Science is important. Without science, we’d still be using stone tools and dying of curable diseases. However, science can be tricky to understand, especially when scientists use familiar words, such as ‘hypothesis’ or ‘theory’, in unfamiliar ways.
[wdca_ad id=”5844″ ]
In this post, then, we’ll look at a few words that have very specific meanings in scientific writing.
In day-to-day language, we often use ‘hypothesis’ to mean an educated guess. But a scientific hypothesis is more specific: a proposed explanation that can be tested or investigated further.
This idea of testing a hypothesis is important. It’s also why hypotheses in scientific writing usually come with a null hypothesis (i.e. the possibility that the hypothesis is untrue).
We often hear people say that something is ‘only a theory’ in order to dismiss it. This is because we use ‘theory’ in daily life to refer to guesswork or to imply that something is unproven.
In science, however, a theory is an idea that has been repeatedly tested over time. When we have enough evidence and a hypothesis is widely accepted, it therefore becomes a theory.
The theory of evolution, for example, is known as a ‘theory’ because there’s a vast amount of evidence to suggest that it’s true, not because it is ‘only’ a guess that nobody can prove!
Subscribe to our newsletter and get writing tips from our editors straight to your inbox.
Another key term in scientific writing is ‘significant’. In everyday language, this word means ‘important’ or ‘noteworthy’. But, as you may have guessed by now, ‘significant’ has a more specific meaning in scientific writing.
In a scientific context, something is ‘significant’ if it’s unlikely to have happened due to chance alone. If it’s possible that the results of a test are due to chance, they’re classed as ‘non-significant’ instead.
It’s important to remember that this only refers to statistical significance. A result can be ‘significant’ in the statistical sense (i.e. not due to chance) without being ‘noteworthy’ in the conventional sense.
There are other words that have special meanings in science. The subatomic particles known as ‘quarks’, for example, come in six ‘flavours’ (which has nothing to do with how they taste). These flavours include ‘charm’ (and not because they’re particularly delightful) and ‘strange’ (which is because they’re unusually long lasting rather than being generally eccentric).
We won’t try to provide a full scientific glossary here. But the moral of the story is this: if you find a familiar word used in an unfamiliar way, it’s worth checking that it means what you think it does! [wdca_ad id=”5844″ ]
(Getting your work proofread helps, too.)
Δ
5-minute read
Promoting a brand means sharing valuable insights to connect more deeply with your audience, and...
6-minute read
If you’re seeking funding to support your charitable endeavors as a nonprofit organization, you’ll need...
9-minute read
Is your content getting noticed? Capturing and maintaining an audience’s attention is a challenge when...
8-minute read
Are you looking to enhance engagement and captivate your audience through your professional documents? Interactive...
7-minute read
Voice search optimization is rapidly shaping the digital landscape, requiring content professionals to adapt their...
Effective professional communication is an important skill for contractors and freelancers navigating remote work environments....