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Jargon to Avoid in Scientific and Technical Writing
The following is a list of words, expressions, and jargon to avoid in scientific and technical writing. The original list is from EST-L on the Internet with permission from the author by students of Roy Bowers, Center for Biological Research, La Paz, Mexico and posted on the Web (https://www.cibnor.conacyt.mx/est/day.html). The students transcribed the list from Robert A. Day's outstanding books on technical writing:
- Day, Robert A. "How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper". I.S.I Press, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1979
- Day, Robert A. "Scientific English: A Guide for Scientists and Other Professionals". Oryx Press, Phoenix, Arizona, 1992. (now in its 2nd edition)
Additions added to the original list come from:
- Day, Robert A. "How To Write & Publish a Scientific Paper: 5th Edition". 3rd ed. Oryx Press, Phoenix, Arizona, 1988. (now in its 5th edition)
- Redish, Janice C.; Felker, Daniel B.; Pickering, Frances; Charrow, Veda R.; and Holland, V. Melissa "Guidelines for Document Designers a Product of the Document Design Project Funded by the National Institute of Education". American Institutes for Research, Washington, D.C. 1981.
- Style guidelines from Cynthia Lockley, IBM Corporation, and others.
Avoid | Use instead |
---|---|
a considerable amount of | much |
a considerable number of | many |
a great number of times | often |
a majority of | most |
a number of | some |
a small number of | a few |
absolutely essential | essential |
accompany | go with |
accounted for by the fact that | because |
adjacent to | near |
afford an opportunity | let |
along the lines of | like |
an example of this fact that | for example |
an order of magnitude faster | 10 times faster |
apparent | clear |
approximately | about |
are of the same opinion | agree |
as a consequence of | because |
as a matter of fact | in fact (or leave out) |
as a means of | to |
as is the case | as happens |
as of this date | today |
as to | about (or leave out) |
as to whether | whether |
at a rapid rate | rapidly |
at an early date | soon |
at an earlier date | previously |
at some future time | later |
at the conclusion of | after |
at the present time | now |
at this point in time | now |
based on the fact that | because |
be advised that | (leave out) |
by means of | by, with |
capability | ability |
causal factor | cause |
caveat | warning |
completely full | full |
component | part |
consensus of opinion | consensus |
considerable amount of | much |
deem | think |
definitely proved | proved |
despite the fact that | although |
due to the fact that | because |
during the course of | during, while |
during the time that | while |
echelons | levels |
elucidate | explain |
employ | use |
enclosed herewith | enclosed |
encounter | meet |
end result | result |
endeavor | try |
entirely eliminate | eliminate |
equivalent | equal |
eventuate | happen |
evidenced | showed |
fabricate | make |
facilitate | ease, help |
fatal outcome | death |
fewer in number | fewer |
finalize | end |
first of all | first |
following | after |
for a period of | for |
for the purpose of | for |
for the reason that | because |
from the point of view | for |
from the time that | since |
future plans | plans |
give an account of | describe |
give consideration to | consider |
give rise to | cause |
has been engaged in a study of | has studied |
has the capability of | can |
have the appearance of | look like |
having regard to | about |
impact (v.) | affect |
important essentials | essentials |
in a number of cases | some |
in a position to | can, may |
in a satisfactory manner | satisfactorily |
in a timely manner | promptly |
in a very real sense | in a sense (or leave out) |
in almost all instances | nearly always |
in case | if |
in close proximity to | close, near |
in connection with | about, concerning |
in lieu of | instead of |
in many cases | often |
in my opinion it is not an unjustifiable assumption that |
I think |
in order to | to |
in reference to | about |
in relation to | about, towards, toward |
in respect to | about |
in some cases | sometimes |
in spite of the fact that | although |
in terms of | about |
in the absence of | without |
in the amount of | for |
in the event that | if |
in the first place | first |
in the matter of | about |
in the not-too-distant future | soon |
in the possession of | has, have |
in the range of | about |
in the vicinity of | about |
in view of the fact that | because |
inasmuch as | because |
inception | start |
incline to the view | think |
incumbent upon | must |
initiate | begin, start |
is defined as | is |
