"by using" usage

Question

Is the usage of "by using" incorrect? Many publishers change "by using" to just "using" and the justification i have heard is that "by using" implies "by by" so only one of the two is enough i.e. either just "by" or just "using". An example of the form:

"The function f(t) is calculated numerically by using the trapezoidal rule."

This has been changed to the following:

"The function f(t) is calculated numerically using the trapezoidal rule." Can anybody please clarify on this?

Regards,

Lovely

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

Is the usage of "by using" incorrect? Many publishers change "by using" to just "using" and the justification i have heard is that "by using" implies "by by" so only one of the two is enough i.e. either just "by" or just "using". An example of the form:

"The function f(t) is calculated numerically by using the trapezoidal rule."

This has been changed to the following:

"The function f(t) is calculated numerically using the trapezoidal rule." Can anybody please clarify on this?

Both are OK. There's usually no dfference intended, but here are a couple of comments on subtleties.

by using X stresses that X is essential

using X does not stress this so directly. X may just happens to be involved.

eg "The function f(t) is calculated numerically using a hand-held calculator."

Despite this distinction, the 'by' is often omitted because the readers clearly understand the intended meaning.

Clive

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you for the reply. Now it is quite clear.

"by using" usage

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