This essay is not a complete text on ´How to write .´. Nor is it designed - to replace existing works on literary style or the editorial directives issued by journals. Rather it is intended to help research students and scientists to avoid faults; in particular, faults I have encountered in scientific papers. Most of the notions are not new but seem to need repeating; some may be novel. I am grateful to a dozen colleagues for their comments and suggestions. | VIVOS VOCO: V. Booth, "Writing a scientific paper" Writing a Scientific Paper Vernon Booth Trinity College, Cambridge CB2 1TQ, . Vol. 3, ¹1, pp. 1-26 (1975) In 1970 Vernon Booth was awarded the first Prize in a competition organized by Koch-Light Laboratories Ltd, Coinbrook, Bucks., His article 'Writing a Scientific Paper' was printed first in 1971, and 10000 copies were distributed freely by Koch-Light. A Second Edition was prepared by Dr Booth and distributed privately. Copies of the First and Second Editions are no longer in print but requests for them have not ceased. Hence this Third Edition, which is a revision of the previous versions. Preface — Conveyance of ideas without Apparatus, materials & writing Examples element of doubt techniques Before you write Language in flux Alterations & corrections When to begin writing Good workmanship endures Arrangement of a scientific paper Revision of the script must not be The typescript — Where to start hurried Cover sheet, Title & key words Spelling Additions Summary or Synopsis Drawing the diagrams for Introduction to a paper Stops or punctuation — reproduction Materials & Methods The colon, Journey's end for the script Results Semicolons, Preparation of a doctoral Discussion & Conclusion Commas, dissertation or thesis References Dashes, Good sense Bibliography or Literature cited The hyphen, Emotion & modesty in scientific Parentheses, writing Literary style — The solidus, Clear English, Initial letters Addressed to writers for whom Incomprehensible sentences, English is a second or foreign Noun adjectives, Abbreviations & cntrctns language Wrongly attached participle, Headings or captions Pronouns, Tables Further reading Pudder Are all your numbers correct? Tense, mood & voice Illustrations Numbering of figures, tables & Choice of words — references during their preparation Plain words, Elegant variation, Units & quantities Homonyms Preface 1 of 24 1/10/2006
