[论文总结] 中国工科生常见英文写作问题总结
The Most Common Habits from more than 200 English Papers written by Graduate Chinese Engineering Students --By Felicia Brittman
该文记录的很多问题都是国人在英文写作中常犯的错误,因此受到广泛关注。个人对该文进行总结以记录心得。个人所知该文最早于2011年出现在"staff.ustc.edu.cn",作者为Felicia Brittman。原文地址为The Most Common Habits from more than 200 English Papers written by Graduate Chinese Engineering Students。
1. 常见语法错误
1.1 冠词a, an, the的用法
- 限定词:一个词或一组词,传统上被认为是形容词,它通过告诉一个名词的多少来限制它(数量的表达,限制性形容词,标记)它们区分一个名词是普通的树(tree)还是特定的树(the tree)。The是定冠词。在名词前,the传达已知指的是一个具体的项目。A和an是不定冠词。它们传达了一个名词以非特定的或一般的方式指代一个项目。此外,冠词和名词之间的任何修饰语都式指该名词。
- 普通名词: 为一般群体、地点、人或事物命名的名词:狗、房子。
- 可数名词: 为一件或几件可以数的东西命名的名词:收音机、街道、想法、指甲。
- 不可数名词: 命名不可数事物的名词:水,时间。
- 限定性名词: 被理解为确切地、具体地提及的名词;使用定冠词the。
- 非限定性名词: 指许多相同的事物中的任何一个;它有不定冠词a, an。
- 定冠词的用法参考如下。
经常出现的错误主要包括以下三点:
(1) 在需要的地方省略
(2) 在不需要的地方使用或导致冗长
(3) 用错了地方
错句示例 Examples of incorrect usages: - 错误: Figure 2 shows the distribution of relative velocity on surface of main and splitter blades.
- 正确: Figure 2 shows the distribution of relative velocity on the surface of the main and splitter blades.
注解: 这里名词前面要加定冠词"the". - 错误: The software PowerSHAPE is chosen to be a 3D modeling tool; it is good at dealing with free surfaces and curves.
- 正确: The software PowerSHAPE is chosen to be the 3D modeling tool; it is good at dealing with free surfaces and curves.
注解: 本研究中仅使用了一种 3D 建模工具,因此“3D 建模工具”是特定的,需要"the"而不是“a”。 - 错误: A theoretical method for calculating the inner flow-field in centrifugal impeller with splitter blades and investigation of the interactions between main and splitter blades is presented in this paper. The vortices are distributed on the main and splitter blades to simulate the effects of flows. Systematical study of number and distribution of vortices is conducted.
- 正确: A theoretical method for calculating the inner flow-field in a centrifugal impeller with splitter blades and an investigation of the interactions between main and splitter blades is presented in this paper. The vortices are distributed on the main and splitter blades to simulate the effects of flows. A systematical study of the number and distribution of vortices is conducted.
注解: 这段话中缺少了几个冠词。
上图展示的是限定性名词的“a”“an“the”的用法,图释如下:
- 第一步:确认这个单词是否为名词。
- 第二步:这个名词时是单数还是复数?
- 第三步:如果是单数,名词是否可数?不可数,即单数不可数名词。
- 第四步:如果该单词为可数单数名词,这个名词前面已经有限定词了吗?如one, any some, every, each, either, neither another, the other my, our, your, his, her, its, their, nouns with ‘s or s’ this, that, one,no, the first, the second,etc. 如果已有这些词则不需要再加定冠词。
- 第五步:这个名词是不是特指的名词,如果是,使用“the”。如果不是,以辅音开头的名词使用使用”a“,以元音开头,则需要一个“an”。
- 第六步:如果是复数,名词是否可数? 不可数,即单数不可数名词。
- 第七步:如果复数可数名词,那么名词前面已经有限定词了吗?如:some, any, both, many, more, most, few, fewer, the fewest, a lot of, a number of, other, several, all, all the my, our, your, his, her its, their, nouns with ‘s or s’ these, those no, two, three, etc.; the first, the second, the third, etc.如果已有这些词则不需要再加定冠词。
- 第八步:如果这个名词前面没有上述的限定词,并且特指某个东西,则应添加限定词“the”。
1.2 很长的句子
在英语中,主要观点和每个支撑观点通常是用不同的句子写的。一个人通常可以根据长度认出一个很长的句子,甚至60个单词以上。然而,如果一个长句包括多个陈述的短句,混淆了中心思想,那么说明句子可能太长。当一个句子中包含了太多的短句时,也可能会让读者混淆作者想要表达的意思。
- Too long (句子太长): The gear transmission is grade seven, the gear gap is 0.00012 radians, the gear gap has different output values corresponding to any given input value, nonlinearity of the gear gap model can be described by using the phase function method, the existing backlash block in the non-linear library of the Matlab/zdimulink toolbox can be used, the initial value of gear gap in the backlash block is set to zero.9
- 修改后: The gear transmission is grade seven. The gear gap, which is 0.00012 radians, has different output values corresponding to any given input value. The nonlinearity of the gear gap model can be described by using the phase function method. The existing backlash block in the non-linear library of the Matlab/zdimulink toolbox can be used; the initial value of gear gap in the backlash block is set to zero.
