Top 10 Scientific and Medical Writing Articles in 2024
At the end of each year, I like to review which of my articles were most read in that year. This review helps me learn what information you find most helpful so that I can create more resources to help you become the best writer you can be.
Here are my 10 most-read articles on scientific and medical writing in 2024.
1. 10 Tricks to Reduce Your Word Count in Academic Writing
Cutting down your hard-won draft to meet a page or word limit can be agonizing, especially when you’re under pressure to meet a due date. When you have little time to spare, you can make small revisions that compound to give you the space you need. This article describes 10 tricks you can use to quickly tighten your text.
2. How to Write a Conflicts of Interest Statement
Most journals require authors to disclose any conflicts of interest—direct or indirect—related to the work in a manuscript. This article summarizes the two main categories of conflicts of interest, gives examples that fall under each of those categories, and shares templates you can use to draft your statement.
3. How to Choose the Author Order in a Manuscript
As a researcher, you conduct research and publish your findings, all to advance the body of work in your research area. And the primary way to recognize your contributions and the contributions of others is through authorship and acknowledgments. This article describes when to grant authorship and how to order authors on your manuscript.
4. Why "Post" is Not a Synonym for "After"
Correct usage is an important part of scientific and medical writing. Authors need to use the best words that ensure their content is accurate and precise. And incorrect words can reflect poorly on authors. This article describes how many authors misuse the word post as a synonym for after.
5. When to Use Comprise vs Consists
Comprise is one of the most misused words in scientific and medical writing. Most often, writers follow the word comprise with the word of because they interchange comprise and consists. This article describes the difference between comprise and consists and explains how you can use these words correctly in your writing.
6. How to Write a Winning Grant Title
The title of your proposal (or manuscript) is one of the most important parts of your grant application. The title is the first thing your reviewers will read, so it sets the tone for the specific aims and the rest of the grant. This article shares tips that will help you craft a grant title that wins over your reviewers with a great first impression.
7. Describe Action with the Right Preposition: By vs With
In scientific and medical writing, some authors will use the prepositions by and with interchangeably. But these words have different meanings that clarify relationships. This article describes the difference between by and with and how you can use these words accurately in your writing.
8. 10 More Ways to Reduce Your Word Count in Academic Writing
As an academic author (regardless of your field), you will face the challenge of meeting a word, page, or character limit in your writing. This article builds on the original 10 tricks for cutting the word count to help you further condense your writing.
9. When to Use Apostrophes in Formal Scientific Writing
Apostrophes can help to maintain a formal tone in scientific and medical text. And when used carefully, they can add simplicity and clarity to your writing. This article discusses when apostrophes are appropriate to use in formal scientific and medical writing.
10. Why Varying Sentence Length Engages Your Reader
Sentence length is a top predictor of readability and comprehension. Yet, researchers tend to write mostly medium to long sentences that challenge their reader's attention and understanding. By mixing short and long sentences in your writing, you can create rhythm that engages your reader.
