Evaluative language

Sometimes, we can make contrasting pairs of adjectives.The pairing of a positive and a negative can certainly soften the criticism. Consider this example:

In this ambitious but flawed study, Jones and Wang conclude that ...

In this flawed but ambitious study, Jones and Wang conclude that ...

Notice how the emphasis changes depending on the information you place first. Have a look at these adjectives and see if you can rate them from very positive, over positive, neutral/uncertain/ambiguous and negative to very negative.

unusual - limited - ambitious - modest - small - restricted - important - flawed - useful - significant - innovative - interesting - careful - competent - impressive - elegant - simple - traditional - complex - small scale - exploratory - remarkable - preliminary - unsatisfactory

In addition to pairing, you can also make other pairings using other linking words and phrases, especially those used to express adversitivity.

Although the author suggests that journal articles written in languages other than English may have limited impact, he fails to see the advantages of more publications being available in English.

The author suggests that journal articles written in languages other than English may have limited impact; however, he fails to see the advantages of more publications being available in English.

Despite the many interesting citations in support of his view, the citations are dated and not meaningful today.

Evaluative adjectives do not always mean the same across the disciplines. Take for instance the case of the simple / complex contrast. Students in science and medicine, for example, think of simple as a positive and complex as a negative. For such students, simple equals "well planned" or "clearly designed," and complex equals "confused" or "messy". In contrast, social scientists equate simple with "unsophisticated" and complex with "sophisticated."