How Noun Strings Violate the Number One Principle in Scientific Writing

Technical terms are a hallmark of science. They provide a special vocabulary for people in a particular field to more easily communicate with each other. But to people outside of the “in-group,” these helpful terms quickly transform into harmful jargon.

Definition of jargon (per the Merriam-Webster Dictionary):

1.  technical terminology of a special activity or group

2.  obscure and often pretentious language

3.  confused unintelligible language

Jargon contributes to the growing decline in scientific literacy. This confusing language makes your reader quickly lose interest in the topic being discussed. Importantly, these terms create communication gaps between researchers and the general public, and even between researchers in different fields. These gaps hinder scientific advancement.

Scientific writing is flooded with technical terms. One common type of technical term is called a noun string (also known as a noun phrase, noun cluster, or noun train). These strings comprise a series of nouns or other words that modify a final noun at the end of the string. For example, in school system analysis, the final noun analysis is modified by the nouns school and system.

The problem with noun strings is that they are difficult for readers to understand. Even if readers are familiar with each of the words, they can be confused about which word is the core noun and which words are the modifiers. For example, is school system analysis an analysis of the school system, or is it a system analysis of the school? This debate will disrupt the flow of your writing and your reader’s train of thought—immediately creating problems.

Give Noun Strings a Break

Scientific writers have a bad habit of using noun strings, often attaching four or five nouns like a molecule chain. And with each word they add to the string, they increasingly challenge their reader to understand it. In this way, they expect the reader to remember each word in the string as they get to the final noun. Likewise, imagine that you had to remember the color of each car in a train as you worked from the caboose to the engine. The longer the train, the more difficult it is to remember the colors of all of the cars being pulled by the train.

Let’s look at an example of a longer noun string: 

We used a sensitive protein function monitoring system.

In this sentence, the noun string is sensitive protein function monitoring system. The final noun is system, but the reader may question exactly what the system does. Is it a sensitive system that monitors protein function? Is it a system that monitors the function of sensitive proteins? Or is it a system that monitors the sensitive functions of proteins?

To make this language clearer for your reader, break up the noun string into manageable pieces to emphasize the noun that is most relevant to the discussion: 

We used a sensitive system that monitors protein function.

By simplifying the noun string, you help make your reader’s job easy—the most important principle in scientific writing.

When Bad Goes to Worse

Some authors further confuse their reader by adding a verb to the string.

For example:

We observed that the drug had stem cell differentiation effects.

In this sentence, effects is a verb turned into a noun (also called a nominalization). However, effects is more often used as a verb. If your reader’s brain is wired to assume the word is a verb when you used it as a noun, they will have to backtrack to reinterpret what you wrote. This violates the most important principle in scientific writing. You do not want your reader to read a sentence more than once to understand it.

The example sentence could be clearer by moving the verb to the front of the string to create a prepositional phrase:

We observed that the drug had an effect on stem cell differentiation.

While this revision adds words, it makes the content clearer. 

When Bad Turns to Good

Noun strings do have a purpose. They let scientists express complex concepts briefly and efficiently. For example, cell death pathway and cell cycle arrest are commonly used in several scientific fields.

Researchers also use noun strings to name genes, proteins, or other scientific properties. However, they promptly ease the reader’s job by providing an acronym or abbreviation to help the reader move through the rest of the text more smoothly. For instance, breast cancer gene 1 (BRCA1), cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK), or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

The keys to a “good” noun string are familiarity and length. Short strings are useful as long as you know your reader is familiar with the term. But long strings are confusing and disrupt the flow of your writing.

What’s the magic number? If there are only two nouns, the compound is often better. If there are four nouns, break them up. But if there are three nouns, you will need to consider word complexity and reader intuition.

Word complexity

By stringing together big words, you can form an undigestible mass, even for experts in your field. Use shorter words when possible. Break up noun strings so that the text is clearer. For example, instead of writing We developed research patient rights protection regulations, use We developed rules that protect the rights of research patients.

Reader intuition

Before choosing to use a noun string, think about whether your reader will intuitively link two of the words together in a single unit. For example, consider the string cell death pathway. A molecular biologist will intuitively link cell and death so that the string reads as a compound noun, “cell-death pathway.” However, a geologist may not make that unconscious link and, as a result, may not easily understand the string.

When used thoughtfully, noun strings can be a helpful tool. Just be aware of their length and whether your reader is familiar with the term. And remember that three words teeters on the edge of clarity.

Cut Ties with Noun Strings

Use technical terms when needed, but avoid unnecessary jargon—and be mindful of the difference! Always consider your audience. Use technical terms only when you know your reader will understand them.

Be careful when choosing to use noun strings. Break them up into manageable pieces. Remember that you want to make your reader’s job easy. They will thank you for it.