Fill-the-gap statements

The phrases in table 6.3 are often followed by the personal pronoun we (e.g., In the present study, we...). In such instances, we is used to signal the beginning of the authors presented work in the journal article. (Recall that we is also used in Results sections to signal human choice and in Discussion sections to signal interpretative remarks.) Table 6.4 lists some verbs that typically follow we in the fill-the-gap statement. Note that the verbs are in present tense when they refer to what is presented in the paper (e.g., we present ) they are in past tense when they refer to work done in the past (e.g., we measured ). (See table 6.5 for a summary of common functions of verb tense—voice combinations in Introductions.)... 

Table 6.4 Common verbs that follow we in the fill-the-gap statement of the Introduction section. ... 

P30 (Fill-the-gap statement in first paragraph) We report here a safer and... 

P31 (Fill-the-gap statement in second paragraph) We sought a method that avoided these drawbacks and was easy to use on both a laboratory and industrial scale. 

P32 (Fill-the-gap statement in fourth paragraph) Thus encouraged, we envision a special style of organic synthesis, one based on an entire family of reactions for which water is the best solvent. ... 

We are now ready to examine gap and fill-the-gap statements in authentic proposals. Because these two statements work as a pair, we examine them together. Four excerpts are included for clarity, we have italicized the words that signal the beginning of the gap and fill-the-gap statements in each excerpt. 

Excerpt 12X uses lists to delineate both the gap (the experimental challenge) and fill-the-gap statements (facing the challenge) excerpts 12Y-12AAuse narrative form. In each case, the depiction of the work following the fill-the-gap statement is brief, laying the groundwork for a more detailed description of the proposed work. 

In these excerpts, the authors assist the reader by signaling gap and fill-the-gap statements. To signal a gap statement, the authors forewarn the reader of obstacles and difficulties or use such terms as unfortunately. To indicate that a fill-the-gap statement is coming, the authors use different forms of propose or other words indicating intent. 

The four excerpts also illustrate the use of personal pronouns (specifically, / and we) in the fill-the-gap statement. One author (Spain) uses I and we ( I propose and we will employ ). All others use only we ( We propose to address , We will synthesize , we intend to pursue ). Using both I and we in a single proposal is not uncommon, particularly in proposals that are written by one investigator (e.g., the CAREER proposal). A sole author (the PI) is proposing the work (hence, I), but a group of individuals (the PI, students, postdocs, and collaborators) will conduct the work (hence, we). 

We close our discussion of move 3 by analyzing common verb tense and voice combinations used in this move (table 12.6). Gaps are often stated in present tense (in active and passive voice), sometimes in combination with a present perfect-passive statement fill-the-gap statements are usually in present or future tense and active voice. Personal pronouns (I or we) are common in fill-the-gap statements. 

Redundancy is also common in sections of a work that have overlapping purposes. Examples include the abstract of a journal article or the Project Summary of a research proposal each has the purpose of summarizing key points from the accompanying document. Although information can be repeated in the abstract or Project Summary, authors are required to state the information differently, resisting the temptation to merely copy sentences from other sections of their work. Another vulnerable place for redundancy is in the Discussion section of a journal article, which shares several overlapping purposes with the Introduction section. For example, beginning writers sometimes repeat the fill-the-gap statement of the Introduction (e.g., In this work, we measured ) in the sum-... 

When using active voice, check that you used personal pronouns (e.g., we) sparingly and in conventional ways (e.g., to signal a decision or the start of the fill-the-gap statement). 

Choose words from the tist below to fill in the gaps in the following statements, acid carbon dioxide hydrogen hydrated anhydrous... 

At the beginning the term "probability" appeals explicitly to a certain feeling of estimation which is expected to be able to fill in gaps in the observations and calculations.169 Above all, it appeals to a certain instinctive knowledge to the effect that elementary occurrences should in every instance be "equally possible."170 Later there is a critical reaction which leads in the various domains of application to very different results. However, very seldom does this reaction lead to a total rejection (this seems to be the case, e.g., for the "Theory of Decisions by Jury" and the "Theory of the Statements by Witnesses").171 Everywhere that the former assumptions had been proved by experience to be fruitful, a new formulation was found in which the contested assumptions were maintained and further developed (see the formulations which in mathematical statistics (Kollektiv-masslehre) are introduced for the description of various mass phenomena).172... 

The authors provide a list of words to fill in gaps in the sentence. The authors note As you can see, what is filled in the blanks can be as logical or illogical as one wishes to make it. The choice of one inappropriate word can turn the otherwise meaningful statement into sheer nonsense (p. 61). Using the mad model, inspectors can create a problem list or summary that they can use to make recommendations to the mine operator. 

Now let s consider the key step (described in the problem statement) and how it will fit into our synthesis. We need to fill in the gap between the starting materials and the key step, as well as the gap between the key step and the final product. 

The generalized Fisher theorems derived in this section are statements about the space variation of the vectors of the relative and absolute space-specific rates of growth. These vectors have a simple natural (biological, chemical, physical) interpretation They express the capacity of a species of type u to fill out space in genetic language, they are space-specific fitness functions. In addition, the covariance matrix of the vector of the relative space-specific rates of growth, gap, [Eq. (25)] is a Riemannian metric tensor that enters the expression of a Fisher information metric [Eqs. (24) and (26)]. These results may serve as a basis for solving inverse problems for reaction transport systems. 

The planning team summarizes the output of the first six steps of the DQO process in a series of qualitative and quantitative statements that comprise the requirements for data collection and further adjusts them to meet the project objectives and budget. The team reviews the existing data and gathers the information that is useful for the new data collection design, such as the data on sample matrix interferences, or identifies the data gaps to be filled. 

Discussion of the inadequacy of the data that are the basis for a UF of 10. For example, the analysis may depend upon data collected in only one species, high variability of response, or uncertainties in exposure measurement. The statement may point to data gaps that could be filled where the need exists. 

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