Style and flow in Scientific Writing

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Style and flow in Scientific Writing
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Considerations in Academic Writing

• Scientific writing must take into account the
  following considerations
• Who is the audience or the reader to whom this is
  addressed?
• What style of wring is most appropriate?
• How can this be written to flow most smoothly
  through the topics to be included?
• What is the purpose of writing this?
• How can this writing be best organized to
  accomplish that purpose?
• How can it be best presented?

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• Audience - For whom were these written?

• Thermal systems is a very broad field involving
  many separate fields of engineering.
• Thermal systems is an interdisciplinary field
  which involves the traditional disciplines of
  thermodynamics.
• Extractives are substances in wood that can be
  removed by certain solvents without affecting
  wood structure.
• Extractives are substances in wood, not an
  integral part of the cellular structure, that can
  be removed by solution in hot or cold water,
  ether, benzene, or other solvents that do not
  react chemically with wood components.
• Those descriptions are written for two quite
  different audiences who have different reasons
  for reading what you have written. In each case
  the audience for the first is reading for general
  information, while the audience for the second is
  reading for scientific or technical information.

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2. Purpose

• If the audience knows more than the author, as in
  thesis defense, for example, the purpose is to
  demonstrate a logical approach to the work and a
  thorough understanding of your analysis and
  conclusions.
• If the audience knows less than the author, the
  purpose may be instructional and to display
  familiarity and expertise in the subject area and
  ability at scientific presentation.

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3. Style

• Academic writers need to use a style appropriate
  for the subject and the audience. That usually
  involves a vocabulary shift to a more formal use
  of words. This usually means choosing the more
  formal verb, noun, or other part of speech, and
  doing it consistently.
• Researchers looked at the way strain builds up
  around a fault.
• Researchers observed the way strain accumulates
  around a fault.

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4. Verb Use

• Scientific writing is clearer and better
  understood when the appropriate verb is used in
  place of an expression of two or three words or
  more that might be common in conversation or
  informal writing. You should be careful to
  select verbs that denote the exact meaning.
• The implementation of computer-integrated
  manufacturing (CIM) has resulted in some serious
  problems.
• The implementation of computer-integrated
  manufacturing (CIM) has generated some serious
  problems.
• Plans are being made to come up with a database
  containing detailed environmental information for
  the region.
• Plans are being made to develop a database
  containing detailed environmental information for
  the region.

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Exercise 1

• Substitute a single verb for the words in
  italics below
• Proposals to construct new nuclear reactors have
  met with great resistance from environmentalists.
• Subtle changes in the earths crust were picked
  up by these new instruments.
• The process should be done over until the desired
  results are achieved.

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Exercise 2

• Which is more suitable?
• The government has made good/considerable
  progress in solving environmental problems.
• We got/obtained encouraging results.
• The results of lots of/numerous different
  projects have been pretty good/encouraging.

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Avoid contractions

• The analysis didnt yield any new results.
• The analysis yielded no results.
• The problem doesnt have many viable solutions.
• The problem has few viable solutions.

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Limit the use of run on expressions

• These semiconductors can be used in robots, CD
  players, etc.
• These semiconductors can be used in robots, CD
  players, and so forth.
• These semiconductors can be used in robots, CD
  players, and other electronic devices.

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Avoid addressing the reader as you

• You can see the results in Table 1.
• The result can be seen in Table 1.
• Table 1 presents the results.

Limit the use of direct questions

• What can be done to lower costs?
• We now need to consider what can be done to lower
  costs.
• We now need to consider how costs may be lowered.

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Place adverbs with the verb

• Then the solution can be discarded.
• The solution can then be discarded.
• The blood is withdrawn slowly.
• The blood is slowly withdrawn.

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Reduce informality

• If you fail the exam, you cant enter the
  university.
• If you fail the exam, you cannot enter the
  university.
• You clearly can see the difference between the
  treated and untreated specimens.
• The difference between the treated and untreated
  specimens can be clearly seen.

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5. Flow

• Flow relates to the way in which the writer moves
  from one statement to the next to establish a
  clear connection of ideas.
• The following two sentences are clearly related
• Lasers have found widespread application in
  medicine. Lasers play an important role in the
  treatment of eye disease.
• They could be smoothly linked as
• Lasers have found widespread application in
  medicine. For example, they play an important
  role in the treatment of eye disease.

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Linking words and phrases

• addition, furthermore, in addition
• The strength of the specimens was reduced by
  heating. Furthermore, the color was markedly
  darkened. In addition, they were warped.
• The specimen material was stored at 1C. In
  addition, it was kept in a sealed chamber to
  prevent contamination.

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Cause and effect

• because, since, therefore, as a result,
• consequently, due to, because of
• Aluminum alloy parts are typically one-third to
  one-half the weight of those made with steel. As
  a result, cars with all aluminum parts use
  approximately 50 less fuel than those with steel
  components.
• The engine became very hot. Consequently, it was
  necessary to turn it off.

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Exercise 3

• Supply linking words or phrases for the
  following
• The students were late arriving in class. They
  were much distracted by the noise outside the
  building. They missed part of the lecture. They
  did not pay attention to the teacher. Their exam
  scores were quite low.