The readability of scientific texts is decreasing over time

Area of Science:

• Scientific communication
• Bibliometrics
• Linguistics

Background:

• Clarity and accuracy are crucial for scientific progress.
• Readability formulas assess text complexity.
• Understanding trends in scientific writing is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the trend in scientific abstract readability over time.
• To identify factors contributing to changes in readability.
• To assess the implications of these changes for science.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 709,577 scientific abstracts published between 1881 and 2015.
• Utilized readability formulas to quantify text complexity.
• Examined changes in language and jargon usage.

Main Results:

• A steady decrease in the readability of scientific abstracts was observed.
• The trend correlates with an increased use of general scientific jargon.
• This decline impacts the accessibility and reproducibility of research.

Conclusions:

• Scientific writing has become significantly less readable over the past century.
• Increased jargon use is a primary driver of this trend.
• The findings raise concerns for scientific communication, reproducibility, and public understanding.