Questions tagged [academia]
Questions related to academic English or English for academic purposes, i.e. the English used in higher education.
148
questions
1
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0answers
27 views
Using hyphenation to avoid ambiguity
When I write a research paper, I often use hyphenation in order to avoid ambiguity. For example, consider the phrase
fractionally Pareto optimal allocation
A person who does not know these terms ...
0
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0answers
31 views
“Author on” vs “Author of” (in an academic setting)
I'm an academic, and I've noticed that in spoken English among academics (native and non-native English speakers), there is a clear distinction between an author of a publication (journal paper, book, ...
0
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0answers
19 views
Capitalisation of parentheses for “double reading” in a title
This might be completely idiot and subjective. Still, are there any standard rules for capitalisation of parentheses in titles such that the parentheses acts as in What is the point of using ...
0
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1answer
18 views
Which one of these sentences is better? A thesis title - Apostrophes Showing Possession
Sentence 1 : The comparison of Muhammed Bedruddîn Mahmûd el-Aynî’s "Şerhu Süneni Ebû Davud" and "Umdet'ül- Kârî" books
Sentence 2 : Comparison of the "Şerhu Süneni Ebû Davud" and "Umdet'ül- Kârî" ...
2
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2answers
79 views
Do I have to use “I” or “we” when orally presenting my scientific thesis written by a single author? [closed]
I know that in a scientific paper or thesis made by a single author, it is common to use we. (This is also recommended at our university.)
But what about when you alone are presenting a thesis work ...
0
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1answer
42 views
A word for the property of scaling distance between two endpoints?
Scalability is defined as the capacity to be changed in size or scale.
In Computer Science, the term is often used in a context such as scalable networks, scalable algorithms, etc.
However, I want ...
0
votes
1answer
29 views
Using phrases in email to prof (academic)
1. "I hope you are doing well"
Will be it polite, if I write it in an email to Proff/start an email with it?
He was ill, and we wrote me about it
2. Thank you for taking time from your busy schedule ...
0
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1answer
13 views
How do you describe a study which attempts to isolate the compounding effect of factor A on factor B? [closed]
Shameless cry for academic help here.
I'm working on my thesis, which is a study that will focus on the compounding effect of group dynamics on persuasive technology. The control and treatment group ...
0
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2answers
45 views
“go too far” — suitable for academic writing?
I am revising the following sentence in an academic paper:
The de facto XXX seems to go too far and notably undermine the readability.
where XXX is a named of a new technique.
I feel like "go too ...
1
vote
1answer
84 views
Why do psychology researchers frequently misplace commas, in relationship to coordinating conjunctions? [closed]
If a comma belongs next to a coordinating conjunction, it should precede (see Should I use a comma before "and" or "or"?, https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/punctuation/...
0
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1answer
38 views
Past or present tense when reporting the views of another?
When reporting the views of another person, what tense should I use? Here are three fragments of a paragraph from a text I am currently writing:
"Another objection is that Friedman overestimates the ...
4
votes
4answers
498 views
Word describing multiple paths to the same abstract outcome
I am looking for a word I came across but forgot to note down. It describes that multiple pathways can lead to the same outcome — not in terms of physical paths but rather in terms of an abstract ...
0
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3answers
95 views
How to say “we thought about” in an academic way?
In the following sentence:
Since there are many row values at each step of the process, one approach we thought about is to aggregate all the row values into a single value
What is the alternative ...
2
votes
3answers
51 views
The term for caring more about problems that you see as directly affecting yourself
What is the term for the tendency to care more about problems that we perceive as directly affecting us? Or, relatedly, the tendency to show more empathy for people's problems when we perceive the ...
-1
votes
2answers
56 views
What is the best phrase to tell students that they should get a worksheet from the board? [closed]
I work as a teacher. I created several worksheets that I pinned to the board right across my door. I want students to pick up as many of them as they need so that they can study at home. What is the ...
0
votes
1answer
19 views
Word request: multi-context-type
I use "multi-context-type device" to name the "device" that works in different modes for different types of context. For example, type of context is like "classroom", "office", and context is like "...
