Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing Why plain English matters in science (and everywhere else), with Anne Greene
Jul 24, 2025
Anne Greene, the author of "Writing Science in Plain English" and a scientific writing educator, joins the conversation to explore the significance of using plain language in science. She discusses how simpler words enhance readability and comprehension. Greene emphasizes the power of storytelling in scientific communication, advocating for vivid action verbs and concrete nouns to engage readers. The discussion reveals a shift in students' preferences towards clarity, making a case for accessible writing that connects with diverse audiences.
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Clear Writing Boosts Citations
- Scientific writing quality significantly impacts paper citation and comprehension.
- Excessive acronyms and jargon reduce a paper's citation frequency and memorability.
Watson and Crick's Plain English Success
- Watson and Crick's 1953 paper used plain English and short words to describe DNA structure.
- Their clear style contributed to winning the Nobel Prize and is still used as an example today.
Our Eyes Prefer Short Words
- The fovea in our retina can read only about seven letter spaces at a time.
- Long words force multiple fixations, making reading slower and harder for the eyes.
