4_Verbs
Short Summary:
This video lecture focuses on improving scientific writing by using stronger verbs. The instructor argues that weak verbs, to-be verbs, and nominalizations (nouns formed from verbs) make writing unclear and less engaging. Stronger verbs create more vivid and concise sentences, reducing the need for adverbs and improving clarity. The lecture uses examples from scientific publications (including the World Health Organization) and a statistics textbook to illustrate how to replace weak verbs with stronger alternatives, avoiding nominalizations and ensuring the subject and verb are close together in the sentence. The instructor encourages viewers to analyze their own writing for weak verbs and nominalizations, suggesting the use of a thesaurus to find more impactful verb choices. A TEDx talk on nominalizations ("zombie nouns") is recommended as supplemental material.
Detailed Summary:
The lecture is divided into several sections focusing on improving scientific writing through verb selection:
Section 1: Introduction to Strong Verbs: The lecture begins by emphasizing the importance of strong verbs in creating more engaging and clear sentences. Weak verbs like "came," "moved," and "got" are contrasted with stronger alternatives like "exploded," "shook," and "leapt," demonstrating the impact of verb choice on the reader's experience. The instructor acknowledges that scientific writing may not always lend itself to such dramatic verbs but stresses the importance of careful verb selection even in this context.
Section 2: Improving a WHO Report Example: The instructor analyzes a sentence from a World Health Organization report, highlighting the overuse of weak verbs ("reports," "estimates") and the adverb "approximately." The sentence is revised to replace "reports approximately" with "estimates" and "estimates that...will double" with "projects that...will double," resulting in a more concise and precise sentence. This section illustrates how choosing the right verb can eliminate unnecessary words and adverbs.
Section 3: Avoiding To-Be Verbs and Nominalizations: The lecture discusses the overuse of "to be" verbs (is, are, was, were, etc.) in scientific writing and encourages viewers to assess their own "to-be ratio." The concept of nominalization (turning verbs into nouns) is introduced, described as "killing verbs" and creating "zombie nouns." The instructor recommends watching a TEDx talk on nominalizations for a deeper understanding and asks viewers to define nominalizations and provide examples. An example sentence about coral bleaching is used to demonstrate how to convert a nominalization ("expulsion") back into a strong verb ("expels"). Several other examples of nominalizations and their verb equivalents are provided (e.g., "obtain estimates of" becomes "estimate," "provides a method" becomes "emphasizes methodology").
Section 4: Avoiding Buried Verbs: The lecture addresses the issue of "buried verbs," where the verb is placed far from the subject, making the sentence difficult to understand. An example sentence from a scientific study is analyzed, showing how a long introductory phrase delays the verb ("found"). The sentence is revised to place the subject and verb closer together, improving clarity and readability.
Section 5: Rewriting a Complex Sentence: A lengthy, complex sentence from a statistics textbook is deconstructed. The instructor points out the passive voice, multiple negatives, and vague hedging language ("no appreciable change"). The sentence is rewritten into two shorter, clearer sentences using active voice, stronger verbs, and more precise language. The instructor highlights the improved readability and clarity of the revised sentences.
Section 6: Conclusion and Call to Action: The lecture concludes by encouraging viewers to analyze their own writing and the writing of others, paying attention to verb choice, nominalizations, sentence structure, and the use of passive voice. The instructor suggests that improving these aspects can significantly enhance the clarity and impact of scientific writing. The overall message is that strong, active verbs are crucial for clear, concise, and engaging scientific communication.