HOMEWORK

ALU Unit 35, 41

UNIT 35

35.1 Rewrite the sentences using words and expressions from the opposite page and
beginning as shown.

1. Protecting the privacy of our subjects must take priority over absolutely everything
else.
(We must give …)

We must give top priority to protecting the privacy of our subjects.

2. Our intention in designing the questionnaire was to make it as simple as possible to

answer. (We designed the questionnaire with …)

We designed the questionnaire with the intention of making it as simple as possible to

answer.

3. We aimed to define and evaluate a new approach to urban planning. (We had as our
goal
the …)

We had as our goal the definition and evaluation of a new approach to urban planning.

4. I did not intend to become a scientist when I began my studies. (I had no …)

I had no intention of becoming a scientist when I began my studies.

5. A methodology based on a hypothesis does not work in some cases. (A hypothesis-

…)

A hypothesis-based methodology does not work in some cases.

6. Our project is located in the area where sociology and psychology meet. (Our project
is located at

Our project is located at the interface between sociology and psychology.

35.2 Read these descriptions of their research by academics and then answer the
questions. Use a dictionary for any unknown words.
Dr Janeja (in a lecture): 'We wanted to see if we could explain the fact that the
expansion of the universe is accelerating.'
Dr Finstein (in an introduction to an article): 'Our research questioned the notion that larger
mammals only appeared long after the dinosaurs had died out."
Prof. Li (in a lecture): 'We carefully restricted our sample to people born within ten
kilometres of
the lake.'
Prof. Simons (in a lecture): 'We wanted to build on existing research and offer new insights
into the effects of stress.'
Dr Andreas (in a conference presentation): 'We really wanted to put into practice
some of the research on e-learning to improve our present system.'
Prof. Horza (in an article): 'We were hoping to instigate a new type of investigation.'
Dr Tadeus (in a conference presentation): 'We had no detailed plan at the outset; things
developed as we went along.'

1 Whose team took a deliberate decision to do something? Prof. Li

2 Whose team wanted to further the understanding of something? Prof. Simons
3 Whose team did not have a strategy for their research? Dr Tadeusz
4 Who wanted to start something that had not existed before? Prof. Horza
5 Whose team was interested in the application of something? Dr Andreas
6 Whose purpose was it to establish a reason for something? Dr Janeja
7 Whose research challenged an existing idea? Dr Feinstein

35.3
Answer the questions about the vocabulary in this unit.

1 What word can we use to refer to the basic support services and systems of a country?
infrastructure
2 What phrase can we use if everyone in a country seems to be discussing an issue?
a national debate
3 What is another word for academic subjects?
(academic) disciplines
4 What phrase means 'the basic knowledge of an academic field'?
the knowledge base
5 How could the phrase the place where theory meets practice be reworded?
the interface between theory and practice
6 What verbs are typically used with (a) objective and (b) target?
(a) meet/achieve an objective (b) reach/achieve/attain a target
7 What are the two noun forms connected with the verb motivate?
motive, motivation
8 What is the opposite of theory-led research? practice-led research
Unit 41

41.1
Scientists disagree as to whether cold fusion, the controlled power of the hydrogen bomb in
the laboratory, is possible. In the past, some believed that experimental study under
laboratory conditions using palladium and platinum electrodes could in fact cause heavy
hydrogen atoms to fuse into helium and release energy, as the sun does. In carefully
controlled experiments, researchers believed they could manipulate the variables arising
from the complexity of the electrodes and other equipment used. In such controlled
conditions, they argued, cold fusion was possible. However, attempts to replicate some of
the experiments which claimed to be successful failed, and many now believe that cold
fusion is in fact theoretically impossible.

Some linguists believe that we can best determine how language is processed by laboratory
experiments. However, laboratory experiments are by definition artificial and may not
reflect what happens in the real world. Other linguists believe, therefore, that empirical
observation is better, and prefer to carry out field studies and case studies of individuals in
natural settings. In this way, in-depth data can be collected by observers without interfering
with the process in any way, even though this may be a more time-consuming method.
However, individual studies in real situations may not be representative of the general
population of second language learners. In short, both approaches have their advantages
and disadvantages.

41.2
carry out:
a pilot study;
an experiment;
a procedure
employ/use:
a technique;
a device;
(a) methodology;
a piece of;
to assemble;
check
apparatus

41.3
1 It was a new piece of apparatus so we assembled it first and then checked it before using
it (or we checked it first and then assembled it).
2 The team carried out a pilot study before conducting the main experiment to see if the
methodology/procedure they were using was reliable.
3 The team needed to employ a different technique/procedure for measuring the pressure,
so they used a new device (or apparatus) which they manufactured in their own
laboratory. (If apparatus is used, we can also say 'a new piece of apparatus'.)
41.4
1 It was very difficult to make reliable inferences from the data as we had so little.
2 A correlational study is a good way of seeing if one phenomenon is related to another in
a systematic way.
3 The experiment neither proved nor disproved Jessop's theory.
4 We had to explain the unusual scores of five of the subjects in the sample, who all had
totals well below the norm. It was possible there were inaccuracies in the data.
5 An outside (or external) observer can often unintentionally disrupt the behaviour of the
subjects they are observing.