注解: 我们可以注意到,原句是"一逗到底",这个写作方式不管是中文和英文论文的(工学、农学)写作上都是要尽量避免的。在增加了几个标点符号后,句子也读起来更通顺了。此外,作者在修改时用到了分号,分号可以连接两个并列的分句,这时不需要连词。
另一种在技术论文中经常出现的超长句子是罗列式的描述内容。 作者想给出大量数据,通常是参数值,并将这些信息放入一个长的、段落大小的句子中。 但是,提供此类信息的类型和数量的最佳方式是将其制成表格(将其放入项目符号列表中)。例子如下:
- Too long (句子太长): …where m is the mass of the heavy disk mounted at the mid-span of a massless elastic shaft, e is the eccentricity of the mass center from the geometric center of the disk, φ is the angle between the orientation of the eccentricity and the ξ axis, ξ k and η k are the stiffness coefficients in two principal directions of shaft respectively, c is the viscous damping coefficient of the shaft and the disk, i c is the inner damping coefficient of shaft, ω is the rotating speed, s ξ and η s are the components of initial bend in directions of ξ ,ηaxesrespectively: ξ cosθ s b = r ,η sinθ s b = r .
- 修改后: Where:
m is the mass of the heavy disk mounted at the mid-span of a massless elasticshaft,
e is the eccentricity of the mass center from the geometric center of the disk,
φ is the angle between the orientation of the eccentricity and the ξ axis,
ξ k and η k are the stiffness coefficients in the two principal directions of the shaft,
c is the viscous damping coefficient of the shaft and the disk,
ic is the inner damping coefficient of the shaft,
ω is the rotating speed,
s ξ and η s are the components of initial bend in directions of ξ , η axes, respectively: ξ cosθ s b = r ,η sinθ s b = r .
注解: 当列举很多字符介绍时,每个字符介绍前应该单独一行,首行缩进2个字符的空格,然后每个字符分段介绍。
- Too long (句子太长): The clear height of the case is 6.15 meters; the thickness of the roof is 0.85
meters; the thickness of the bottom is 0.90 meters, the overall width is 26.6 meters, the overall length of the axial cord is 304.5 meters, the length of the jacking section is about 148.8 meters; the weight of the case is about 24127 tons. - 修改后:
1.3 以陈述目的、位置或理由来开头
中国人的写作习惯通常以首先陈述目的、位置、原因、例子和条件作为介绍性元素来为句子的主题作序。 但是,这会让降低主要思想的重要性。将主要思想带到句子的开头,然后说明任何位置,原因等。
- 错误: For the application in automobile interiors, this paper studies the nesting optimization problem in leather manufacturing.
- 正确: This paper studies the nesting optimization problem in leather manufacturing for application in automobile interiors
- 错误: Inside the test box, the space was filled with asbestos.
- 正确: The space inside the test box was filled with asbestos.
- 错误: To ensure sheet metal quality as well as assembly quality, CMMs are widely used in automotive industry production.
- 正确: CMMs are widely used in automotive industry production to ensure sheet metal quality as well as assembly quality.
注解: 像这样的表达形式在论文中很常见,本人写作时也常会用到这样的句式“为了提高精度,为了提高速度,为了更直观表达… 我们做了什么”。但是更好的方式是将句子主题思想写在开头。
1.4 把表示时间的短语放在句子开头的倾向
- 错误: When U is taken as the control parameter, the BDs for ∆=0.0, 0.001, 0.005 are shown in Fig. 8.
- 正确: Figure 8 shows the BDs for ∆=0.0, 0.001, and 0.005 when U is taken as the control parameter.
1.5 将最重要的主题放在句首以强调
- 错误: Based on the triangulation structure built from unorganized points or a CAD model, the extended STL format is described in this section.4
- 正确: The extended STL format is described in this section based on the triangulation structure built from unorganized points or a CAD model.
- 错误: The 3D dentition defect and restoration element models are designed precisely with complicated surfaces.
- 正确: The 3D dentition defect and restoration element models with complicated surfaces are designed precisely.
1.6 “which/ that” 使用混淆
“which”所指的先行词(名词或代词)不具体,造成混淆。先行词:代词所指的名词或代词。
1.7 ‘Respectively’ and ‘respective’
“Respectively”指的是两个或两个以上的人或事,只是按照它们之前被指定或提到的顺序。如果给出了两个列表,则根据给出的顺序分别对列表项进行配对。在这种情况下,使用“Respectively”是为了让作者给出大量信息,而不会让读者感到困惑,也不会写几个短句。“Respectively”通常在句末。在这两种情况下,提到顺序必须对句子的意思很重要,否则就不要使用。常见的两种错误有:
- “Respectively” 被放在它所指的名词之前。
- 错误: Equations 2~6 can be respectively linearized as:……(equations given)…
- 正确: Equations 2~6 can be linearized as:…(equations given)…, respectively.
