6 claims that could be made about the significance of a contribution



l.) Previous research or ways of approaching this topic are completely 
wrong: 'My research/approach is completely original -- doesn't link up 
with any tradition'.

2.) Previous research or ways of approaching this topic are mostly 
wrong: 'My research/approach is highly original -- quite different from 
what has gone before.'

3.) Previous research or ways of approaching this topic are somewhat 
wrong: 'My research/approach both fits in with tradition and departs 
from it in important ways.'

4.) Previous research or ways of approaching this topic are not wrong, 
but have missed/ignored some things: ‘My research/approach fills in the 
gaps left by previous research/approaches'.

5.) Previous research or ways of approaching this topic are essentially 
right, but can be extended: 'My research/approach is an extension of 
well established tradition.'

6.) Previous research or ways of approaching this topic are right and 
flawless: 'My research/approach is not original, but it replicates/lends 
support to previous research'.

*Adapted from 'References to Other Researchers in Literary Research 
Articles', by Sally Jacoby published in English Language Research 
Journal, 1 (1987): 33-78.