博文

大数据，小软件助推非英语母语科研人员科技写作

已有 5191 次阅读 2012-10-24 08:07 |系统分类:观点评述|关键词:学者| 文章, 技巧, 科技英语

科研写作是科研产出的重要环节。科研结果固然是第一重要的，然而写作的好坏直接影响论文的质量，发表，传播和影响。然而目前国内研究生教育缺乏严格系统的的科研写作训练。写篇流利的中文文章对大多数研究生来说尚且不是一件容易的事情，更不用说英语写作了。即便是有经验的高手，都可能遇到各种问题。详见近期置顶文章《投的论文本查重，14%与他人一致》。

谈论写作技巧这个话题太大，只言片语描述清楚远远超出本人能力。暂且与各位分享两个科技英语写作的小工具，以备各位做为信手拈来的有力工具。至少可以解决一些诸如喻海良先生最近遇到的一些问题《投的论文本查重，14%与他人一致》。

第一个 Crops 网站：www.just-the-word.com
Crops 是语言范本的海量集合。 Crops （在线）软件类似字典但其功能远远超过传统字典。 Crops 软件的核心理念是基于大量例子学习。Crops 软件通过统计海量的优秀范例，告诉用户语言的搭配结构和使用方法。这是大数据在计算语言学成果应用之一。其功能强于字典表现在，它更有助于写作。阅读遇到生词，我们可以查字典。但是写作表达思想，找的一个合适的词汇有时候要搜肠刮肚，无从下手，即便是辞海在你跟前你也不知道用那个词。然而crops 软件可以根据你要描述的东西来推荐可以使用的词汇。这与传统的基于意项的字典功能有很大不同。本文通过几个简单的例子来说明如何使用该工具。

1. 形容词搭配和介词搭配。
困扰国人的英语词汇往往是很多小词。如in, for ,of ，at。比如说方程的解。我很容易说成 the soution of (2). 另外非母语的人很难找到相应的形容词李来修饰一个名次来表达相应的感情色彩。
我们以将 solution 为例子，看看怎么形容 solution 和solution 如何搭配介词。在没有看结果之前看看你能找出几个形容词来形容 solution? simple, complicated 还有吗？看看crops在线网站的功能

在www.just-the-word.com. 输入 solution, 我们可以发现以下条目

V obj *solution* , e.g. find solution (动词+solution 怎么用)
*solution* subj V , e.g. solution be   （ solution + 宾语、系词怎么用）
*solution* subj ADJ , e.g. solution simple （solution +宾语+形容词，后面的形容词可以是什么）
*solution* subj N , e.g. solution one
*solution* subj PREP , e.g. solution for
ADJ *solution* , e.g. only solution
N *solution* , e.g. compromise solution
*solution* PREP , e.g. solution to
*solution* V , e.g. solution containing
*solution* V , e.g. solution adopted
PREP *solution* , e.g. as solution
N PREP *solution* , e.g. search for solution
N and *solution* , e.g. problem and solution
*solution* and N , e.g. solution and solution
article *solution* , e.g. a solution

我们点击 ADJ * solution 一项可以发现各种形容solution 的词汇，使用的频率，以及例子。形容词词库出来啦。

ADJ *solution*

cluster 1

acceptable solution (25)

appropriate solution (16)

complete solution (22)

correct solution (19)

final solution (50)

good solution (147)

ideal solution (59)

imaginative solution (15)

novel solution (10)

only solution (130)

optimum solution (26)

perfect solution (34)

satisfactory solution (42)

unique solution (16)

cluster 2

feasible solution (11)

possible solution (116)

viable solution (11)

workable solution (14)

cluster 3

balanced solution (12)

practical solution (42)

pragmatic solution (10)

sensible solution (11)

cluster 4

easy solution (51)

elegant solution (11)

neat solution (11)

simple solution (79)

cluster 5

immediate solution (18)

instant solution (13)

