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Scientific writing: Difference between "almost" and "nearly"

To choose the right word from a pair or a group of words with similar meaning, we may consult a dictionary of synonyms. However, there are words that are so similar in…
Scientific writing: Difference between "almost" and "nearly"
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Scientific writing: Tips on capitalization in bullet point lists

In a list of bullet points, whether each item begins with a capital letter depends on the punctuation mark that comes before the item. A capital letter typically marks…
Scientific writing: Tips on capitalization in bullet point lists
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Is it acceptable to use first person pronouns in scientific writing?

Novice researchers are often discouraged from using the first person pronouns I and we in their writing, and the most common reason given for avoiding the use of the…
Is it acceptable to use first person pronouns in scientific writing?
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Scientific writing: Difference between "namely," "such as," and "including"

Using such expressions as “for example,” “for instance,” and “including” correctly is important. This article explains these terms and how to use them appropriately…
Scientific writing: Difference between "namely," "such as," and "including"
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Avoid instructions such as "See Table 2" and "Refer to Figure 6"

The use of figures and tables as adjuncts to text is common in research papers. These adjuncts supplement the text: figures, for example, can convey information that may…
Avoid instructions such as "See Table 2" and "Refer to Figure 6"
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Getting the tenses right: Materials and methods section

Many authors struggle with the usage of tenses in their research paper. This post discusses tense usage in specific sections of the manuscript to help authors write with…
Getting the tenses right: Materials and methods section
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Scientific writing: Avoid starting sentences with a number or abbreviation

When writing a research paper, you have to consider several matters of style. This article discusses the use of abbreviations and numbers in academic writing. …
Scientific writing: Avoid starting sentences with a number or abbreviation
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Scientific communication: Using "Dear Mr." or "Dear Ms." in letters

In writing to academics and scientists, perhaps the solution is simple enough: use Dear Dr Tanaka or Dr Smith or whatever surname or family name your correspondent has…
Scientific communication: Using "Dear Mr." or "Dear Ms." in letters
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Scientific writing: "A number of" and "The number of"

Scientific writing often poses a challenge to non-native English authors. While writing papers, authors often face grammatical problems. Let's look closely at one of the…
Scientific writing: "A number of" and "The number of"
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Using "et al." for in-text citations in research papers

It is rare for a single researcher to publish a paper all by herself or himself; most research papers have several or many authors, and the average number of authors for…