Avoid the pitfalls of language (again)

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Defining scientific words and the hazards involved

To help students understand scientific vocabulary, we need to give them clear, yet simple definitions. A good definition includes words appropriate to the stage of learning of the student, but this simplification mustn’t introduce or reinforce misconceptions. Everyday language can prove problematic, so this article looks at how to avoid those potential problems, providing example definitions and exercises to help test or embed them.

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