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Scientific writing for better communication (1): transitions
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“Science is built up with facts, as a house is with stones. But a collection of facts is no more science than a heap of stones is a house.” ---J. H. Poincare
A graduate student at U. Hawaii asked for help with her first research paper. I recommended my eight Blog articles on “Scientific Writing for Beginners.”
Encouraged by her compliments, I decide to write my second set of articles on scientific writing, with more emphasis on the language itself.
Using transitional words and phrases
makes writing read more smoothly. They provide logical organization and understandability, and improve the connections and transitions between thoughts
A coherent paper allows the reader
to flow from the first supporting point to the last.
Transitions indicate relations,
whether within a sentence, paragraph, or paper. This list illustrates "relationships" between ideas, followed by words and phrases that can connect them.
Addition:
also, again, (b) as well as (a), besides, coupled with, furthermore, in addition, likewise, moreover, similarly
Consequence:
accordingly, as a result, consequently, for this reason, for this purpose, hence, otherwise, subsequently, therefore, thus
Generalizing:
as a rule, as usual, for the most part, generally, generally speaking, ordinarily, usually
Exemplifying:
chiefly, especially, for instance, in particular, markedly, namely, particularly, including, specifically, such as
Illustration:
for example, for instance, for one thing, as an illustration, illustrated with, as an example, in this case
Emphasis
above all, chiefly, with attention to, especially, particularly, singularly
Similarity:
comparatively, coupled with, correspondingly, identically, likewise, similar, moreover, together with
Exception:
aside from, barring, besides, except, excluding, other than, save
aside from, barring, besides, except, excluding, other than, save
Restatement:
in essence, in other words, namely, that is, that is to say, in short, in brief, to put it differently
Contrast and Comparison:
contrast, by the same token, conversely, instead, likewise, on one hand, on the other hand, on the contrary, rather, similarly, yet, but, however, still, nevertheless, in contrast
Sequence:
at first, first of all, to begin with, in the first place, at the same time, for now, for the time being, the next step, in time, in turn, later on, meanwhile, next, then, soon, the meantime, later, while, earlier, simultaneously, afterward, in conclusion, with this in mind,
Summarizing:
after all, all in all, all things considered, briefly, by and large, in any case, in any event, in brief, in conclusion, on the whole, in short, in summary, in the final analysis, in the long run, on balance, to sum up, to summarize, finally
Diversion:
by the way, incidentally
Direction:
here, there, over there, beyond, nearly, opposite, under, above, to the left, to the right, in the distance
Based on http://www.studygs.net/wrtstr6.htm and modified for scientific writing.
Zuojun’s note:
Between paragraphs:
Do not waste the first sentence to repeat what is said in the previous paragraph.
Between sentences:
Finish one thing before starting another. Do not go back and forth.
https://blog.sciencenet.cn/blog-306792-386270.html
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