78 Science Research Writing Here are some examples of how these are used: • Th e impact tests used in this work were a modifi ed version of... • All reactions were performed in a 27 ml glass reactor... • All cell lines were generated as previously described in... • In the majority of the tests, buff ers with a pH of 8 were used in order to... • Both experiments were performed in a greenhouse so that... • Th e substrate was obtained from the Mushroom Research Centre... • SSCE glass structures were used in this study to perform... • Th e cylindrical lens was obtained from Newport USA and is shown in Fig. 3. • Th e material investigated was a standard aluminium alloy; all melts were modifi ed with sodium. • Topographical examination was carried out using a 3-D stylus instrument. • Th e experiments were conducted at a temperature of 0.5ºC. 2. SUPPLY ESSENTIAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION As well as describing standard procedures and techniques you may need to describe the equipment/apparatus or instrument you used or constructed. In order to do this accurately you need good control over the language of spatial location. Make sure you know how to use the words/phrases below. If you are not sure, write down the dictionary defi nition and use a concordance sampler (which you can fi nd on the Internet) to see how they are used. was/were performed (by/in) was/were provided (by) was/were purchased (from) was/were supplied (by) was/were used as supplied was/were investigated
Methodology — Vocabulary 79 Here are some examples of how these are used: • Porosity was measured at the near end and at the far end of the polished surface. • Th e compression axis is aligned with the rolling direction... • Th e source light was polarised horizontally and the sample beam can be scanned laterally. • Th e mirrors are positioned near the focal plane. • Electrodes comprised a 4 mm diam disk of substrate material embedded in a Tefl on disk of 15 mm diam. opposite out of range (of) below above parallel (to/with) on the right/left (to) bisect near side/end side downstream (of) boundary on the front/back higher/lower horizontal circular equidistant on either side is placed is mounted (on) is aligned (with) extends is attached to facing within range (of) under over perpendicular (to) to the right/left (to) converge far side/end edge upstream (of) margin at the front/back upper/lower vertical rectangular equally spaced on both sides is situated is coupled (onto) is connected (to) is surrounded (by) is covered with/by underneath on top (of) adjacent (to) (to) intersect tip border in the front/back inner/outer lateral conical on each side is located is fastened (to) is fi xed (to) is fi tted (with) is joined (to) end in front (of) occupies is positioned is embedded is encased (in)