科研写作的简朴
Highlights from Chapters 2&3 <<On Writing Well>> by William Zinsser
1.
The secret of good writing is to strip every sentence to its cleanest components.
2.
Clear thinking becomes clear writing; one can’t exist without the other.
3.
Thinking clearly is a conscious act that writers must force on themselves, as if they were working on any other project that requires logic: making a shopping list or doing an algebra problem.
4.
Writing is hard work. A clear sentence is no accident.
Very few sentences come out right the first time, or even the third time. Remember this in moments of despair. If you find that writing is hard, it’s because it is hard.
5.
Examine every word you put on paper. You’ll find a surprising number of words that don’t serve any purpose.
- Example: personal friend, personal feeling, order up, smile happily, tall skyscraper
6.
Long words are no better than short words:
- assistance (help)
- numerous (many)
- facilitate (ease)
- individual (man or woman)
- remainder (rest)
- initial (first)
- implement (do)
- sufficient (enough)
- attempt (try)
- referred to as (called)
7.
Don’t inflate what needs no inflating:
- with the possible exception of (except)
- due to the fact that (because)
- he totally lacked the ability to (he couldn’t)
- until such time as (until)
- for the purpose of (for)