Word for Word 2020 | Word for Word | University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

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Word for Word provides advice on correct and precise word usage for biomedical writers. Each column represents the consensus of Editing Services' 13 editors.

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Using "both...and" correctly

Stephanie Deming
"Affect" or "effect"?

Ashli Villarreal
When to use "manage" in medicine

Tammy Locke
"Cohort" and "population"

Sunita Patterson
"Fewer" or "less"?

Ann Sutton
Using “conversely”

Bryan Tutt
"Imply" or "infer"?

Amy Ninetto
A note (or two) about using parentheses

Joe Munch
"Farther" or "further"?

Laura L. Russell
"Comprise," "compose," "consist of"

Editing Services, Research Medical Library (formerly Scientific Publications)
"Use" or "utilize"?

Don Norwood
"Mannequin" or "manikin"?

Erica Goodoff
"Knock out" or "knockout"? "Knock down" or "knockdown"?

Stephanie Deming
Summarizing and paraphrasing

Sarah Bronson
Shorter vs. longer words

Tammy Locke
"People" or "persons"?

Joe Munch
Keeping your sentences short and simple

Sunita Patterson
"Higher"/"lower" or "increased"/"decreased"?

Dawn Chalaire
Using precise verbs

Bryan Tutt
"Efficacy" or "efficiency"?

Don Norwood
Dangling modifiers

Sarah Bronson
"Casual" or "causal"?

Erica Goodoff
Using Greek letters in scientific text

Ann Sutton
Five tips for writing in plain language

Amy Ninetto