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Absolutely English
Online academic and medical English assistance by a university professor and healthcare expert.
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The Difference Between Language Editing and Scientific Editing — And Why Your Manuscript Needs Both
If English isn't your first language and you're preparing to submit a manuscript to an international journal, you've probably thought about getting your paper edited before you hit submit. But before you spend money on an editing service, it’s worth asking yourself: what kind of editing does your manuscript actually need? When you think about “editing”, you probably think about having someone review your grammar, sentence structure, word choice, and academic style. This is de
Robin Tucker
4 min read
OET Writing for Dietitians: Identify and Address the “Problematic Point”
A lot of OET Writing Test prep focuses on learning the letter format, understanding how to identify important information, but what test takers really need to know is how to find and address the “problematic point”. This post helps you identify the issue(s) the patient is facing and gives suggested language you can use to communicate clearly with your colleagues on the healthcare team. Every OET writing prompt contains what the test designers call a “problematic point”. The p
Robin Tucker
5 min read
Finding the Right PhD Mentor: Why Fit Matters as Much as Reputation
By the time you receive a PhD offer, you’ve probably spent considerable time thinking about whether the position is right for you. If you've been following this series, you've also thought carefully about whether the lab is functional, whether the advisor is responsive, and whether current students seem supported. Knowing how to find the right PhD mentor also requires an evaluation of your potential advisor's mentorship style. This is an important and often overlooked compone
Robin Tucker
7 min read
How to Evaluate a PhD Program After You Receive an Offer
Receiving a PhD offer is exciting! But before you accept, you want to determine if the program, the lab, and your advisor are actually the right fit for you. This post gives you some tips on how to carefully evaluate whether this offer is one you should accept. We'll talk about questions you should ask, who you should talk to, and things to watch out for. If you haven't read the previous post in this series on how to research a PhD program before you apply, it's worth startin
Robin Tucker
6 min read
How to Research a PhD Program Before You Apply (Most Students Skip This Important Step)
In the previous post in this series, I made the case that research fit matters more than simply getting accepted to a PhD program. If you haven’t read that post yet, I’d encourage you to start there. This post assumes you’re convinced and ready to start evaluating fit. So let’s get talk about what to do before you ever submit an application. Before you dive into evaluating a lab’s research, however, you should understand how graduate school admissions in the US work. I’ve wri
Robin Tucker
5 min read
How to Choose a PhD Program (And Why Research Fit Matters More Than Prestige)
One of the most common mistakes PhD applicants make is prioritizing acceptance over fit. Getting into a program feels like the goal, but it's really just the beginning, and what you're getting into matters as much as getting in. I once knew someone who started their PhD because they didn't get into medical school. In a panic because the new school year was about to start, this person decided to do a PhD in the first lab they could find. On the surface, a PhD in a biomedical f
Robin Tucker
4 min read
The 6 Qualities That Actually Predict PhD Success (Grades Aren't One of Them)
I recently reconnected with one of my former PhD students. We reminisced about his time at the university as well as how his time away provided some perspective into the whole graduate school process, student-advisor interactions, and factors that help students be successful. This conversation and conversations with my current PhD students underline the concept that the skills that make someone successful as an undergraduate do not necessarily translate into PhD success. Basi
Robin Tucker
7 min read
How to Write a Cover Letter for Journal Submission (Tips from a Journal Editor)
I was recently invited to serve as a First Editor for the British Journal of Nutrition, which means I might be one of the first people to read your manuscript — before it ever reaches a peer reviewer. The cover letter for your academic paper is an important part of your submission. It’s your first opportunity to make a case for why your paper belongs in this journal. What Exactly Is a Cover Letter for a Journal Submission? When you submit a manuscript to an academic journal,
Robin Tucker
5 min read
How Do You Practice OET Speaking When You Don't Have a Partner?
