“System” isn’t jargon, either

“System” is one of the words that appear in noted science writer Carl Zimmer’s list of banned words – these are words that he believes should be avoided when writing about science for a general audience. But is “system” such a hard word?

“Process” isn’t jargon

Science writers Ed Yong and Carl Zimmer know their business – they write about science for a general audience. They get through by avoiding technical language and using concrete examples and metaphors to explain complex ideas in a simple way – they choose their topics carefully and structure their arguments clearly. They argue that jargon is the enemy.