Page 95 - English for Writing Research Papers

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4.16 Final guidelines

Write your first draft without thinking too much about the length of the sentences. Then
1. look for long sentences
2. read them aloud

If you have to inhale, you need to divide up the sentence.

Here are some general rules:

• Do NOT write a long series of sentences of only 5–15 words.

• Occasionally use short sentences to attract attention (particularly in the

Abstract and Discussion).

• Generally speaking, avoid sentences of more than 35 words.

• Clarity and readability are independent of sentence length.
Your main aim is to maintain readers’ interest so that they continue reading.

If your sentence contains one or more of the following, you probably need to divide it up:

• which + which

• and + and + and

• , + , + , + , + ,

• also + in addition / furthermore
• ;

Read S1 and S2. Can you understand them immediately?

S1*. Using four different methodologies previously used in the literature in separate contexts
each of which gave contradictory results in this study the meaning of life as seen through the
perspective of a typical inhabitant of western Europe was investigated confi rming previous
research indicating that as a general rule we understand absolutely nothing. (63 words)
S2. Using four different methodologies each of which gave contradictory results, we inves-
tigated the meaning of life confi rming previous research indicating that we understand
absolutely nothing. (25 words)
If you can make sense of the sentence without punctuation then it is probably OK.

S1 would certainly be more difficult for your readers than S2.
Moral of the story: Make it easy for them!