Page 120 - English for Writing Research Papers

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Another typical device to avoid repetition is to use one or that as in S5 and S6.

S7. *This can be done by using either a chromatographic pump or a peristaltic one.
S8. *With regard to the TTC output the arbitrariness of a g pk parameter can be exploited by
starting from that of g pa .

To a native English speaker S4 and S5 sound quite strange and could easily be
rewritten as:

S9. This can be done by using either a chromatographic or peristaltic pump.
S10. With regard to the TTC output the arbitrariness of a g pk parameter can be exploited by
starting from the arbitrariness of g pa .

6.5 Restrict the use of synonyms to non-key words

Synonyms are helpful for replacing repetitive usage of adjectives and verbs.
Examples:
We would like to stress / underline / emphasize / highlight that x = y.

We performed / carried out / did several experiments.

This is a critical / very important / fundamental issue.

Another typical case where synonyms are useful is to avoid repetition of the same
generic word (or derivatives). For example:

The identification is mainly based on three main strategies.

This function has three main aims all aimed at reducing stress.

The use of synonyms is useful to replace overuse of the same adjective.

Such unnecessary repetition may irritate some readers, so you could replace mainly
with generally , or alternatively main with principal , and aims with objectives or
aimed with targeted . In the last case ( use … useful … overuse ) you can simply
delete the use of and replace useful with helpful .