





































       V38 N3 / 2023 

©2023 American Medical Writers Association. All rights reserved.  
ISSN 2163-5315

AMWAJournal.org     33

Credibility is integral to good science. And medical writers 
support the credibility of science with credible writing. They 
base their logic on previous findings, clearly describe the 
methods and results, and distinguish their interpretations 
from the data. In other words, they show the data and logic 
to strengthen credibility—and build trust with readers.
 But sometimes medical writers use vague language to 
describe their logic and interpretations. This vague language 
can undermine the content and tarnish the credibility of the 
work and the writing. 
 Although vague language can take many forms in med-
ical writing, 3 phrases stand out as the most common 
phrases that tarnish credibility: “little is known,” “to our 
knowledge,” and “first to show.” 

LITTLE IS KNOWN
“Little is known” is not a very convincing argument for a few 
reasons. First, most topics have had many papers published 
on them, so we likely know a lot about a particular topic. But 
medical writers are often writing about work that aimed (or 
aims) to answer an important question, fill a gap, or solve a 
problem. And that question, gap, or problem is bounded by 
what is known about the topic. “Little is known” does a poor 
job of defining a specific question, gap, or problem. If you 
use this phrase, readers may think that you do not know the 
literature well or that you are overstating your case.
 Second, “little is known” is often preceded or followed 
by more in-depth descriptions of what is known. These 
descriptions contradict the case for “little is known.” And 
these contradictions tarnish credibility.
 Finally, “little is known” is not clear. A reader may 
wonder, “How little is little?” Is there only one paper pub-
lished on the topic? Are there a dozen papers on the topic 
but none that answer the specific question that this work 
aimed to answer? Is there an extensive body of literature on 
the topic, and the work aimed to confirm that a new tool will 
validate those findings?
 To craft a convincing argument, you need to define the 
specific question, gap, or problem that the work aimed (or 
aims) to fill. 

Example
Avoid: Little is known about how the drug reduces cell 
proliferation in lung cancer.

Preferred: Although we know that the drug reduces pro-
liferation of A549 cells, we do not know the mechanism 
by which the gene regulates this process. 

TO OUR KNOWLEDGE
“To our knowledge” is also not a convincing statement. This 
statement implies that others may know certain informa-
tion, but you may not be aware of it. By using “to our knowl-
edge,” you may cast doubt in your reader’s mind about 
whether you really know the literature or field. 
 What’s worse is that “to our knowledge” suggests that 
you do not want to be held accountable if that information 
becomes known. This lack of responsibility can damage 
your reputation and tarnish your credibility and the credi-
bility of the work.
 To give readers confidence in the writing and the work, 
omit “to our knowledge” and only share known information.

Example
Avoid: To our knowledge, researchers have not uncov-
ered how the drug reduces cell proliferation of lung 
cancer cells. 

Preferred: Although we do not fully understand how the 
drug reduces cell proliferation in lung cancer, researchers 
have linked the drug to cell mitosis in other cancer cells.

FIRST TO SHOW
“First to show” may seem like a convincing statement. Some 
writers believe that this phrase highlights the novelty or 
significance of the work and, therefore, is persuasive. But 
“first to show” suggests that you know everything in the 
field—published or unpublished. This conviction is difficult 
to guarantee. Rather than persuade readers, “first to show” 
may lead readers to perceive that you are overconfident or 
overstating your case for novelty.

Crystal R. Herron, PhD, ELS  / Redwood Ink, LLC, San Rafael, CA

3 Common Phrases That Tarnish Credibility in Medical Writing

CONSCIOUS WRITING

http://www.amwajournal.org


AMWAJournal.org     343 Common Phrases That Tarnish Credibility in Medical Writing

 Unless you are indisputably certain that you are the first to 
show something, avoid using “first to show” in your writing. 

Example
Avoid: We are the first to show that activation of the gene 
increases proliferation of A549 cells.

Preferred: We showed that activation of the gene 
increases proliferation of A549 cells.

TRIPLE THREAT TO CREDIBILITY
When used alone, these three phrases—“little is known,”  
“to our knowledge,” and “first to show”—can tarnish  
credibility. Yet, writers often use all three phrases in the 
same document. They will try to build the case for the work 
with “little is known,” protect their reputation with “to our 
knowledge,” and claim the novelty or significance of the 
work with “first to show.”  
 But when used together, these phrases can have a  
cumulative effect that erodes credibility in the writing and 
in the work.
 To support credibility, avoid using all three phrases—
alone or together—in your writing. 

Example
Avoid: Little is known about how the drug affects plaque 
formation associated with Alzheimer’s disease…. To our 
knowledge, this study is the first to show that the drug 
slows plaque formation, reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s 
disease.

Preferred: Although the drug reduces beta-amyloid, we 
do not know if the drug slows plaque formation asso-
ciated with Alzheimer’s disease…. In this study, we 
showed that the drug slows plaque formation, reducing 
the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

MAKE THE CREDIBILITY SHINE
Credibility is key to building and maintaining trust in sci-
ence. And the phrases you use can strengthen or tarnish 
that credibility and trust. But with some mindfulness and 
intention to the phrases you use (or omit), you can polish 
your writing to ensure that the credibility shines.

Author declaration and disclosures: The author notes no com-
mercial associations that may pose a conflict of interest related 
this article.

Author contact: crystal.herron@redwoodink.com

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