- 插入“Respectively”是为了表示某件事情是按照一定的顺序进行的。但是,顺序已经隐含在句子的其他地方,或者不需要表达,因为它不会增加句子的意义。有的错误则是不明确“Respectively”的指向。
- 错误: If both the core technology score and core quality score of a bottleneck process are,respectively, below certain scores, then we refer to strategy 1, otherwise, if either is, respectively, above a certain score, then we refer to strategy2. Similarly, if the core technology and core quality are, respectively, above a certain score, then we refer to strategy 3, otherwise, if either is, respectively, below a certain score, then we refer to strategy 4.
- 正确: If both the core technology score and core quality score of a bottleneck process are below certain scores, then we refer to strategy 1, otherwise, if either is above a certain score, then we refer to strategy 2. Similarly, if the core technology and core quality are above a certain score, then we refer to strategy 3, otherwise, if either is below a certain score, then we refer to strategy 4.
- 错误: The inlet and outlet temperature of the air cooler were measured using two thermocouples respectively.
- 正确: The inlet and outlet temperature of the air cooler were measured by using two thermocouples.
1.8 ‘In this paper’, ‘in this study’
使用这些短语时会出现两个错误。首先是过度使用。在一些中国人写的论文中,这些短语每页可能出现两次。"in this paper"的使用主要有两种用途:
- 在引言和结论部分强调论文的内容。
- 在论文的正文部分,引用了作者在其他期刊文章或标准中未完成的工作。
因此,如果任何一个短语在一篇论文中出现超过三次,它的使用是有问题的。事实上,读者知道所呈现的作品是作者的作品(除非是作者本人)所以没有理由重复这些短语。第二个错误更为微妙。这两个短语互换了。“study”是作者所做的工作。"paper"是作品呈现的方式,也是读者正在阅读的内容。我们可以使用其他短语来替换表达,如“in this research”和“this paper present”。
1.9 数字和方程的使用
很多人在英文中用阿拉伯数字表示数量,而不是拼出这个词。这样做的本身是没有问题,然而,它们不应该用在句子的开头。
- 错误: 12 parameters were selected for the experiment.
- 正确: Twelve parameters were selected for the experiment.
此外,阿拉伯数字被过度使用。 阿拉伯数字应用于在技术论文中提供数据,但不应用于提供一般信息。 - 错误: All 3 studies concluded that the mean temperature should be 30°C.
- 正确: All three studies concluded that the mean temperature should be 30°C.
当以英语为母语的人不习惯的方式使用方程式来代替单词时,这个问题就更加严重了。 方程式应该尽可能多地用语言介绍,而不是直接在文本中插入。大多数期刊,如International Journal of Production Research,不鼓励在文章中使用哪怕是简短的表达。 - 错误: If the power battery SOC > SOC10 and the driving torque belongs to the middle load,…
- 正确: If the power battery SOC is greater than SOC10 and the driving torque belongs to the middle load,…
1.10 “图”和“表”
图和表的缩写分别为Fig.和Tbl。但是,table的缩写很少出现在文本中。人们也可以把figure写成"Fig."。然而,一个人应该选择一个约定,并在整个论文中使用它,不应该在文中随意切换figure,fig,Figure,Fig。此外,缩写词不使用在句子的开头,单词或缩写词与数字之间要有空格。
- 错误: Figure.6、Figure6、Fig.6、Tbl10.
- 正确: Figure 6、Fig. 6、Tbl. 10.
1.11 ‘such as’ and ‘etc.’
“Such"的意思是“for example”,暗示后面会有一个不完整的列表,"etc"的意思是“and so on”,用于列表的末尾,表示列表不完整。因此,"such as"和‘etc’在一起使用是多余的。
- 错误: Studies of methodology and process of implementing remanufacturing mainly focus on durable products such as automobile motors, printers, and etc.
- 正确: Studies of methodology and process of implementing remanufacturing mainly focus on durable products such as automobile motors, and printers.
2. 其他需要注意的问题
- 有些词的单数形式和复数形式相同,不需要加s就可以变成复数。这些词包括:
•literature (when referring to research)
•equipment
•staff (referring to a group of people)
• faculty - 避免使用中国英语作家常用的以下几种短语
- 某些单词要求题目修饰的是复数
- 不要在英语句子的开头使用缩写和阿拉伯数字,如Fig. 或8,而是写Figure和Eight。
- 不要写 ‘by this way’. 可以用 ‘by doing this’, 或‘using this method’来替代这种表达。
- 不要在句首写 ‘How to…’
- 错误: How to find the optimal parameter is the main objective.
- 正确: Determining how to find the optimal parameter is the main objective.
- “the results are shown in Figure 2”的表达是正确的,而“the results are showed as Figure 2”的写作是错误的。
- 将文本中出现的变量要用斜体表示,以区别于单词。当变量是英文字母时,这一点尤其重要。‘The graph shows t, a, and C as a function of time’的书写是正确,而‘The graph shows t, a, and C as a function of time’书写错误。
- 避免过度使用“that is to say”和“namely”。相反,试着用一句话表达你的意思。
- 不要在句子结尾使用too,尤其是在技术论文中。
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