Crystal Herron, PhD, ELS’ Post

When crafting a persuasive argument, you might think that adding more and more support will help you make a strong case. But more is not always better. According to Robert Glazer, weak arguments can dilute a strong case and damage a persuasive message. What's the lesson? "Less is often more in persuasive communication. Deliver your strongest, most irrefutable talking points, and skip the rest." #medicalwriting #writing

An outline is a roadmap that guides writers from the start of an idea to the finish of a first draft. #medicalwriting #writing #science

How can you overcome a lack of inspiration in your writing? Here are 5 ways (according to Ben R.): 1️⃣ Show up 2️⃣ Embrace the hard work of the sentence 3️⃣ Work from a plan 4️⃣ Clear your throat 5️⃣ Hoist the sail This article is worth the read not only for Ben's excellent advice, but also for his creative use of words. #writing #medicalwriting #academia

What's the difference between an abbreviation, acronym, and initialism? 📕 Abbreviation An abbreviation is the shortened form of a word or phrase. Examples: vs = versus dept = department ave = avenue etc = et cetera 📗 Acronym An acronym is a type of abbreviation that uses the first letters of words in a phrase to make a new pronounceable word. Examples: ASAP = as soon as possible LASER = light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation FOMO = fear of missing out CRISPR = clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats 📘 Initialism An initialism is a type of abbreviation that uses the first letters of words in a phrase to make a term that you pronounce with each letter. Examples: VIP = very important person LOL = laugh out loud CDC = Centers for Disease Control and Prevention NIH = National Institutes of Health #writing #medicalwriting #science

Have you noticed tortured acronyms in the scientific literature? According to this article, journals have access to an automated tool—the Problematic Paper Screener—that detects tortured acronyms and phrases to flag potential misconduct in research. #research #science #academia

"He analyzed five million scientific studies published last year and detected a sudden rise in the use of certain words, such as meticulously (up 137%), intricate (117%), commendable (83%) and meticulous (59%). The librarian from the University College London can only find one explanation for this rise: tens of thousands of researchers are using ChatGPT — or other similar Large Language Model tools with artificial intelligence — to write their studies or at least 'polish' them.” #science #medicine #research

I just got a simple but meaningful review of my free Inclusive Language Course. "Fantastic, informative course" 😊 If you're interested in learning more about the course, head on over to the course website. #inclusion #medicine #healthcare

With deliberate practice, writing skills become more natural and instinctive. #medicalwriting #writing #professionaldevelopment

Latin abbreviations are a great way to condense your text. But some scientific and medical authors interchange them or use them incorrectly. Here's a list of common Latin abbreviations, their meanings, and some examples to help you get them right every time: ✍️ cf = compare Example: Although the analysis supports that the drug improves heart rate, several studies reported differences in the drug's effects on hypertension (cf, Smith 2021, Miller 2023). ✍️ eg = for example Example: Patients reported several flu-like symptoms (eg, cough, fever, chills). ✍️ et al = and others Example: Smith et al developed an intervention for patients with breast cancer. ✍️ etc = and so forth Example: The clinician noted signs of a bone fracture (pain, swelling, bruising, etc). ✍️ ie = that is Example: The study identified national acute care or critical access hospitals (ie, nonemergency hospitals). ✍️ vs = versus Example: The researchers compared the effects of the drug on the control vs treatment groups. #medicalwriting #science #medicine

3 ways to avoid overloaded sentences that overwhelm readers: 🪢 Avoid stringing ideas together Many authors will tie multiple concepts together with punctuation (eg, commas, semicolons, dashes) or conjunctions (eg, "and", "or", "but"). Limit your use of punctuation and conjunctions to keep your sentences clear and concise. 1️⃣ Make only one point in each sentence Some authors will interweave multiple ideas into a sentence, which creates complex writing that confuses readers. Divide multiple ideas into multiple sentences to make the writing easier for readers to digest. ✍️ Aim for sentences with no more than 25 words Many authors write with really long sentences (35+ words). Keep your sentences as short as possible, ideally with various lengths that are no more than 25 words. For more details and examples, check out the article linked in the comments.👇 #medicalwriting #science #medicine