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Is "A aligns with B" equivalent to "B aligns with A"?

sheagu
I'm writing to express the similarity between the research directions of a professor and mine with "his research aligns with my project". I wonder if this is improper. Does it imply that my project is more important and provides a standard that the professor should "align with"? Should I say "my project aligns with his research" instead? ChatGPT told me the sentence is fine, and suggested using "his research resembles my project" if I want to be more neutral. Is that right? TIA

3 comments

ElephantNo3640•
The sentence is fine, but you should frame things like this chronologically. In other words, later work “aligns with” earlier work. Not vice versa. If your professor’s work came first, your paper “aligns with” that work. The only exception IMO would be if you were somehow reinterpreting that prior work into something wholly new. Then you could say that while your professor’s work was focused in an entirely different direction with no outward influence or impact on your work, it retrospectively/retroactively “aligns with” your work (through this different and unintentional interpretational lens). But even then, it’s safer and more deferential (and thus more academically preferred, especially by your professors and advisors) for your work to “align with” their prior work.
kmoonster•
I would not use "resembles" for this context. "Aligns" is appropriate for your need, and you can organize the sentence either way (that is, place the projects/research in either order) if the two efforts are done at the same time. If one is before or after the other, it is a good idea to clarify that in some way.
SnooDonuts6494•
Yes, it's improper. It implies that his project is a "subset" of yours. His political views align with communism. Communism doesn't align with him.