sentence
Bio 183
Constructing Powerful Sentences And Paragraphs
From: Hofmann A.H. Scientific Writing and Communication.
GOAL: authors should guide and influence readers.
7.
Establish importance.
Word location within a sentence, if considered carefully, can help authors to guide and influence readers. The format and structure authors use to present information will lead the reader to interpret it as important or less important. To decide on the best placement of words within a sentence, it is crucial that authors establish importance. In general, the end position in a sentence is more emphasized than the beginning position, and the main clause is more emphasized than the dependent clause.
Consider the following four versions of a sentence: a Although vitamin B6 seems to reduce the risk of macular degeneration, it may have some side effects.
b
Vitamin B6 reduces the risk of macular degeneration, but it may have some side effects.
c
Taking vitamin B6 may have some side effects, but vitamin B6 also reduces macular degeneration.
d
Example
Although taking vitamin B6 has some side effects, vitamin B6 reduces macular degeneration.
If readers were to vote on the impact of each sentence, the percent of readers that would recommend taking vitamin B6 then would be:
Sentence
a b c d news in main clause negative positive negative positive
news in end position negative negative positive positive
percent that recommend vitamin B6 (%)
30
40
60
70
1
8.
Place old, familiar, and short information at the beginning of a sentence in the topic position.
9.
Place new, complex, or long information at the end of a sentence in the stress position.
Readers expect to see old information that links backward at the beginning of a sentence (or paragraph) and new information at the end of a sentence (or paragraph) where it is more emphasized. If it is placed where most readers expect to find it, information
Constructing Powerful Sentences And Paragraphs
From: Hofmann A.H. Scientific Writing and Communication.
GOAL: authors should guide and influence readers.
7.
Establish importance.
Word location within a sentence, if considered carefully, can help authors to guide and influence readers. The format and structure authors use to present information will lead the reader to interpret it as important or less important. To decide on the best placement of words within a sentence, it is crucial that authors establish importance. In general, the end position in a sentence is more emphasized than the beginning position, and the main clause is more emphasized than the dependent clause.
Consider the following four versions of a sentence: a Although vitamin B6 seems to reduce the risk of macular degeneration, it may have some side effects.
b
Vitamin B6 reduces the risk of macular degeneration, but it may have some side effects.
c
Taking vitamin B6 may have some side effects, but vitamin B6 also reduces macular degeneration.
d
Example
Although taking vitamin B6 has some side effects, vitamin B6 reduces macular degeneration.
If readers were to vote on the impact of each sentence, the percent of readers that would recommend taking vitamin B6 then would be:
Sentence
a b c d news in main clause negative positive negative positive
news in end position negative negative positive positive
percent that recommend vitamin B6 (%)
30
40
60
70
1
8.
Place old, familiar, and short information at the beginning of a sentence in the topic position.
9.
Place new, complex, or long information at the end of a sentence in the stress position.
Readers expect to see old information that links backward at the beginning of a sentence (or paragraph) and new information at the end of a sentence (or paragraph) where it is more emphasized. If it is placed where most readers expect to find it, information