You know the OET speaking sub-test is coming. You know you need to practice role plays. But finding someone to practice with who understands the clinical context, gives useful feedback, and is available when you are is harder than it sounds. If that sounds familiar, allow me to introduce you to the Absolutely English Clinical Scenario Coach. The Tool The Clinical Scenario Coach puts you in a real patient consultation as the clinician. You choose your professional specialty (p
Robin Tucker
3 min read
5 Grad School Personal Statement Mistakes Non-Native English Speakers Make (And How to Fix Them)
If English isn’t your first language, writing a grad school personal statement can be tricky. I have another post about writing personal statements in general. You can find it here. After you follow that advice, look at your draft again and see if you’re making these grad school personal statement mistakes: 1) Overly complex sentences Many international applicants write very long, complex sentences because they associate complexity with academic sophistication. In a per
Robin Tucker
3 min read
Five Academic English Mistakes That Prevent Publication
Many strong research papers are rejected because of academic English mistakes, not science. In fact, as an editorial board member and someone who has reviewed many manuscripts as a peer reviewer, if the abstract is written poorly, I’m not going to accept the review request. I don’t have time to fight to understand what the authors are trying to communicate. This post will help you avoid having your paper stuck under review because reviewers can’t be found. You’ll learn five c
Robin Tucker
2 min read
How to Write a Graduate School Personal Statement When English Is Not Your First Language
I have sat on graduate admissions committees and dietetic internship admissions committees. I have read hundreds of graduate school personal statements. I only remember a handful because the majority of applicants failed to tell a story. For international applicants writing in English as an additional language, this problem is even more common, because so much energy goes into getting the language right that your story doesn’t come through. This post is not about grammar. I
Robin Tucker
4 min read
Why Us? What Academic Hiring Committees Actually Want to Hear
Somewhere in almost every faculty interview, a committee member will ask some version of this question: “What is it about this opportunity that excites you?” Or: “Why did you apply to our department?” Or simply: “Why us?” It sounds like an invitation to be enthusiastic. It's actually something more specific than that. The committee is asking whether you did your homework — and whether what you found there genuinely connects to where your work is going. What the Question Is Re
Robin Tucker
3 min read
Motivational Interviewing Mistake: The Open Question That Closes
If you’re new to Motivational Interviewing, or even if you’ve been using it for a while, you probably know the importance of using open or open-ended questions. Open questions can’t be answered with a simple “yes” or “no”; rather, they encourage the patient to share information that you might not get otherwise. Sometimes, in our attempt to connect with a patient, we accidentally close our open question. This is a common Motivational Interviewing mistake. Here’s what that can
Robin Tucker
3 min read
Steal These Motivational Interviewing Phrases to Improve Patient Rapport
If you’re a healthcare practitioner working in English as an additional language and you want to improve interactions with your patients, steal these three phrases: 1. "That is an incredibly difficult position to be in." This phrase works after almost any unexpected patient disclosure – particularly something like financial hardship, for example. It’s important to acknowledge challenges, not simply dismiss them and move on to your next point. 2. "What would need to be differe
Robin Tucker
1 min read
No More Righting Reflex: Improving Patient Outcomes by Effectively Addressing Resistance
More explanation and persuading doesn't encourage patients to change their minds - curiosity does.
Robin Tucker
3 min read
Stop Ending Your Clinical Appointments With 'Do You Have Any Questions?'
If you work in clinical healthcare and speak English as an additional language, there is a good chance you end most of your appointments with some version of this question: 'Do you have any questions?' It feels like good practice. If you are a student of motivational interviewing, it serves as an open question. It gives the patient a chance to speak before you close. Almost every healthcare professional uses it, and it also almost never works. Why It Fails There are three rea
Robin Tucker
2 min read
Top 5 Medical English Communication Mistakes International Healthcare Providers Make with Patients—and How to Fix Them
Clear patient communication is both a language and a clinical skill. For healthcare professionals working in English as an additional language, small communication patterns can unintentionally affect patient trust, understanding, and safety. Here are the five most common issues I observe in clinical interactions. 1. Asking Closed Questions Instead of Open Questions Closed questions can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no”. “Do you have pain?” “Is it severe?” This prev
Robin Tucker
2 min read
How to Handle Aggressive Questions in Academic Talks
I don’t enjoy giving academic talks. Weird choice to be a professor, right? Public speaking makes me nervous. Actually, it’s not the speaking part. It’s the question and answer part. I’m always afraid I might not know the answer, or “that guy” who wants to be the smartest person in the room will walk up to the microphone. What I have learned over the past decade is: hostile or aggressive questions at academic talks are not a sign that your skills are in question. In many fiel
Robin Tucker
4 min read
Using AI for PhD Applications? Avoid These 7 Email Mistakes That Get You Ignored
Below is a sample email I asked AI to create. While the details are different, it looks almost identical to the dozens of emails I get from prospective students each week. I don’t bother to respond to these emails if they are obvious products of AI and they are not tailored to me, personally. Read each paragraph and note the mistakes to avoid, so that you increase your chances of getting a response to your PhD application inquiry. Dear Dr. [Last Name], I hope this message fin
Robin Tucker
3 min read
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