Optimization for Publication and Funding
13 | Ways to Minimize Jargon
Key Point
Best Practices
The online Merriam-Webster dictionary defines jargon as (1) “technical terminology or characteristic idiom of a special activity or group” and (2) “obscure and often pretentious language marked by circumlocutions and long words.”[1] Jargon can make a paper or proposal difficult to read and unnecessarily long. Thankfully, there are easy ways to minimize jargon.
First, identify all technical terms in the writing that readers from a variety of backgrounds may not readily understand. Then, define those terms when introduced.
Another easy way to minimize jargon is to replace problematic phrases with less wordy alternatives. Lists can be helpful for this purpose. Below is a sample list that can be built upon, and it would be well worth the time and effort to develop a personalized list that is more comprehensive.
Lengthy and obtuse phrases followed by suggested substitutes:[2]
| Jargon | Substitute |
|---|---|
| A large number of | Many |
| Anti-cancer therapeutic | Cancer treatment |
| At an earlier point in time | Previously |
| Despite the fact that | Although |
| During the course of | During, while |
| In order to | To |
| It is important to note | Importantly |
| On a daily basis | Daily |
| Post surgery | After surgery |
| Tumored | Injected with tumor cells |
| Utilization | Use |
| We wish to thank | We thank |
Some authors might find it easiest to just write what comes naturally and then edit the text to reduce jargon. However, over time, use of clear and concise terminology will become a habit during the writing process.
- Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Jargon. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jargon ↵
- Adapted from Appendix 2: Words and Expressions to Avoid in How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper, Ninth Edition. Greenwood Press, 2022, 348. ↵
