Q: While writing a review article, should I assume that the reader of the target journal will know at least the basics of a particular term related to the field?

Detailed Question -

Should I write or explain a little bit about everything while writing a review article? That is, should I explain each and every term in the article? I feel this will unnecessarily take up space. Say I am writing an article on dialectical behavioral therapy for a nephrology journal. In the article, there are technical terms related to behavioral therapy. Should I define each term while writing the article, or should I assume that the reviewers, editor, and readers of the journal will know these terms? For example, will the readers at least know what a nephron is? Similarly, will they know what cognitive behavioral therapy is?

1 Answer to this question
Answer:

Before we respond, please note that we have combined both your questions into one as both questions were around the same topic. Anyway, here’s what you need to do.

If the target journal is a specialty journal, aimed mostly at researchers in a fairly narrow field (pediatric nephrology, molecular biology of fungi, environmental economics, and so on), your assumption is justified: you do not have to explain the basic terms to readers of those journals when the topic of the review fits the scope of the journal.

If, however, the review is being published in a multidisciplinary journal (Current Science, Annals of Applied Biology, or Ambio, for example), you would be better off catering to a broader readership. You would do well to remember the aphorism: Never underestimate your readers’ intelligence; never overestimate their knowledge. Going the extra mile to explain some of the basics and setting a proper context will win more readers for your review in this case.

A final tip. It would also help to look at the reviews already published in the target journal to get a better idea of what is expected of the review and write accordingly.

For more support with reviews, you may find the following resources helpful:

Note: The last link is to an expert-based course on R Upskill, a sister brand providing learning programs for various aspects of a researcher’s work, from writing to publication to research promotion and beyond. This course is one of the many expert-led programs on the platform. Even better, for a limited period, the courses are available for free. So, do try it out!

Hope all that helps. All the best for your article!

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