10 Science Research Writing • You can sometimes use then, for example in sentences like 'If x then y', but it won't work in every sentence, which is why it has not been included in this list. CONTRAST/DIFFERENCE British students are all vegetarians, __________ Norwegian students eat meat every day. however on the other hand whereas while but by contrast • on the contrary and conversely don't fi t into this category because they don't only communicate diff erence; they communicate the fact that 'exactly the opposite is true', so you can't use them in the sentence above (because vegetarians and meat eaters aren't opposites, they're just diff erent). However, you could use them in the following sentence: Some experiments used uncalibrated instruments and succeeded; conversely, other experiments used carefully calibrated instruments and failed. • Be careful when you use while; it is also oft en used to mean 'at that/the same time', so if there's any possibility of confusion, choose a diff erent connector. UNEXPECTEDNESS (a) _______ it was diffi cult, a solution was eventually found. (b) _______ the diffi culty, a solution was eventually found. (c) It was diffi cult; ________ a solution was eventually found. (a) Although (b) Despite (c) nevertheless (a) Even though (b) In spite of (c) however (a) Th ough (b) Regardless of (c) yet (b) Notwithstanding (c) nonetheless (c) even so
Introduction — Grammar and Writing Skills 11 • Th ere are other connectors with the same meaning, such as still and anyway, but they are more informal. ADDITION We used a batch processing system because it was more eff ective; ___________ it was faster. in addition also moreover secondly (etc.) furthermore in the second place (etc.) apart from that/which what is more • besides has more or less the same meaning as the items in the list above, but it's more powerful and is therefore better used in more persuasive contexts. Now check what you have learned by looking at the way sentences are connected in the Introductions of your target articles. 1.2.3 Passive/Active Students oft en ask whether they can use we in their research articles. In the Introduction you usually say what you will be doing or presenting in the research article. You can use we to refer to your research group or team, but do not use it to refer to people or humanity in general. If you are referring to people in general, it's better to use a construction with It (It is known/ thought that...) rather than We know/think that... It is also common to use the passive instead of we, especially in the central 'report' section (was measured, was added, etc.). In a thesis, you are writing as an individual and you don't have a research group or team. Since you cannot write your thesis using I, you will probably write in the passive. Use words like here and in this study to