Which kind of English do I need?

Writing tips for scientists

This is part of a series of articles by Isabelle Berquin and Karen Tkaczyk, two trained scientists who moved into providing language services for scientists. Isabelle was a molecular biologist who worked in cancer research and Karen was a development chemist who worked in pharmaceuticals.

Isabelle has co-authored over 30 research papers; she provides translation and consulting services for life scientists and enjoys turning data into engaging visuals. Karen provides editing services for scientists, mainly academics, who write in English when that is not their native language. 

Modern English dialects vary widely, despite globalization

Given the number of papers we receive to edit where the language variant is mixed, we know that this is not the focus of many scientists who are writing their manuscripts. Of course, you care more about the scientific content, and rightly so.

However, in the “Instructions for Authors” section of almost all journals, they will tell you whether to submit in English for the USA, for the UK, or something else. They also commonly say, “Use any variant but be consistent.”

This piece in our series includes high-level tips and tricks for getting that right.

Step 1: Pick a variant

Authors typically have two options here. You can make it as much like one variant as possible to cater to a specific target audience or publishing requirement, or make it as neutral as possible, with one foundational variant in mind. Start by making that decision. Often your preference will be obvious but ask your native English-speaking editor for advice if in doubt.

Karen and Isabelle’s expertise is in UK and US English, and we used US English for this post.

 Step 2: Set the variant

• Most papers come to us in one of the most recent versions of Microsoft Word. Some come in multiple variants where the document’s languages have not been set properly.
• To ensure that you have a single language variant throughout, start by selecting All (Ctrl-A) so that the entire article is selected.
• On the Review tab, choose Language and Set Proofing Language.
• Select your preference and make sure the “Do not check spelling or grammar” box is unchecked.

Step 3: Choose a reference or style guide

This could be a style guide or a dictionary like Merriam Webster or the Oxford English Dictionary (OED).

Are you familiar with style guides? These aid consistency and answer many questions. From how to format units of measure to whether to hyphenate a term, we all need an up-to-date, authoritative reference.

Preferred style changes from decade to decade—even faster in new fields—so we must keep up with changes in the areas in which we work. What was typical when you were in college years ago (Let’s say, two spaces after a period...) may be incorrect nowadays. (One space is the correct choice.)

Many technical fields have an authority that produces a guide. The AMA Manual of Style is a good example.

Another option is to use a reference like those mentioned above accompanied by a style sheet or a glossary. For instance, decide on your dictionary of choice and create project-specific notes about how to format units of measure and dates. We call that a style sheet. Make sure it includes the quirks of your academic discipline.

Step 4: Write your article

Once you finish, run the spelling and grammar checker on the manuscript. Examine what it offers if you want to learn.

Remember that many scientific terms and Latin names will not be in the dictionary, so pay special attention to those. You might even want to add them to your spellchecker dictionaries as they are too easy to misspell. Remember also that like in your native language, not all of the spellchecker’s suggested corrections will be appropriate. These tools are not a substitute for a native-speaking editor.

What about appealing to a broad readership?

Your native-English-speaking readers will notice certain things that are particularly Australian or British or whatever. If you are trying to appeal to a particular audience, or on the contrary, want broad appeal and prefer to use English that is as neutral as possible and won’t look like it is specific to one culture, here are some ideas.

That neutral English is often called “international” English. For that you would use z spellings for words ending in –ize and similar, as that is preferred in some style guides for UK English as well as most other variants. You would typically use a date format that cannot be misinterpreted, like YYYY-MM-DD. You would want to avoid idioms that make cultural references to sports, hobbies, weather events or the like that are not experienced globally.

The Economist Style Guide is a great reference if you need to consider UK and US English and decide whether a term will work globally. It includes an excellent section comparing and contrasting those two variants.

Remember your audience

If you are stumped by any particular choice and wondering how to hit a home run with your article, don’t write a sentence like this. The origin of stumped is debated but will be considered by some to be a British reference related to cricket wickets. Hitting a home run, though it will be understood widely around the world, is a baseball reference, so it speaks to a US audience.

So in conclusion, decide who your target audience is and write for them. Use the many references available as you choose terms and style and rely on an editor to double-check for you and to tighten the writing.

We know you just want to tell a great story about your research. We actually enjoy thinking about the details!

Look out for the other posts in this series by both Karen and Isabelle. Topics include common mistakes authors often make, style matters, language variants, software tools that can help you edit your texts, tips for better scientific writing in English, and tips on creating impactful visual elements. If these articles are of interest or you’d like us to cover a specific topic, leave us a comment!