J Korean Med Sci.  2022 Nov;37(44):e312. 10.3346/jkms.2022.37.e312.

Proper Scholarly Writing for NonNative English-Speaking Authors: Choosing Active and Passive Voice, Rewording, and Refining Texts

• Kojima T
• Popiel HA

• KMID: 2535179
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2022.37.e312

Abstract

The process of writing, revising, and submitting manuscripts to journals until they are accepted and published is a task that can often be demanding, especially for non-native English-speaking researchers. In order to improve the quality of writing, it is important for researchers to have a good understanding of scientific/medical terminology and grammar, as well as the organization and structure of research articles. 1 Furthermore, it is helpful for non-native English speakers to become familiar with common problems or difficulties faced by researchers when writing in a non-native language. 2 Here, we focus on ways to refine a manuscript by introducing four items; choosing the active voice over passive voice, rewording and rephrasing sentences, creating an attractive Discussion, and revising titles. This paper is unique in that we present actual examples from our experience as editors in medical writing in Japan, thereby enabling readers to clearly understand each item and to put it into context.

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