Student life ENGLISH COLLOCATIONS IN USE (ADVANCED)

ENGLISH COLLOCATIONS IN USE (ADVANCED)

UNIT 18

Student life

A	Preparing for a research assignment Here is an extract from a study skills leaflet given to students at a university, containing advice on how to tackle a research project. Note the collocations in bold. • All students are expected to submit a 5,000-word report, detailing their research project and presenting their findings. • Select a research topic in discussion with your tutor. You will need to formulate a working hypothesis1 when you begin your study. The purpose of your research is to see if your data supports the hypothesis2. • If you are undertaking3 a study which involves informants or volunteers, read the advice on research ethics4 in the department handbook. • A key section of your report will be a literature review. This is not simply a summary of your background reading, but an in-depth critique5 of the most important books and articles, where you can show your awareness of current research. • Make sure you provide6 a rationale for your study, and always back up your conclusions with evidence; never exaggerate any claims you make. • Wherever appropriate, you should lay out your results in the form of tables, charts and diagrams. 1 a theory which can be used provisionally but may change 2 We usually do not say prove the hypothesis; prove is too strong. 3 (formal) carrying out; (informal) doing 4 a system of standards which control how research is done 5 examination and judgement of something, done carefully and in great detail 6 (formal) give
B	Other collocations often used in essays, reports and assignments The book offers a vigorous1 defence of free-market economics and makes the case for privatisation of all state-owned industries. It confronts issues which are of current importance in developing countries. McGraw puts the case for single-sex primary education but he fails to tackle all of the issues that opponents of this approach to early schooling have raised. This essay cannot give an exhaustive2 account of climate change; it focuses only on the risk to sea levels. Recent research indicates that sea levels are rising very rapidly. Physicists have recently begun to formulate new theories about the nature of the universe. The big question is how to test these theories. Although Kristov’s book covers a lot of ground, it does not offer a full explanation of the events leading to the civil war. Indeed, the thrust3 of Kristov’s argument is that such an account cannot be written, since the people with first-hand4 knowledge of those events are no longer living. This essay provides a critical analysis5 of international trade agreements. 1 very strong and forceful 2 extremely detailed 3 the main idea or opinion that is discussed 4 experienced directly 5 a detailed study or examination which assesses quality
	Common mistakes We say do research, NOT make research. The internet is a good place to do research.

EXERCISES

18.1	Complete each sentence using a verb from the box in the appropriate form. cover indicate present provide put review tackle test undertake 1 It is a huge task to ________________ a study involving hundreds of participants. 2 Fischler ________________ her findings at an international biochemistry conference last year. 3 Chapter 2 ________________ the literature on urban regeneration and concludes that more research is needed. 4 I have ________________ a rationale for the study in the introduction to this essay. 5 The research ________________ that owning a pet increases life expectancy by five years. 6 The next step was to ________________ the theory by carrying out a set of experiments. 7 The essay ________________ a lot of ground. 8 The book ________________ a number of issues which were previously ignored. 9 The lecturer ________________ the case for a dramatic change in economic policy.
18.2	Rewrite each sentence using a form of the words in brackets. 1 The system of standards for conducting research are described in the university’s research manual. (ETHIC) 2 You need to make an examination and judgement of the arguments which is very detailed. (DEPTH, CRITIQUE) 3 You need to read books and articles which give you information about the subject. (BACKGROUND) 4 You do the analysis in order to find out whether the data indicate that your initial idea was correct. (HYPOTHESIS) 5 All the interviewees were people who had knowledge of the situation from direct experience. (FIRST) 6 It is impossible to give a complete explanation of the decline of agriculture in the 1960s. (FULL)
18.3	Complete each sentence using a word from the box in the correct form. Then number the events in the order in which they would occur in real life. Write a ______________ analysis of previous studies. case Form a ______________ hypothesis. critical ______________ out your results in tables and diagrams. lay ______________ your report. select 1 ______________ a topic. submit Make the ______________ for studying the topic in the introduction. work
18.4	Correct the collocation errors in these sentences. 1 The trust of Torsten’s argument is that public transport can never replace the private car. 2 Economists reformed a new theory of inflation in the late 1980s. 3 It is important that we should front the issue of climate change immediately. 4 In her essay, she put forward a vigorated defence of the European Union’s constitution. 5 I shall not attempt to give an exhausting account of population growth in this essay. 6 The article does not back down its conclusions with enough convincing evidence.
	Over to you Find an article on the internet relating to an academic subject that is important to you. Print it out and highlight any useful collocations you notice in it.

ANSWER KEY

18.1 1 undertake 2 presented 3 reviews 4 provided 5 indicates 6 test 7 covers 8 tackles 9 puts 18.2 1 The research ethics are described in the university’s research manual. 2 You need to make an in-depth critique of the arguments. 3 You need to do background reading. 4 You do the analysis in order to find out whether the data support your hypothesis. (Remember: try to avoid saying prove a hypothesis.) 5 All the interviewees were people who had first-hand knowledge of the situation. 6 It is impossible to give a full explanation of the decline of agriculture in the 1960s. 18.3 Order of events: 1 Select a topic. 2 Form a working hypothesis. 3 Make the case for studying the topic in the introduction. 4 Write a critical analysis of previous studies. 5 Lay out your results in tables and diagrams. 6 Submit your report. 18.4 1 The thrust of Torsten’s argument is that public transport can never replace the private car. 2 Economists formulated a new theory of inflation in the late 1980s. 3 It is important that we should confront the issue of climate change immediately. 4 In her essay, she put forward a vigorous defence of the European Union’s constitution. 5 I shall not attempt to give an exhaustive account of population growth in this essay. 6 The article does not back up its conclusions with enough convincing evidence.