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Thread: research in sth about / on

  1. #1
    arzgol is offline Member
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    Default research in sth about / on

    Which preposition is correct?

    They had to do research in microbiology about/ on the effect of Cefixime in the treatment of ......


    Thank you for your response.
    Last edited by arzgol; 15-Aug-2011 at 19:22.

  2. #2
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    Default Re: research in sth about / on

    I'd go with "on."

    My preference may not be unanimous, though.
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    I'm not a teacher, but I write for a living. Please don't ask me about 2nd conditionals, but I'm a safe bet for what reads well in (American) English.

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    emsr2d2 is offline VIP Member
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    Default Re: research in sth about / on

    Quote Originally Posted by arzgol View Post
    Which preposition is correct?

    They had to do research in microbiology about/ on the effect of Sefexim in the treatment of ......


    Thank you for your response.
    In my opinion, we do research into something or into the effects of something.

  4. #4
    Barb_D's Avatar
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    Default Re: research in sth about / on

    I was going to say "into" but I"m okay with "on" -- and find "on" the better of those two choices. Do you agree? Or do you think that only "into" is natural?

    (This is one of those things where I said it too many times and everything sounds equally right and equally wrong.)
    emsr2d2 and 5jj like this.
    I'm not a teacher, but I write for a living. Please don't ask me about 2nd conditionals, but I'm a safe bet for what reads well in (American) English.

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    Default Re: research in sth about / on

    I don't like 'about', but 'on' and 'into' both sound fine to me.

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    emsr2d2 is offline VIP Member
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    Default Re: research in sth about / on

    I've done the same as you and said them all several times to myself and I agree - "on" sounds OK too, but "about" doesn't.

    So it's "on" or "into" for me.

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    Default Re: research in sth about / on

    Try 'about' enough times, and it seems to work, too.

    Learners, stick to 'on' or 'into', but be consistent.
    emsr2d2 likes this.

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