building on previous work

USAGE SUMMARY

"building on previous work" is correct and is commonly used in written English.
For example, "The researcher improved the study by building on previous work in the field."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

In this he is building on previous work, rather than breaking genuinely new ground.

The Economist

Main talk: I'll discuss some new vanishing theorems for completed cohomology, building on previous work of Scholze and Shen.

University of California, Berkeley

Building on previous work, this paper introduces significant extensions on the investigation of several undesirable bifurcation phenomena.

Control Engineering Practice

Building on previous work by the psychologists David and Ann Premack, we began by investigating what babies think about two particular kinds of action: helping and hindering.

The New York Times - Magazine

Building on previous work, an enhanced deployment algorithm involves re-use of control commands in order to reduce computation time for mid-span connection.

Engineering Structures

Building on previous work, we present the interactions between the headgroups of ceramide and free fatty acid developed using the multistate iterative Boltzmann inversion method.

Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications

Building on previous work, we present a new compliance monitor which records both temperature and force applied to the patient's body.

Medical Engineering & Physics

In this study, the modified CEMHYD3D model building on previous work of irregular-shaped cement particles is firstly used to simulate the evolution of capillary pore structures in cement pastes at various water-to-cement ratios.

Construction and Building Materials

The trick has been to set up their own secret relay and to try to connect to it from inside China (building on previous work by Tim Wilde at Team Cymru).

MIT Technology Review

Building on previous work in environmental history and geography, we develop a three-part approach to analyzing plant movements and apply it to trees from the Acacia genus (sens. lat).

Geoforum

Building on previous work on organic sedimentary U-deposits, this study also helps understand processes of U enrichment from groundwater as observed in environments high in organic matter including wetlands and sediment-hosted ore deposits.

Applied Geochemistry

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "building on previous work", clearly cite the specific studies or findings that you are referencing to give credit and provide context for your own work.

Common error

Avoid vague statements about "previous work" without identifying the specific research or researchers you are referencing. Always provide concrete citations to ensure clarity and avoid plagiarism.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "building on previous work" functions as a prepositional phrase introducing the context or justification for a new study, argument, or project. It connects the current endeavor to prior research or accomplishments, as seen in Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

69%

News & Media

15%

Academia

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Wiki

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "building on previous work" is a grammatically correct and very common phrase, as verified by Ludwig. It's primarily used in formal and scientific contexts to indicate that new research or projects are expanding upon existing knowledge. This phrase serves to establish a foundation for new information and demonstrate its relationship to prior accomplishments. When using this phrase, it is important to clearly cite the specific studies being referenced to provide context and avoid vagueness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

leveraging existing research

Emphasizes utilizing previous research as a foundation or advantage.

extending prior studies

Focuses on expanding the scope or findings of earlier investigations.

developing from established findings

Highlights the growth and evolution of ideas from pre-existing results.

advancing from earlier insights

Stresses the progression of understanding based on initial observations.

elaborating on prior knowledge

Focuses on adding details and explanations to existing information.

refining established theories

Indicates an improvement or enhancement of existing theoretical frameworks.

capitalizing on past endeavors

Emphasizes taking advantage of previous efforts and investments.

drawing from existing literature

Highlights the use of published research as a resource.

furthering preceding investigations

Focuses on continuing or deepening earlier inquiries.

progressing from preliminary results

Indicates advancement based on initial or tentative outcomes.

FAQs

How can I use "building on previous work" in a sentence?

You can use "building on previous work" to introduce how your research or project is extending or improving upon existing knowledge. For instance, "Building on previous work, this study aims to explore the impact of social media on political campaigns."

What phrases are similar to "building on previous work"?

Similar phrases include "leveraging existing research", "extending prior studies", and "developing from established findings".

Is "building on previous work" formal or informal?

"Building on previous work" is generally considered a formal phrase suitable for academic, scientific, and professional writing. It indicates a serious and methodical approach to research or project development.

What's the difference between "building on previous work" and "repeating previous work"?

"Building on previous work" implies expanding upon or improving existing research, while "repeating previous work" suggests replicating a study or experiment to verify its findings. The former aims to advance knowledge, while the latter seeks to confirm existing results.