風格不是裝飾
學術寫作的目標不是炫技。一個句子讀起來吃力，讀者會懷疑作者是否真的清楚自己在說什麼。風格的核心是：讓讀者花最少的認知成本理解你最複雜的結果。
三個原則：(1) 主詞越具體越好；(2) 動詞越強越好；(3) 句子越短越好（除非真的需要長）。
Academic writing isn't about showing off. A laborious sentence makes readers doubt the author understands their own work. The point of style is: let the reader spend minimum cognitive effort understanding your most complex result.
Three principles: (1) concrete subjects; (2) strong verbs; (3) short sentences unless length is justified.
一、主動 vs 被動的共識
1990 年代以前，科學寫作偏好被動語態（"It was found that..."）。2026 年的主流期刊（含 Nature, Cell, NEJM）已普遍鼓勵主動語態，因為主詞清楚、句子更短、責任歸屬明確。
例外：當主詞是「方法 / 程序」而非「人」時，被動仍合適。例：「Cells were stained with..." — 因為強調動作而非執行者。
Before the 1990s, science writing preferred passive voice ("It was found that..."). By 2026, mainstream journals — including Nature, Cell, NEJM — encourage active voice because subjects are clear, sentences shorter, and accountability explicit.
Exception: when the subject is the method/procedure (not a person), passive remains fine. Eg: "Cells were stained with..." — emphasis on action, not actor.
❌ 被動 / 累贅
"It was observed by us that the expression of Gene X was significantly upregulated in the treated group as compared to the control group." (24 字)
"It was observed by us that the expression of Gene X was significantly upregulated in the treated group as compared to the control group." (24 words)
✅ 主動 / 精煉
"Gene X was upregulated in treated vs control samples (log2FC=2.3, p<0.001)." (10 字)
"Gene X was upregulated in treated vs control samples (log2FC=2.3, p<0.001)." (10 words)
二、強動詞 vs nominalization
L2 作者最常被改的：動詞名詞化 (nominalization)。把動作藏進名詞裡，再用一個弱動詞（make / perform / conduct）拉出來。
The most common L2-author rewrite: nominalization — burying the action in a noun and using a weak verb (make / perform / conduct) to drag it back out.
| ❌ 弱版 | ✅ 強版 |
|---|---|
| made an investigation of | investigated |
| performed an analysis on | analyzed |
| carried out a comparison between | compared |
| gave a description of | described |
| conducted a measurement of | measured |
| provided an explanation for | explained |
| was in agreement with | agreed with |
| has the ability to | can |
| in the event that | if |
| due to the fact that | because |
三、Hedging 強度
學術寫作的 verb 強度 = 證據強度。用錯一級就會變 overclaim 或退縮。
Verb strength = evidence strength. Off by one level = overclaim or retreat.
| 證據 | 動詞 | 副詞 | 範例 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 極強 | demonstrate, prove, establish | conclusively, robustly | "This RCT demonstrates that drug X reduces mortality by 30%." |
| 強 | show, indicate, support | strongly, consistently | "These data indicate that Gene X drives chemoresistance." |
| 中 | suggest, imply, propose | likely, plausibly | "Our findings suggest that Gene X may contribute to resistance." |
| 弱 | may, might, could | possibly, potentially | "Gene X may potentially contribute to chemoresistance." |
四、過渡詞 / 連貫
段落內句子之間需要邏輯連接。亂跳的句子讓讀者覺得「這作者跟不上自己」。常用過渡詞分類：
- 承接：moreover, furthermore, in addition, similarly
- 對比：however, in contrast, nevertheless, conversely
- 因果：therefore, thus, consequently, as a result
- 例證：for example, for instance, specifically, notably
- 讓步：although, despite, while, even though
- 總結：in summary, taken together, overall, collectively
Sentences within a paragraph need logical glue. Jumpy sentences make a reader feel the author can't keep up with themselves. Common transitions:
- Addition: moreover, furthermore, in addition, similarly
- Contrast: however, in contrast, nevertheless, conversely
- Causation: therefore, thus, consequently, as a result
- Example: for example, for instance, specifically, notably
- Concession: although, despite, while, even though
- Summary: in summary, taken together, overall, collectively
五、L2 作者 10 大錯誤
① 冠詞
中文沒有冠詞，最常缺漏。規則：第一次提及用 a/an；第二次提及或唯一指稱用 the；複數泛稱用 Ø。例：「The mechanism remains unclear」(已提過)；「Cells were treated」(複數泛稱)。
Chinese lacks articles — most often dropped. Rule: first mention → a/an; subsequent or unique reference → the; plural generic → Ø. E.g., "The mechanism remains unclear" (mentioned); "Cells were treated" (plural generic).
