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How to Integrate Research Positions Into Your Text

Faculties: AC, AMP, AR, BI, BW, D, EFI, IN, MB/VS, SOH, SW, VT, WT

When reading academic texts, you may notice that several phrases are used again and again. This article presents a selection of expressions you can use to integrate research positions from the literature into your text. These are especially common in Social Sciences and Humanities papers.

Contents

Common expressions in academic texts

There are many ways to present a position neutrally, using your own words. Here are some examples:

According to/in the view of X/…, X states … X explains/writes about the topic …
X analyzes/examines/evaluates/divides Y into different groups/classes/types … X assumes/accepts/interprets/reads Y as …
X compares/makes a comparison/distinguishes between Y and Z/differentiates/discusses/raises Y for discussion … X summarizes/outlines/gives an overview of …
X makes use of …/X refers to Y/X draws on Y/X points to … X focuses on/places special emphasis on/stresses Y /The interest of X focuses on …
X deals with/considers/speaks of … X describes/demonstrates/points out/sets out/states/portrays …
X observes/considers/describes … X raises the question/answers the question/deepens the question of …
X emphasizes/highlights/clarifies/focuses/turns attention to … X criticizes/complains about/supports …
X judges/evaluates/relates the position/generates/argues for/against … X falsifies/refutes …
X doubts/questions/weighs up/tries to find evidence for the theses … X puts forward the thesis/represents the view/is of the opinion that …
X supplements/explains/elucidates/determines/gathers various examples for Y/illustrates Y by … X concludes/states/draws the conclusion/comes to the result/according to X …

Frequently asked questions

How do these standard phrases and expressions help me?

These verbs can help you integrate research positions from the literature into your text and present them in your own words.

In which papers are these phrases often used?

These standard phrases are particularly common in Social Sciences and Humanities papers but can also be used in other academic texts.

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    Faculties: AC, AMP, AR, BI, BW, D, EFI, IN, MB/VS, SOH, SW, VT, WT

    Contributors: Maria Noll, Schreibzentrum, Dzifa Vode, Deirdre Rieker

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