Writing Tips: The Word

1
Writing Tips The Word Prove

• Generally, practicing scientists refrain from
  using the word prove and its variations (proof,
  proven, etc)
• Prove is avoided because it is considered too
  strong.
• The word prove implies that, say, a hypothesis
  is not only correct, but also correct to the
  exclusion of other possible hypotheses.
• Instead, scientists use the words confirm and
  its variations (confirmation, confirmatory,
  disconfirm, disconfirmation, disconfirmatory).
• These variations on the word confirm convey the
  idea that the data are consistent with a
  hypothesis, but that other hypotheses are not
  ruled out.
• One exception is the use of prove or proof in
  mathematics, where pure logic (rather than
  empirical observation) is the method of knowing.
  In that case, the prove or proof is
  appropriate.

2
Writing Tips Prepositions

• Preposition a word that relates a noun or
  pronoun to another word in the sentence.
• Some examples of prepositions include words that
  can fill in the following blank The mouse ran
  (blank) the trap.
• To, of, in, out, up, down, over, between, within,
  around, under, against, etc..
• Prepositions are the bane of clarity!
• Clarity is reduced when there are more than two
  prepositions between verbs. Rephrase your
  sentences to avoid this lapse in clarity.
• Many careful writers avoid ending sentences with
  prepositions. Within a sentence, the ending is
  its Stress Position the section that conveys
  the greatest emphasis. Dont waste that emphasis
  on a preposition, i.e., a mere connecting word.

3
Writing Tips Succinctness

• The phrase In order to can almost always be
  reduced to the word to without loss of meaning.
  Succinct writing is better understood.
• Similarly the phrase often times can be reduced
  to often.
• The 35-word rule Sentences that are longer than
  35 words are often difficult for readers to
  comprehend quickly. Briefer sentences improve
  comprehension. (MS Word has a function that will
  automatically count the words in any sentence
  that you highlight.)

4
Writing Tips Ambiguous Comparison

• Ambiguous Comparison Occurs when the
  relationship among items is unclear.
• Example I like pizza more than my mother. It
  is unclear whether I like pizza more than my
  mother does, or whether I like pizza more thank I
  like my mother.
• Suggestions Rephrase by introducing do or
  does, or by using the verb twice.
• I like pizza more than my mother does.
• I like pizza more than I like my mother.

5
Writing Tips Ambiguous Negation

• Ambiguous Negation Occurs when it is unclear
  what is being negated.
• Example Mother told the child not to cry and
  answer. It is clear that the child is not to
  cry, but not clear whether the child should
  answer.
• Suggestion If more than one word is being
  negated, place the word not explicitly before
  each word/phrase being negated.
• Example Mother told the child not to cry and not
  to answer.
• Suggestion If only one word/phrase is being
  negated, place the negation near to the end of
  the sentence.
• Example Mother told the child to answer and not
  to cry.

6
Writing Tips Ambiguous Negation 2

• Ambiguous Negation Also occurs when it is
  unclear whether a proposition or its
  justification is being negated.
• Example I dont support idea X because of idea
  Y.
• This could mean, I oppose idea X. This is
  because of my support for idea Y, which is
  incompatible with X.
• Alternatively this could mean, I do support idea
  X, but NOT because of idea Y. Instead, my support
  for X is based on idea Z (not idea Y).
• In the first case, proposition X is negated. In
  the second case, the justification for
  proposition X is negated.
• One solution here is simply to separate the
  statement about the proposition (X), and the
  statement about its justification (Y).

7
Writing Tips Incorrect Negation

• Incorrect Negation Occurs when the negation is
  misplaced within a sentence
• Example The following two sentences have
  different meanings.
• All that glitters is not gold.
• Not all that glitters is gold.

Things That Glitter
Gold
All That Glitters
Gold