Beyond style guides: Suggestions for better scientific English

The benefit of publishing research in English is obvious, but so is the problem: authors with a limited knowledge of English find it difficult to compete with their proficient colleagues. In this note, we offer suggestions for improving the English of papers in the biological sciences. The suggestions aim to help authors enhance writing skills, are based on our experiences as language correctors and do not appear in major guides to scientific writing. We also argue for the need for regular publication of language tips in the pages of science journals.