Broader reach
Your findings travel to scientists in other fields and to the general public—maybe even to your family and friends.
New collaboration
Plain-language papers make it easier for researchers outside your specialty to find, understand, and build on your work.
Public impact
You get the personal satisfaction of contributing to a more scientifically literate public without lowering scientific standards.
Why write the entire paper in plain language?
It is now common practice to include plain-language abstracts to increase access to scientific knowledge and cutting-edge research. The Biomedical Commons goes farther by maximizing the readability of the entire journal for both the general public and scientists from different research fields. This approach is novel and will set apart this NWABR publication.
Further reading: Extending the reach of science — Talk in plain language.
How will NWABR support you?
If you are used to traditional manuscript standards, you will not be asked to do this alone. Dedicated NWABR staff will edit and review language, and members have access to free trainings.
Style guides for all publications ask you to define jargon in lay language, then place the technical term in parentheses—the same way you would write Northwest Association for Biomedical Research (NWABR).
Publication elements that help readers
Each article is designed so complex science stays rigorous and still lands:
- Word banks for each article
- Vocabulary hover links that pop up in real time when a reader hovers over a phrase or word
- Figures and tables that present less data in one space where possible
- Analogies, metaphors, stories, graphics, and humor
- Appendices where authors can include “going farther” figures and links to related articles
- An index for each issue with accessible primers on commonly used statistics, ethics, common research protocols, concepts for common units of measure (how small is small, how large is large), and justification for use of animal and/or human models
Further reading: Tailoring scientific communications for audience and research narrative.