0
votes
1answer
60 views
Academic word for “squabbler” [closed]
I'm looking for a word to use in an academic proposal that conveys the idea that the individuals are fighting, potentially violently, and immaturely (optional component of the meaning) and should be ...
1
vote
0answers
74 views
interplay between vs. among vs. of — best option?
In an academic paper, I would like to say that "I explore the interplay "between/among/of" (A) the representation of love in The Great Gatsby and (1) modern conceptions of love, (2) Biblical ...
0
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2answers
118 views
What does this sentence mean? “…in order to cope with the mass character of the gazes of tourists as opposed to the individual character of travel.”
Well, I read an article in terms of tourism and need to translate it but I have no idea what is this sentence is about.
A substantial proportion of the population of modern societies engages in ...
0
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1answer
87 views
Using the Latin phrase 'ante Christum natum' in an English sentence
The phrase ante Christum natum translates to 'before the birth of Christ,' and Wikipedia says it is the (likely outdated) Latin equivalent to BC, in the same way post Christum natum is the equivalent ...
2
votes
2answers
115 views
English equivalent of Greek “στο πτυχίο”
I am looking for a translation to the Greek "επι πτυχίω" or "στο πτυχίο". The meaning of the phrase is that an undergraduate student has completed the necessary semesters in order to graduate but ...
0
votes
1answer
28 views
Is pan-project a word?
In order to refer to something across all the sub-projects or areas of the project.
What else could be one-word or an efficient way of saying, "You are going to work pan-project"?
3
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1answer
172 views
“increase of” vs. “increase in” in connection with abstract quantities
I'm aware of two other questions with a similar title (here and here), but I'm not sure they answer my specific question.
An editor of a journal has changed
The observed increase of x ...
to
...
0
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2answers
1k views
“What is more”, “What's more” too informal for academic writing?
A coauthor of mine used the expression "what's more" in a scientific paper. My gut feeling was that this is not a commonly used expression in formal writing, but I could not find clear evidence for ...
0
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1answer
29 views
What are alternatives of “a better way” in academic writing?
I want to say "A better way to analyse the .. is to understand its underlying structure". What are the alternatives to saying a better way?
2
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0answers
223 views
How to say “In order to keep a smooth reading” in a good academic way? [closed]
I'm currently writing my (math) thesis. Some properties of the objects I'm studying are used often and are relatively elementary. So, I would like to state them once and then avoiding referring to ...
1
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0answers
408 views
How to describe 'Mutual Benefits' in academic terms in the following?
I am writing a proposal for a joint collaboration with a University in Singapore. I aim to use their facilities to gain hands-on experience.
In the following, the excerpt from my proposal is ...
0
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3answers
405 views
What is the better way of saying “a few dozens of seconds”?
I want to say "wait for about 30 to 40 seconds and then execute the command", in an academic context. I'm using this sentence now but I think it is not good.
after a few dozens of seconds activate ...
0
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1answer
32 views
“…is checked if it is…” [closed]
I'm writing a scientific thesis in English but I'm not a native speaker.
I think this sentence is correct, but I am not sure (that's why I ask this here rather than in "Writing") and I think it does ...
0
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0answers
47 views
Semantics of “a criminology of X”?
I want to know if my understanding of the semantics is correct here.
Normally, criminology is the study of crime, as a sub-field of sociology (and other areas) which is the study of society. If you ...
0
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0answers
25 views
Should I write “a n-tuple” or “an n-tuple” [duplicate]
While writing a math paper, I have met many places to determine which indefinite articles should I use before a math symbol. Another example is "a/an f-exceptional divisor", here f is a math symbol ...
2
votes
6answers
205 views
What is the adjective to describe research approaches lacking theory proof?
When I write an academic paper and describe one of the previous researches, I found that the method is only based on the authors' own claims and lacks theory proof.
I am looking for a weak and ...
0
votes
1answer
33 views
Can a faculty be based on area1 and area2?
I've been writing a motivation letter for a grad school. The faculty I'm applying to is a "The Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics". I want to emphasize that it is an interdisciplinary faculty ...
