Scientific Writing and Communication Notes

http://blog.renren.com/share/13386/15410514914?from=0101010202&ref=hotnewsfeed&sfet=102&fin=4&fid=21578707935&ff_id=13386&platform=0&expose_time=1362268340

避免不必要的重复

Bad:

• quite sufficiently large
• have been observed, have been determined
• in shape

Good:

• large enough
• delete

不必要的词语

bad:

actually, basically, essentially, fairly, much, really, practically
quite, rather, several, very, virtually

其他冗余

• (already) existing
• (basic) fundamentals
• cold (temperature)
• (currently) underway
• (end) result
• (final) outcome
• (future) plans
• never (before)
• (still) persists
• at (the) present (time)
• blue (in color)
• (completely) eliminate
• each (individual)
• estimated (roughly) at
• first (and foremost)
• (main) essentials
• period (of time)
• (true) facts

危险词语

area, character, conditions, field, level, nature, 
problem, process, situation, structure, system

不必要的用法

• it is well know that
• in a previous study, it was demonstrated that
• have been shown to vary
• there are many papers stating
• it is speculated that
• it was shown to
• it has been found that
• it was observed that
• it is reasonable to assume that
• it has been reported that
• evidence ahs been presented that shows that

替换

• a considerable number of = better
• an adequate amount of = enough
• an example of this is the fact that = for example
• as a consequence of = because
• at no time = never
• by means of = by
• considerable amount of = much
• despite the fact that = although
• due to the fact that = due to
• during the time that = while, when
• first of all = first
• for the purpose of = to
• has the capability of = can, is able
• in light of the fact that = because
• in many cases = often
• in order to = to
• in some cases = sometimes
• in the absence of = without
• in the event that = if
• in view of the fact that = because, since
• it is of interest to note that = note that
• it is often the case that = often
• majority of = most
• no later than = by
• a number of = many
• on the basis of = by
• prior to = before
• referred to as = called
• regardless of the fact that = even though
• so as to = to
• utilization = use
• with reference / regard to = about
• with respect to = about

Word Choice

1. use precise word:

   • bad:
     • several
     • frequently
     • with
   • good:
     • 12h
     • every 12h
     • using

2. use simple words

dryness : dry

1. misuse:

since: temporal. because: causality

1. redundancy and jargon

2. lab -> labortory

3. avoid abbre

location

1. stress : end > begin

2. place old familiar short info at the beginning (topic), and place new, complex, long info in the end (stress)

3. get to subject quickly, make it short and specific

4. avoid interruption (no which)

Grammar

1. first person
2. active voice
3. past tense for observations, completed actives
4. present for generalizations and statements of general validity
5. short sentence
6. active verbs
7. avoid noun clusters
8. use clear pronouns
9. clear comparisons

ESL

1. proposition

   • different with
   • compare to , comparison between A and

Transitions (Page 121 Table)

To be filled later

Draft (IMRAD)

1. Introduction
2. Method
3. Results
4. Discussion

Order:

1. know/background
   • general
   • specific reported data
2. unknown and problems
3. research purpose / questions
4. experiments

Organize by Bullet Points

1. collect notebook, figures, tables, and reference
2. buy an ugly cheap notebook
3. make your own rules
4. write as to explain
5. one paragraph and one section at a time
6. set deadline

Reference and Plagiarism

1. place head or tail
2. no citation in abstract and put citation in introduction

Concise

1. omit:

describes, noted, was done, reported, noticed, observed, occurred, seen

1. just state the facts
2. no ‘it… that’ phrases
3. avoid writing in the negative

Acknowledgement

1. intelligentual contribution
2. techinical support
3. discussion
4. fund, grants

Introduction

1. background
2. unknown problem
3. questions , purpose
4. experimental approach

Method

passive voice

Results

1. interpret
2. place stat info
   • purpose
   • experimental
   • results
   • interpretation

Discussion

1. in this study, we have shown/found
2. study shows
3. findings demonstrate that
4. this paper describes
5. can be attributed to
6. we determined X by
7. we found
8. our data shows
9. has been demonstrated by
10. in summary
11. in conclusion
12. finally
13. to summarize our results
14. we conclude
15. overall,
16. our findings can /will serve to /can be used
17. we recommend
18. indicates
19. imply that
20. we propose
21. we hypothesize

see page 305 for more details

Abstract

1. Question
2. experiments
3. results
4. conclusion

Keywords

• avoid words in the title
• avoid general single keys

Revision

1. title: 3-4 important keys
2. abstract:
   • question, purpose
   • experiments, approach
   • results
   • interpretation and answers
   • significance
3. Introduction:
   • First: background
   • 2nd: unknown
   • last: question and purpose (repeat abstract)
4. Method: chronologically
5. Results
6. Discussion: Pyramid
   1. interpretation, support and defend it
   2. compare
   3. list limitations
   4. main results, significance and future directions