A Suitable Sense of Style

摘要

The subject of style in technical writing is usually summarized as something equivalent to "short and simple" or words to that effect. For the writing of instructions, email messages, proposals, reports, policies, and procedures, the plain style is almost universally advised and applauded. However, for the writing of manuscripts for research journals, is a more elaborate style necessary? Authors of journal articles must establish their credibility as scholars with the right to publish on the subject in question while also making their contribution to the field's knowledge of the subject influential as well as clear. Although short and simple might serve the mission of clarity, is a more erudite style (of diction or sentence structure) essential to the author's credibility and the project's influence? In the introduction and definition of new vocabulary or the adaptation and explication of pertinent theory from a related field, for example, authors must weigh the relative costs of simple versus meticulous and short versus thorough. The article must have enough of the traits of important journal articles to be identified and appreciated as a worthwhile contribution to the research of the field while also winning praise for readability.