quick solution (18)

cluster 6

interim solution (12)

short-term solution (19)

temporary solution (18)

cluster 7

dilute solution (21)

weak solution (14)

cluster 8

lasting solution (13)

permanent solution (18)

cluster 9

effective solution (41)

efficient solution (13)

unclustered

acid solution (15)

alkaline solution (12)

alternative solution (41)

aqueous solution (34)

cheap solution (14)

concentrated solution (11)

long-term solution (45)

military solution (24)

negotiated solution (15)

obvious solution (43)

own solution (64)

partial solution (32)

peaceful solution (31)

political solution (72)

preferred solution (15)

proposed solution (32)

radical solution (38)

saline solution (18)

technical solution (28)

那么合适的介词搭配是什么呢？点击 *solution* PREP , e.g. solution to 我们只发现有两种情况，保险期间，要选择频率使用高的，具体使用句型可以继续点击连接。

*solution* PREP

solution to (1336)

solution for (259)

2 实战演练
我们以近期《投的论文本查重，14%与他人一致》提到的如何描述图表问题，这是一个大多说科技工作者经常遇到的问题，除了 Figure 1 shows that......, 我们还可以用哪些动词？常用的规范用法是 Figure 1 ilustrates/demonstrates/suggests/indicates/implies/reveals .........我们可以找出一堆的动词,如下。

*Figure* subj V

cluster 1

figure appear (81)

figure bear (10)

figure confirm (16)

figure emerge (22)

figure illustrate (5)

figure imply (6)

figure indicate (48)

figure loom (13)

figure move (43)

figure relate (24)

figure represent (45)

figure reveal (39)

figure show (438)

figure stand (45)

figure suggest (79)

figure wave (5)

cluster 2

figure decline (6)

figure disappear (14)

figure drop (18)

figure fall (49)

figure slip (7)

figure stumble (5)

cluster 3

figure boost (4)

figure grow (18)

figure increase (22)

figure rise (81)

cluster 4

figure be (2808)

figure constitute (6)

figure remain (19)

cluster 5

figure fluctuate (4)

figure vary (12)

cluster 6

figure outline (5)

figure plot (4)

cluster 7

figure bend (7)

figure lean (8)

cluster 8

figure step (13)

figure stride (5)

unclustered

figure amount (4)

figure assume (9)

figure compare (16)

figure conceal (7)

figure detach (4)

figure dominate (4)

figure double (10)

figure exceed (8)

figure exclude (14)

figure haunt (4)

figure highlight (9)

figure include (100)

figure leap (6)

figure range (5)

figure reach (16)

figure refer (12)

figure reflect (28)

figure resemble (5)

figure underestimate (7)

figure understate (5)

上面一个网站和其他crops 网站一般足够用了。有特别需求的人士可以使用一个叫做
AntConc (Windows, Macintosh OS X, and Linux) Build 3.2.4 by Laurence Anthony, Ph.D.
的软件。这个软件的功能是你可以组建自己本学科的优秀范文，通过本学科的优秀范文来学习如何写作。有必要的时候再分享了。

Future reading
[1 ] orwell's six rules for plain English

Never use a Metaphor, simile or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.
Never use a long word where a short one will do (see Short words).
If it is possible to cut out a word, always cut it out (see Unnecessary words).
Never use the Passive where you can use the active.
Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word or a Jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous (see Iconoclasm).

[2] Plain English http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plain_English
[3] http://www.economist.com/styleguide/introduction (Oxford academic writting 必读)
[4] http://www.guardian.co.uk/styleguide
[5]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times_Manual_of_Style_and_Usage

转载本文请联系原作者获取授权，同时请注明本文来自朱圣鑫科学网博客。
链接地址：https://m.sciencenet.cn/blog-735189-625595.html

上一篇：法律是否可以捍卫百年声誉？
下一篇：Scientific American：中国科研是否可以可持续发展？

收藏分享