English Writing Review for Academic Papers and Slides Skill

English Writing Review for Academic Papers and Slides

Review English writing in technical papers and presentation slides following principles from academic English writing guides. All requirements use RFC 2119 keywords (MUST, SHOULD, MAY).

RFC 2119 Keyword Definitions

MUST / REQUIRED: Critical error — the writing is incorrect or highly unnatural; fix immediately
SHOULD / RECOMMENDED: Strong improvement — the writing is technically acceptable but noticeably weak
MAY / OPTIONAL: Minor polish — small refinement that improves clarity or style

Review Process

When the user provides text to review:

Read the entire passage first before commenting
Apply the checklist below in order (grammar → readability → word choice → conciseness)
Quote the problematic phrase, label the issue type, and provide a corrected version
Summarize critical (MUST) issues first, then SHOULD improvements
For slides, also check that each bullet is ≤1 line and has clear hierarchy

MUST Fix: Grammar Errors

Articles (a / an / the)

MUST use the for: previously mentioned nouns, uniquely defined nouns, superlatives, ordinals (the first method)
MUST use a/an for: first introduction of a countable noun, any-one-of-a-kind reference
MUST NOT add articles to uncountable nouns used generically: information, research, software, evidence, feedback, terminology, equipment
MUST distinguish most (no article, refers to all) vs. most of the (refers to a specific group)

Subject-Verb Agreement

MUST use singular verb after: more than one, each, every, the number of
MUST use plural verb with: data, criteria, phenomena, a number of
MUST NOT write: Many researches → Much research; two criterias → two criteria

Verb Tense

MUST use present simple for: established facts, the paper's own methods/conclusions, figure descriptions (Figure 3 **shows**…)
MUST use past simple for: specific experimental procedures (The samples **were annealed**…)
MUST use present perfect for: linking past work to current relevance (Several methods **have been proposed**…)

Sentence Completeness

MUST NOT use comma splice: ~~The samples were dipped, then they were washed~~ → …dipped, and then they were washed / …dipped. Then they were washed. / …dipped; then they were washed.
MUST NOT write Because X, so Y (choose one connective) or Although X, but Y
MUST NOT place then after a comma as a connector: ~~Since X, then Y~~ → Since X, Y

Pronoun Agreement

MUST NOT use they to refer to singular antecedents like each person, everyone
MUST clarify what this refers to: ~~This was surprising~~ → This **result** was surprising

Subjunctive Mood

MUST use bare infinitive after suggest/recommend/require that: We suggest that the author **solve** (not *solves*) the problem

MUST Fix: Sentence Structure Errors

Dangling / Misplaced Modifiers

MUST ensure the subject of an introductory phrase matches the main clause subject
~~Using this method, the results were excellent~~ → Using this method, **we obtained** excellent results

Parallel Structure

MUST use identical grammatical form for logically parallel items:
- ~~The system is fast, reliable, and has low cost~~ → fast, reliable, and **low-cost**
- ~~We develop a theory and testing it~~ → We **develop** a theory and **test** it
MUST maintain strict parallelism with correlative conjunctions: both A and B, either A or B, not only A but also B

Double Connectives (Chinese Transfer Errors)

MUST NOT use: ~~Because X, so Y~~, ~~Although X, but Y~~, ~~Since X, then Y~~

Hyphenation of Compound Adjectives

MUST hyphenate compound modifiers before nouns: high-performance, so-called, right-hand side, well-known

SHOULD Apply: Readability Principles

Old-Before-New (舊信息在前，新信息在後)

SHOULD begin each sentence with information already known from prior context
SHOULD place the key new information at the end of the sentence for emphasis
~~A new control algorithm was developed by us. System stability is guaranteed by this algorithm.~~ → We developed a new control algorithm. **This algorithm** guarantees system stability.

