, evaluating and highlighting .................. 8.1 writing definitions 1 ............................................................. 8.2 writing definitions 2 ............................................................. 8.3 writing definitions 3 ............................................................. 8.4 making generalizations....................................................... 8.5 confirming other authors’ evidence..................................... 8.6 stating how a finding is important ....................................... 8.7 highlighting why your method, findings, results etc. are important ...................................................................... 8.8 highlighting your findings .................................................... 8.9 comparing the literature...................................................... 8.10 comparing contrasting views .............................................. 8.11 comparing your methodology with other authors’ methodologies .................................................................... 8.12 comparing data in a table ................................................... 8.13 questioning current thinking ............................................... 8.14 evaluating solutions ............................................................ 117 118 119 120 121 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 136 137 138 138 139 140 141 141 142 143 144 146 147 148 151 152 153 154 155 Contents 9 Anticipating possible objections, indicating level of certainty, discussing limitations, hedging, future work .......................... 9.1 anticipating objections and alternative views.................... 9.2 indicating level of certainty 1 ............................................ 9.3 indicating level of certainty 2 ............................................ 9.4 reducing level of certainty ................................................. 9.5 discussing the limitations of the current state of the art ........................................................................... 9.6 qualifying what you say .................................................... 9.7 dealing with limitations in your own results: 1 ................... 9.8 dealing with limitations in your own results: 2 ................... 9.9 dealing with limitations in your own results: 3 ................... 9.10 toning down the strength of an affirmation: 1 ................... 9.11 toning down the strength of an affirmation: 2 ................... 9.12 toning down the strength of an affirmation: 3 ................... 9.13 toning down the strength of an affirmation: 4 ................... 9.14 direct versus hedged statements 1................................... 9.15 direct versus hedged statements 2................................... 9.16 discussing possible applications and future work ............. 10 Writing each section of a paper ................................................ 10.1 abstracts ........................................................................... 10.2 introductions ..................................................................... 10.3 creating variety when outlining the structure of the paper ...................................................................... 10.4 outlining the structure of the paper ................................... 10.5 survey of the literature ...................................................... 10.6 methodology / experimental ............................................. 10.7 results ............................................................................... 10.8 discussion: 1 ..................................................................... 10.9 discussion: 2 ..................................................................... 10.10 differentiating between the abstract and the conclusions: 1 ...................................................... 10.11 differentiating between the abstract and the conclusions: 2 ...................................................... 10.12 conclusions: 1 ................................................................... 10.13 conclusions: 2 ................................................................... 10.14 acknowledgements: 1 ....................................................... 10.15 acknowledgements: 2 ....................................................... xv 157 158 159 160 161 162 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 173 175 176 177 177 178 178 179 180 180 181 182 183 184 184 185 185 Acknowledgements ........................................................................... 187 About the Author ............................................................................... 187 Editing Service for non-native researchers / Mentorship for EAP and EFL teachers ......................................................... 187 Index ................................................................................................... 189