英语论文写作常见错误

大多数中国的大学要求他们科学和技术领域的硕士或博士学位学生至少在国际期刊上发表一篇英文论文。然而，很多因素导致这个任务很难完成。首先，早先的英语学习可能没有集中在写作上，更不用说写科技论文了，而进入研究生阶段后英语的学习未被重视，导致作者的英语流畅程度降低。第二，大多数作者从来没有在英语母语国家生活过。其三，由于科技论文写作的特殊性，即便是英语母语国家的理工科学生在他们学习的课程中也包括科技论文写作课程。

对于中国学者和研究生而言，由于蹩脚的英语导致论文不被接受并被退回是很常见的事。如果可能的话，请以英语为母语的朋友或专门的论文润色机构帮自己编辑论文能够避免很多语言错误。然而，这种机会和条件并不是每个人都有，况且即使是母语为英语的人如果没有理工科背景，也不能保证把作者思路清晰地表述出来。

这篇文章的目的是介绍一些最普遍的科技英语问题，这些常见问题包括语法错误、口语用法、版式问题等，它们在大多数情况下会阻碍读者清晰地理解作者的观点。

用错冠词

中国人写英语论文一个很普遍的错误就是遗漏冠词“a,an,the”。发生这种情况的一个重要原因是汉语没有等效的冠词。

定义：

每当有不可数名词单数和可数名词单数时，名词前都要使用限定词。冠词就是一种限定词，由a,an,the三个词组成。A和an是不定冠词，the是定冠词。冠词表示之后会跟一个名词，并且任何在冠词和名词之间的限定词都用于修饰名词。(a blue bicycle/the first award)。

限定成分 一个词或者一个词组，通常以形容词形式出现，用于限定一个名词的数量或多少，等等。（对量的表达，限定性形容词，标注）它们说明一个名词是普通名词(a tree)还是特指名词(the tree)。

The是特指冠词。在一个名词前，the表示已经知道的那个具体的东西(the plan)。A和an是非限定性冠词，它表示这个名词指示一个不特指的或者普通的物品。

普通名词 一个名词命名一个大致的群体，地点，人，或东西：dog、house。

可数名词 一个名词命名可以被数的物品：radio，streets,idea,fingernails.

不可数名词 命名不可数的东西的名词：water,time.

特指名词 表示精确地特别指明的物品的名词，要用定冠词the。

非特指名词 可以指任何一定量的物品的一类名词，要使用不定冠词a，an。

常见错误：1）在需要的地方缺少冠词；2）将冠词用到不需要的地方；3）将冠词放置在错误的位置。

错误用法的例子：

错误 Figure 2 shows the distribution of relative velocity on surfae of main and splitter blades.

图形2展示了相对速度的在主方向和分方向的分解。

正确 Figure 2 shows the distribution of relative velocity on the surface of the main and splitter blades.

错误 The software PowerSHAPE is chosen to be a 3D modeling tool;it is good at dealing with free surfaces and curves.

软件PowerSHAPE经常被用来作3D建模工具；它擅长处理游离面和曲线。

正确 The software PowerSHAPE is chosen to be the 3D modeling tool;it is good at dealing with free surfaces and curves.

在他的研究中只用了这一种3D建模工具，所以3D建模工具是特指，要用定冠词the。

错误 A theoretical method for calculating the inner flow-field in centrifugal impeller with splitter blades and investigation of the interactions between main and splitter blades is presented in this paper.The vortices are distributed on the main and splitter blades to simulate the effects of flows.Systematical study of number and distribution of vortices is conducted.

这篇文章体现了一个用于计算有分支的刀片的离心机内部流动场的纯理论模型以及对主要和分支刀片内部反应的研究。漩涡被分为主要的和分支的部分来模拟流动的效果。对漩涡进行了周密的研究和区分。

正确 A theoretical method for calculating the inner flow-field in a centrifugal impeller with splitter blades and an investigation of the interactions between main and splitter blades is presented in this paper.The vortices are distributed on the main and splitter blades to simulate the effects of flows.A systematical study of the number and distribution of vortices is conducted.

