Questions tagged [science]
The use of English in science.
247
questions
2
votes
1answer
62 views
Is there a word in logic, or science, that means getting the right conclusion from the wrong set of presumptions?
Is there a word in logic, or science, that means getting the right conclusion from the wrong set of presumptions? Or alternatively, something is correct, but the explanation of why is incorrect. Is ...
1
vote
1answer
20 views
Term to describe how much something has changed from its original configuration
Is there a term that describes how far removed or how many change steps are between two given states or configurations?
Complexity is a term to describe that something is intricate or complicated, but ...
0
votes
1answer
24 views
A more positive equivalent of “relegate”
In scientific literature, I sometimes see expression of this form:
We consider results 1, 2, and 3 here, while results 4 and 5 are relegated to Appendix Z.
The notion of "relegating" some ...
0
votes
1answer
65 views
Word for a physicist studying mechanics?
For many fields there is a word for a person studying it. In math there is analyst for analysis, algebraist for algebra, and geometer for geometry.
Is there an equivalent word for a physicist studying ...
9
votes
10answers
6k views
Single word to replace “allowed to be missing”
I want to express my knowledge about the presence of absence of something. My knowledge is divided into three different cases:
I know that the thing doesn't exist.
I don't know whether the thing ...
1
vote
1answer
120 views
Word for falsely declaring something an anomaly, when it is actually typical?
Is there a term for incorrectly distinguishing something to be not part of a common category of items, saying a sub-group is too unique to be considered to be part of the larger category, even though ...
0
votes
2answers
38 views
What does this sentence actually mean?
I have encountered this sentence in an editing assignment
Many patients continue to have pain and limited function and require some other forms of treatment.
I was wondering if this is equivalent to ...
0
votes
1answer
1k views
Would you write “an error was fixed” in scientific work?
I am not sure if
Error ABC was fixed by preprocessing algorithm XYZ.
is "slang". Can it be written in scientific work? Is there a better way to say it?
The context is in machine learning, where a ...
0
votes
1answer
2k views
When should scientific disciplines be capitalized?
When writing motivation letters like SoP, or any other formal text, I don't know whether I have to capitalize sciences or areas of research.
For example:
I have been introduced to Neuroscience.
...
0
votes
2answers
133 views
Translating a scientific paper from American to British
Over the last few years I have translated into English a fair amount of scientific papers for a Mexican scientist. Throughout this time, I noticed that by far the most common style requirement was ...
0
votes
2answers
33 views
“-Based” vs. “ Based”
I am in the process of finalizing an academic research paper and I am struggling to identify the correct hyphenation for the title:
Option 1: Adaptive Chirplet Transform-Based Machine Learning for ...
4
votes
3answers
1k views
Term of solid phase floating on surface of liquid phase
I am looking for what to call the solid or dust particles that reside at the surface of a liquid after density separation by flotation.
I had the term supernatant in mind, but I looked it up and it ...
2
votes
2answers
165 views
Can “up to” mean neglecting, ignoring, excluding…?
In scientific writing my professor (not a native English speaker) sometimes uses "up to SOMETHING" with the intention of expressing that SOMETHING is neglected, ignored, or excluded (see the examples ...
1
vote
2answers
76 views
Is it redundant to say “global pandemic”? [duplicate]
It seems that the word pandemic is generally understood to refer to a large or global geographic area. Is it therefore redundant to say "global pandemic" in a sentence such as, "The ...
0
votes
2answers
76 views
Is there any single word in English to represent domain of “logic and science” together?
Is there any single word in English to represent domain of "logic and science" together?
Background
Some of my friends are going to start an online movement whose main purpose would be ...
0
votes
0answers
42 views
Is “get stuck” a proper term in academic writing?
I am writing to inquire the usage of "get stuck" in academic writing. Here is my draft:
this design could get stuck in a bad local minima and therefore is not desired.
I use Google Scholar to ...
1
vote
1answer
53 views
Is there a word to describe a plausible but incorrect explanation? [duplicate]
I'm thinking of something where somebody (with no malicious intention) offers a very plausible and scientific-sounding explanation (not a theory but something presented as a series of facts) such that ...
