Is Passive Voice Passé?

Is Passive Voice Passé?

Historically, passive voice has been strongly recommended for scientific writing, particularly for manuscripts prepared for peer-reviewed journals. Many of us were taught that passive voice should be used almost exclusively to make the writing more objective, and that...
Asking for an Extension

Asking for an Extension

You’ve submitted your manuscript to a medical journal and you’re anxiously awaiting a decision. The editor emails you with a request to “Revise and Resubmit” (yaaay!), with what they consider “major” revisions (not so great, but still good!). And the journal’s...
When to Use Present or Past Tense

When to Use Present or Past Tense

One of the most common problems with the manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals that I receive for copy-editing is the improper use of verb tenses. It seems most researchers struggle with the correct tense to use to describe what was done in their study. They’ve been...
Difficult Word Pairs – Part 2

Difficult Word Pairs – Part 2

A while back I wrote about some word pairs that frequently get mixed up and are used incorrectly. It’s hard to say if it’s an effect of the notorious autocorrect feature, or if people get confused by which term and spelling to use. It’s probably a bit of both....
Fun with Acknowledgements

Fun with Acknowledgements

The Acknowledgements section appears at the end of the text in a scientific paper, right before the References section. It’s usually quite brief and acknowledges funding support, as well as the technical support or specialized expertise of individuals with specific...