Presented to you through Paradigm Publishing Services

John Benjamins Publishing Company

Visit our Partner Page See all our books
Chapter
Licensed
Unlicensed Requires Authentication

A theoretical contribution to tackling certainty and uncertainty in scientific writing

Four research articles from the journal Brain in focus
  • , and

Abstract

Our theoretical contribution to tackling certainty and uncertainty in scientific writing is based on a study of four research articles from the journal Brain collected at random (from 1997 to 2012), to determine whether any differences in writing, design and analysis with modality implications arise over that interval. We hypothesize that, according to the sections of a research article, considered as a multi-modal genre, several types of linguistic modality are used to convey contextual, evidential and interpreted truths. The study aims to show that methodological approaches, the type of analysis (qualitative/quantitative) and statistical tools, together with other means of translating modality, will affect the final product of scientific research articles regarding linguistic and non-linguistic devices used to convey certainty/uncertainty.

Abstract

Our theoretical contribution to tackling certainty and uncertainty in scientific writing is based on a study of four research articles from the journal Brain collected at random (from 1997 to 2012), to determine whether any differences in writing, design and analysis with modality implications arise over that interval. We hypothesize that, according to the sections of a research article, considered as a multi-modal genre, several types of linguistic modality are used to convey contextual, evidential and interpreted truths. The study aims to show that methodological approaches, the type of analysis (qualitative/quantitative) and statistical tools, together with other means of translating modality, will affect the final product of scientific research articles regarding linguistic and non-linguistic devices used to convey certainty/uncertainty.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Preface 1
  4. Theoretical and general models
  5. Subjectivity in modality, and beyond 13
  6. Certainty and uncertainty in assertive speech acts 31
  7. Ideal and deviant interlocutors in a formal interpretation system 59
  8. On being certain whether 79
  9. Uncertainty as integrated part of meaning and understanding 99
  10. Epistemic stance 115
  11. Medical and supportive interactions
  12. Requesting help with null or limited knowledge 139
  13. The journey to advice 157
  14. Diagnostic news delivery 183
  15. Epistemic struggles in addiction Therapeutic Community meetings 201
  16. Embodying epistemicity 223
  17. Scientific writing and academic communication
  18. The fabric of certainty 249
  19. Hedging and attitude markers in Spanish and English scientific medical writing 273
  20. A theoretical contribution to tackling certainty and uncertainty in scientific writing 291
  21. BioUncertainty 309
  22. Uncertainty markers in a corpus of German biomedical papers from Spektrum der Wissenschaft (1993-2012) 341
  23. Questioning certainty in research articles and popular science articles 369
  24. Self-repairs and certainty in Romanian academic meetings 389
  25. About the authors 403
  26. Index 411
Communicating Certainty and Uncertainty in Medical, Supportive and Scientific Contexts
This chapter is in the book Communicating Certainty and Uncertainty in Medical, Supportive and Scientific Contexts
https://doi.org/10.1075/ds.25.14pin

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Preface 1
  4. Theoretical and general models
  5. Subjectivity in modality, and beyond 13
  6. Certainty and uncertainty in assertive speech acts 31
  7. Ideal and deviant interlocutors in a formal interpretation system 59
  8. On being certain whether 79
  9. Uncertainty as integrated part of meaning and understanding 99
  10. Epistemic stance 115
  11. Medical and supportive interactions
  12. Requesting help with null or limited knowledge 139
  13. The journey to advice 157
  14. Diagnostic news delivery 183
  15. Epistemic struggles in addiction Therapeutic Community meetings 201
  16. Embodying epistemicity 223
  17. Scientific writing and academic communication
  18. The fabric of certainty 249
  19. Hedging and attitude markers in Spanish and English scientific medical writing 273
  20. A theoretical contribution to tackling certainty and uncertainty in scientific writing 291
  21. BioUncertainty 309
  22. Uncertainty markers in a corpus of German biomedical papers from Spektrum der Wissenschaft (1993-2012) 341
  23. Questioning certainty in research articles and popular science articles 369
  24. Self-repairs and certainty in Romanian academic meetings 389
  25. About the authors 403
  26. Index 411
Downloaded on 12.4.2026 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1075/ds.25.14pin/html
Scroll to top button