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<\/a><\/p>\nIn my opinion, clarity breeds precision, and vice versa. It\u2019s impossible to summarise a finding precisely if you haven\u2019t understood it. A vague sentence that rambles on into the woods without a solid point will only confuse your readers, and indicate a lack of understanding on your part. Research your references and data thoroughly to avoid this. Preparation is an essential ingredient when writing clear and precise sentences.<\/p>\n
Let’s consider the actual writing process\u2014you write a sentence, realize you need a reference, search around for it, re-read the sentence, decide it\u2019s not perfect, edit it, and wonder if you\u2019ll ever finish at this speed.<\/p>\n
Sounds familiar? Here\u2019s something I wish I\u2019d known sooner: writing and editing are separate processes. It\u2019s perfectly fine to envision the end product and work in that direction, but don\u2019t expect the first draft to be flawless. An effective writing method is to actively think about the content, write an entire paragraph or two\u2014or three, or four\u2014and then edit for perfection. This approach ensures a logical flow of sentences, as you\u2019re following your own train of thought at a decent pace.<\/p>\n
In terms of style, a healthy mix of short and long sentences is the key to a good manuscript. Short sentences read well. Long sentences with multiple conjunctions, punctuations, parts, pieces, bits, bobs, tenses, disclaimers, derivatives and definitions, although grammatically sound, are exhausting, and they also require extra attention on the reader\u2019s part\u2014that is, if the reader hasn\u2019t given up already. Point proven?<\/p>\n
Lastly, I think an important issue is that researchers\u2014especially young researchers\u2014often focus far too much on \u2018sounding smart\u2019. Your boss, peers, and the rest of the world are going to read something written by you for the first time, and there is often a real fear of coming across as stupid. Researchers should remember that the science in their paper is the only thing they need to validate their intellect.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Meenakshi Prabhune<\/p><\/div>\n
Your aim while writing should be to spread your scientific findings to a large audience. So, confusing your readers\u2014or potential reviewers\u2014with complicated sentences and thesaurus entries will only discourage them from reading further. Write to express, not impress.<\/p>\n
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Meenakshi Prabhune is a researcher-turned-science-writer living and working in the Bay area, California. You can read her blog, that covers science and travel, here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Suggested posts<\/strong><\/p>\n Uncertain Airspace: Changing career paths is disorienting and exhilarating<\/a><\/p>\n Getting an internship in science journalism<\/a><\/p>\n The era of big data is coming: Scientists need to step out of their comfort zone<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The life of a researcher is incomplete without undergoing the trauma of writing scientific documents: papers, grants, protocols, theses, and so on and on. Most researchers find this stressful, time-consuming, and difficult; and, despite the enormous time and effort invested in writing, I for one often come across close-to-incomprehensible papers while digging through the literature. Why is that the case, and how do we fix it? Read more<\/a> Continue reading