Topic as Subject (主題作主詞)

SHOULD make the paragraph's main topic the grammatical subject of most sentences
SHOULD NOT switch subjects frequently within a paragraph about one topic

Short Before Long

SHOULD keep the main verb within the first ~9 words
SHOULD place short phrases before long phrases
SHOULD NOT bury the verb deep inside a long subject noun phrase

Shorten Subject–Verb Distance

SHOULD move intervening phrases/clauses out of the subject–verb gap
~~The method, which was proposed by Smith in 1995 and modified by Jones, **is** widely used~~ → Smith's method (1995), later modified by Jones, **is** widely used

Active Voice Preference

SHOULD use active voice ~75% of the time; passive ~25%
Passive is justified ONLY when: (a) keeping old information at sentence start, or (b) keeping the paragraph topic as the subject
~~It was found by us that…~~ → We found that…

Logical Connectives Must Be Accurate

SHOULD use signal words to make logical relationships explicit: because, however, therefore, although, in addition, in contrast
MUST NOT use thus/therefore unless the second sentence is a genuine logical consequence of the first

SHOULD Apply: Conciseness

Eliminate Nominalization (名詞化)

Replace weak-verb + noun constructions with strong verbs:

| Wordy | Concise | |-------|---------| | perform an analysis of | analyze | | make a comparison of | compare | | give consideration to | consider | | have an effect on | affect | | make an improvement | improve | | conduct a study of | study |

Remove Redundant Phrases

Replace with shorter equivalents:

| Wordy | Concise | |-------|---------| | due to the fact that | because | | owing to the fact that | because / since | | in spite of the fact that | although | | at the present time | now / currently | | in the near future | soon | | it should be noted that | (delete; state the fact directly) | | it is interesting to note that | (delete) | | for the purpose of | to / for | | the reason is because | the reason is that / because | | in order to | to (most cases) | | phenomenon of X | X | | functionality | function |

Avoid Vague Intensifiers

SHOULD remove or replace: very, quite, rather, some, a bit
SHOULD replace some researchers with several researchers or many researchers

SHOULD Apply: Word Choice

Overused / Misused Verbs

Show — overused; replace with precise verbs:

Presenting results in figures/tables → present, illustrate
Examining properties → examine, investigate, analyze
Expressing equations → express, write
Table comparing → compare (not Table 4 shows the comparison of)
Experimental evidence → demonstrate, indicate, confirm, suggest
Paper's own contribution → propose, present (not show)

Perform — overused: perform experiments → conduct experiments / run experiments

Support — overused by engineers; replace with precise verb:

~~The system supports Windows~~ → The system **is compatible with** Windows / can run on Windows

Prove — too strong for experimental results: use confirm, verify, demonstrate, indicate

Propose vs. Present:

propose = recommend acceptance; use for the paper's own method (the **proposed** method)
present = put forward for consideration; author may not endorse
MUST NOT write ~~our presented method~~

Common Preposition Errors

| Wrong | Right | |-------|-------| | research **of** this problem | research **on** this problem | | changes **of** thickness | changes **in** thickness | | arrangements **of** the conference | arrangements **for** the conference | | methods **of** solving | methods **for** solving | | similar **as** | similar **to** | | A is the same **with** B | A is the same **as** B | | suffer several problems | suffer **from** several problems |

Connector Distinctions

| Connector | Correct Use | |-----------|-------------| | On the contrary | Negates the previous sentence's argument | | In contrast | Introduces a strongly contrasting new idea | | On the other hand | Introduces a new angle for comparison (requires a related prior topic) | | Similarly | Points out resemblance — NOT for contrast or complement | | Conversely | Use when relationship is opposite/complementary (not similarly) | | Thus / Therefore | Second sentence must be a true logical result of the first | | However | Requires a genuine contrast between the two sentences |

