The basics ‘Affect’ is a verb. It means to influence something, e.g. Diet affects a person’s risk of cancer. Diet actively influences a person’s risk of cancer. ‘Effect’ is a noun. It means an outcome, i.e., the result of an action: An effect of global warming is poorer air quality. We are describing the result […]
How to use ‘respectively’ correctly
The adverb ‘respectively’ is often used incorrectly by non-native English speakers. In this short post, we discuss the correct way to use ‘respectively’, focusing on its use in scientific manuscripts. ‘Respectively’ means ‘separately and in the order already mentioned‘. It is used when describing two or more items that refer back to a previous statement. […]
My paper was rejected. What are my options?
Almost every scholar has had a paper rejected. Journal acceptance rates are typically low, ranging from 5% for higher impact journals (e.g., The Lancet) to 69% for “pay-to-publish” open access journals (e.g., PLoS ONE), whose criteria exclude the perceived importance of the paper. However, most rejected papers ultimately go on to be published [see 1 […]
Declarative titles: Should you state a study’s main findings in the title?
There has been some controversy over the usage of declarative titles, i.e., titles that state the main findings of the study. e.g., Visible light reduces C. elegans longevity [1] Pros Defenders of such titles have argued that they are more informative than other title styles (for information on title styles, please refer to our blog […]
Your title and abstract are key to attracting the right reviewers
Potential referees are typically only given the title and abstract when sent an invitation to peer review an article. It is only upon acceptance of the invitation that they will be given the full paper and supporting materials. It follows, therefore, that your title and abstract are essential to attracting and securing the right reviewers. […]
