I'm going to start a thread of common writing tricks that you can (generally) use to help to reduce your word count in scientific writing. I'll add to the thread whenever I remember an example. #wordcountchop
1. "On the other hand" (4) ➡️ "Conversely" (1)2. "It has been shown that X regulates" Y (8) ➡️ "X regulates Y" (3)
I recommend only using the former option where there is a need to critical assess or compare the evidence, e.g. While it has been shown that ..., Y suggests that...