it goes without saying that I | I |
it has been reported by Smith | Smith reported |
it has long been known that | (I haven't bothered to look up the reference) |
it is apparent that | apparently |
it is believed that | I think |
it is clear that | clearly |
it is clear that much additional work will be required before a complete understanding | (I don't understand it) |
it is doubtful that | possibly |
it is evident that A produced B | A produced B |
it is generally believed | many think |
it is my understanding that | I understand that |
it is of interest to note that | (leave out) |
it is often the case that | often |
it is recommended that | we recommend |
it is worth pointing out in this context that | note that |
it may be that | I think |
it may, however, be noted that | but |
it should be noted that | note that (or leave out) |
it was observed in the course of these experiments that | we observed |
join together | join |
lacked the ability to | could not |
large in size | large |
let me make one thing perfectly clear | (a snow job is coming) |
liase with | coordinate with |
majority of | most |
make preparations for | prepare |
make reference to | refer to |
methodology | method |
militate against | prohibit |
month of | (leave out) |
more or less | about |
needless to say | (leave out, and consider leaving out whatever follows it) |
new initiatives | initiatives |
not later than | by |
of great theoretical and practical importance | useful |
of long standing | old |
of the opinion that | think that |
on account of | because |
on a daily basis | daily |
on behalf of | for |
on no occasion | never |
on the basis of | by |
on the grounds that | because |
on the order of | about |
on the other hand | although, however, otherwise |
on the part of | by, among, for |
on the subject of | about |
optimum | best |
our attention has been called to the fact that | (we belatedly discovered) |
owing to the fact that | because |
parameters | limits |
penultimate | next to the last |
perform | do |
permit | let |
place a major emphasis on | stress |
pooled together | pooled |
practicable | practical |
presents a picture similar to | resembles |
prior to | before |
prioritize | rank |
protein determinations were performed | proteins were determined |
provided that | if |
pursuant to | about |
quantity | measure |
quite | (leave out) |
quite a large quantity of | much |
quite unique | unique |
rather interesting | interesting |
re | about |
red in color | red |
referred to as | called |
reference | about |
regarding | about |
relating to the subject matter of | about |
relative to | about |
remuneration | pay, payment |
rendered completely inoperative | broken |
respecting | about |
resultant effect | result |
root cause | cause |
serious crisis | crisis |
shortfall | shortage |
smaller in size | smaller |
so as to | to |
subject matter | subject |
subsequent to | after |
sufficient | enough |
take into consideration | consider |
terminate | end |
the great majority of | most |
the opinion is advanced that | I think |
the predominant number | most |
the question as to whether | whether |
there is a reason to believe | I think |
this result would seem to indicate | this result indicates |
through the use of | by, with |
ultimate | last |
utilize | use |
was the opinion that | believed |
ways and means | ways, means (not both) |
we wish to thank | we thank |
whether or not | whether |
with a view to | to |
with reference to | about (or leave out) |
with regard to | about |
with respect to | about, except |
with the possible exception of | except |
with the result that | so that |
within the ballpark of | about |
Jargon in the Workplace
- "Why Workplace Jargon Is A Big Problem" by Maddie Crum, 04/25/2014, HuffPost Books.
- "The worst workplace jargon" by Jena Mcgregor, March 26, 2014, The Washington Post.
- "The Most Annoying, Pretentious And Useless Business Jargon" by By Max Mallet, Brett Nelson and Chris Steiner, 1/26/2012, Forbes, ENTREPRENEURS.
- Glossary: Most Annoying Business Jargon (slideshow of 46 terms defined with photos) by 1/26/2012, Forbes, ENTREPRENEURS.
- "Stop Using These 30 Phrases At Work!" by Bernard Mar, August 26, 2013, LinkedIn.
- "16 business jargon words we never, ever want to hear again" by Victoria Craw, May 27, 2013, news.com.au.
Banished Word Suggestions
The Complete List of Banished Words is issued on 1 January each year since 1975 by Lake Superior State University (LSSU); Michigan's smallest public university with an enrollment of 3,000 students. This list is a tongue-in-cheek list of words and expressions nominated by people around the world that should be banished from the English language. See the History of Word Banishment for the story behind the list.