Page 180 - English for Writing Research Papers

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9.8 Refer to other authors who experienced similar problems

Another way to lessen the impact of the limitations of your 'bad data' is to say that
other authors have experienced similar problems, as illustrated in the extract below:

Analytic expressions for the density (1) were not derived, (2) because their interaction
depends on the relative orientation of the spheres, (3) thus making integration considerably
more complex. (4) Similar complications in the analytical determination of the density,
using the same approach that we used, were experienced by Burgess [2018].
The strategy used in the above extract is:

(1) explain the pitfall (i.e. the limitation in your work)
(2) give reason for the pitfall
(3) outline consequence of the pitfall
(4) refer to a similar pitfall experienced by another author

However, be careful how you refer to the literature.

S1. The statistical tool is not able to describe all the variables involved. The same tool was
used for conducting similar research with an American sample, and the results were reli-
able and representative.
In S1 the reference to the literature is very vague and is thus not convincing. S2
resolves this vagueness by being much more precise.

S2. The statistical tool may not be optimal for describing some of the variables involved.
However it is optimal for x, y and z. In addition, exactly the same tool was used for con-
ducting similar research with an American sample [Williams, 2017]. Williams' results
were reliable and representative and were in fact used by the US government.