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Writing in the Biological Sciences: Chapters 2 & 3 - Coggle Diagram
Writing in the Biological Sciences: Chapters 2 & 3
Chapter 2: Fundamentals of Scientific Writing -Style
Individual Words
Precise words for clarity
Simple words to expand reader's understanding
Omit unnecessary words/phrases for brief but clear sentences
Avoid abbreviations to avoid confusion
Use correct terminology to avoid misunderstandings
Word Location
Establish importance for best placement in a sentence
Place old, familiar, & short information at the beginning of a sentence allowing the reader to link this information back to the topic/subtopic
Place new, complex, or long information at the end of a sentence to emphasize new information more
Place the verb immediately after the subject & place the object right after the verb
Sentence Structure
Use first person to engage the reader
Use active voice to keep writing interesting and less dense
Use past tense for observations & specific interpretations
Use present tense for general rules & established knowledge
Write in short sentences, aiming for one main idea per sentence to make them easier to understand and emphasizing the idea in them
Use active verbs for easy sentence flow
Avoid strings of nouns to enhance clarity and relativity
Technical Style
Avoid errors in spelling, punctuation, & gramar
Chapter 3: Fundamentals of Scientific Writing - Composition
Paragraph Construction
Organized & coherent
Important ideas emphasized & subtopics signaled
Paragraph Flow
Paragraph composed unambiguously
Sentences in paragraph composed & placed logically
Use transitions within
Compose paragraphs with reader in mind
Written so readers can understand the logic & story at the same time
Paragraph Organization
Constructed in 3 parts: A topic sentence, supporting sentences, & a concluding sentence
Use a topic sentence to provide an overview of the paragraph
Use consistent order: I items are listed in the topic sentence, describe them in the supporting sentences in the same order listed
Use consistent point of view
Make sentences cohesive so their logical layout fits together
Use key words to create continuity leading one sentence to the next
Condensing
Make paragraphs concise
Emphasize important information
Deemphasize or omit less important information
Replace or omit words/phrases