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Scientific Writing. Aaron Wendelboe David M. Thompson Faculty Seminar Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology March 29, 2012. Writing well. Consider sentence logic Prefer the active voice Use verbs moon.ouhsc.edu/ dthompso /writing/write.htm.
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Scientific Writing Aaron WendelboeDavid M. Thompson Faculty Seminar Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology March 29, 2012
Writing well • Consider sentence logic • Prefer the active voice • Use verbs moon.ouhsc.edu/dthompso/writing/write.htm BSE Faculty Seminar - March 29, 2012
Even professional writers trip over syntax, and make outrageous, if humorous, statements. BSE Faculty Seminar - March 29, 2012
The Wall Street Journal printed some bad news for aging athletes, who may misunderstand the negative social impact of their aquatic workouts: BSE Faculty Seminar - March 29, 2012
“According to a Johns Hopkins study, older men produce more deformed sperm, but they swim faster, passing on certain genetic abnormalities." BSE Faculty Seminar - March 29, 2012
Writing shouldn't be subjective, but that doesn’t excuse concealing the subject. "Our landings in the Cherbourg-Havre area have failed to gain a satisfactory foothold and the troops have been withdrawn." the first draft of a statement, prepared for release by the Allied commander, in case amphibious operations failed in Normandy (June 6, 1944) BSE Faculty Seminar - March 29, 2012
"Our landings in the Cherbourg-Havre area have failed to gain a satisfactory foothold and I have withdrawn the troops." the second draft of Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower's statement. BSE Faculty Seminar - March 29, 2012
Eisenhower never released either draft. Will, G. (1998). Bunts. New York: Scribner, p.127. BSE Faculty Seminar - March 29, 2012
"Prefer the active voice." BSE Faculty Seminar - March 29, 2012
Use verbs instead of nouns Writers are more direct and concise when they use verbs instead of nouns or strings of nouns. BSE Faculty Seminar - March 29, 2012
Examples One of the most significant toxicity reductions achieved in head and neck radiotherapy by the use of IMRT has been in the functional preservation of uninvolved salivary glands. The use of IMRT significantly reduced toxicity and preserved function in the uninvolved salivary glands [of patients undergoing radiotherapy of the head and neck]. BSE Faculty Seminar - March 29, 2012
In the UK-vaccinated group, LF titer is, for the first time in a human population, significantly and independently predictive of in vitro neutralization. The UK-vaccinated group is the first human population in whom both LF and PA titers independently predict in vitro LT neutralization. BSE Faculty Seminar - March 29, 2012
The results obtained using the conservative alpha investing were different from both forward selection and aggressive alpha investing at each initial alpha wealth value. Conservative alpha investing obtained, at each value for initial alpha wealth, results that differed from both forward selection and aggressive alpha investing. BSE Faculty Seminar - March 29, 2012
All participants completed an initial screening following a 10-hour overnight fast that began with attainment of informed written consent. Following a 10 hour overnight fast, participants completed an initial screening that began with attainment of written consent. BSE Faculty Seminar - March 29, 2012
According to a Johns Hopkins study, older men produce more deformed sperm, but they swim faster, passing on certain genetic abnormalities. According to a Johns Hopkins study, older men produce more deformed sperm which, because they swim faster, pass on certain genetic abnormalities. BSE Faculty Seminar - March 29, 2012
Consider sentence logic • Prefer the active voice • Use verbs moon.ouhsc.edu/dthompso/writing/write.htm BSE Faculty Seminar - March 29, 2012
No prior studies have examined the impact of the FDA boxed warning on the patient behavior of adhering with antidepressant medications. It is possible that patients remain off antidepressant due to the fear of increased suicidality, without informing their health care providers. In that case, patients’ behavior would be another independent contributing factor to unintended consequences that have been observed after the FDA boxed warning. • No studies have examined FDA boxed warning’s impact on the patient adherence to antidepressant medications they have been prescribed. Some patients may stop taking prescribed antidepressant ,due to the fear of suicidal thoughts and behavior , without informing their health care providers. Such behavior would contribute to the unanticipated increase in suicide that has been observed after the FDA boxed warning. BSE Faculty Seminar - March 29, 2012