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Fundamentals of Scientific Writing - Coggle Diagram
Fundamentals of Scientific Writing
Style
Location
The end of a sentence
Place new information here. It's more emphasized when placed here.
The main subject
Don't make the sentence lengthy between the subject and verb because that information will come off as less significant.
The beginning of a sentence
Place old information here.
Importance
Where you place certain information can make the sentence either negative or positive.
Structure
Length and verbs
Keep the sentences short and precise but include longer sentences for strong writing. Include active verbs in the short sentences.
Nouns and prepositions
Don't cluster nouns together because it can cause confusion on the meaning. Make sure to use prepositions such as "to" vs "with" in the correct way because one can be comparing with two things while the other compares between two things.
Past and present tense
The past tense is used in the results section and the present tense is used for well-known knowledge.
Avoid spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors by making certain functions available on writing formats such as Word.
First person and active voice
Use the words "I" and "we" and write what it actively been done.
Words
Prevent too many abbreviations
Example: Replacing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus with MRSA once it was defined for the reader.
If the acronym isn't standard don't use it. If it needs to be used throughout the document and the text is lengthy, define the acronym for easy further reading.
Use the right vocabulary
Make sure to use italics and capitalize when need be. Know the differences between common words or look it up to clarify.
Example: A species when written is italicized whereas the genus is not. Know the difference between the words like affect vs effect.
Avoid unnecessary phrases
The writing should avoid redundancies by being short and clear.
Example: Avoid using the words actually, very, and really. Avoid using the phrase "it was shown to" and "it has been found that".
Use precise and simple words
The words should be precise enough for clarity but not too hard for the reader to understand.
Example: Replacing the words that describe the temperature with the actual temperature.
Composition
Organize
Paragraphs should include topic, supporting, and concluding sentences. The topic sentence can lead with information from the previous paragraph to keep the flow.
Keep the order and point of view consistent by using the same subject and style.
Use transitions so the correlation between sentences is clear. Example: Addition, comparison, purpose, and summary.
Condense
The writing should display only important information leaving out less important. Some phrases or words might need to be erased for a more clear and precise reading.
Ask someone to critique the rough draft.
Paragraph flow
To make the reading flow and understandable, there needs to be transitions and connections that help the flow continue and be followed.