错误 Theoretically, remanufacturing could fully take advantage of resources contained in EOF product thereby minimizing impact on environment to the greatest extent compared to landfill or recycling of materials; consequently it contributes greatly to resource conservation.

理论上讲，循环生产可以充分的利用包含在EOF产品中的资源，从而。相对于金属废弃物填埋和回收来讲，最大限度上降低对环境的冲击。

正确 Theoretically, remanufacturing could fully take advantage of resources contained in an EOF product thereby minimizing the impact on the environment to the greatest extent compared to landfill or recycling of materials; consequently it contributes greatly to resource conservation.

句子过长

很长的句子在中国式英语写作中尤为常见，因为作者常常直接把中文翻译成英文。虽然在中文写作中可以把几个支持观点的分句插入句中来表现它们的联系，但是在英语中，要特别注意主要观点和每个支持它的观点要分条陈述。

通常情况下，从句子的长度就可以来识别出过长的句子——六十个词或者更多。然而，如果短句包含了很复杂的表述，并且可能混淆主要观点的话，也会被认为是过长的句子。长句子可以通过限制每个句子仅表述一到两个话题来避免。在作者真的想强调几个观点之间的关系时要用分号。

太长 According to the characteristic of fan-coil air-conditioning systems, this paper derives the cooling formula of fan-coil units based on the heat transfer theories and puts forward a new method to gauge cooling named Cooling Metering on the Air- side, which can monitor the individual air-conditioning cooling consumption during a period of time by detecting the parameters of inlet air condition– temperature and humidity–of the fan-coil air-conditioning system as well as the parameters of inlet cooling water provided by the chiller.

根据风机盘管机组暖气与空调系统的特性，在热传导理论的基础上，本论文得出了风机盘管机组单元的冷却公式，并推出一种新的测量降温的方法，命名为Cooling Metering on the Air-side。它能够通过探测风机盘管机组的空调系统的空气状况——温度和湿度——的参数和制冷器里进入的冷却水的参数，来监控个人空调系统在一段时间内的降温消耗。

正确 This paper derives the cooling formula of fan-coil units based on the characteristics of fan-coil air-conditioning systems and heat transfer theories, and puts forward a new method to gauge cooling called Cooling Metering on the Air-side. The new method can monitor individual air-conditioning cooling consumption during a period of time by detecting the condition of inlet air–temperature and humidity– of the fan-coil air-conditioning system as well as the parameters of the inlet cooling water provided by the chiller.

太长 The gear transmission is grade seven,the gear gap is 0.00012 radians, the gear gap has different output values corresponding to any given input value, non- linearity of the gear gap model can be described by using the phase function method, the existing backlash block in the non-linear library of the Matlab/zdimulink toolbox can be used, the initial value of gear gap in the backlash block is set to zero.

齿轮传动是七级的，gear gap是0.00012弧度；相对于投入来说，gear gap在产出上有不同的意义。Gear gap的非线性模型可以用电函数的模型来描述。在Matlab/zdimulink的工具盒中，现有的 backlash block可用，在backlash block中gear gap的最初价值被设为0。

正确 The gear transmission is grade seven.The gear gap,which is 0.00012 radians, has different output values corresponding to any given input value.The non- linearity of the gear gap model can be described by using the phase function method.The existing backlash block in the non-linear library of the Matlab/zdimulink toolbox can be used;the initial value of gear gap in the backlash block is set to zero.

另一种导致句子过长的原因是长串的罗列。作者想给出很大数量的数据，通常是参数值，就会把这些信息放在一个过长的句子里。然而，给出这种数据最好的方式是把它们列成表。（把它放到有强调符号的列表里）。

过长 …where m is the mass of the heavy disk mounted at the mid-span of a massless elastic shaft, e is the eccentricity of the mass center from the geometric center of the disk,φis the angle between the orientation of the eccentricity and theξaxis, ξ k and η k are the stiffness coefficients in two principal directions of shaft respectively,c is the viscous damping coefficient of the shaft and the disk, I c is the inner damping coefficient of shaft,ωis the rotating speed, s ξand s ηare the components of initial bend in directions of ξ,ηaxes respectively:ξcosθ sb =r,ηsinθ sb =r.

