2_CuttingClutter

Short Summary:

This lecture focuses on improving scientific writing by eliminating unnecessary clutter. Key points include removing redundant words and phrases, simplifying sentence structure, converting passive voice to active voice, and replacing vague terms with precise language. Specific examples of sentence reduction and word choice improvements are demonstrated. The application is improved clarity and conciseness in scientific writing, leading to stronger, more impactful communication. The lecture details a process of editing involving deleting words and phrases to assess if the meaning remains intact, using the "undo" function as a safety net.

Detailed Summary:

The lecture begins by introducing the concept of concise scientific writing, referencing a Stanford University course. The instructor emphasizes the importance of removing unnecessary words to enhance clarity ("the secret of good writing is to strip every sentence down to its cleanest components"). This is illustrated using the quote by Strunk and White.

The core of the lecture involves several examples of sentence reduction. The instructor demonstrates how to streamline sentences by:

Removing redundant phrases: Examples include removing "provides a review of" and replacing it with "reviews," eliminating "basic tenets of" as it's too vague, and removing phrases like "using as examples" and "methodological challenges" as the context already implies them. The instructor also shows how to avoid using synonyms unnecessarily (e.g., "illustrate" and "demonstrate").
Converting nouns to verbs: This speeds up the sentence and improves flow.
Eliminating unnecessary words and phrases: Examples include removing "as it is well known," "higher levels of," and simplifying phrases like "levels of calcification of calcifying organisms" to "calcification rates."
Removing negatives and converting them to positives: This often shortens sentences and makes them more direct. Examples include changing "was not often right" to "was usually wrong" and "did not believe the drug was harmful" to "believed the drug was safe."
Eliminating superfluous uses of "there are" and "there is": The instructor demonstrates how to restructure sentences to remove these phrases and make them more direct.
Omitting needless prepositions: The instructor shows how to remove unnecessary prepositions like "on" and "that" to create more concise sentences.

The instructor highlights the importance of being vigilant and ruthless when editing, emphasizing that writers shouldn't be overly attached to their words. They encourage experimentation with deleting words and using the "undo" function to check if the meaning is preserved. The lecture concludes with a homework assignment requiring students to practice shortening example sentences, reinforcing the importance of concise and clear scientific writing. The instructor also connects this to the importance of logically organizing thoughts before writing. The Pascal quote ("I have only made this letter rather long because I have not had time to make it shorter") is used to illustrate the common tendency to write lengthy, unclear sentences due to time constraints.