Mod 5 Ex Bio Writing High Impact Papers PDF

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Scientific Writing
Writing High Impact Papers
Module 5
Prof. Dr. Valtencir Zucolotto
zuco@ifsc.usp.br
zuco@ifsc.usp.br
Nanomedicine and Nanotoxicology Book Series, Springer-Nature,

Series Editor
Nanomedicine and Nanotoxicology Group - Coordinator
Physics Institute of São Carlos, University of São Paulo
Outline
Module 1: Literary / Textual Genre / Structure 1: Title and Authorship
Module 2: Structure 1: Abstract
Module 3: Structure 2: Introduction
Module 4: Structure 3: Results and Discussion, Conclusion
Module 5: Style, Language 1: Complexity Problems 1
Module 6: Language 2: Complexity Problems 2, Rhythm
Module 7: Language 3: Plain English and Topic Sentences
Module 8: Manuscript Submission, The Editorial Process
Ilustração: freepik/Creative Commons

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Module 5: Style, Language 1:

Complexity Problems 1

zuco@ifsc.usp.br
Scientific Writing Style
Abbreviations
Define the abbreviation in parentheses

the first time you use it:
“Voluntary Interindustry Commerce

Solutions (VICS)”
Abbreviations
Use Abbreviations / acronyms with discretion
Ex: Use of combined CTPR and BTR3 increased the

KMDN stock values in B2B companies
?
Abbreviations
U.S. citizens;
U.K. football team
(Adjectives)
or
"The citizens from United States..."

"The football team of United Kingdom..."
(nouns)
Abbreviations
Units of measure are abbreviated: 2 mm.; 10 min.
In a non-measurable context:
"we measured length in millimeters"
Abbreviations
Latin abbreviations:
● i.e., id est (that is)
● e.g., exempli gratia (for example)
● etc. (so on)
● vs (versus)
● et al., et alii, and others
● via (road)
● in situ (in a place)
Numerals
Use a space between the number and the unit:
6 min, 0.3 g, 80 mL, etc.
Exception: %, $ and º
50%, $400, 180º
(Obs: 90 ºC, 180 ºF).

What Tense to use?
Think about it:
You are reporting a work that has been completed!
“This study was aimed at investigating…(The study)
“This paper reports a new strategy…”

What Tense to use?
Present forms preferable in

Conclusion Section
Present and even Future Tenses may be used!

Active / Passive Voices
ACTIVE VOICE: Focus on the Actor
"The student wrote a report"
PASSIVE VOICE: Focus on the Object
"A report was written by the student"

Active / Passive Voices
The use of passive forms:
“Samples were isolated by us via conventional

chromatography”
“Samples were isolated via convencional

chromatography”
Better: Agentless Passive form

First vs Third Person
Third person constructions has been

preferred in Natural Sciences / Engineering.
“In Our analysis we

Avoid observed that the virus
incorporated into the cells”
“Analysis revealed that the

Better virus incorporated into the
cells”
Sometimes first person may be used to

emphasize important information
“Our research group has investigated…”

“We have demonstrated that…”
Formal Language
Avoid Better
nowadays presently, currently
on the contrary in contrast
(up) until now to date

Language I
A WORM
IN THE
THE APPLE
Specificity
The efficient writing is specific
“Novel strategies have been proposed to overcome the

limitations regarding diseases diagnosis.”
What were the strategies?

Too General! What are the limitations?
What are the diseases?
Specificity
“The use of Carbon nanotubes-based biosensors has been

proposed to overcome the poor selectivity exhibited by
conventional systems used for cancer detection.”
Better!
Specificity
“Carbon nanotubes-based biosensors exhibit high selectivity

for cancer detection.”
Best!
The right emphasis on details
Possible ways of emphasizing details:
Repetition, wording, illustration and placement
Source: Michael Alley The Craft of Scientific Writing, 3rd edition (Springer-Verlag, 1996).
1. Repetition
Title, abstract, discussion and conclusions?

2. Wording
Stress the most important details in a sentence!
Ex: “High levels of the protein were found in the blood

samples from patients with hemorrhagic infections.”
What is the most important detail?
The protein, the levels or the infection?

“Unexpected high levels of a protein were found in the blood samples from
patients with hemorrhagic infections.”
“High levels of a very specific S100 family protein were found in the blood
samples from patients with hemorrhagic infections.”
“High levels of a specific protein were found in the blood samples from
examined patients. This may be the cause of the hemorrhagic infection.”
Complexity: Sentences
A huge problem: Long Sentences
The mechanical analyses had been carried out using stress-strain measurements and
indicated that the copper-based alloys are more resistant than the silver-based ones,
which may be due to the fabrication process used for each composite material, since
the copper alloys had been produced via casting, whereas the silver composites had
been fabricated via reactive extrusion under high pressures, controlled atmosphere,
and at temperatures ranging from 300–400 °C.
Too long!; Too wordy!
Too many ideas in a single sentence!!

