Plain English for Doctors and Other Medical Scientists

Plain English for Doctors shows how to write about medical science in a clear and vivid way. It can help a medical writer at any level, from beginner to veteran, since it gives specific, practical advice. Writing in plain English can help your writing reach a wider audience, including people in other specialties, levels of training, other fields, and other countries around the world. What makes medical writing hard to read? Is it complex science or complex grammar? This book shows how to keep good science but avoid complex grammar. It describes the symptoms of medicus incomprehensibilis, those over-used writing habits that tend to make medical writing hard to read. It shows how to treat each symptom using a proven plain English writing tip. Each tip is easy to apply and comes with exercises. The exercises are based on excerpts from articles published in leading medical journals. Model revisions vastly improve reading ease and grade level. The book looks at medical writing from three angles. Concept 1, Take charge of your reading ease score, shows how to manage reading ease. Concept 2, Write vividly, shows how to write more vividly by focusing on real world objects and actions. Concept 3, Present logical reasoning clearly, gives tips on how to choose a clear narrative pathway and forge a strong chain of logical reasoning. This book is a must for anyone who writes about medical science. The ability to express complex ideas in simple language is not a remedial skill. Rather, it can only be seen as a sign of mastery.

Oscar Linares, MD is a Cuban-born internist and geriatrician. He studied mathematical modeling under Dr. Loren Zech, a senior scientist at the National Institutes of Health. He is an experienced medical researcher and author of over 40 peer-reviewed scientific articles. David Daly is a lawyer experienced in drafting and negotiating international automotive contracts in plain English. He has won three awards from the State Bar of Michigan for clear legal writing. He has worked with Dr. Linares to write medical articles, medical opinions, and legal briefs in medical cases in plain English. Gertrude Daly is a technical writer and editor.