In recent years... has greatly increased.
Over the past few years the interest in the problem has been due to the fact that....
During the last 20 years interest in... has considerably....
X. was the first to... the problem of....
The first studies/observations/experiments....
At present, research is concentrated on....
Many aspects of the problem still remain....
It is difficult to point out... and... of the problem.
Work in pairs.
C. Ask for and give information on the historical background of the research problems under study.
D. Act out the situation.
Two students are talking about their fields of research, their research problems. They share information about new approaches, contributions, developments in these areas, and also talk about the literature available on the problem.
IV. Current Research. Purpose and Methods
Active Vocabulary
1. purpose /aim/objective /goal/target
2. a method/a technique/a procedure
3. detection/identification/observation
4. measurement/calculation/computation/approximation
5. consideration/generalization/deduction/assumption
6. modelling/simulation
7. advantages/merits
8. disadvantages/shortcomings/limitations
9. accurate/precise
10. accuracy/precision
11. reliable /valid/conventional/effective/useful/valuable
12. data/results/method
13. to make an experiment/analysis
14. to reveal/to find /to confirm/to prove evidence
15. to study/to examine
16. to collect data
17. to refine the results
18. to create
19. to improve
20. to work out/to develop/to design to verify/to check
21. to approve/to disprove an assumption
22. to use/to employ/to apply
23. to allow/to permit/to provide
24. to have much promise/to be promising
25. to come into use
Tasks
A. Answer the questions:
1) What is the subject of your current research?
2) What is the purpose of your research?
3) What method do you employ? Why?
4) What are the advantages of the method you use over other methods and techniques?
5) Is this method only now coming into use? Is it new?
6) What does the method consist in? What operations does it include?
7) Do you find the method reliable/precise? Why?
8) How long has your current research been under way?
9) How much time will it take you to complete your research successfully?
B. Complete the sentences with the words from the Active Vocabulary Section. Speak about the purpose of your current research and the method used.
Currently I....
I make this set of experiments/analyses in order to....
The experiment/analysis is performed with a view to....
The purpose of my experiments/analyses is to....
We undertake a set/a series of experiments hoping to....
In our current research we... the method of....
The method/technique allows/permits... to....
The method/technique makes it possible to....
This is, without doubt, the most... and... method.
The method proves to be....
Work in pairs.
C. Ask for and give information about your current research, namely its purpose and the methods you employ.
D. Act out the situation.
Two students/colleagues meet at a conference. They talk about their current research, expressing interest in its purpose, and describe the methods used.
V. Current Research. Results and Conclusion
Active Vocabulary
1. results/findings/data/observations/evidence
2. comprehensive/extensive
3. detailed
4. remarkable/encouraging/convincing
5. preliminary
6. sufficient/insufficient
7. superficial
8. to collect/to get/to receive/to obtain data to treat the problem
9. to succeed in/to make progress in/to be a success to fail (in)
10. to be similar to/to be the same as
11. to be consistent with/to coincide
12. to agree with/to fit the assumption
13. to support/to provide support/in support of
14. to reach an understanding/to come to an understanding
15. to conclude/to come to/to bring to a conclusion/to make conclusions
Tasks
A. Answer the questions:
1) Have you already obtained any research results?
2) What are the main/comprehensive results of your current research?
3) Has your research been successful?
4) Have you succeeded in receiving extensive data?
5) Do your research data agree with the theory you follow?
6) Do your results coincide with those obtained by other researchers?
7) Are the results of purely theoretical or practical interest?
8) Do your research results appear to be of both theoretical and practical importance?
9) Are the data/observations you have obtained sufficient to formulate your final conclusions?
10) What part of your research is/remains still unfinished?
11) Do the data/results/observations/findings allow you to come to any definite conclusion(s)?
12) What conclusion(s) have you come to?
13) How long will it take you to finish your research?
