I frequently edit scientific documents for colleagues and clients, and I tend to see a lot of the same grammatical errors repeated by all. Here’s a quick list of the top 10 most common mistakes, and how to correct them yourself!
5. utilize vs. use – Perhaps this could be filed under “style” rather than “grammar,” but it’s a mistake I will always correct in a document that I’m editing. A scientist should always strive to use the most simple language possible, in order to dazzle your reader with data instead of distracting them with fancy vocabulary.
We utilized a high-throughput approach to identify candidate genes.
We utilized used a high-throughput approach to identify candidate genes.
Diedre Ribbens, PhD 