1
vote
1answer
83 views
Mathematical Jargon when choosing for determinacy
What is the usual expression a mathematician uses when he has to make a choice in order limit an over-determined structure, in order to continue his argument?
For instance, when a structure is over-...
0
votes
1answer
25 views
Phrases for qualitative comparison
Suppose we have find a relation between two quantities X and Y. When we say "The more Y, the more X" is it implied that the relation between Y and X is linear?
0
votes
0answers
27 views
Why does the term Petri Dishes appear so regularly in political discourse nowadays?
On three occasions on Twitter and other social media platforms, the term "Petri Dishes" appears in a non-scientific context. Is this just a recent fad? It appears to be in the lexicon of many of our ...
1
vote
2answers
54 views
A better word/phrase to describe “a more…” in a scientific paper
I am writing a scientific paper on how a cancer staging system may be improved. However, I am a non-native English speaker, and I am concerned that my current title reflects that too much.
Please, ...
0
votes
0answers
73 views
Word for meaning across the solar system
Is there a single term in english that means "to cross or to traverse a solar system"?
For crossing the Atlantic we have transatlantic, to cross the continent we have transcontinental and even to ...
0
votes
2answers
149 views
Does “corroborate” in a scientific context imply confirmation rather “either confirmation or rejection” of findings from previous studies?
I am a non-native English speaker writing a scientific paper.
I have question concerning the word corroborate. In my native language, one might say that a research project aim to corroborate ...
0
votes
1answer
34 views
Should I use a hyphen in “patient tailored” vs “patient-tailored”?
Being a non-native English speaker, I was wondering which is most correct?
(1) Patient-tailored staging of xx carcinoma, or
(2) Patient tailored staging of xx carcinoma?
It is for a scientific ...
0
votes
2answers
486 views
Pluralization of species names
Can you please guide me should we pluralize "painted stork" and "black-tailed godwits" in this sentence? Is there any rule regarding the names of species?
Like which sentence makes ...
0
votes
0answers
45 views
Are the words bathymetry and bathymetric interchangable?
In my mind these both work...
1) I performed a bathymetry survey. I gave the client the bathymetry data.
2) I performed a bathymetric survey. I gave the client the bathymetric data.
A web search ...
1
vote
1answer
61 views
How to describe factors leading to a negative event?
Being a non-native English speaker, I am looking for an appropriate verb/phrase to describe the negative event as consequence of two health factors.
My best shot is "precipitate"; however, I am ...
1
vote
2answers
71 views
Can a model or hypothesis “assume?”
The model assumes such and such.
The hypothesis assumes such and such.
In scientific writing, I commonly see similar phrases indicating the construction or use of a model with an assumption. It is so ...
0
votes
1answer
220 views
What does “has been described in other work” mean in this sentence? [closed]
I'm currently reading a book about chemistry. Here is a sentence that I faced and didn't understand:
This procedure has been described in other work from our laboratory
I don't get what it ...
1
vote
2answers
132 views
“Second-order approaches”. What does this mean?
I'm currently reading a scientific paper, in which the words "second-order approaches" are supposed to inform me about a certain solution to a problem. However, I don't have the slightest clue on what ...
1
vote
4answers
32k views
“We have showed that”/ “We have shown that” or “We showed that”?
In the summey of my physics paper, for a scientific journal, in the start of a new paragraph in the discussion, what is more correct to write?
"We have showed that" the system obeys this and that ...
11
votes
3answers
2k views
Did the meaning of “significant” change in the 20th century?
In Do We Really Need the S-word? in 'American Scientist', the author Megan D. Higgs writes
Did the people who introduced the word’s use in statistics intend for it to be interpreted according to ...
0
votes
1answer
50 views
How to avoid overusing 'the' in objective writing
I'm writing an experimental process description and I feel like i'm overusing 'the'.
The plastic tube leading out the bottom of the Vayyar equipment (again the tube on the left) is fed through ...
