How to Navigate Scientific Language

If writing a personal essay is a drive on Germany's Autobahn, then writing a research article is Friday evening gridlock in Manhattan. One is free-flowing and colorful with a rhythm that stirs the senses. The other is formulaic, dense, slow-moving, and grating on the nerves.

Both types of writing fall under the category of nonfiction and are governed by certain rules of the road, such as grammar and truthfulness. Both can benefit from the use of a guide to style and usage; Strunk and White's The Elements of Style is a classic.¹ But the language of science is more constrained than that of other fields. The commonly bemoaned use (or overuse) of technical terms, acronyms, and passive voice certainly contributes to the stilted prose of research. But restrictions on word choice also play a role.

Above all, science seeks to be as objective as possible. The words and phrases used ...