Frequently Confused Words

| Word | Rule | |------|------| | most vs. most of the | Most students (all students, generally) vs. Most of the students **in our lab** (specific group) | | fewer vs. less | fewer for countable nouns; less for uncountable | | few vs. a few | few = almost none (negative); a few = some (positive) | | farther vs. further | further for degree/additional (almost always in tech writing) | | e.g. vs. i.e. | e.g. = for example; i.e. = that is (only one correct interpretation) | | ensure vs. insure | ensure = guarantee; insure = take out insurance | | principal vs. principle | principal = main/most important; principle = rule/law | | precise vs. accurate | precise = repeatable; accurate = close to true value | | comprise | The whole comprises the parts: ~~is comprised of~~ → comprises / consists of | | while vs. when | while = during an ongoing period; when = at a moment or point in time | | modern | Ambiguous (could mean decades ago); prefer contemporary or recent | | utilize | Almost always replace with use | | firstly/secondly | Use first, second, third (no -ly) | | respectively | Only use when truly needed; avoid with >3 items — use a table instead | | totally | Means "completely"; NEVER use for "in total" → use a total of / altogether | | that vs. which | Restrictive clauses: that (no comma); non-restrictive: which (with comma) | | suppose vs. if | Suppose is a verb (use period or semicolon after, not comma + then) | | occur vs. happen | Formal writing prefers occur; avoid there is/are for events | | refer | Use as active/imperative: refer to Smith (1993) — NEVER passive is referred to in | | so far / until now | Replace with to date in research writing; present perfect often makes it redundant | | recently | Vague; prefer in recent years, in the past decade, or a specific time frame | | novel / unique | Only use if truly unprecedented/one-of-a-kind; otherwise use new, proposed | | performance | Vague; specify: speed, accuracy, throughput, efficiency | | solution | Only for genuine problem-solving; NEVER as a marketing synonym for system/design | | et al. | Requires period: Smith et al. not Smith et. al | | vs. | Correct abbreviation for versus; NOT v.s. | | so-called | Must be hyphenated | | without loss of generality | Fixed phrase; NOT without the loss of generality or without losing the generality |

Review Checklist

Go through this checklist when reviewing submitted text:

Grammar (MUST)

[ ] Articles (a/an/the) are correctly used; no article on generic uncountable nouns
[ ] Subject-verb agreement is correct (data are, more than one X has, etc.)
[ ] Verb tenses are appropriate for each sentence's context
[ ] No comma splices, run-ons, or dangling modifiers
[ ] No double connectives (because...so, although...but, since...then)
[ ] Parallel structure is maintained in lists and correlative conjunctions
[ ] Compound adjectives before nouns are hyphenated

Readability (SHOULD)

[ ] Old information precedes new information within sentences
[ ] The paragraph topic is consistently the grammatical subject
[ ] Main verb appears within the first ~9 words
[ ] Active voice is used unless passive is justified
[ ] Logical connectives accurately reflect the actual relationship

Conciseness (SHOULD)

[ ] Nominalizations replaced with verbs (analyze not perform an analysis of)
[ ] Redundant phrases removed (because not due to the fact that)
[ ] show replaced with precise verbs where possible
[ ] support, perform, utilize, modern, obviously, phenomenon of reviewed
[ ] Weak intensifiers (very, quite, some) removed or replaced

Word Choice (SHOULD)

[ ] Prepositions are correct (especially of vs. on/in/for/about)
[ ] propose vs. present, prove vs. confirm/verify, while vs. when correctly used
[ ] data, criteria, phenomena treated as plural
[ ] research treated as uncountable (no researches)
[ ] Connectors (however, thus, similarly, in contrast) used correctly
[ ] respectively used only when necessary and with comma separation
[ ] that vs. which (restrictive vs. non-restrictive) correctly applied

Output Format

When providing feedback, use this format:

Critical Issues (MUST fix)

~~[original phrase]~~ → [corrected phrase] Reason: [brief explanation]

Improvements (SHOULD apply)

~~[original phrase]~~ → [suggested phrase] Reason: [brief explanation]

Overall Assessment: [1–2 sentences summarizing the writing quality and main areas for improvement]

Agent Skills: English Writing Review for Academic Papers and Slides

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