Sentence Structure In Scientific Writing
Scientists seldom make the best writers. However, that doesn’t mean scientific writing needs to be cryptic and indecipherable. Yes, there are standards you’ll need to live up to even when writing on scientific subjects.
For the most part, these writing guidelines are meant to keep your scientific discussion as plain to read as possible. Papers in the sciences are extremely prone to delving into incomprehensible babble after all – following these guidelines should help you steer clear from that tendency.
- Follow your subjects with a verb as soon as possible. That makes the construction easier to read and simpler to understand.
- Choose your verbs carefully, making sure it properly articulates each action you intend to describe.
- Always set the proper context before presenting any new information. It helps readers appreciate fresh detail clearly and more completely.
- Place new information towards the end of sentences, right where they can be stressed. That way, they’ll register more quickly with the reader.
- Information that references previously-presented details should be put either on the topic sentence or right after it.
- Like number 5, do the same for information that sets context for other details you will present in the paragraph.
- Use concise and clear presentation. A science writing software should help immensely.
- Avoid elaborate metaphors – they tend to distract, rather than provide instruction.