CC500 Scientific Writing

Readability in Science Writing

Scott Redfern

Count Words

Most professional writers average only slightly more than twenty words per sentence. Is yours more than forty?

Word Order

75.5% of the sentences in plain subject-verb-object (SVO) or subject-verb-complement (SVC) order. 23% of the time, the professionals begin sentences with short adverbial openers.

Delayed Subjects

Avoid delayed subjects! The problems occur when the writer stretches openers beyond the reasonable length. Example:

Because of their ready adaptability, ease of machining, and aesthetic qualities that make them suitable for use in landscape structures such as decks, fences, steps, and retaining walls, preservative-treated timbers

Words Between Subjects And Verbs

Example:

Creosote, a brownish-black oil composed of hundreds of organic compounds, usually made by distilling coal tar, but sometimes made from wood or petroleum, has been used extensively in treating poles, piles, cross-ties, and timbers.

Noun Strings

Try not to string more than three nouns together. Example:

Volunteer group greenway initiators Does volunteer modify group or initiators?

Confusing (Multiple) Negatives

Example:

We will not go unless the sun is shining. We will not pay except when the damages exceed $50. The lever will not function until the power is turned on.

Five Common Errors Made by Korean Technical Writers (by Mik Fanguy)
1.

Starting sentences with Especially Misuse of colons and semicolons

2.

3.

Modifier stacking
Parallelism in lists Ambiguous pronoun usage

4.

5.

Starting sentences with Especially

Example:

Especially, for people who have been busy and getting stress in their life

Correction:

This is true for people who have been especially busy

Misuse of colons and semicolons

Colon :

a colon introduces a format list, a long quotation, equation, or definition.

Semi-Colon ;

a semi-colon either joins two independent clauses (closely linked in thought) or separates complex items in a list.

Error:

According to the Greek writer Plato, the people of Atlantis were very ambitious and warlike, in fact, they planned to conquer all of the Mediterranean.

Misuse of Colons and Semicolons

Colon :

a colon introduces a format list, a long quotation, equation, or definition.

Semi-Colon ;

a semi-colon either joins two independent clauses (closely linked in thought) or separates complex items in a list.

Error:

According to the Greek writer Plato, the people of Atlantis were

; in fact,

very ambitious and warlike, in fact, they planned to conquer all of the Mediterranean.

Modifier Stacking

Confusing:

Previous work showed that a purified pro-oxidant, vitamin E-deficient fish oil diet protects mice against malaria parasites.

Improved:

Previous work showed that a pro-oxidant diet containing fish oil, but devoid of vitamin E, protects mice against malaria parasites.

Parallelism in Lists

Error:

Steve Nashs reputation is based on his ability in passing, shooting, and he is good at rebounds.

Improved:

Steve Nashs reputation is based on his ability in passing, shooting, and rebounding.

Ambiguous Pronoun Usage

Example:

Because the receiver presented the radiometer with a high flux environment, it was mounted in a silver-plated stainless steel container. What does it refer to? As a rule, dont use it when referring to three or more words.