Lecture 2 Scientific style and writing Lecturer Associate

Lecture 2. Scientific style and writing Lecturer: Associate Professor Galyna Miasoid

1. Scientific style requirements ¢ HALLMARK OF GREAT SCIENTIFIC WRITING (FOCI) FLUID ORGANISED CLEAR CONCISE CONVINCING INTERESTING ¢ JEAN - LUCLEBRUN 2007. SCIENTIFIC WRITING: A READER AND WRITER’S GUIDE Singapore. World ¢ ¢ ¢ Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd. )

DO'S OF STYLE 1. Omit needless words 2. Be sparing with adjectives, but lavish with verbs 3. Beware of your special words 4. Do not overstate 5. Remember your signposts http: //www. zeepedia. com/read. php? style_guideline_and_pitfalls_i_colloquial_vs_for mal_circumlocution_journalistic_writing&b=79&c=18

Avoid using "filler" words. ¢ ¢ ¢ Basically E. g. " microphone is basically a device A that is used to record sound. " Even E. g. " he basket contained eggs, sandwiches, T and even utensils. " Well E. g. "Why is this problem? Well, one major issue is the. . . " Just E. g. "When pouring the solution, just be certain, not to, spill its contents. “ http: //www. zeepedia. com/read. php? style_guideline_and_pitfalls_i_colloquial_vs_formal_circumlocutio n_journalistic_writing&b=79&c=18

Avoid contractions ¢ Replace can't with cannot, doesn't with does not, and so on. For example, instead of writing "Therefore, this can't be used as evidence in the case", write "Therefore, this cannot be used as evidence in the case. "

Limit your use of subjective pronouns Refer to Instructions for Authors of a particular journal, requirements and style differ, e. g. : ¢ Use 3 rd person perspective. Don't use 1 st or 2 nd person pronouns like "I", "Me", "You" and "We". ¢ In some fields, use an I-perspective. ¢ ‘WE’ can refer to either the author and his/her colleagues, the author and the reader

Use first person when it helps to keep your meaning clear and to express a purpose or a decision. ¢ ¢ ¢ Jones reported xyz, but I (or we) found… I (or we) present here a detailed study… My (or our) recent work demonstrated… To determine the effects of structure on photophysics, I (or we)… However, avoid phrases such as “we believe”, “we feel”, “we concluded”, and “we can see”, as well as personal opinions. The ACS Style Guide: A Manual for Authors and Editors, Second Edition Edited by Janet S. Dodd:

Avoid splitting infinitives ¢ He tried to not sneeze (not to sneeze) in the library. Avoid ending your sentences with a preposition Before: "What is the bag filled with? " ¢ After: "What is inside the bag? ¢

Avoid stage directions "I am writing to you to ask you to. . . " ¢ "This paper is going to talk about how. . . " ¢ Avoid vague words There a few ways to solve the equation. ¢ She made enough food. ¢

Formal style will normally avoid: l l l l l ¢ Contractions Interjections and hesitation fillers Addressing the reader directly Phrasal verbs Direct questions Adverbs in initial or final positions Inappropriate negative form Short forms of the word or slang (This can best be described as "writing in the way that one would speak. ) Figures at the beginning of the sentence Yakhontova, T. V. 2003. English Academic Writing for Students and Researchers

Write to communicate, not to impress 1. Write readably. a. Use short, common words if possible. ¢ demonstrate→ ¢ fundamental→ ¢ utilize→ Gastel, Barbara. 2011. Introduction to Scientific Literature: Writing Scientific Papers

Write to communicate, not to impress b. Avoid windy phrases. ¢ at this point in time→ ¢ in the event that→ ¢ red in colour→ Gastel, Barbara. 2011. Introduction to Scientific Literature: Writing Scientific Papers

Write to communicate, not to impress c. Use verbs rather than nouns made from them. ¢ take into consideration→ ¢ make reference to→ ¢ provide an explanation→ d. Avoid long, convoluted sentences. e. Avoid very long paragraphs. Gastel, Barbara. 2011. Introduction to Scientific Literature: Writing Scientific Papers

