Page 24 - ACADEMIC WRITING

6. Scientist initially ______________ experiment which ____________ gene X into shuttle
vector in 2003.

7. Numerous studies _____________________ to understand the influence of gender
toward students’ learning attitude. Heemskerk et al. (2009) ___________________
gender inclusiveness and differences in the educational setting of 81 ninth-grade

students aged 14-15 years.
8. In 2005, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ___________________ an article which

__________________ a government cover-up of a link between autism and the vaccine
preservative thimerosal. Nowadays, scientists ___________________ some errors of the

theory.
9. Baumeister (1998) famous experiment of “cookies and radishes” ___________________

a significant correlation between willpower and resistance. However, a recent study
__________________ that there _____________ no connection between “fuel” and the
strength of willpower.

10. As a science, psychology ____________________ broadly. Oedipus complex” and “penis
envy” ______________ some crazy ideas by today’s standards which people once

sincerely _______________ .

Beside the tenses, it is also crucial to highlight the writer’s stance when citing sources
from previous studies or researches. Thus, appropriate use of reporting verbs will show
the attitude the writer wants to stand for.

Verbs for describing
state to indicate the source presents something as a fact
point out to indicate the source presents something as a fact
explain to indicate the source gives details of how or why something happens
argue to indicate the source presents a position on an issue
reject to indicate the source disagree with the position
discuss to indicate the issue or topic that the source examines
mention to indicate that a source deals very briefly with an issue
note to indicate that a source deals very briefly with an issue
evaluate to indicate that the source makes a judgment regarding an issue
conclude to indicate the conclusion your source reaches
suggest to indicate the source thinks something is possibly true
emphasize to indicate the source’s most important point

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