Adapt language, terminology, and conventions to match the specific scientific discipline. Each field has established vocabulary, preferred phrasings, and domain-specific conventions that signal expertise and ensure clarity for the target audience.
Identify Field-Specific Linguistic Conventions:
- Review terminology used in recent high-impact papers in the target journal
- Note field-specific abbreviations, units, and notation systems
- Identify preferred terms (e.g., "participants" vs. "subjects," "compound" vs. "drug," "specimens" vs. "samples")
- Observe how methods, organisms, or techniques are typically described
Biomedical and Clinical Sciences:
- Use precise anatomical and clinical terminology (e.g., "myocardial infarction" not "heart attack" in formal writing)
- Follow standardized disease nomenclature (ICD, DSM, SNOMED-CT)
- Specify drug names using generic names first, brand names in parentheses if needed
- Use "patients" for clinical studies, "participants" for community-based research
- Follow Human Genome Variation Society (HGVS) nomenclature for genetic variants
- Report lab values with standard units (SI units in most international journals)
Molecular Biology and Genetics:
- Use italics for gene symbols (e.g., TP53), regular font for proteins (e.g., p53)
- Follow species-specific gene nomenclature (uppercase for human: BRCA1; sentence case for mouse: Brca1)
- Specify organism names in full at first mention, then use accepted abbreviations (e.g., Escherichia coli, then E. coli)
- Use standard genetic notation (e.g., +/+, +/-, -/- for genotypes)
- Employ established terminology for molecular techniques (e.g., "quantitative PCR" or "qPCR," not "real-time PCR")
Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences:
- Follow IUPAC nomenclature for chemical compounds
- Use systematic names for novel compounds, common names for well-known substances
- Specify chemical structures using standard notation (e.g., SMILES, InChI for databases)
- Report concentrations with appropriate units (mM, μM, nM, or % w/v, v/v)
- Describe synthesis routes using accepted reaction nomenclature
- Use terms like "bioavailability," "pharmacokinetics," "IC50" consistently with field definitions
Ecology and Environmental Sciences:
- Use binomial nomenclature for species (italicized: Homo sapiens)
- Specify taxonomic authorities at first species mention when relevant
- Employ standardized habitat and ecosystem classifications
- Use consistent terminology for ecological metrics (e.g., "species richness," "Shannon diversity index")
- Describe sampling methods with field-standard terms (e.g., "transect," "quadrat," "mark-recapture")
Physics and Engineering:
- Follow SI units consistently unless field conventions dictate otherwise
- Use standard notation for physical quantities (scalars vs. vectors, tensors)
- Employ established terminology for phenomena (e.g., "quantum entanglement," "laminar flow")
- Specify equipment with model numbers and manufacturers when relevant
- Use mathematical notation consistent with field standards (e.g., ℏ for reduced Planck constant)
Neuroscience:
- Use standardized brain region nomenclature (e.g., refer to atlases like Allen Brain Atlas)
- Specify coordinates for brain regions using established stereotaxic systems
- Follow conventions for neural terminology (e.g., "action potential" not "spike" in formal writing)
- Use "neural activity," "neuronal firing," "brain activation" appropriately based on measurement method
- Describe recording techniques with proper specificity (e.g., "whole-cell patch clamp," "extracellular recording")
Social and Behavioral Sciences:
- Use person-first language when appropriate (e.g., "people with schizophrenia" not "schizophrenics")
- Employ standardized psychological constructs and validated assessment names
- Follow APA guidelines for reducing bias in language
- Specify theoretical frameworks using established terminology
- Use "participants" rather than "subjects" for human research
General Principles:
Match Audience Expertise:
- For specialized journals: Use field-specific terminology freely, define only highly specialized or novel terms
- For broad-impact journals (e.g., Nature, Science): Define more technical terms, provide context for specialized concepts
- For interdisciplinary audiences: Balance precision with accessibility, define terms at first use
Define Technical Terms Strategically:
- Define abbreviations at first use: "messenger RNA (mRNA)"
- Provide brief explanations for specialized techniques when writing for broader audiences
- Avoid over-defining terms well-known to the target audience (signals unfamiliarity with field)
- Create a glossary if numerous specialized terms are unavoidable
Maintain Consistency:
- Use the same term for the same concept throughout (don't alternate between "medication," "drug," and "pharmaceutical")
- Follow a consistent system for abbreviations (decide on "PCR" or "polymerase chain reaction" after first definition)
- Apply the same nomenclature system throughout (especially for genes, species, chemicals)
Avoid Field Mixing Errors:
- Don't use clinical terminology for basic science (e.g., don't call mice "patients")
- Avoid colloquialisms or overly general terms in place of precise field terminology
- Don't import terminology from adjacent fields without ensuring proper usage
Verify Terminology Usage:
- Consult field-specific style guides and nomenclature resources
- Check how terms are used in recent papers from the target journal
- Use domain-specific databases and ontologies (e.g., Gene Ontology, MeSH terms)
- When uncertain, cite a key reference that establishes terminology