1
vote
1answer
38 views
Word for an object involved in a collision?
I want a word that is used to mean an object involved in a collision, for example, say two tennis balls collide - ball 1 and ball 2 - what would be a word that could describe either ball, only in the ...
0
votes
1answer
33 views
Should I use the formula or the name of the chemical in a sentence?
In a scientific paper, when quoting a chemical, is it more appropriate to write its formula or its name?
For example:
Ion exchange removed nitrate ions from solution.
Or:
Ion exchange removed ...
0
votes
2answers
141 views
When should antibody/antigen be pluralised?
I am doing my thesis corrections, and my examiner (an engineer) has different ideas about whether the word should be pluralised than those I am used to, as I am a non-biochemist, I wanted advice on ...
5
votes
4answers
6k views
Difference between “rule” and “law” in scientific context
In general, according to an article in DifferenceBetween.net
The main difference between rules and laws is the consequences
associated with breaking them. While each is developed to invoke a
...
1
vote
1answer
69 views
“This/That is, ” used at the beginning of a sentence to clarify a concept from the previous sentence
According to an English native speaker who works with me, the "This is" bit in the following sentence should be replaced by "That is":
In fact, the feature space need not be unique. This is, for a ...
-1
votes
1answer
42 views
What is the meaning of the following sentence: [closed]
But why would a strong, inheritable trait that cuts fitness by half not be selected against?
13
votes
2answers
4k views
Suffix ‘-ium’ vs. ‘-um’ in element names
Many chemical elements have the suffix ‘-ium’. However, exactly four elements – molybdenum, tantalum, platinum, and lanthanum – have the suffix ‘-um’ instead.
Is there a difference between the ...
-1
votes
1answer
35 views
An alternative for genetive case with of in scientific writing
I am writing a scientific paper and have a following dillema between two sentences:
Therefore, it is reasonable to analyze the effect of the mutual
coupling in the proposed application.
vs.
...
0
votes
2answers
224 views
Electricity withdrawal
We commonly say "electricity consumption" for both :
the electric energy actually consumed by appliances
the electric energy drawn from the grid by a house, measured by a meter (what appears on your ...
2
votes
1answer
7k views
How to abbreviate “section” and “sections” in scientific writing
What are the correct abbreviation of words "section" and "sections" in a scientific writing?
Sec. and Secs.
or
Sect. and Sects.
?
2
votes
1answer
231 views
How to pronounce the names of supersymmetric partner particles of fermions
The names of supersymmetric partner particles of fermions are formed by s- + the name of the normal particle. E.g.:
sparticle
sfermion
squark
sup
sdown
scharm
sstrange
stop
sbottom
slepton
...
0
votes
1answer
48 views
Scientific way to describe “over linear growth”
I am aware that typically we use "linear" growth or "exponential" growth to describe certain trending, which seems very standard and scientific.
But on the other hand, what is a proper and scientific ...
2
votes
2answers
12k views
Capitalisation of “Nature”
Why is "Nature" usually spelt with an initial capital letter in scientific journals? I am mainly referring to life science here, in case this matters.
I am not talking about the obvious cases, like ...
2
votes
1answer
80 views
“The number of steps is infinite” or “The number of steps is infinity”? [closed]
In a mathematical paper about random-walks. Which is more correct: "The number of steps in the random-walk is infinite" or "The number of steps in the random-walk is infinity"?
1
vote
5answers
150 views
Is there a single word for inference of a past state?
In many fields of science, such as population genetics or climatology, we are uncertain of past conditions but have knowledge that makes some scenarios more likely than others. We can estimate the ...
3
votes
2answers
149 views
Temperatures, plural, range
I'd like to describe measured temperature readings from a list, say 184, 185, 181, 187, as "Oil sump temperatures measured in the 180s°F during the start of the test." but I'm not sure if this is ...
4
votes
1answer
386 views
When was “off-world” / “offworld” coined?
"Offworld" meaning "not on the main, current planet" is a term in some sci-fi works, and several works have been named using it, like "Offworld Trading Company" (a video game).
The word definitely ...
