Parallel Construction

The copy editor is expected to notice and correct nonparallel construction. When a sentence contains a sweries of two or more conjoined (or disjoined) phrases or clauses, they must have parallel syntactic structure. The Chicago Manual of Style and Words Into Type provide further in-depth description.

bad

...and that the addition of the NOS inhibitor N^ω-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA) or by removing the endothelium prevented this dilation.

good

...and that the addition of the NOS inhibitor N^ω-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA) or removal of the endothelium prevented this dilation.

bad

Possible mechanisms for this response could include reduced lipolysis and FFA release by adipose tissue, reduced hepatic lipogenesis, or through an increase in FFA uptake into muscle.

good

Possible mechanisms for this response could include reduced lipolysis and FFA release by adipose tissue, reduced hepatic lipogenesis, or increased FFA uptake into muscle.

Nonparallel constructions can also appear when the correlative conjunctions are misplaced: e.g., "not only/but also", "both/and", "either/or", "neither/nor", etc. The same holds when there is a subordinating conjunction: e.g., "whether", "if", "that", "when", "where".

bad

in both X and in Y / both in X and Y

good

in both X and Y / both in X and in Y

bad

by either X or by Y / either by X or Y

good

by either X or Y / either by X or by Y

bad

that either X or that Y / either that X or Y

good

that either X or Y / either that X or that Y