m表示很多轻质可伸缩轴的质量，e是从圆盘的几何中心里找到的重心的离心率，φ是离心率的定位和ξ轴之间的角度，K1和K2分别是轴上两个主要方向上的硬度系数，C是轴和圆盘的粘性阻力系数，Ci是轴内部阻力系数，ω是转速，sξandsη是在ξ,η轴方向上的最初的弯曲的分力，依次为：ξcosθsb=r,ηsinθsb=r。

正确 Where m is the mass of the heavy disk mounted at the mid-span of a massless elasticshaft, e is the eccentricity of the mass center from the geometric center of the disk, φis the angle between the orientation of the eccentricity and the ξ axis, k and k are the stiffness coefficients in the two principal directionsof the shaft, c is the viscous damping coefficient of the shaft and the disk, c is the inner damping coefficient of the shaft, ωis the rotating speed, sξandsηare the components of initial bend in directions ofξ,η axes,respectively:ξcosθ sb =r,ηsinθ sb =r.

太长 The clear height of the case is 6.15 meters;the thickness of the roof is 0.85 meters; the thickness of the bottom is 0.90 meters, the overall width is 26.6 meters, the overall length of the axial cord is 304.5 meters, the length of the jacking section is about 148.8 meters; the weight of the case is about 24127 tons.

容器的净高是6.15米，房顶的厚度是0.85米，底的厚度是0.90米，总宽度是26.6米，轴向的总长度是304.5米，顶托部分的长度是148.8米，容器的重量大约是24127吨。

正确
● Case clearance height 6.15 meters
● Roof thickness 0.85 meters
● Bottom thickness 0.90 meters
● Overall width 26.6 meters
● Overall length of the axial cord 304.5 meters
● Length of the jacking section 148.8 meters(approx.)
● Weight of the case 24127 tons(approx.)

句子中过早阐述目的、地点、或原因

中国作者在写一句话时，通常先阐述目的、地点、原因、例子和条件作为介绍的元素，然后再阐述主要观点。然而，这样做会有降低主要观点的效果，并且让读者认为作者很含蓄。对于科技论文而言，应当在一个句子的开头点明主要观点，之后阐述地点、原因等等。

错误 For the application in automobile interiors,this paper studies the nesting optimization problem in leather manufacturing.

对于在汽车内部的应用，这篇论文研究了在皮革制造业中的嵌套优化问题。

正确 This paper studies the nesting optimization problem in leather manufacturing for application in automobile interiors.

错误 Especially when numerical control(NC)techniques are widely used in industry and rapid prototype methods bring a huge economical benefits,the advantage of constructing 3D model becomes extremely obvious.

特别是在数字控制（NC）技术在产业上广泛应用和原型开发方法带来了巨大的经济利润，构造3D模型的优势就变得显而易见。

正确 The advantage of constructing a 3D model becomes extremely obvious especially when numerical control(NC) techniques are widely used in industry and rapid prototype methods bring a huge economical benefits.

错误 Inside the test box,the space was filled with asbestos.

测试盒里的空间装满了石棉。

正确 The space inside the test box was filled with asbestos.

错误 In practice, we employed this approach to dispose of a wheelhouse subassembly of one kind of auto-body, and the results show that this method is feasible.

在实践中，我们用这种方法来处理一种汽车车身里的舵手室部件，结果证明这种方法是合理有效的。

正确 We employed this approach to dispose of a wheelhouse subassembly of one kind of auto-body, and the results show that this method is feasible.

错误 To ensure sheet metal quality as well as assembly quality, CMMs are widely used in automotive industry production.

为了确保薄板金属和零件的质量，CMMs被广泛应用于工业生产。

正确 CMMs are widely used in automotive industry production to ensure sheet metal quality as well as assembly quality.

把一些指示时间的词组放在句子的开头

错误 When U is taken as the control parameter, the BDs for ∆=0.0, 0.001, 0.005 are shown in Fig.8.

当控制变量U，∆=0.0，0.001，0.005时，BDs的值均可见图8。

正确 Figure 8 shows the BDs for ∆=0.0, 0.001, and 0.005 when U is taken as the control parameter.

