The following list of phrases and their definitions might help you understand the mysterious language of science and medicine. These special phrases are also applicable to anyone reading a PhD dissertation or academic paper.
 | "IT HAS LONG BEEN KNOWN" |
I didn't look up the original reference.
| "A DEFINITE TREND IS EVIDENT" |
These data are practically meaningless.
| "WHILE IT HAS NOT BEEN POSSIBLE TO PROVIDE DEFINITE ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS" |
An unsuccessful experiment, but I still hope to get it published.
| "THREE OF THE SAMPLES WERE CHOSEN FOR DETAILED STUDY" |
The other results didn't make any sense.
| "TYPICAL RESULTS ARE SHOWN" |
This is the prettiest graph.
| "THESE RESULTS WILL BE IN A SUBSEQUENT REPORT" |
I might get around to this sometime, if pushed/funded.
| "IN MY EXPERIENCE" |
Once
| "IN CASE AFTER CASE" |
Twice
| "IN A SERIES OF CASES" |
Thrice
| "IT IS BELIEVED THAT" |
I think.
| "IT IS GENERALLY BELIEVED THAT" |
A couple of others think so, too.
| "CORRECT WITHIN AN ORDER OF MAGNITUDE" |
Wrong.
| "ACCORD1NG TO STATISTICAL ANALYSIS" |
Rumor has it.
| "A STATISTICALLY-ORIENTED PROJECTION OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THESE FINDINGS" |
A wild guess.
| "A CAREFUL ANALYSIS OF OBTAINABLE DATA" |
Three pages of notes were obliterated when I knocked over a glass.
| "IT IS CLEAR THAT MUCH ADDITIONAL WORK WILL BE REQUIRED BEFORE A COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING OF THIS PHENOMENON OCCURS" |
I don't understand it
| "AFTER ADDITIONAL STUDY BY MY COLLEAGUES" |
They don't understand it either.
| "THANKS ARE DUE TO JOE BLOTZ FOR ASSISTANCE WITH THE EXPERIMENT AND TO CINDY ADAMS FOR VALUABLE DISCUSSIONS" |
Mr. Blotz did the work and Ms. Adams explained to me what it meant.
| "A HIGHLY SIGNIFICANT AREA FOR EXPLORATORY STUDY" |
A totally useless topic selected by my committee.
| "IT IS HOPED THAT THIS STUDY WILL STIMULATE FURTHER 1NVESTIGATION IN THIS FIELD" |
I quit.