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Academic English & Research vocabulary · Argument and Hedging

Suggest

Meaning in academic english & research, with examples

/səˈdʒest/verbCore term

In academic english & research, suggest means: In academic writing, to indicate that something is probably true without proving it; it can also mean to put forward an idea or recommendation.

In Turkish: düşündürmek, işaret etmek, göstermek, önermek

How it is used

One of the most useful hedging verbs: 'The results suggest that...'. It is weaker than show or prove. In the 'recommend' meaning, it is followed by a that-clause or an -ing form: 'We suggest using larger samples.'

Example sentences

  1. These findings suggest that motivation plays a larger role than expected.

  2. As Reviewer 1 suggested, future studies could test whether the effect lasts.

Common collocations

  • the results suggest
  • evidence suggests
  • suggest that
  • strongly suggest
  • as the data suggest
  • hedgingUsing cautious language, such as may, might, appear to or suggest, so that a claim is only as strong as the evidence allows.
  • indicateTo show or point to something, especially to show that something is probably true based on data or evidence.
  • findingsThe results or information that a study discovers after its data have been collected and analyzed.
  • demonstrateTo show clearly, with evidence or examples, that something is true or exists.

More terms: Argument and Hedging

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