Complexity: Sentences
Streamlining it:
First half of the sentence:

“The mechanical analyses had been carried out using…”
Second part :
.............................................................................
Stacking of Passive Voice
“A new methodology for protein purification is

presented. Isolation techniques using HPLC
are discussed. The amount of protein purified
in each cycle is revealed.”
Stacking of Passive Voice
“This study describes a new methodology for

protein purification using novel techniques based on
HPLC experiments. Each purification cycle provided
a total amount of 1.2 mg of protein.”
Better!
Active voice is straightforward

Ambiguity
Words/phrases with more than one meaning
Chickens are
ready to eat
Ambiguity
Word Choice:
Be careful with:
as, only
Ambiguity
Word Choice:
“Tissue temperature increased as the

particles released the phytotherapics”
The word “as” may be interpreted

as “because” or “while”
Ambiguity
“Tissue temperature increased because

the particles released the
phytotherapics”
Better!
Ambiguity
Unclear Pronoun
“Since the platform has a support system connected

to the equipment, it was mounted inside the lab.”
What was mounted inside the lab?
It = The platform or the support system?

Sources
● Michael Alley. The Craft of Scientific Writing, 3rd edition (Springer-Verlag, 1996)
● Mathews, JR and and Mathews RW, Successful Scientific Writing, Cambridge University
Press; 3 edition 2007)
● Dodd, J. S., Ed. The ACS Style Guide; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC,
1986.).
● Urselmann, et al., IEEE Transactions on Evolutionary Computation, 15, 2011, 659

Prof. Zucolotto as a Scientific Editor
Thank You
Valtencir Zucolotto
zuco@ifsc.usp.br
www.zucoescrita.com www.twitter.com/Nanomedicina
www.nanomedicina.com.br www.twitter.com/writingpapers
www.twitter.com/escreverartigos

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www.zucoescrita.

Nanomedicine and Nanotoxicology Book Series, Springer-Nature,

Module 1: Literary / Textual Genre / Structure 1: Title and Authorship

Module 2: Structure 1: Abstract

Module 3: Structure 2: Introduction

Module 4: Structure 3: Results and Discussion, Conclusion

Module 5: Style, Language 1: Complexity Problems 1

Module 6: Language 2: Complexity Problems 2, Rhythm

Module 7: Language 3: Plain English and Topic Sentences

Module 8: Manuscript Submission, The Editorial Process

Ilustração: freepik/Creative Commons

Ilustração: freepik/Creative Commons

Module 5: Style, Language 1:

Prof. Dr. Valtencir Zucolotto

Deﬁne the abbreviation in parentheses

“Voluntary Interindustry Commerce

Use Abbreviations / acronyms with discretion

Ex: Use of combined CTPR and BTR3 increased the

"The citizens from United States..."

Units of measure are abbreviated: 2 mm.; 10 min.

Use a space between the number and the unit:

6 min, 0.3 g, 80 mL, etc.

50%, $400, 180º

(Obs: 90 ºC, 180 ºF).

Think about it:

You are reporting a work that has been completed!

“This study was aimed at investigating…(The study)

“This paper reports a new strategy…”

Present forms preferable in

Present and even Future Tenses may be used!

ACTIVE VOICE: Focus on the Actor

"The student wrote a report"

PASSIVE VOICE: Focus on the Object

"A report was written by the student"

The use of passive forms:

“Samples were isolated by us via conventional

“Samples were isolated via convencional

Better: Agentless Passive form

Third person constructions has been

“In Our analysis we

“Analysis revealed that the

Sometimes ﬁrst person may be used to

“Our research group has investigated…”

nowadays presently, currently

on the contrary in contrast

(up) until now to date

The eﬃcient writing is speciﬁc

“Novel strategies have been proposed to overcome the

What were the strategies?

“The use of Carbon nanotubes-based biosensors has been

“Carbon nanotubes-based biosensors exhibit high selectivity

Possible ways of emphasizing details:

Repetition, wording, illustration and placement

Title, abstract, discussion and conclusions?

Stress the most important details in a sentence!

Ex: “High levels of the protein were found in the blood

What is the most important detail?

The protein, the levels or the infection?

A huge problem: Long Sentences

Too long!; Too wordy!

Too many ideas in a single sentence!!

Ilustração: freepik/Creative Commons