对于SCI论文英语写作,算是自我挑战的时刻,每个人都应该将努力改正过去写作中的不足,让写作更近一个新台阶。
由“and,” “or,” 或“but”连接在一起的名称和思想具有同等的重要性,这些平等的思想应该以相似的方式表达,应该使用同样的语法结构。这些语法结构可以是单独的词、介词短语、不定式短语或从句。
例 1:
Based on our hypothesis, we expected to see a decrease in the infection rate and and increase in survival of patients.
例 2:
S.franciscanus sperm can fertilize S. purpuratus eggs, but L. pictus sperm cannot.
例 3:
Gene targeting in P. patens occurs both in the laboratory and at its natural habitat.
需要注意的是,例 4-25 中“in the laboratory”和“at its natural habitat”虽然所用介词不同,但也是平行结构。判断是否为平行结构,最重要的一点是看两部分是否都用了介词。
不要使用模糊不清的语法关系表达平行的思想,这会让读者感到困惑。
例 4:
Prolonged febrile illness together with subcutaneous nodules in a child could be due to an infection with a Gram+organism, but it could also be that the child suffers from rheumatic disease. (该句中,“but”前、后的两组词不是平行结构,所以无法让人立刻清楚意识到句子的后半部分表达的是“另一种病因”。既然句子前、后两部分在逻辑性和重要性上是平等的,就应该采用平行结构。)
修改后的例 4:
Prolonged febrile illness together with subcutaneous nodules in a child could be due to an infection with a Gram+organism, but it could also bedue to rheumatic disease.
进一步简化的例 4:
Prolonged febrile illness together with subcutaneous nodules in a child could be due to an infection with a Gram+organism or due to rheumatic disease.
如果一句话中包含两个或两个以上的思想,那么这些思想不但应该以平行结构表达,还应该协调排列。细心的作者会从语法和逻辑两方面对这些思想加以协调。合理的方式应该是根据单词数量由短及长地表述思想,这样会使句子更加优美。
例 5a:
Loss of coral reefs will affect organisms, such as turtles and sea birds that depend on specific habitats for reproduction, and beaches.
例 5b:
Loss of coral reefs will affect beaches and organisms such as turtles and sea birds that depend on specific habitats for reproduction.
例 5a 以“beaches” 结尾似乎太过突然。而 5b 就流畅很多,因为此处平行的两个思想是由短及长排列的。德瑞推荐