Standard Phrases for Presenting Research Findings

Academic Portuguese relies on specific reporting verbs. These verbs act as bridges. They connect your evidence to your claims. You often use the third person singular or plural. This keeps the focus on the research, not the researcher. You will also see the word se a lot. This creates an impersonal tone. Think of it as a scientific filter. It removes the "you" and "me" from the equation. This makes your findings feel universal and unbiased. You are not just sharing a secret with a friend. You are contributing to a global body of knowledge. Using the right verb changes the strength of your claim. Some verbs are like a shout, others are like a whisper. Choosing the right volume is key.

1. 1Start with the subject. This is usually o estudo, os dados, or os resultados.
2. 2Pick a reporting verb. Choose based on how certain you are. Use demonstrar for facts.
3. 3Use sugerir for possibilities or tentative findings.
4. 4Add the conjunction que. This opens the door to your finding.
5. 5State the finding. Use the indicative mood for established facts.
6. 6Use the subjunctive if the finding is hypothetical or uncertain.
7. 7Apply the impersonal se for a more formal touch, like observa-se.
8. 8Ensure the verb agrees with the subject in number and person.

Use these phrases in your Master's thesis or PhD dissertation. Use them when writing articles for academic journals. They are perfect for lab reports and technical summaries. Even in professional business reports, these phrases shine. Imagine you are presenting to a board of directors. You would not say "I guess sales went up." You would say Os dados evidenciam um crescimento nas vendas. It sounds much more reliable and authoritative. Use them whenever you need to distance yourself from the data. This allows the facts to speak for themselves. It is the gold standard for serious communication in Portuguese-speaking academic circles.

Do not use these phrases at a bar with friends. If you say Verifica-se que a cerveja está gelada, people will stare. It is too heavy for daily life. Avoid them in casual emails or text messages. They are too stiff for a quick "hello." Also, do not use them if you are expressing a purely personal opinion. Academic writing requires a foundation of proof. If you are just guessing, these phrases will make you look overconfident. Do not use them in creative writing unless your character is a robot. Keep the academic armor for the academic battlefield. Otherwise, you will just sound like a walking textbook.

One big mistake is using the verb dizer. In academic writing, os dados dizem sounds too informal. Data does not "talk" like a person. It "indicates" or "suggests." Another slip-up is forgetting the preposition. For example, concluir does not need a preposition before que. Do not say concluir de que. Just say concluir que. Also, watch your verb agreement. If the subject is os resultados, the verb must be sugerem. Yes, even native speakers mess this up when the sentence gets long! Think of it like a grammar traffic light. If you miss the signal, the whole sentence crashes. Stay alert to the number of your subject.

In English, we often say "The study found." In Portuguese, we prefer O estudo verificou. We also love the phrase Constatou-se no estudo. English is okay with "I found," but Portuguese leans heavily into the impersonal. It is like the difference between a selfie and a professional portrait. Both show you, but the portrait has a different level of polish. Also, Portuguese uses the passive voice more frequently than modern English academic style. In English, you might say "We observed." In Portuguese, Observou-se is much more common and preferred. It adds a layer of objective distance that is highly valued in Lusophone universities.