1
vote
1answer
57 views
Scientific Writing: Acceptance of “one does”?
Essentially what the title says: Are formulations like "To determine the unknowns one employs the following conditions" acceptable for scientific writing? My professor insists that sentences like this ...
0
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1answer
22 views
empathetic eye or the eye of an insider? [closed]
I am a student going abroad from a developing country to study in a developed one for 2 years already. Now i am looking for research job in the developed countries. Regarding migration of labor, can I ...
0
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0answers
50 views
Is “top-of-the-line” or specific forms of compound adjective colloquial? Any general rule?
I am asking this question in the context of writing an academic paper. I am thinking if there exists a general rule regards to judging whether a compound adjective is colloquial, and, in this instance,...
0
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1answer
53 views
Does this sentence sound correct?
I'm unsure if this sentence is grammatically sound and successfully conveys what I intend to say. I am particularly unsure about the use of the word "Which" and "malice. The clause where I talk about ...
1
vote
0answers
61 views
Can I end a sentence with “is”? [duplicate]
I am writing a research paper and intend to write this sentence :
Even a cursory reading of the news reveals how grossly inaccurate that assumption is.
Is that an accurate and appropriate ...
-1
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1answer
18k views
Other word for negative impact [closed]
Can anyone give me a scholarly term that describes "negative impact"? It's for a title: the negative impact of colonialism on mentality
1
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0answers
101 views
Use of numbered lists in running text [closed]
I am reviewing a doctoral thesis/dissertation where the author has a tendency to make statements where several different alternatives are given:
... These processes may occur in two different ways: ...
2
votes
2answers
472 views
Is it proper to use iff to denote if and only if in academic writing (papers)?
if and only if (shortened iff) is a biconditional logical connective between statements. Is it proper to use iff to denote if and only if in academic writing (papers)?
2
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3answers
58 views
Adjective for combining some lower dimensional objects to form a higher dimensional object
Are there some English words that describe the dimension of objects changed, by combining some lower dimensional objects to form a higher dimensional object. For example, from the lower dimensional ...
0
votes
1answer
213 views
Using imaginary word “Hamletian” in AP Engish Literature annotated bibliography [closed]
I was considering creating the word "Hamletian," meaning "of Hamlet," for use in an annotated bibliography, because I like the sound of "Hamletian criticism" much more than "criticism of Hamlet." It ...
0
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1answer
98 views
Does the word “teacher” sound childish at university?
There is a distinction between the way students refer to teachers in high school and at university in my country and the former way sounds very childish. So, I was just wondering if it is the same in ...
0
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3answers
56 views
Adjectives for when there is a lot writing or very little writing on a topic [closed]
When talking about "a literature" or a body of research, what are adjectives to contrast a literature with lots of work, versus one with little work?
I'm thinking of something like "a broad ...
2
votes
2answers
46 views
Correct formatting of quote which includes a description of speaker and where quote was spoken [closed]
I am trying to begin a paper with a quote but the person is really only known to people within a certain background so I want to include more information than: person + where quote was spoken.
Just ...
2
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2answers
220 views
What do you call someone who studies Russia?
This is my first post and I was wondering what do you call someone who studies Russia For a living like has an academic researcher or Scholar. A sentence would be I work has a -word-. Thanks in ...
1
vote
2answers
1k views
Comma or semicolon before “see [reference]”
Motivated by this question on [academia.se]: a copy-editor changed the semicolon in
This can be proved via the method of Gauss; see [1].
to a comma.
Is the version with a comma grammatically ...
1
vote
2answers
9k views
Formal way to say “from scratch”?
I want to write something along the lines of:
For the purposes of this study, X was developed from scratch.
But the "scratch" here doesn't sound very formal, does it?
Is "from the ground up" any ...
5
votes
4answers
3k views
Passive voice in academic writing; why is it not recommended? [duplicate]
When writing academic papers in English I use three different spelling and proofreading tools: Word, Grammarly, and Ginger. In the settings of all these tools, I specify that the document is an ...