把重要的项目放在开头以示强调

错误 Based on the triangulation structure built from unorganized points or a CAD model, the extended STL format is described in this section.

从无组织的点中或一个CAD模型，在三角结构建筑的基础上，这部分描述了扩展的STL格式。

正确 The extended STL format is described in this section based on the triangulation structure built from unorganized points or a CAD model.

错误 The 3D dentition defect and restoration element models are designed precisely with complicated surfaces.

3D牙列缺损和修补元素模型恰好被设计有复杂的表面。

正确 The 3D dentition defect and restoration element models with complicated surfaces are designed precisely.

从句先行词which/what的指代不明确

错误 ‘The Shijiazhuang south road underground bridge possesses the largest jacking force, which is built at 1978(10680t).’

石家庄南路的地下桥有1978年建的最大的jacking工厂。

正确 ‘Shijiazhuang south road underground bridge possesses the largest jacking force which is built at 1978(10680t).’

Respectively和respective混淆

Repectively表示对两个或更多的人或东西按先前指定的或提到的顺序。如果给出两个列表，respectively搭配的列表是完全按照它们给出的顺序排列。在这种情况下用respectively表示允许作者给出大量信息而不用考虑读者或写一些短句。Respectively经常在句子的末尾使用。当顺序对句子的意义很重要是，应当用repectively，否则就不用。

例如：Bobby, Nicole and Daren wore red, green and blue coats, respectively.

Bobby、Nicole和Daren依次穿了绿色、红色和蓝色的外套。

Respective，各个的，表示两个或以上的人或东西只按照它们先前被指定或提到的顺序。

在下边的例子中，这两个词的用法经常是错误的，或者是令人疑惑的。

（1）respectively被放在句子中错误的地方——它不应被放在指示的名词之前。

错误 Equations 2～6 can be respectively linearized as:……(equations given)…

方程2~6可以依次被线性化为……

正确 Equations 2～6 can be linearized as:……(equations given)…,respectively.

错误 The weights of the two experts are respectively 0.600 and 0.400.

两个专家的重量分别是0.600和0.400。

正确 The weights of the two experts are 0.600 and 0.400, respectively.

（2）respectively主要用于表达事情按照确定的顺序排列。如果顺序已经在句子某处被暗示或者无需表达，则不需要使用respectively。

错误 If both the core technology score and core quality score of a bottleneck process are, respectively, below certain scores, then we refer to strategy 1, otherwise, if either is, respectively, above a certain score, then we refer to strategy 2. Similarly, if the core technology and core quality are, respectively, above a certain score, then we refer to strategy 3, otherwise, if either is, respectively, below a certain score, then we refer to strategy 4.

如果瓶口过程的核心技术分值和核心质量分值，依次的，低于某一数值，那么我们偏向于方案一，否则，如果两者都不是，依次的，高于某一确定的数值，那么我们推荐方案二。相似的，如果核心技术分值和核心质量分值，分别的，高于某一特定数值，那么我们推荐方案三，如果都低于，分别的，一个确定的数值，那么我们推荐方案四。

正确 If both the core technology score and core quality score of a bottleneck process are below certain scores, then we refer to strategy 1, otherwise, if either is above a certain score, then we refer to strategy 2. Similarly, if the core technology and core quality are above a certain score, then we refer to strategy3, otherwise, if either is below a certain score, then we refer to strategy 4.

错误 Then, the rows of vortex due to both of the long and short blades are transformed into two singularities on the ζ-plane and integrate the induced velocity along the blades respectively.

漩涡的线性是因为长短刀片在ζ平面变成了两个奇点，并分别的使归纳出刀片的的速度完整。

正确 Then,the rows of vortex due to both of the long and short blades are transformed into two singularities on theζ-plane and integrate the induced velocity along the blades.

（3）respectively指代的对象不明确。

错误 The dynamic characteristics of a rotor with asymmetric stiffness or with initial warp have been studied before respectively[1-4].

转动体的不对称和坚硬，或者最初的歪曲的的动态特点以前被依次研究过。

正确 The dynamic characteristics of a rotor with asymmetric stiffness or with initial warp have been studied before[1-4].

错误 The inlet and outlet temperature of the air cooler were measured using two thermocouples respectively.

