Английский язык для магистрантов научная деятельность. English for master students academic activity. Учебное пособие

Министерство науки и высшего образования Российской Федерации НОВОСИБИРСКИЙ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННЫЙ ТЕХНИЧЕСКИЙ УНИВЕРСИТЕТ

С. В. НИКРОШКИНА

АНГЛИЙСКИЙ ЯЗЫК ДЛЯ МАГИСТРАНТОВ

НАУЧНАЯ ДЕЯТЕЛЬНОСТЬ

ENGLISH

FOR MASTER STUDENTS

ACADEMIC ACTIVITY

Утверждено Редакционно-издательским советом университета

в качестве учебного пособия

НОВОСИБИРСК

2023

BEFORE YOU READ

You are going to read the text entitled RESEARCH. Answer the following questions:

1.What meanings are given to the word research in everyday life?

2.Is research just collecting facts or information with no clear purpose?

3.What are basic characteristics of research?

READING

Read the text and check your answers.

RESEARCH

1. Everyday use of the term 'research'

When listening to the radio, watching the television or reading a daily newspaper it is difficult to avoid the term 'research'.

The results of 'research' are all around us. A debate about the findings of a recent poll of people's opinions inevitably includes a discussion of 'research', normally referring to the way in which the data were collected. Politicians often justify their policy decisions on the basis of 'research'. Documentary programs tell us about 'research findings', and advertisers may highlight the 'results of research' to encourage you to buy a particular product or brand. However, we believe that what these examples really emphasize is the wide range of meanings given to the term 'research' in everyday speech.

Answer the following questions:

1.What does the debate about the findings of people̕s opinions usually include?

2.What meanings are given to the word research in everyday life?

3.What do advertisers do to encourage us to buy products?

2. Incorrect use of the term 'research'

Many of these everyday uses of the term 'research' are not research in the true meaning of the word. The ways in which the term is used wrongly are:

just collecting facts or information with no clear purpose;

reordering facts or information without interpretation;

as a term to get your product or idea noticed and respected.

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The first of these highlights the fact that, although research often involves the collection of information, it is more than just reading a few books or articles, talking to a few people or asking people questions. While collecting data may be part of the research process, if it is not undertaken in a systematic way, on its own and in particular with a clear purpose, it will not be seen as research. The second of these is commonplace in many reports. Data are collected, perhaps from a variety of different sources, and then assembled in a single document with the sources of these data listed. However, there is no interpretation of the data collected. Again, while the assembly of data from a variety of sources may be part of the process of research, without interpretation it is not research. Finally, the term 'research' can be used to get an idea or product noticed by people and to suggest that people should have confidence in it. In such instances, when you ask for details of the research process, these are either unclear or not forthcoming.

Answer the following questions:

1.Is research just collecting facts or information with no clear purpose?

2.What does research involve except collecting the information?

3.Can assembling the data without interpretation be called "research"?

3. Basic characteristics of research

Based upon this brief discussion we can already see that research has a number of characteristics:

data are collected systematically;

data are interpreted systematically;

there is a clear purpose: to find things out.

Answer the following questions:

1.Can you enumerate the characteristic features of research?

2.What is the main purpose of research?

4. Academic definition of research

We can therefore define research as something that people undertake in order to find out things in a systematic way, thereby increasing their knowledge. Two phrases are important in this definition: 'systematic research' and 'to find out things'. 'Systematic' suggests that research is based on logical relationships and not just beliefs. As part of this, your research will involve an explanation of the methods used to collect the data, will argue why the results obtained are meaningful, and will explain any limitations that are associated with them. ‘To find out things’ suggests there

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is a multiplicity of possible purposes for your research. These may include describing, explaining, understanding, criticizing and analyzing. However, it also suggests that you have a clear purpose or set of 'things' that you want to find out, such as the answer to a question or number of questions.

Answer the following questions:

1.How can research be defined?

2.What does systematic mean?

3.What may finding out things include?

5. Basic and applied research

Despite the variety of purposes and contexts of research, all research projects can be placed on a continuum.

At one extreme of the continuum is research that is undertaken purely to understand processes and outcomes. Such research is conducted predominantly in universities as a result of an academic agenda. Its key consumer is the academic community, with relevantly little attention being given to its practical applications. This is often termed basic, fundamental or pure research. At the other end of the continuum is the research which is of direct and immediate relevance to practitioners that addresses issues they see as important and is presented in ways they can understand and act upon. This is termed applied research of direct and immediate relevance to practitioners.

AFTER READING TASKS

Answer the following questions:

1.How do we call the type of research that is conducted in universities as a result of an academic agenda?

2.How do we call the type of research that is of direct and immediate relevance to practitioners?

Match the words with their definitions.

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Give the Russian equivalents of the following words and phrases.

1.a debate

2.research objectives

3.interpretation

4.to be based on logical relationships

5.the results obtained

6.a multiplicity of possible purposes

7.to understand processes and outcomes

8.practical applications

9.to be of direct and immediate relevance to practitioners

10.applied research

SPEAKING

Speak about fundamental and applied research. Do not forget to mention the following features:

Fundamental research

1.undertaken by people based in universities;

2.of theoretical relevance and value to society in general;

3.universal principles relating to the process and its relationship to outcomes;

4.choice of topic and objectives determined by the researcher.

Applied research

1. undertaken by people based in a variety of settings including organizations and universities;

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2.of practical relevance and value to particular organizations;

3.to improve understanding of a particular problem;

4.objectives negotiated with originator.

HOME ASSIGNMENT

Translate the following verb phrases into Russian. Make up your own sentences using these phrases:

1.to seek new insights into phenomena;

2.to study a situation or a problem in order to explain the relationships between variables;

3.to explain or predict phenomena observed in the laboratory or in nature;

4.to conduct empirical tests while identifying and controlling as many factors as possible that may affect the outcome of the study;

5.to carry out the empirical investigation of a particular contemporary phenomenon within its real-life context, using multiple sources of evidence.

Lesson 2. My Research Work

VOCABULARY

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