UNDERSTANDING AND WRITING SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH PAPERS
The following list of phrases and their definitions might
help you understand the mysterious language of science
and medicine. These special phrases are also applicable
to anyone working on a PH.D. dissertation or academic
paper anywhere!
"IT HAS LONG BEEN KNOWN"... I didn't look up the
original reference.
"A DEFINITE TREND IS EVIDENT"... These data are
practically meaningless.
"WHILE IT HAS NOT BEEN POSSIBLE TO PROVIDE
DEFINITE ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS"... An
unsuccessful experiment, but I still hope to get it published.
"THREE OF THE SAMPLES WERE CHOSEN FOR
DETAILED STUDY"... The other results didn't make any sense.
"TYPICAL RESULTS ARE SHOWN"... This is the prettiest graph.
"THESE RESULTS WILL BE IN A SUBSEQUENT REPORT"...
I might get around to this sometime, if pushed/funded.
"IN MY EXPERIENCE"... once
"IN CASE AFTER CASE"... Twice
"IN A SERIES OF CASES"... Thrice
"IT IS BELIEVED THAT"... I think.
"IT IS GENERALLY BELIEVED THAT"... A couple of others think so,
too.
"CORRECT WITHIN AN ORDER OF MAGNITUDE"... Wrong.
"ACCORDING TO STATISTICAL ANALYSIS"... Rumor has it.
"A STATISTICALLY-ORIENTED PROJECTION OF THE
SIGNIFICANCE OF THESE FINDINGS"... A wild guess.
"A CAREFUL ANALYSIS OF OBTAINABLE DATA"... Three
pages of notes were obliterated when I knocked over a glass
of beer.
"IT IS CLEAR THAT MUCH ADDITIONAL WORK WILL BE
REQUIRED BEFORE A COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING
OF THIS PHENOMENA OCCURS"... I don't understand it.
"AFTER ADDITIONAL STUDY BY MY COLLEAGUES"...
They don't understand it either.
"THANKS ARE DUE TO JOE BLOTZ FOR ASSISTANCE
WITH THE EXPERIMENT AND TO CINDY ADAMS FOR
VALUABLE DISCUSSIONS"... Mr. Blotz did the work and
Ms. Adams explained to me what it meant.
"A HIGHLY SIGNIFICANT AREA FOR EXPLORATORY STUDY"...
A totally useless topic selected by my committee.
"IT IS HOPED THAT THIS STUDY WILL STIMULATE
FURTHER INVESTIGATION IN THIS FIELD"... I quit.
--
Will Brink
--
Happy 2000,
and I hope the happiness lasts into the new millennium !
Drop by and see me at :
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Spa/6811
