Writing to suit the habits of the reader

We suspect that you are a busy person. Your desk is probably piled with papers, letters to be replied to and memos to be answered. You don't always have the time to read as much as you should.

Your readers probably face the same problem. Most experienced readers develop a style of reading articles in journals that helps them decide what is worth reading in greater detail.

Not all parts of published papers get the same attention. If you know how people read, you can write in a way that ensures that you convey your main message effectively.

Let's look at how people read journals.