The Clear Path to An Impactful Paper: ②

As the golden season of Autumn begins, preparations are on in full swing to welcome the harvest season. For researchers, this season brings challenges as well as opportunities in academia. Elsevier is witnessing that more and more high-quality papers by Chinese scholars are shining brightly and bringing widespread academic impact.

A high-quality paper is inseparable from precise and concise language. In a previous blog, “Path to an Impactful Paper: Common Manuscript Writing Patterns and Structure”, we have discussed the structural framework and sentence expressions that can be referenced in academic writing. In today’s issue of “Writing Skills Improvement”, we will further explore the writing skills and common sentence patterns of each sub-structure within the overall framework of the paper.

The first part of this blog focuses on how to reasonably segment the text to improve the fluency of writing; while the second part mainly introduces the three elements for achieving wonderful and authentic sentence structures, with specific case references. We hope this blog can help researchers publish papers more easily and smoothly!

Part 1 – How to Structure Paragraphs:

Although there are no set rules regarding paragraph structure, it is crucial to maintain the flow between individual sentences and between paragraphs. 

You already know the sections in a manuscript. Here are some common paragraph patterns for each¹, with practical examples of sentences that can be used for the same.

• Introduction

• Methods

• Results

• Discussion

Part 2 – How to Structure Sentences:

Now that we have clarified the segmented sentence structure, how should we organize each sentence to achieve excellent, authentic expression? The following 3 tips may prove useful: 

• Ensure Variation in Sentence Length

Using long sentences too often can overwhelm a reader and make your main points unclear for them². Likewise, using too many short sentences can make your argument seem hurried or incomplete. Therefore, use sentences with varying lengths. Use short sentences to highlight important points and longer sentences to set context or explain ideas.  

• Use the Right Sentence Type

In a previous post we explained the four basic types of sentences—simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex. Findins the right sentence type is essential to crafting an engaging article². However, when in doubt, follow the As Short as Possible (ASAP) principle which states that one must never use elaborate sentences unless necessary³.

• Position the Verb Intelligently

A sentence has three cores—the subject (the person or thing that is doing an action), the verb (the action being performed), and the object (the recipient of the action). To craft engaging sentences, elevate the verb and highlight the action being performed³. Here is an example to help you understand: 

Deep sequencing of both species was performed to estimate genetic similarity

• • In this passive sentence, the action being performed (deep sequencing) is not receiving adequate attention

We performed deep sequencing of both species to estimate genetic similarity

• • This active sentence elevates the action being performed and makes for a more engaging read

Conclusion

The above are our suggestions for improving the overall writing fluency and sentence richness in your academic paper. If you need further specific writing suggestions and polishing, you are welcome to learn more about Elsevier’s language services. Our team of editorial experts makes sure the quality of your article meets the standards of top journals, accurately improves English language expression from a native perspective, fundamentally improves the probability of publication, and helps your research gain greater academic influence!

What’s more, we have another piece of good news! Elsevier’s language services website has been completely revamped. With a more friendly user interface and more intuitive content presentation, it provides researchers with a smooth browsing experience and brings you the best language services! Come and experience the new Elsevier language services website!

References

1. De Araújo, C. G. S. (2014). Detailing the writing of scientific manuscripts: 25-30 paragraphs. Arquivos Brasileiros De Cardiologia. https://doi.org/10.5935/abc.20140019.
2. Scholarly Voice: Varying Sentence Structure – Walden University Writing Center. (n.d.). https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/scholarlyvoice/sentencestructure.
3. Revising, editing and proofreading – Engineering Communication Program. (2016, February 9). Engineering Communication Program. https://ecp.engineering.utoronto.ca/resources/online-handbook/the-writing-process/revising-editing-and-proofreading/.