Scientific Text

Scientific Text

1. Language

   • Correct usage of linguistic phrases ensures clarity, preciseness, comprehensibility and smooth reading of the text. No contractions, No colloquialisms/ conversational terms, No anthropomorphism. Be accurate rather than polite! No rhetorical questions, Try to write in an active style. The use of abbreviations is common

2. Organization of ideas

   • In scientific writing it is important to write exactly what you mean It is clear. One idea per sentence o Keep sentences 10-25 words in length (on average) o One theme per paragraph o Keep paragraphs ¼ - ½ page long (on average)

3. Format/Guidelines

   • Writing for science subjects is generally more rigidly structured than in other subjects. For example, if you look at articles in scientific journals, you will see that they are usually arranged under a series of headings. Here is a typical structure for a report on an experiment.
     • 1. Aim: Describe the purpose of the experiment
     • 2. Abstract: Give a short summary of the whole report, including conclusions
     • 3. Method: Describe the techniques and materials you used. Discuss any difficulties in carrying out the experiment
     • 4. Results: Describe your observations. Include calculations where appropriate
     • 5. Discussion: Critically evaluate the significance of your results. Compare with previous studies. Discuss weaknesses in your study and suggest future avenues for investigation
     • 6. References: Are the table of contents, a literature review, or recommendations. Some might have a separate section for conclusions, which summarises the findings.

4. Purpose/Objective

   • In a more general perspective, scientific writing is a process of organizing and shaping information

5. Characteristics

   • Illustrated with figures (Tables, graphs, charts, photographs etc. Keep it as simple as possible. Figures must be clearly labelled. Give each one a brief, descriptive title.

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