English Academic Writing I: Citing Other Authors (Literature Review)

 

Literature Review based on Academic Phrasebank

The assignment in the 2nd day of our class, it was about how we could make a literature review from some journal papers. There are many ways to cite other authors and it is best to use a variety techniques such as:

• The Zero Option
• Technique 1: Give the name and year at the beginning of a sentence
• Variation 1A: Vary the verbs that we use 
• Remember that verbs don't have to be simple ones, and they can also be negative
• Variation 1B: Add an adverbial phrase before the author's name
• Variation 1C: Insert an adverbial phrase after the author's name
• We can achieve a minor change in rhythm by inserting an adverbial phrase
• Variation 1D: Precede the author's name with an expression like "Researchers such as..."
• Where several researchers have similar claims, it is easy to change the rhythm of a paragraph by adding "Researchers such as...". This pattern is particularly useful when pointing to a general interest in a topic rather than specific claims. 

• Technique 2: Move the researcher's name into an adverbial phrase
• Technique 3: Use the passive voice to move the researcher out of subject position

Examples:

• Cohen et al. (1997) state that Coastal areas concentrate most of the economic activities and urbanization around the world. 37% of the world population was living in a band of one hundred kilometer width along the coast in 1997.

• United Nations (2010) mentioned that the rate of population growth in coastal areas is accelerating and increasing tourism adds pressure on the environment.

• Duraiappah et al. (2005) noted although coastal ecosystems are among the most productive in the world, they are also highly threatened.

• Nicholls et al. (2007) further explained coastal areas will be exposed to increasing natural hazards in the coming years, such as storms and sea level rise that will cause floods, erosion, ecosystem losses, human, social and economic issues.

• Ablain, Cazenave, Valladeau, and Guinehut (2009) told that radar altimetry is a powerful technique used for the monitoring of the sea surface topography over the open ocean.

• Bouffard et al. (2011) mentioned the study of the ocean circulation, its use is difficult close to the coasts as its spatial and temporal resolutions are inadequate to observe the complex and fast changing dynamics of the ocean close to the shore.

• Lowe et al. (2002); Ruffini, Soulat, Caparrini, Germain, & Martin-Neira (2004); Löfgren, Haas, Scherneck, & Bos (2011); Semmling et al. (2011); Rius et al. (2012) stated that Spatio -and/or temporal- variations of sea levels were recorded with an accuracy of a few cm using such a technique from ground-based or air-borne acquisitions.

Referring to source:
Roussel, Nicolas, et al. "Sea level monitoring and sea state estimate using a single geodetic receiver." Remote sensing of Environment 171 (2015): 261-277.