Questions tagged [scientific-language]
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38
questions
2
votes
3answers
879 views
Should Chemical names be used at the start of sentences?
Which of the following sentences is more grammatically correct:
'Calcium was reported in the sample, but not Na.'
or
'Ca was reported in the sample, but not Na.'?
Or are they both fine?
2
votes
6answers
80 views
On explaining weird applications of something in a scientific/technical context
I'm going to write a paper on weird and unusual applications of tool A. Is there any appropriate term/single word or idiomatic phrase to point to such odd applications in the scientific context?
...
2
votes
2answers
939 views
Do I have to use “I” or “we” when orally presenting my scientific thesis written by a single author? [closed]
I know that in a scientific paper or thesis made by a single author, it is common to use we. (This is also recommended at our university.)
But what about when you alone are presenting a thesis work ...
2
votes
1answer
8k 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
103 views
Etymology of the scientific term “tomont”
What is the etymology of the scientific term "tomont", referring to a life stage of certain parasitic organisms such as Cryptocaryon irritans?
The Oxford English Dictionary has an entry for a ...
2
votes
1answer
32 views
For X a Y, something is true
Often in mathematical writing I read (and write) constructions such as
For G a finite group, the character algebra is defined as ...
For X and Y sets, a function from X to Y is ...
The general ...
2
votes
1answer
84 views
A word that includes plants and fungi, but not animals
I am working on a project which includes information about plants and fungi. It would be very helpful for me if there a word that means plants-and-fungi, but I'm not sure there is. "Flora" ...
1
vote
2answers
42 views
Term for describing auditory memory similar to 'eidetic' (for visual memory)
Is there a similar term for eidetic memory, but for sound?
An eidetic memory is the ability to remember things in exact detail, as if you can see them in your mind:
Cambridge
The measure of eidetic ...
1
vote
1answer
64 views
To what extent should figure legends within scientific literature describe trends in their figures?
How far should figure legends go in describing the trends within the figure (within a biology paper)?
I've seen some conflicting information on this and I'm unsure if legends need to fully describe ...
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, ...
1
vote
1answer
84 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-...
1
vote
1answer
48 views
Writing out scientific symbols
How should µeV be written out? Is it microelectronvolts? or microelectron-volts?
1
vote
0answers
18 views
Do I have to have an article in the beginning of a caption? [duplicate]
I am writing a scientific paper. I have a caption that says: "Figure 1. Picture of a man..." another non-native speaker told me I should do "Figure 1. A picture of a man..."
However, it sounds wrong ...
1
vote
1answer
25 views
Taxonomy - how to describe something as plantlike?
So I'm writing a story that features Chimeras or hybrid creatures, and I'm wondering what I would call a plant based creature. For other things like a spider creature or bird creature I would call it ...
1
vote
1answer
70 views
Neologism: I am introducing a new term in my thesis for a concept but I am cautious [closed]
Is it arrogant in writing to explicitly say I came up with the term?
Fear of appearing arrogant made me think to just say:
X will be used throughout the thesis to refer to the concept of Y
without ...
0
votes
4answers
130 views
“yields” vs “yields that” in math context
I have learned that a commonly mistake in math papers is the phrase
by ... we have that ... instead it would be correct to just leave the that.
Now I am wondering how to correctly use yield. In ...
0
votes
2answers
41 views
Terminology for an “optical RGB image” in relation to more complex imagery like hyperspectral imagery?
I am currently writing the literature review portion of my dissertation and I find that I am being quite wordy when attempting to describe what a layman would conceptualize as an "image". ...
0
votes
2answers
22 views
Can the word 'slab' be used to mean 'range'? For example, distance slab and weight slab (in technical specifications), income tax slab
In Merriam-Webster dictionary, none of the meaning of 'slab' is 'range'. But slab is also used to mean range in India. For example, limit X1 for weight slab 10-20kg, limit X2 for slab 20-30 kg.
0
votes
2answers
41 views
Number vs. no. vs. # in scientific papers?
This is kinda an extension to: this question.
I am writing a scientific paper and have a numbered list. Now, when I want to refer to that list I want to say something like: "This issue is closely ...
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
1answer
41 views
using article “the” before three scientific methods
I dove into similar questions but didn't find the exact question.
I am writing my paper and I know that "the" should be used before methods, but how could it be when there are 3 methods ...
0
votes
1answer
37 views
how to describe a set of strings with various types of format [closed]
In my scientific experiment, the measurement of equipment may appear as follows 1’’-2’’, 3”:4”, [1”, 2”], or (1”:2”), etc.
I would like to describe this fact in an article. What is the best way to ...
0
votes
1answer
32 views
Is the usage “multiple logistic regression analysis” correct?
I encountered a manuscript where the author writes:
Risk associations for metabolic syndrome and diabetes were analyzed using multiple logistic regression analyses..."
In this case, is the ...
0
votes
1answer
236 views
Convention of writing percentage range
I am writing to inquire the convention of writing the following percentage range in academic writing:
We reduce the extra cost from 99.9% to 12%--24% (depending on different configuration schemes).
...
0
votes
1answer
55 views
“As we want to” in scientific writing
I am writing a scientific journal article at the moment (biophysics).
I am using the phrase "As we want to" in a sentence:
"As we want to focus on the assembly process, we implicitly average over all ...
0
votes
2answers
191 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
43 views
Questions about choices of tenses and plural/singular (scientific writting)
We assumed that the annual device scrape rate is/rate was/rates are/rates were 10% from 1960 to 1979, 30% from 1980 to 1999, and 60% from 2000 onwards.
I know if mentioning hypotheses, we need to ...
0
votes
1answer
27 views
how to avoid repetition in comparing two things in a line graph
I have a problem with repetition for describing this graph. This graph represents the strong ground motion acceleration (vertical axes) over the period (the horizontal axes) for different return ...
0
votes
0answers
30 views
Using article “THE” in writing scientific papers [duplicate]
I have a question on the use of article "the" in scientific paper. The following is my paragraph that includes my question.
...
This process is given by
x+ y + z = 1. ...
0
votes
0answers
17 views
Noun + Past Participle Usage
DCR(Dark Current Rate) represents the base noise level of a SPAD caused by parasitic avalanches happening in the dark due to thermal noise and band-to-band tunnelling effects.
I don't understand why ...
0
votes
0answers
20 views
'Such' in place of a demonstrative pronoun. Such a configuration or such configuration?
I read some explanations about the use of 'such' as a determiner, but I still could not figure this out. If, in scientific/formal writing, I want to use 'such' instead of 'this' to specify a ...
0
votes
0answers
43 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 ...
0
votes
0answers
30 views
Relation of the etymology of «epilepsy» and «cataplexy» to their meaning
I want to know the exact meaning of these 2 words (they are a medical words ... I know their scientific meaning, I need the relation of their etymology to their meaning) the prefix and the suffix of ...
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 ...
0
votes
1answer
73 views
what's the scientific term for “natural” in “natural blonde”
Jim Rogers (a famous investor) is very enamored with the natural blondeness of his current (third) wife.
See here:
and here:
I once came across an interview of his where he described her as a "...
-1
votes
1answer
326 views
Why are there vague terms in science and mathematics? [closed]
In the sciences and in mathematics there are a great number of words and terms in use that do not, in any literal sense, describe the concept they are meant to describe.
Let's explore the use of "...
-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.
...
-3
votes
3answers
118 views
scientific way to say wash your hands
What would be a scientific way to tell people to wash their hands? In a way that it wouldn't sound like simply washing hands but more like a newly discovered method against corona virus.
I'm thinking ...
