Indicating concession, comparison, and contrast

Concession

Examples (1)–(3) show how however, despite and although indicate concession; that is, the author acknowledges that the first clause or sentence is true, but in the second clause or sentence says something that, perhaps surprisingly, contrasts with the first.

(1)

Prior to a pile design, the site is investigated in order to determine physical and engineering properties of the ground. However, the information obtained is often limited due to the heterogeneous characteristics of the soil.

(2)

Prior to a pile design, the site is investigated in order to determine physical and engineering properties of the ground. Despite this careful investigation, however, the information obtained is often limited due to the heterogeneous characteristics of the soil.

(3)

Although the site is thoroughly investigated prior to piling, the information obtained is often limited due to the heterogeneous characteristics of the soil.

Comparison and contrast

In other cases, you will want to compare and contrast two items, concepts or thoughts, as in examples (4) and (5):  

(4)

As the angle between the two vectors decreases and moves towards 0, the similarity moves towards 1. In contrast, if the angle increases, the similarity moves towards -1, and becomes -1 if the two vectors are the complete opposite.

(5)

As the angle between the two vectors decreases, the similarity moves towards 1, whereas/while if the angle increases, the similarity moves towards -1.

Note how two linking words with roughly the same meaning behave differently in the sentence structure: In contrast (a sentence connector) is followed by a comma; whereas and while (subordinators) are not.

Linking words are important in scientific Introductions

However, although, despite and other linking phrases of concession are crucial signals in many scientific Introductions. In your Introduction, you may want to indicate that there is a gap in the knowledge, as in example (6), a lack of relevant work (7), or that previous attempts at solving a problem have been unsuccessful (8). These examples, and many others, can be found in the Manchester Academic Phrasebank :

(6) So far, however, there has been little discussion about …

(7) Although some research has been carried out on X, only two studies have attempted to …

(8) Such approaches, however, have failed to address …