空气冷却器中的进出温度分别的用两个电热偶来测量。

正确 The inlet and outlet temperature of the air cooler were measured by using two thermocouples.

“In this paper”“In this study”使用不当

“In this paper”在中国人的科技论文中经常被过度使用，而在英语母语者写的论文中，这些词组仅保留两种基本的用法。

（1）说明和结论中强调论文的内容。

（2）正文中，在引用他人成果之后，回到本文的论述。

所以，如果任意一个词组在一篇论文中出现的次数超过三次，它的用法就很有问题。实际上，读者知道论文中展示的工作结果是作者完成的，因而没有必要去重复这些词组。

需要注意的是，这两个词组是可以替换的。“study”是指作者所做的工作，而论文是体现作者工作的模型。同样，作者也可以用其他的词组，比如说“in this research”和“this paper present”等等。

数字和方程

当句子主语包括数字时，中国作者一般写出阿拉伯数字而不是把数字拼写出来。虽然阿拉伯数字的使用本身并不是错误的，但它们不应该被用到句首。

错误 12 parameters were selected for the experiment.

该实验选择了12个参数。

正确 Twelve parameters were selected for the experiment.

此外，中国人写的论文中阿拉伯数字经常被过度使用了。阿拉伯数字应该被用来在科技论文中给出数据，而不是用于给出普通的信息。

错误 All 3 studies concluded that the mean temperature should be 30°C.

三个研究得出的结论是期望的温度是30℃。

正确 All three studies concluded that the mean temperature should be 30°C.

另一个中国作者常犯的错误是，在句中使用方程来代替文字。在英语论文中是没有这种用法的。 方程应该被引入，而不是代替文字，也不能插入到文字的之中。在很多杂志上，比如说International journal of production research，甚至不鼓励在文章中使用短句。

错误 If the power battery SOC>SOClo and the driving torque belongs to the middle load,…

如果能量电池SOC>SOClo，并且驱动力矩属于中央负荷……

正确 If the power battery SOC is greater than SOClo and the driving torque belongs to the middle load,…

分段不合理

一个段落是一组叙述同一话题或思想的句子。分段是为了表示一个观点或想法的结束和另一个的开始。所有的英语段落都在新的一行起始并在开头空一英尺左右的长度或者在两段文字之间空一行（后者常用于在商业写作中）。

中国作者在论文分段时常犯两个错误。第一个错误是在主题未发生改变时强行划分为两个段落，导致新的段落在格式上形成了，但是没有行文逻辑上的功能，即观点没有发生改变。第二个错误是将单独一句话作为承上启下的段落，即这一句话表示下一段的开始和后边文章的继续。

“Figure”和“Table”表述不当

‘Figure’和‘Table’的缩写分别是Fig.和 Tbl，然而在论文中，table的缩写非常少见。论文作者在一篇文章中可以用fig.来表示figure，但如果采用缩写形式就应当在全文中统一，不能在几种用法中转换（Figure, figure, Fig,or fig.）。缩写不应该被用于句首，也不被用于缩写词和数词之间。

错误 Figure.6, Figure6, Fig.6, Tbl10

正确 Figure 6, Fig.6, Tbl.10

“such as”“etc.”使用不当

Such as 和etc.经常被写英语论文的中国人错用。Such as被用来表示“举例for example”并且暗示后边跟着一个不完整的列表；ect.意思是“等等and so on”，应该用于一个列表的末尾表示它还不完整。所以，同时使用such as和ect.是重复的。

错误 Studies of methodology and process of implementing remanufacturing mainly focus on durable products such as automobile motors,printers, and etc.

正确 Studies of methodology and process of implementing remanufacturing mainly focus on durable products such as automobile motors, and printers.

Such as 表示给出不完整的列表，当完整的列表被给出时不应该使用。

错误 Compared to traditional industry,Micro-electronic fabrication has three characteristics such as high complexity,high precision and high automation.

相对于传统产业来讲，微电子制造有三个特点，比如说高复杂性，高精确性和高自动性。

正确 Compared to traditional industry,Micro-electronic fabrication has three characteristics:high complexity,high precision and high automation.