Limit use of abbreviations How to avoid acronyms ¢ Not to use at all (2 3 times); ¢ Expand its letters the first time it appears on a page (used more than 2 3 times); ¢ Not in visuals; ¢ Not in headings/subheadings; ¢ Define all acronyms. J E A N L U C L E B R U N 2007. SCIENTIFIC WRITING: A READER AND WRITER’S GUIDE Singapore. World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd. . 2007, p. 4

2. Scientific Vocabulary Proper words in proper places. (Swift) If we have a large vocabulary and can construct effective sentences and paragraphs, we are better able to express ourselves. ¢ “examine” vs “analyze” ¢

Bloom’s Taxonomy Levels: Knowledge, ¢ Comprehension, ¢ Application, ¢ Analysis, ¢ Synthesis, ¢ Evaluation ¢ Word Choice // Journal of Young Investigators

Knowledge define, describe, identify, know, label, list, match, outline, recall, recognize, state, tell, locate, find ¢ This study found that strawberries are red. ¢ Researchers have identified green strawberries in Portugal. ¢ Smith et al. (1999) labeled these strawberries G-Berries. ¢ Word Choice // Journal of Young Investigators

Inappropriate words when analyzing anything ¢ Incorrect: “The purpose of this experiment is to look at these green strawberries. ” ¢ The purpose of a scientific experiment must be to analyze, draw conclusions, or evaluate. ¢ Word Choice // Journal of Young Investigators

Comprehension ¢ Comprehend, explain, interpret, outline, discuss, distinguish, predict, restate, translate, compare, describe Application ¢ Solve, show, use, illustrate, construct, examine, classify Word Choice // Journal of Young Investigators

Analysis ¢ analyze, distinguish, examine, compare, contrast, investigate, categorize, identify, explain, separate Synthesis ¢ create, invent, compose, predict, plan, construct, design, propose, devise, formulate Word Choice // Journal of Young Investigators

Evaluation ¢ evaluate, judge, select, decide, justify, debate, verify, argue, recommend, assess, rate, determine Word Choice // Journal of Young Investigators

VERBS THAT EXPRESS RESEARCH ACTIONS apply We applied Laklöter's principle to. . . assess We assessed the effects of larger doses of. . . calculate We calculated the photoluminescence spectrum of. . . compare We compared the effects of. . . to those of. . . compute We computed the velocity predicted by. . . derive We derived a new set of rules for. . . design We designed a series of experiments to. . . determine We determined the complete nucleotide sequence of. . . develop We developed a new algorithm to. . . evaluate We evaluated the efficacy and biocompatibility of. . . explore We explored the relationship between. . . implement We implemented a genetic algorithm for. . . investigate We investigated the behavior of. . . measure We measured the concentration of cadmium in. . . model We modeled the diffraction behavior of. . .

VERBS THAT EXPRESS COMMUNICATION ACTIONS clarify This paper clarifies the role of soils in. . . describe This paper describes the mechanism by which. . . detail This paper details the algorithm used for. . . discuss This paper discusses the influence of acidity on. . . explain This paper explains how the new encoding scheme. . . offer This paper offers four recommendations for. . . present This paper presents the results of. . . proposes This paper proposes a set of guidelines for. . . provide This paper provides the complete framework and. . . report This paper reports on our progress so far. . . summarize This paper summarizes our results for 27 patients with. . . Scientific Papers // http: //www. nature. com/scitable/topicpage/advice-for-specific-language-groups 14538921

Basic rules of writing which apply to any paper ¢ ¢ ¢ Contains no misspellings. Is grammatically correct. Meets the formatting guidelines of the journal. Avoids the first person. Does not contain personal anecdotes or stories Is not trying to be clever – research manuscripts are no place for story telling, only reporting of facts Journal of Young Investigators

Tasks for Reading From Robert Barrass 2002. Scientists Must Write. A guide to better writing for scientists, engineers and students. Second edition: Task 1. Section 4 How scientists should write, p. 30 -37; Task 2. Section 6 Choosing words, p. 54 -66; Task 3. Section 7 Using words, p. 67 -79.

Resources Barrass, R. 2002. Scientists Must Write. A guide to better writing for scientists, engineers and students. 2 nd edition. ¢ The ACS Style Guide: A Manual for Authors and Editors, Second Edition Edited by Janet S. Dodd ¢

Thank you!