在一篇论文或研究文章的方法部分，作者需要介绍自己是如何进行研究的。方法部分应该足够清晰和详细，以便让另一个有经验的人重复研究和重现结果。如果所选择的方法是新的、不熟悉的，甚至可能是有争议的，或者目标受众来自许多学科的地方，方法部分将倾向于更广泛。

下面是曼彻斯特大学官方公布的写作示例，是在一篇研究文章或论文的这一节中发现的典型的文本延伸，以及用于这些内容的语言类型的例子。注意，对于本节后面列出的许多功能类别，动词是用简单过去时写的，是被动语态。

1.描述以前使用过的方法：

Many researchers have utilised X to measure …

One of the most well-known tools for assessing …

Traditionally,X has been assessed by measuring ...

A number of techniques have been developed to …

Different methods have been proposed to classify …

X is the main non-invasive method used to determine ...

Different authors have measured X in a variety of ways.

2.给出为什么采用了一种特定的方法的原因：

A major advantage of X is that …

The benefit of this approach is that …

The decision to use X was based on …

X based methods provide a means of …

X was selected for its reliability and validity.

3.用参考文献来证明一种方法或一种方法：

Smith et al. (1994) identify several advantages of the case study ...

Jones (2012) argues that case studies are useful when the conditions of the research …

According to Smith (2011),semi-structured interviews have a wide-spread popularity in …

The sensitivity of the X technique has been demonstrated in a report by Smith et al. (2011).

4.指示使用一种已建立的方法：

The solution was then assayed for X using the Y method.

X was prepared according to the procedure used by Jones et al. (1957).

The synthesis of X was done according to the procedure of Smith (1973).

5.给出某一特定方法被拒绝的原因：

The limitation of this approach is that …

A disadvantage of many cohort studies is that …

A major problem with the experimental method is that ...

6.描述样品的特征：

The cohort was divided into two groups according to ...

Articles were searched from January 1965 to April 2014.

7.指示选择或纳入的标准：

Criteria for selecting the subjects were as follows:

publications were only included in the analysis if…

The participants in this study were recruited from …

8.描述这个过程→被动形式的典型动词：

All participants were sent …

The data were normalised using ...

Ethical approval was obtained from ...

Drugs were administered by ICV injection …

Descriptive data were generated for all variables.

9.描述顺序词：

10.描述使用+仪器过程：

All the work on the computer was carried out using ...

Data were collected using two high spectral resolution Xs.

11.描述方式的副词：

12.描述目的的不定式：

In order to investigate the effects of …

In order to identify …,the participants were asked to ...

To avoid …

To test whether …

To establish whether ...,

13.描述过程：表达目的：

For the next two questions,a Likert scale was used.

For the purpose of analysis,two segments were extracted from each ...

14.描述问卷设计：

The first question elicited information on …

Seven questions,adapted from X,assessed …

15.流程描述：统计程序：

The data were normalised using ...

A p value<0.05 was considered significant.

Descriptive data were generated for all variables.

16.指出方法上的问题或限制：

In particular,the analysis of X was problematic.

In observational studies,there is a potential for bias from …

以上是在学术论文写作中常常使用到的英语表达，各位同学在写作把握不太大的情况下，也可以参考这些表达方式，让自己的论文结构、语言组织更加合理。还有其他论文写作问题，欢迎咨询留求艺一对一论文指导老师!