Grammatical Errors: A Stumbling Block on the Road to Publication

For any researcher, getting their work published in a prestigious journal is a moment of immense pride. It validates years of toil, opens doors to new funding, and establishes them as an authority in their field. However, the path to publication is fraught with hurdles, and one of the most common culprits behind paper rejection is – grammatical errors.

This article delves into the impact of grammatical errors on academic papers, exploring the reasons why they matter, the types of errors to watch out for, and strategies to ensure your manuscript shines with clear and concise language.

Why Does Grammar Matter in Academic Writing?

Academic writing thrives on clarity and precision. Every sentence, every word, should convey your research findings and arguments with unwavering accuracy. Grammatical errors can introduce ambiguity and hinder a reader’s understanding of your work. Consider the following:

• Loss of Credibility: Inaccuracies, typos, and awkward phrasing cast doubt on the overall quality of your research. Reviewers might question your attention to detail and wonder if similar inconsistencies extend to your methodology or data analysis.
• Hinders Comprehension: Misused words, unclear sentence structure, and punctuation errors can create confusion. Readers may misinterpret your findings or struggle to follow the flow of your arguments.
• Negative First Impression: Imagine a well-structured paper riddled with grammatical errors. It creates a sloppy and unprofessional first impression, potentially leading to an immediate rejection before the reviewers even delve into the content.

Think of grammar as the foundation upon which your research findings stand. A sturdy foundation ensures your work is presented in a professional and clear manner, allowing your ideas to shine through.

Common Grammatical Errors to Avoid:

Here’s a breakdown of some common grammatical errors that can trip up even seasoned researchers:

• Subject-Verb Agreement: Ensure the subject (who/what performs the action) and verb (the action) agree in number (singular or plural). “The data were analyzed” (plural data, plural verb) versus “The datum was analyzed” (singular datum, singular verb).
• Tense Consistency: Maintain consistent verb tense throughout your paper. Past tense is used to describe research methods and findings, while present tense is used to discuss established knowledge in the field.
• Punctuation Misuse: Commas, semicolons, and colons have specific functions. Misusing them can alter the meaning of your sentences. For example, a missing comma can turn two independent clauses into a run-on sentence, making it difficult to read.
• Misplaced Modifiers: Ensure modifiers (phrases or clauses that provide additional information) are placed close to the words they modify to avoid ambiguity. For example, “The researcher quickly analyzed the data, frustrated,” implies the data was frustrated, which is likely not the intended meaning.

This list isn’t exhaustive, but it highlights some key areas to focus on during proofreading. Remember, grammar isn’t static. Usage and style guides evolve, so it’s always a good practice to consult the latest edition of a reputable style guide for your specific field (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago).

Strategies to Ensure Grammatical Accuracy:

• Proofread, Revise, Repeat: It’s easy to miss errors when you’ve been staring at the same text for days. Take breaks during the writing process and return to proofread with fresh eyes. Read your paper aloud to catch awkward phrasing or unclear sentence structure.
• Utilize Technology: Grammar-checking software can be a valuable tool in identifying basic errors like typos, subject-verb agreement issues, and misused punctuation. However, don’t rely solely on software. It can’t catch everything, like awkward sentence structure or unclear flow of ideas.
• Seek Feedback: Share your work with colleagues or professional editing services. A fresh pair of eyes can identify areas for improvement and catch grammatical errors you might have missed.
• Practice Active Voice: Active voice sentences are generally clearer and more concise than passive voice sentences. For example, “The experiment was conducted by the researchers” (passive) versus “The researchers conducted the experiment” (active).

Beyond Grammar: Clarity and Conciseness

While grammar is essential, it’s just one piece of the puzzle. Strive for clear and concise language throughout your paper. This includes:

• Precise Word Choice: Use specific and unambiguous terms instead of vague language. This ensures your research findings are accurately communicated.
• Sentence Structure Variation: Don’t rely on monotonous sentence structure. Mix short and long sentences to create a more engaging reading experience.
• Transition Words and Phrases: Employ transitional words and phrases (e.g., however, therefore, furthermore) to create a logical flow of ideas between paragraphs.

One of the common comments that authors get after submission is “needs proofreading”. It is one of the convenient ways the reviewer rejects a paper. Because it is one of the first things a reader pay attention to. A paper should be fluent and coherent to the readers, besides its academic values.

On the other hand, there are many authors and researchers whose native language is not English. They may use English as their second or foreign language. So it is not unusual to have some errors in their writings. Even if you are so good at English, a native speaker may understand the paper is written by a non-native. But you can try to reduce the errors by adhering to the rules.

How can I improve my paper in terms of grammar?

In order to write a more comprehensive paper which is containing less grammatical mistakes, you can follow the below items:

• Only use the sentences that are used by native speakers, or take the main structure of sentences from them and substitute words and phrases. To do so, use books and papers written by native authors.
• Use phrases that native speakers employ in their writings.
• Do not forget to use dictionaries. There are different kinds of dictionaries, one for finding parallel words, one for specialized vocabulary, etc.
• Employ prepositions, adjectives, and verbs that are suitable for the other words applied in the sentence.
• Avoid using lots of jargons. Editors prefer easy to understand papers to publish.
• When the writing work is finished, leave it for some days and then review it once again. Also, ask someone for proofreading. Make use of apps and software like “Grammarly” to find grammatical mistakes, as well. In this way, your paper is reviewed by three different people before submission.

What to do if there really is no error in terms of language usage and grammar?

If you have revised the paper and you are sure of the accuracy of what you have written, you can write to the editor and ask her for some clues. Explain that the paper was reviewed by a friend of yours who is a native speaker (or you have hired a native speaker to proofread your work) and no error was found, then ask her to give you some examples so that you can understand where the problem is.

You can read more in “common reasons for paper rejection“.