80 Science Research Writing • Th e intercooler was mounted on top of the engine... • Th e concentration of barium decreases towards the edge... • Similar loads were applied to the front and side of the box... • A laminar fl ow element was located downstream of the test section of the wind tunnel... In which sentence(s) below was the table closest to the wall?
against the wall.
next to the wall.
fl ush with the wall.
in contact with the wall.
right against the wall.
alongside the wall. In which sentence(s) below was the clock closest to the door?
just above the door.
slightly above the door.
immediately above the door.
directly above the door.
right above the door. Note that half as wide (as) = half the width (of); half as heavy (as) = half the weight (of); twice as long (as) = twice the length (of) and twice as strong (as) = twice the strength (of). Also note that with/having a weight of 20 kg = weighing 20 kg and with/having a width/length of 20 cm = 20 cm wide/long. 3. PROVIDE SPECIFIC AND PRECISE DETAILS ABOUT MATERIALS AND METHODS Th ese verbs fall into three categories: the fi rst includes general verbs used in academic research, such as attempt, consider, conduct, determine, investigate, report, suggest, verify, and these can be found in the Introduction vocabulary list (Section 1.4). Th e second category contains technical verbs which are specifi c to your fi eld and your research, but which are not useful
Methodology — Vocabulary 81 in other fi elds, for example anneal, calibrate, centrifuge, dissect, fertilise, ionise, infuse. Th ese will not be given here because they are not generally useful. Th e third category is a set of less technical verbs that specify what was done or used, such as calculate, extract, isolate, formulate, incorporate, modify, plot, simulate. Th ese usually occur in the passive (was/were isolated) and can be found in the vocabulary list below. was adapted was added was adopted was adjusted was applied was arranged was assembled was assumed was attached was calculated was calibrated was carried out was characterised was collected was combined was computed was consolidated was constructed was controlled was converted was created was designed was derived was discarded was distributed was divided was eliminated was employed was estimated was exposed was extracted was fi ltered was formulated was generated was immersed was inhibited was incorporated was included was inserted was installed was inverted was isolated was located was maintained was maximised was measured was minimised was modifi ed was normalised was obtained was operated was optimised was plotted was positioned was prepared was quantifi ed was recorded was regulated was removed was repeated was restricted was retained was sampled was scored was selected was separated was simulated was stabilised was substituted was tracked was transferred was treated was varied was utilised