Common Academic Writing Mistakes in Medical Research
Frequent writing mistakes in medical research are vague or overstated claims, long and complex sentences, inconsistent terms, misuse of statistical language, unsupported causal claims and careless citation. Most can be fixed with a simple editing routine.
Mistakes and fixes
| Mistake | Example | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Overstated claims | "Proves", "cures" | "Suggests", "was associated with" |
| Causal language in observational studies | "X causes Y" | "X was associated with Y" |
| Vague quantities | "Many patients improved" | Give numbers and intervals |
| Unexplained abbreviations | "PCI" without definition | Define at first use |
| Long, nested sentences | 50-word sentences | Split; one idea per sentence |
| Inconsistent terms | "patients", "subjects", "cases" | Choose one and keep it |
| "Significant" used loosely | "Significant increase" | Say "statistically significant" and give the effect |
| Mixing results and discussion | Interpretation in Results | Separate sections |
| Weak citations | Citing reviews for primary data | Cite the source; read what you cite |
| Spelling and style inconsistency | Mixed UK/US | Follow the journal's style |
Editing routine
- Revise structure and logic first.
- Read aloud to catch long sentences.
- Search for words like "significant", "prove", "cause", "clearly".
- Check numbers against tables.
- Check every reference.
Illustrative example
Invented for teaching. "The drug significantly improved outcomes" becomes "Pain scores were 1.2 points lower with the drug (95% CI 0.4 to 2.0), a difference smaller than the 2-point threshold we pre-specified as clinically important." (Invented numbers.)
A sentence-level exercise
Take one paragraph from your Results and one from your Discussion. In the first, highlight every adjective and adverb ("markedly", "significantly", "clearly") and replace each with a number or delete it. In the second, find each causal verb ("causes", "leads to", "improves") and check whether your design supports it; if it does not, change the verb to "was associated with" or "may suggest". Repeat for the whole manuscript.
Common pitfalls
- Relying on spellcheck alone.
- Copying phrasing from sources.
Key takeaways
- Be precise, calibrated and consistent.
- Edit in layers and verify claims.
References and further reading
- International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals. Link
- EQUATOR Network: Enhancing the QUAlity and Transparency Of health Research (reporting guideline library). Link
- Wasserstein RL, Lazar NA. The ASA statement on p-values: context, process, and purpose. Am Stat. 2016;70(2):129-133. doi:10.1080/00031305.2016.1154108
Related reading
This page is general educational information about research methods. It is not medical, legal or regulatory advice; follow your institution's ethics board and your target journal's instructions.