几乎所有传授学术写作技巧的书籍，都反对使用弱化动词（weak verb）或将动词名词化的作法。本期的电子报将以served as为例，探讨弱化动词的问题。例如：
例句一：Metallic nickel served as a catalyst for the growth of carbon nanotubes.
Mimi Zeiger在《生医研究论文写作精要（Essentials of Writing Biomedical Research Papers）》中建议，句子的谓语应由表主要动作的动词来充当。然而，上则例句中的谓语是served，而主要动作却以介词词组as a catalyst的形式呈现。如果将served as拿掉，再把catalyst改成动词，句意会变得直接明了：
改句一：Metallic nickel catalyzed the growth of carbon nanotubes.
以下为更多类似的例句以及对应的改句：
例句二：An alkyne group served as an anchor for the fluorophore.
改句二：An alkyne group anchored the fluorophore.
例句三：Interspecific hybridization served as a stimulus for the evolution of new species.
改句三：Interspecific hybridization stimulated the evolution of new species.
例句四：Dr. Chandler served as the coordinator for the conference.
改句四：Dr. Chandler coordinated the conference.
例句五：The whole gastrocnemius served as the sample for analysis.
改句五：The whole gastrocnemius was analyzed.
值得注意的是，并不是所有的served as都要用动词去替换，例如：
例句六：The serum cholesterol level served as a biomarker for the activity of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors.
句中的biomarker并没有动词形式，所以我们无法直接做类似例句一～例句五的修改。
不对等比较
不对等比较也是写作中常见的问题。在使用in contrast with、compared with／to、like、unlike作比较时，被拿来比较的对象必须是同类（或对等的）事物。
例句七：In contrast to Figure 1, which shows the conventional process, no intermediate ion-pair is formed during the novel process shown in Figure 2.
此句的词序安排，让被比较的对象为Figure 1与intermediate ion-pair，显然不正确。所以，作以下修改，将欲比较对象紧接在in contrast to词组的后方：
改句七：In contrast to the conventional process (Fig. 1), the novel process shown in Fig. 2 does not involve formation of an intermediate ion-pair.
同样的，例句八中的比较对象也不对等：surface area 对比于zeolites；通过作适当的调整，以下给出三种修改方式。
例句八：Compared with the parent zeolites, the surface area of the modified zeolites decreased.
改句八-1：Compared with the parent zeolites, the modified zeolites showed decreased surface area.
改句八-2：The surface area of the modified zeolites was smaller than that of the parent zeolites.
改句八-3：The modified zeolites had less surface area than the parent zeolites.
请找出以下四个句子中的不对等比较，并试着改改看（斜体字为参考订正方式）。
The absorbance intensities of the bands at 1200 and 980 cm–1 for the treated residue were compared with the untreated residue.
The absorbance intensities at 1200 and 980 cm–1 for the treated residue were compared with those for the untreated residue.
In contrast to the Mycobacterium strains, PAH degradation by our isolates required the presence of an inducer.
In contrast to the Mycobacterium strains, our isolates required an inducer for PAH degradation.
Unlike the glycopeptides isolated from the mutants, a simple mass spectrum was observed for the glycopeptides isolated from wild-type strain.
Unlike the glycopeptides isolated from the mutants, the glycopeptides isolated from the wild-type strain showed a simple mass spectrum.
Unlike ethylene, hydrogenation of 1-butene proceeded at a moderate rate.
Unlike ethylene, 1-butene underwent hydrogenation at a moderate rate.
Unlike hydrogenation of ethylene, hydrogenation of 1-butene proceeded at a moderate rate.
想了解更多学术写作中动词的使用规则，请参考以下书籍：
Robert A. Day, Scientific English: A Guide for Scientists and Other Professionals, 2nd ed. (Westport, CT: Oryx Press, 1995), pp. 35–36;
David Lindsay, A Guide to Scientific Writing, 2nd ed. (Sydney: Longman, 1995), pp. 48–50;
Maeve O’Connor, Writing Successfully in Science (London: E and FN Spon, 1999), pp. 102–103
Mimi Zeiger, Essentials of Writing Biomedical Research Papers, 2nd ed. (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2000), pp. 23–26.
