• significant, statistically significant

    In science writing, significant should be used with care because it can indicate either statistical significance or a quality of importance, leading to ambiguit

  • average, mean, median, mode

    average: a general term usually used to mean the arithmetic mean, but may be incorrectly used to mean median or mode mean: the sum of a set of values divided

  • Aboriginal, Aborigine

    Aboriginal is an adjective (eg Aboriginal people). Note that Aborigine should not be used.

  • Australian audience demographics

    Australia has a diverse population, with many cultures, languages and levels of literacy. These need to be considered when developing your content.

  • absorption, adsorption

    absorption: the taking up of one thing by another through (for example) capillary, chemical or molecular action The sponge absorbed the water. Digested food

  • adaptation, adaption

    These have the same meaning (an adjustment or alteration, or something produced by an adjustment or alteration).

  • adaption

    See adaptation, adaption

  • adsorption

    See absorption, adsorption

  • Structure options

    There is no single ‘right’ way to structure content, and it may take several iterations to get an effective structure.

  • affect, effect

    affect (verb): to have an influence on, alter, cause a change in Changing the pH of the solution may affect [alter for better or worse] the result. affect

  • AIDS, HIV

    AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome): the disease that can result from infection with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus).

  • aliquot, sample

    aliquot: one of the parts of a total amount of a gas, liquid or solid that has been completely divided into equal parts 1 mL is an aliquot of 10 mL

  • allele, gene, gene product, locus

    allele: any alternative form of a particular gene.

  • alternate, alternative (as adjectives)

    alternate: relating to every second item in a series The beetle had alternate stripes of red and brown. alternative: relating to a choice between 2 or mor

  • alternative

    See alternate, alternative

  • analogue, homologue, homeologue

    analogue (noun): in organic chemistry, a compound that is structurally similar to another (structural analogue) or performs the same functions (functional analo

  • amount, concentration, level

    amount: quantity of a substance concentration: quantity of a substance in a unit volume or mass of another substance level: a measure of some quantitative

  • anatomy, morphology

    anatomy: physical structure and composition of an animal or plant, or the study of this area morphology: form and structure of an animal or plant, or the stu

  • antibiotic, antimicrobial, antiviral

    antibiotic: a chemical substance that kills or inhibits the growth of bacteria (a more precise term is antibacterial) antimicrobial: a chemical substance tha

  • Information architecture

    Good IA should be built from 3 perspectives: users, content and context. Find out about IA structure options, and drafting and testing IA.

  • antimicrobial

    See antibiotic, antimicrobial, antiviral

  • antivenene, antivenin, antivenom

    Alternative terms for a biological product used in the treatment of venomous bites or stings.Antivenom is the preferred term in Australia.

  • antivenin

    See antivenene, antivenin, antivenom

  • antivenom

    See antivenene, antivenin, antivenom

  • antiviral

    See antibiotic, antimicrobial, antiviral