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Meaning & use

previous study

noun·Academic

Last updated

UK/ˌpriːviəs ˈstʌdi/
US/ˌpriːviəs ˈstʌdi/

Meanings

  1. nouncountable or uncountable

    Research or written work on a subject that was done before the present one.

    Grammar: Often plural (previous studies) in academic writing; can be uncountable when talking about research in general.

    Patterns

    • previous studies on something
    • previous study of something
    • according to previous studies

    Previous studies on sleep have found similar results.

    The article begins by reviewing previous study in the field.

    According to previous studies, exercise can improve mood.

  2. nouncountable

    An earlier piece of learning or an earlier course that someone has completed.

    Grammar: Countable here: a previous study, previous studies, referring to courses or subjects.

    Patterns

    • a previous study of something
    • previous study of a subject

    Students with previous study of chemistry may skip the first module.

    Her previous study of French made the course much easier.

Word forms

pluralprevious studies

Common combinations

previous studies on
Previous studies on diet and heart disease are not all consistent.
review previous studies
The first chapter reviews previous studies in the area.
build on previous study
This project builds on previous study of urban birds.
according to previous studies
According to previous studies, the effect is small but real.
previous study of a subject
Applicants need previous study of mathematics.

Synonyms and how they differ

prior research
Prior research is a close formal equivalent and is common in academic writing; previous study is slightly more general and can also mean earlier coursework.
earlier work
Earlier work is broader and can refer to any earlier effort, not only formal research.
literature
Literature means the whole body of published research on a topic, while previous study refers to specific earlier studies.

Opposites

future study

Word family

study noun
The activity of learning or a piece of research.
study verb
To learn about a subject or examine something carefully.
studious adjective
Spending a lot of time studying; hard-working.

Commonly confused: previous study or previous studies?

previous study vs previous studies

The plural is the usual form in academic writing when referring to more than one piece of research: Previous studies show... Use the singular only for one study.

Practice

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