Author: Ana Pérez-Escoda Translation: Erika-Lucia Gonzalez-Carrion
Starting from the fact that the act of writing underlies the need to communicate something, we accept the premise that writing well means knowing how to communicate properly. Communication, the exchange of information and the production of knowledge have been and are essential activities in the interaction of the human being.
Writing a scientific article implies different underlying objectives, among which is the desire that the scientific contribution help other colleagues to advance, add to the thoughts and concerns of another, enlighten consciences and project new fields of research. Currently, writing implicitly implies the expectation of being read-up to now nothing changes with respect to the past, but, under the protection of the new communicative possibilities provided by ICT, the act of writing becomes an act of multiple interactions, establishing a range of possible communication flows: in social networks, posts, mails to colleagues, academic networks, repositories, etc. Thus, the act of writing becomes an act of personal brand creation for the academic, the vehicle with which to become a renowned author.
Therefore, it is necessary to put yourself in the place of the reader if we pretend to be read.
Write to be read, 6 essential tips
- Homogenize the style of the text: verb tenses, person of the verbs, etc. They give a sense of order and continuity for what they invite to continue reading.
- Less is more, Ockham’s rule, Baroque writing is not synonymous with good writing but more convoluted, less clear. If the reader does not understand, give up.
- Neatness in language, which only communicates when it transmits what is meant. To avoid circumlocutions, passive ones, rodeos, redundancies. If the reader is bored, leave.
- Clarity in the argumentation, the academic or methodological excess or the use of abundant technicalities that build an impossible discourse is not convenient. If we overwhelm the reader, he will renounce to follow us.
- Correction in the writing, cultured connectors, appropriate expressions, good use of punctuation, are elements that tell the reader that it is a careful and well planned text. A correct style seduces the reader to follow us.
- To give importance to all sections that make up the scientific article equally: The importance of conducting a good discussion, The image of the results also matters, A good state of the issue, The dissonance between sections is annoying, gives a message of lack of interest that in conveyed to the reader.
Therefore, when writing a scientific article we will seek to project, communicate, show, transmit, evidence, approach … we will think of that receiver willing, avid, delivered, expectant and we will take into account all the tips to be read. In short, we will put ourselves in the place of the reader.