② 單複數
"data is" → 改 "data are" (data 為複數)；analyses, criteria, phenomena 同理。但 species, series 單複數同形。
"data is" → "data are" (data is plural); analyses, criteria, phenomena likewise. species, series have same singular/plural form.
③ 時態
Methods 與 Results 用過去式 (we performed, we found)；既有事實用現在式 (BRCA1 is a tumor suppressor)；Discussion 混用。
Methods/Results in past tense (we performed, we found); established facts in present tense (BRCA1 is a tumor suppressor); Discussion mixes both.
④ 主謂一致
"The level of Gene X are..." → "The level (單數) of Gene X is..."。被中間片語打斷後容易失準。
"The level of Gene X are..." → "The level (singular) of Gene X is..." Easy to slip when an intervening phrase intrudes.
⑤ 搭配 (Collocation)
"do an experiment" ✅；"make an experiment" ❌。"strong evidence" ✅；"powerful evidence" ❌。被認為是「翻譯腔」最大來源。
"do an experiment" ✅; "make an experiment" ❌. "strong evidence" ✅; "powerful evidence" ❌. The single biggest source of "translationese."
⑥ 逗號黏連
"Gene X was upregulated, this suggests..." → 改 "Gene X was upregulated. This suggests..." 或 "Gene X was upregulated, suggesting..."。
"Gene X was upregulated, this suggests..." → "Gene X was upregulated. This suggests..." or "Gene X was upregulated, suggesting..."
⑦ That vs Which
限定子句用 that，無逗號；補述子句用 which，有逗號。"The genes that were upregulated" vs "the genes, which were upregulated, ..."
Restrictive: "that" without comma. Non-restrictive: "which" with comma. "The genes that were upregulated" vs "the genes, which were upregulated, ..."
⑧ 代名詞模糊
"This shows..." 一句中有 3 個 candidate，"this" 指誰？改 "This upregulation shows..."、"This finding shows..."。
"This shows..." after a sentence with 3 candidates — "this" refers to which? Use "This upregulation shows..." or "This finding shows..."
⑨ 冗詞
"in order to" → "to"；"a number of" → "several"；"due to the fact that" → "because"；"at this point in time" → "now"。
"in order to" → "to"; "a number of" → "several"; "due to the fact that" → "because"; "at this point in time" → "now."
⑩ 句尾介系詞
傳統規則：避免句尾用介系詞 (in, with, of)。2026 已不嚴格，但正式論文中仍建議改寫。
Traditional rule: avoid ending with prepositions (in, with, of). By 2026 this is relaxed, but in formal manuscripts rewriting is still advised.
六、潤稿 5 步驟
🌳 送審前快速潤稿
📝 自我檢測
1. 哪一句最符合 2026 主流期刊風格？
1. Which fits 2026 mainstream journal style best?
2. 觀察性研究 (n=200) 發現 Gene X 與抗藥性相關，最佳 hedging 動詞是？
2. Observational study (n=200) finds Gene X associated with resistance. Best hedging verb?
3. 「Old-to-new」原則指的是？
3. The "old-to-new" principle refers to?