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Why language important

Language delays or causes rejection to the paper. It is author resposibility to edit his paper

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Safa
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1 views

Why language important

Language delays or causes rejection to the paper. It is author resposibility to edit his paper

Uploaded by

Safa
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Prepared by Safa Naji Abed

Course in English for Research and


Publication Purposes (ERPP)

University of Babylon
Why is language important?
Poor language quality can delay or block publication. It is important to take seriously the presentation of your
manuscript, especially the language you use to communicate results. Clarity in writing reflects on clarity in
thought. Science is far more than mere fact recording. Written communication is key to transmitting knowledge
and rendering an impact on the field. Without clear and proper language, readers will not grasp the full message
or impact of your work. Even though the findings you report might be cutting edge, poor language quality,
including errors in grammar, spelling or language usage, could delay publication or lead to outright rejection of
the paper.
The language of Humanities and Scientific Research differs in several key ways:

1. Purpose and Focus:


- Humanities: Language used in the humanities focuses on exploring human experience,
culture, values, and expressions. It often emphasizes interpretation and critical analysis.
- Scientific Research: Language here is more objective and precise, aimed at explaining natural
phenomena through empirical evidence and testing hypotheses.

2. Style and Tone:


- Humanities: The tone is often narrative, descriptive, and persuasive. It may include subjective
interpretations and emotional expressions.
- Scientific Research: The style is typically formal, concise, and technical, prioritizing clarity
and objectivity to communicate findings effectively
The language of Humanities and Scientific Research differs in several key ways:
3. Terminology:
- Humanities: Uses a broader range of abstract and interpretive vocabulary. Terms may have
varied meanings based on context.
- Scientific Research: Employs specialized terminology that has defined meanings within
specific disciplines, often requiring prior knowledge to understand.

4. Structure:
- Humanities: Writing may follow a more fluid structure, allowing for varied argumentation and
exploration of themes.
- Scientific Research: Adheres to structured formats like IMRaD (Introduction, Methods,
Results, Discussion) for clarity and replicability.
The language of Humanities and Scientific Research differs in several key ways:
. Evidence and Support:
- Humanities: Evidence may be drawn from texts, historical artifacts, and personal narratives.
Interpretation is often subjective.
- Scientific Research: Relies on quantitative data, experiments, and statistical analysis to
support conclusions
Do publishers correct language?
Often authors assume that the publisher will correct the language of their manuscript after it
has been accepted, but this assumption is not correct. It is actually the author's responsibility to
make sure a paper is in the best form possible. Doing so means correcting the rudimentary
issues related to grammar and spelling, as well as providing a clear, logical, and connected story-
line. Though publishers do not correct language, they do often provide resources for authors
who are less familiar with the conventions of international journals. Please check your
publisher's Guide for Authors website for more information
Manuscript language:
Language should be: ➞Accurate ➞Concise ➞Clear ➞Objective

■ Tenses ■ Grammar
■ Sentences ■ Paragraphs
Avoid abbreviations and acronyms.
Avoid contractions such as "it's", "isn't", or "weren't" which are not often used in
professional writing.
■ Avoid abbreviations/acronyms except for very well-known ones.
■ Avoid acronyms as replacement for citations.
■ Avoid acronyms in the abstract and conclusion.
Eliminate redundant words or phrases.
■ due to the fact that ➞ because or since
■ immediately apparent ➞ apparent
■ in the case that ➞ in case ■ and also ➞ and
■ in order to determine ➞ to determine ■ to try and determine ➞ to determine
Double-check unfamiliar words or phrases
Manuscript language: sentences
Write direct and short sentences. The average length of sentences in scientific
writing is only about 12-17 words.
Include only one piece of information per sentence. Sentences should be
constructed in short, factual bursts.
Long and complicated sentences tend to confuse readers.
Avoid making multiple statements in one sentence.
Convey only a single idea per sentence.
Link sentences together within a paragraph to provide a clear story-line.
Keep related words together.
Closely place the subject and verb to allow the reader to understand what the
subject is doing.
Pay attention to the order in which you write a sentence.
The "stress position" within a sentence contains new information to be
emphasized.
The "topical position" contains "old" information leading up to the point of
emphasis.
The topical position comes before the stress position.
Avoid: "This ocean basin was warmer during 2012 than any period found in the
observational database, based on our analysis of recent ship-based
measurements."

Write: "Based on our analysis of recent ship-based measurements, this ocean


basin was warmer during 2012 than any period found in the observational
database." Put statements in a positive form.

■ Positive: "He usually came late."


■ Negative: "He is not very often on time.
Manuscript language: paragraphs
■ Have one paragraph for each distinct topic.
■ Begin a paragraph with a topic sentence, and end in conformity with the
beginning.
■ Avoid a succession of loose sentences.
■ Parallel structures are simpler to parse as a reader. Retain consistent tenses
within each paragraph.
■ Provide a logical transition from one paragraph to another to render a clear
flow, thus guiding the reader from one topic to another.
■ Paragraphs are similarly constructed to sentences, bringing the reader from
the "familiar" at the start to new ideas towards the end.
■ Fill logical holes empathizing with a smart reader who genuinely wants to
understand the flow of ideas.
Classic errors to avoid

Avoid using "this" unqualified.


Avoid: "We found this to be the most important facet of the ocean's dynamical
response."
Write: "We found this feature of the thermocline to be the most important facet
of the ocean's dynamical response.“
■ What does "this" refer to? If the reader must guess, then the guess could be
wrong.
■ Even when it is "obvious" what "this", "that", "these", or "those" refer to, the
author serves the reader well by clearly qualifying.
Avoid too many successive prepositional phrases.
Avoid: "We ran a model simulation of the ocean for research into the evolution of
the thermocline."
Write: "We ran an ocean model simulation to conduct research into thermocline
evolution.
Avoid subjective or redundant words or phrases that will date the paper.
■ "high resolution“
■ "new result“
■ "latest finding

Avoid expressions of belief.


Avoid: "We believe this model result to be true.“
Write: "We show through our analysis that this model result is consistent with the
empirical evidence."
Table 1: Problematic Verbs
Verb Weak Phrase
Do (done) The experiment was done at atmospheric pressure
Try (tried) We tried an experiment at atmospheric pressure
Use (used) A transducer was used to measure pressure
Perform (performed) They performed experiments at high pressure
Make (made) They made the experiments at high pressure

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Cross-references and figure captions
Writing & rewriting - playing the peer-review "game“

Write science as E. Hemingway wrote his literature. Scientists are storytellers too!

"My aim is to put down on paper what I see and what I feel in the best and simplest way.

Do not give up if you believe in your work.

Reviewers are generally not as knowledgeable on the subject of the manuscript as the
author.
■ Some influential papers that break new scientific ground may be rejected merely
because reviewers do not appreciate the results. Be patient and persistent.
■ Nonetheless, reviewer comments are almost always useful, even if they are wrong!
■ Some critical or wrong reviewer comments result from poor writing that leads to
reviewer misunderstanding and reviewer frustration. Rethink your writing.
■ Let comments sit, especially negative or harsh comments. A poorly written rebuttal can
lead to needless (and sometimes emotional) correspondence with the editor and reviewer.

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