Page 94 - English for Writing Research Papers

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4.15 Restrict use of parentheses to giving examples

Phrases in parentheses can considerably increase the length of a sentence.
Parentheses are best used just to give short lists that act as examples. For example:

Several members of the European Union (e.g. Spain, France, and Germany) have success-
fully managed to reduce their top tax threshold from 42 to 38%.

In the example above the information in parentheses does not interrupt the logical
flow of the sentence and it does not occupy much space.

Parentheses should be avoided when giving explanations or examples that are not
lists. For example:

original version (ov) revised version (rv)
Using automatic translation software Using automatic translation software (e.g.

(e.g. Google Translate, Babelfi sh, Google Translate, Babelfish, and Systran) can
and Systran) can considerably ease considerably ease the work of researchers
the work of researchers when they when they need to translate documents.
need to translate documents thus saving Such software saves them money, for example
them money (for example the fee they the fee they might have otherwise had to pay
might have otherwise had to pay to a to a professional translator. It also increases
professional translator) and increasing the amount of time they have to spend in the
the amount of time they have to spend laboratory rather than at the PC.
in the laboratory rather than at the PC.

In the OV the first use of parentheses is fine, but the second interrupts the fl ow of
the sentence and considerably adds to its length.