How to write and publish a scientific paper - Barbara Gastel, Robert A. Day 2022

Avoid redundancy
How to write the results
Preparing the text

Do not be guilty of redundancy in the results. The most common fault is the repetition in words of what is already apparent to the reader from examining the figures and tables. Even worse is the actual presentation, in the text, of all or many of the data shown in the tables or figures. This grave sin is committed so frequently that it is commented on at length, with examples, in the chapters on how to prepare tables and illustrations (Chapters 16 and 17).

Do not be verbose in citing figures and tables. Do not say, “It is clearly shown in Table 1 that nocillin inhibited the growth of N. gonorrhoeae.” Say, “Nocillin inhibited the growth of N. gonorrhoeae (Table 1).” The latter format has multiple benefits. Because it is briefer, it helps authors comply with journals’ word limits. It also is more readable. Further, it directs attention to what is most important: the findings, not the table or figure.

Some writers go too far in avoiding verbiage, however. In particular, they often fail to provide clear antecedents for the pronoun “it.” Here is an item from a medical manuscript: “The left leg became numb at times and she walked it off.… On her second day, the knee was better, and on the third day it had completely disappeared.” In both instances, the antecedent of “it” is presumably “the numbness,” but the wording seems a result of dumbness.