| a/an/the: | The definite article "the" combined with a noun implies that the reader can identify which instance of the noun is being referred to. If it is not clear what specifically the noun is referring to, then use the relative article "a" (or "an" if the word begins with a vowel or vowel sound).
Example: "The solution was poured into the flask." should only be used if that particular flask has been previously identified. "A flask was placed on ice. The solution was poured into the flask". If the flask has not been identified then the sentences should be, "The solution was poured into a flask".
|
acute/chronic:
| Use these terms to describe symptoms, conditions, or diseases. |
| affect/effect: | Affect is a verb that means to "act upon", as in "This drug affects the central nervous system". Effect is a noun that means "outcome", as in "The effects of this drug on the central nervous system are not known". |
| all of/both of: | all or both is sufficient, the word of is unnecessary |
| among/between: | Among is used to compare more than two items, "between" is used to compare only two items |
| can/may: | can indicates the ability or power to do something; may refers to possibility or permission |
| case/patient: | A case is one particular instance that can be evaluated and reported, and a case is observed. A patient is a person receiving medical care, and a patient can be followed. |
| compose/comprise: | The word compose means "make up" or "make." The parts compose the whole. Comprise means "is made up of" or "consists of." The whole comprises the parts. |
| demographics: | Often used incorrectly to refer to patient characteristics; it actually refers to population characteristics (e.g., size, growth, density, etc.) |
| dose/dosage: | A dose is the quantity to be administered at one time, or the total quantity administered. Dosage, the regulated administration of doses, is usually expressed in terms of a quantity per unit of time |
| examine/evaluate: | Patients, animals, and microscope slides are examined; conditions and diseases are evaluated. |
| fewer/less: | Use fewer to refer to an amount that can be expressed as a specific number; use less when making comparisons that cannot be expressed by a number |
| gender/sex: | Gender is cultural, and is the term to use when referring to men and women as social groups. Sex is biologic; use it when the biologic distinction is predominant |
length (of time or
drug effect): | prefer duration |
| level: | avoid in favor of concentration |
millimole/millimolar
/millimolal:
| millimole (mmol) refers to an amount; millimolar (mM; mmol/L) refers to a concentration; millimolal refers to a concentration |
| mucus/mucous: | mucus is the noun; mucous is the adjective |
| negative/normal: | Cultures, tests for reactions, etc. may be negative or positive, whereas observations, results, or findings are normal or abnormal. |
| optimum/optimal: | Optimum is the noun and is often used incorrectly as an adjective; optimal is the adjective |
| prevalence/incidence: | Prevalence is the condition of being widespread or common, and incidence refers to the rate of occurrence. |
| sacrifice: | Sacrifice refers to ritualistic slaughter of animal or human. Killed is preferable. |
| since/because: | Since denotes a relation to time, as in "Since 1967, when x was discovered,.." |
| use/utilize/employ: | Generally, use is the intended term; utilize suggests the discovery of a new, profitable, or practical use for something. The word employ is best reserved for putting a person to work. |
| which/that: | Clauses including which are nonrestrictive (nonessential) and clauses that include that are restrictive (essential). Nonrestrictive clauses and phrases are set off from the rest of a sentence by a pair of commas or by a single comma if they come at the end of the sentence. For example, "The pen, which was blue, fell off the desk"; here there was only one pen and it was blue and it fell off the desk. Or, "The pen that was blue fell off the desk"; here there were at least two pens, only one of which was blue, and it fell off the desk. |
| while/whereas: | While indicates time and a temporal relationship. Whereas, often the word the writer intended, has such meanings as "when in fact", "that being so", and "in view of the fact that". |
